JP2010183484A - Image forming apparatus with copying function - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus in which only small characters are extracted, enlarged and outputted without requiring complicated operations. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus includes: a character recognition unit for recognizing characters included in an image in a document from image data acquired by optically reading the image to produce character data; and an enlarged character image generating means for detecting, from the character data of a recognized character group a character of which the character size is smaller than or equal to a threshold character size, as an enlargement object character, to produce enlarged character data in enlarged character size from character data of the enlargement object character. The image forming apparatus is such that it outputs the enlarged character data. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a copy function, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus having an enlarged copy function.

  A copier or multifunction machine having a scanner unit and a printing unit is an image forming apparatus having a copy function. When copying an image having small characters that are difficult to read, an enlargement copy function for enlarging the image size is convenient, and the enlargement copy function is installed in the image forming apparatus. The general enlargement copy function includes an enlargement function by changing the standard paper size that enlarges the A4 paper size to the A3 paper size, and an enlargement function that can arbitrarily set an enlargement ratio such as 150% enlargement. Have

  Regardless of the enlargement function, all the originals on which images are formed are uniformly enlarged. Even if the image contains parts that need to be enlarged and unnecessary parts, all the images are uniformly enlarged. For this reason, the consumption of paper resources may be increased, which may be undesirable.

  According to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-26883, after an original is read by a scanner, an image of the original is displayed on a preview screen, a user specifies an area to be enlarged on the preview screen, and only the enlarged area is enlarged to print an image. Are listed.

  In Patent Document 2, in order to prevent the quality of a character image from being reduced when enlarging or reducing the copy, the character is recognized by character recognition for the input image data, and the character code of the recognized character is set and set. It describes that font data corresponding to the scaled magnification is read out, and the scaled character area and image are combined and printed out. In this example, all the images in the document are uniformly enlarged or reduced.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-5768 JP 2002-77598 A

  Since the enlargement copy function described in Patent Document 1 enlarges only necessary portions, the amount of output paper can be saved. However, it is necessary for the user to specify the enlargement part on the preview screen, and it is not convenient because it involves complicated operations. In addition, because the preview screen of a multifunction device has a limited size, it is not possible to specify a very small area in the document with high accuracy, and the enlarged copy of the output image is not the area requested by the user. May be included, and it is insufficient from the viewpoint of reducing the consumption of paper resources.

  The enlargement copy function described in Patent Document 2 only enlarges the image in the document uniformly, cannot suppress the consumption of paper resources, and cannot enlarge only the small characters desired by the user. .

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that extracts and enlarges and outputs only small characters without complicated operations.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus, a character recognition unit that recognizes characters included in the image and generates character data from image data obtained by optically reading an image in a document, Expanded character data generation means for detecting a character whose character size is equal to or smaller than a threshold character size from character data of the recognized character group and generating expanded character data of the expanded character size from the character data of the expanded target character And an image forming apparatus that outputs the enlarged character data.

  According to the first aspect, it is possible to enlarge and output only a character having a small character size, and it is not necessary to specify an enlargement area, and consumption of paper resources can be suppressed.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus, a character recognition unit that recognizes characters included in the image and generates character data from image data obtained by optically reading an image in a document, A character area having a character size of the same character size group and having a cluster of adjacent characters within a predetermined distance is detected from the character data of the recognized character group, and the character size of the character area is equal to or less than a threshold character size Expanded character data generation means for detecting an area as an enlargement target character area and generating enlarged character data of an enlarged character size from the character data of the enlargement target character area, and based on the enlarged character data, In the image forming apparatus, data is laid out and output for each of the enlargement target character areas.

  According to a preferred aspect of the second aspect, the enlarged character data generation means calculates the number of output pages when the enlarged character data of the enlarged character size is continuously laid out, and is within the calculated number of output pages. The enlarged character data is generated by dividing and laying out for each of the enlargement target character regions so as to fit in the above.

  According to a preferred aspect of the second aspect, the enlarged character data generation means lays out a page in the enlargement target character area within a range that falls within the number of output pages.

  According to a preferred aspect of the second aspect, the reduced document image in which the image in the document is reduced and the enlarged character area is specified is laid out and output adjacent to the enlarged character data in the enlargement target character area.

  According to a preferred aspect of the second aspect, the enlarged character data generation means is a character area whose character size is equal to or smaller than a threshold character size when detecting the enlargement target character area, and is further set. The character area having either a character color or a character density is detected as the character area to be enlarged, and the enlarged character data is output by changing the character color or the character density.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming program for causing a computer to execute an image forming process, wherein the image processing includes character data included in the image from image data obtained by optically reading an image in a document. A character recognition unit that recognizes the character and generates character data from the input process of inputting the character data of the recognized character group, and has a character size of the same character size group from the character data of the recognized character group and has a predetermined distance A character area having a lump of adjacent characters is detected, a character area whose character size is equal to or smaller than a threshold character size is detected as an enlargement target character area, and an enlarged character is detected from the character data of the enlargement target character area. An enlarged character data generation step for generating enlarged character data of a size, and laying out the enlarged character data for each of the enlargement target character regions An image forming program and an output step of force.

1 is a configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus in the present embodiment. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an original document 16 enlarged by the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment and an example of an enlarged character image 18 to be output. FIG. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an enlarged copy processing procedure performed by the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment. It is a figure which shows the character data for every character area detected by process S18. It is a flowchart figure of the detection process of the character area in this Embodiment. It is a flowchart figure of the layout process of the enlarged character image in this Embodiment. It is a figure explaining the layout process of the enlarged character image in this Embodiment.

  FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment. The image forming apparatus includes a controller 10, a scanner unit 12 that optically reads an image of a document 16, and a printing unit 14 that prints an image based on generated image data. The controller 10 includes a CPU 100, a RAM 102, which is a high-speed memory, a memory 104 that stores an enlarged character image generation program, an interface 106 that is connected to a host computer (not shown), and a character pattern that are connected to the bus 108. A non-volatile memory 110 stored, a character recognition unit 112 for recognizing characters matching the character pattern in the image data, and an image for generating image data in a file format such as a bitmap from a read signal read by the scanner unit 12 A data generation unit 114 and an image processing unit 116 that processes the generated image data and supplies the print data to the printing unit 14 are provided.

  In the example of FIG. 1, the character recognition unit 112, the image data generation unit 114, and the image processing unit 116 are configured by a dedicated integrated circuit device ASIC. The image data generation unit 114 temporarily stores the generated image data in the memory 102. The character recognition unit 112 reads the image data from the memory 102, matches the character pattern in the nonvolatile memory 110, recognizes the character in the image, generates character data, and stores it in the memory 102. The enlarged character image generation program 104 is executed by the CPU 100 and generates enlarged character image data for printing the enlarged character image 18 from the character data stored in the memory 102. The image processing unit 116 performs image processing on the enlarged character image data and outputs the print data to the printing unit 14. As a result, the output image 18 having only the enlarged character image is output.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the document 16 enlarged by the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment and an example of the output image 18 to be output. A document 16 to be enlarged and copied has character areas 1 to 6 which are character blocks in addition to graphic or photo areas such as triangles, rectangles, ellipses and rectangles. The six character regions 1 to 6 are character regions having the same character size and adjacent to each other within a predetermined distance. Among the six character areas, the character areas 2, 5, and 6 are areas for which the character size is equal to or less than a threshold character size (for example, 10 points) and are to be enlarged, while the character areas 1, 3, and 4 have a character size It is assumed that the size exceeds 10 points and is not an area to be enlarged.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the present embodiment, character areas 2, 5, and 6 having a character size of 10 points or less, which is the threshold character size, are extracted from the image in the document 16, and these character areas 2, 2 are extracted. An output image 18 having enlarged character images 2E, 5E, and 6E obtained by enlarging the character sizes of 5 and 6 to an enlarged character size (for example, 16 points) is output. The output image 18 is obtained by laying out enlarged character images 2E, 5E, and 6E for each character area. Further, in the output image 18, reduced original images 2S, 5S, and 6S in which the entire image of the original 16 is reduced and the corresponding enlarged character area is specified are laid out close to the enlarged character images 2E, 5E, and 6E. .

  The output image 18 shown in FIG. 2 is obtained by extracting only a character area having a character with a small character size that is difficult to read, and dividing and laying out an enlarged character image for each extracted character area. A thumbnail image (reduced document image) indicating where the image is located in the entire image of the document is laid out adjacently. In this way, by automatically extracting and enlarging and outputting only small character size characters that are difficult to read, it is possible to suppress consumption of paper resources without outputting an enlarged image of a useless image, An enlarged image of an image to be enlarged can be obtained without performing a complicated operation for specifying an enlarged area.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an enlarged copy processing procedure performed by the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment. Each step of this flowchart includes a copy control program (not shown) in the controller 10, a scanner unit 12, an image data generation unit 114, a character recognition unit 112, an enlarged character image generation program 104, an image processing unit 116, It is executed by the printing unit 14. Hereinafter, each processing step will be described with reference to a flowchart.

  The user performs enlargement copy setting from an operation panel not shown in FIG. 1 (S10). This setting includes a threshold character size indicating a character size threshold to be enlarged, an enlarged character size indicating an enlarged character size, and the like. As will be described later, in this setting step S10, the user may set the color and density of the character to be enlarged. Further, in this setting step S10, the user may set the maximum number of output pages that can be output. When the user presses the enlargement copy execution button, the enlargement copy process is started (YES in S12).

  First, the copy control program in the controller 10 causes the scanner unit 12 to optically read an image in the document 16. Then, the image data generation unit 114 generates image data in the file format of bitmap data, for example, from the electrical signal of the image read by the scanner unit 12, and stores it in the memory 102 (S14).

  Next, the copy control program executes the enlarged character image generation program 104, reads the read image data from the memory 102 to the character recognition unit 112, and matches the character pattern in the nonvolatile memory 110 from the image in the image data. An image to be extracted is extracted, all characters in the read image are recognized, and character data of the recognized character is stored in the memory 102 (S20). For character data, in addition to character string data consisting of character codes and character size, for example, character position, font type, whether or not it is highlighted, and type of highlight (such as font decoration) Is included.

  The enlarged character image generation program 104 reads the character data from the memory 110, has a character size corresponding to the character size of the same adjacent character size group, and a plurality of the closest characters are located within a predetermined distance. A character region consisting of a lump of characters is detected (S18). The character area is a character block in which the character size and the character position are close to each other, preferably a character block having the same font. According to the example of the document 16 in FIG. 2, six character areas 1 to 6 are detected. Details of the character area detection step will be described later.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing character data for each character area detected in step S18. In the figure, the “character area ID” column shows IDs 1 to 6 of the six character areas illustrated in FIG. For each character area, “character size”, “character string data”, “number of characters”, “font”, “highlighted display”, and “character position” data (not shown) are associated. The data of “highlighted display” includes data Xn of the character to be highlighted, data Yn of the type of highlighted display, and the like. The data Xn of the highlight target character is, for example, data “designating a range from the Nth character to the Mth character to be highlighted”.

  Next, the enlarged character image generation program 104 extracts a character area having a character size equal to or smaller than a threshold character size as an enlargement target from among the plurality of detected character areas, and sets it as an enlargement target character area (S20). The character data of the character area to be enlarged is stored in the memory 110. According to the example of the character string data for each character area in FIG. 4, if the threshold character size, which is the threshold value of the character size to be enlarged, is 10 points, the character areas 2, 5, and 6 surrounded by a thick frame in FIG. Extracted as an enlargement target character area. The character sizes of these character areas 2, 5, and 6 are “9”, “8”, and “8”, respectively, and the threshold character size is 10 points or less.

  Next, the enlarged character image generation program 104 performs the layout of the enlarged character image of the extracted character area to be enlarged (S22). With this layout, as illustrated in FIG. 2, enlarged character images 2E, 5E, 6E obtained by enlarging the characters in the character regions 2, 5, 6 to an enlarged size are laid out in the output image by dividing each character region. The Further, the enlarged character image generation program 104 reduces the image in the document 16 adjacent to the enlarged character images 2E, 5E, and 6E, and specifies the reduced original images 2S, 5S, and 6S that specify the positions of the enlarged character areas. Lay out in the output image. Enlarged character image data generated by the enlarged character image generation program and having the above-described enlarged character image laid out is stored in the internal memory 102. Details of the layout step S22 will be described later.

  Next, when the output number of the enlarged character images laid out is large (YES in S24), the copy control program inquires of the user whether or not to execute the enlarged copy (S26). If the user confirms the execution (YES in S26), the copy control program causes the image processing unit 116 to perform image processing such as color conversion and binarization based on the enlarged character image data to generate print data. Then, the copy control program further causes the printing unit 14 to generate and output an output image 18 in which the enlarged character image is laid out based on the print data (S28). This image processing and image output processing are the same as normal image output processing. If the user selects not to execute (NO in S26), the copy control program ends the copy control without printing the output image (S30). The number of output sheets for which confirmation is requested can be set in advance by the user.

[Character area detection step S18]
FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the character region detection process in the present embodiment. The enlarged character image generation program 104 sequentially reads out the character data detected and generated by the character recognition unit, identifies character groups that are close in distance and have the same character size as character chunks, and each character chunk. The characters included in are registered in the character area.

  Specifically, the enlarged character image generation program 104 registers the first character in the first character area (S32). The next character is acquired (S34). The character is close in distance to any character in the character area where the previous character is registered, and the character in that character area is close to the character size (one character size group within a certain range, or the same character size) It is checked whether or not (S36). If S36 is YES, it is further checked whether the characters of the different fonts are consecutive within a predetermined number although they are different from the fonts of the characters in the already registered character area (S38). If S38 is YES, the character is registered in the same character area (S40). That is, even if the fonts are different, if the number of characters of the different fonts is within a predetermined number, they are treated as the same character area.

  On the other hand, if the distance from the character is not close or the character size is not close (NO in S36), it is registered in another character area (S42). That is, if the character is far from the character registered in the character area, the character is registered in another character area as belonging to another group of characters. Similarly, if the character size is not within a certain range of character size groups, it is registered in another character area (S42). In order to make the size of the enlarged characters (enlarged size) the same, it is desirable to register them in different character areas.

  The above processing is repeated until all characters are exhausted (YES in S44). By this processing, a group of consecutive characters having similar character sizes at close positions is registered in the same character area. The characters in this character area are of the same font type in principle, but may include characters of different fonts as long as they are within a predetermined number. However, if the number of characters of different fonts exceeds a predetermined number, the characters are registered in another character area as a new cluster. Further, even if the character size is increased by partially emphasizing the character area, the same character group may be used as long as it is within a predetermined number.

[Enlarged character image layout step S22]
FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an enlarged character image layout process in the present embodiment. Further, FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the layout process of the enlarged character image in the present embodiment. The enlarged character image layout step S22 of FIG. 6 will be described with reference to FIG.

  Now, the character areas 2, 5, and 6 in FIG. 4 are extracted as character areas to be enlarged. Therefore, the enlarged character image generation program 104 determines the enlargement amount of each character area from the character size of each character area and the set enlarged character size (S50). The enlarged character size is set in advance as a character size that is easy for the user to read.

  Next, the enlarged character image generation program 104 continuously lays out the characters in all the character areas to be enlarged while making the enlarged character size a new line with a certain number of characters (S52). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7A, the enlarged character areas 2E, 5E, and 6E are continuously laid out. Then, the program 104 divides the length of the laid out character area by the length of one page, and calculates the necessary number of pages and the total margin amount 20 (S54). In the example of FIG. 7, the length Page of one page is shown in FIG. 7 (2), the required number of pages is four pages, and there is a predetermined amount of total margin amount 20.

  Then, if necessary, the enlarged character image generation program 104 subtracts the minimum margin total amount to be provided between the enlarged character areas 2E, 5E, and 6E from the total margin amount 20 to obtain a margin amount that can be used for a page break (page break margin). Amount) is calculated (S56). The minimum total margin is the sum of the minimum margins to be provided between character areas when each character area is laid out. In the example of FIG. 7, it is desirable to provide at least two minimum margin areas between the three character areas. If the minimum margin amount is set to zero, each character area is continuously laid out without providing a margin.

  Next, the enlarged character image generation program 104 lays out the enlarged character areas 2E, 5E, and 6E that have been laid out in succession on each page of the required number of pages in an easy-to-read manner. First, the data of the enlarged character areas laid out in succession are acquired in order (S58), and it is determined whether or not the margin amount necessary for a page break in the enlarged character area is smaller than the page break margin amount. (S60) If it is smaller, a page break is laid out in the enlarged character area, and the remaining page break margin amount is calculated (S62). If it is larger, the enlarged character area is laid out without a page break (S64). Steps S58 to S64 are repeated until all character areas are completed (S66).

  As a result, in the three enlarged character areas 2E, 5E, and 6E in FIG. 7, the enlarged character area 2E is paginated on the first page P1, and the enlarged character area 5E is divided into pages P2 and P3 and laid out on the page P3. The enlarged character area 6E is laid out in the page P4. Thus, by laying out all the enlarged character areas within the minimum number of pages, it is possible to avoid wasting paper resources. Further, the total margin amount within the minimum number of pages is used to secure the minimum margin between the enlarged character areas and, if possible, the page break is performed for each enlarged character area. However, the layout is easy to see within the range of the total margin, and the layout does not exceed the total margin, so that wasteful paper resources are not consumed.

  Finally, the enlarged character image generation program 104 lays down the reduced document images 2S, 5S, 6S adjacent to the enlarged character areas 2E, 5E, 6E (S68). As shown in FIG. 2, the reduced original images 2S, 5S, and 6S clearly indicate the positions of the adjacent enlarged character areas 2E, 5E, and 6E in the original document. As a result, the user can know where the enlarged character area is in the original document, and can effectively refer to the enlarged character area.

[Modification]
In the above embodiment, as the character area to be enlarged, a character area having a character with a character size equal to or smaller than the threshold character size is extracted. In addition to the condition that the character size is smaller than the threshold character size, the character color, You may add a condition for character darkness. For example, it is possible to extract a character area including a character whose color is difficult to be recognized by a color weak person such as red, and output the enlarged character area in a black or blue color that is easy to identify. Alternatively, a character region including a character with a low character density may be extracted, and the enlarged character region may be output with a density that is easy to identify. In this way, by adding a reference for the character area to be extracted in addition to the character size, only the really necessary character area can be enlarged and copied, and user convenience can be improved.

  In the example of FIG. 3, the enlarged character area is laid out and then printed and output. However, after the enlarged character image generation program 104 lays out the enlarged character area, it may be displayed on the display of the host computer without printing. In other words, by reading the document optically with a scanner, extracting and laying out the character area to be enlarged, and displaying it on the display, it is possible to automatically enlarge and display characters that are difficult to read on the document. If the image data of the enlarged character area thus laid out is stored in an external recording medium, it can be printed as needed at a later date.

  Further, the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment may be configured so that the automatic enlargement copy function can be turned on / off and the threshold character size and enlarged character size can be set for each user. In particular, it is desirable for users who have difficulty in seeing fine characters to be set to the optimum value for that user.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the image forming apparatus automatically determines an area that needs to be enlarged, there is no need for the user to manually specify the enlargement range. Furthermore, since only the character area to be enlarged is extracted, laid out, and output, it is possible to avoid wasting paper resources. In addition, since the reduced original image indicating the position of the enlarged character area is laid out in the vicinity, the convenience for the user is enhanced.

10: Controller 12: Scanner unit 14: Printing unit 16: Document 18: Output image 104: Enlarged character image generation program 112: Character recognition unit

Claims (7)

In an image forming apparatus,
A character recognition unit for recognizing characters included in the image and generating character data from image data obtained by optically reading an image in the document;
Expanded character data generation for detecting a character whose character size is equal to or smaller than a threshold character size from the character data of the recognized character group and generating expanded character data of the expanded character size from the character data of the expanded target character Means,
An image forming apparatus for outputting the enlarged character data. In an image forming apparatus,
A character recognition unit for recognizing characters included in the image and generating character data from image data obtained by optically reading an image in the document;
A character area having a character size of the same character size group and having a cluster of adjacent characters within a predetermined distance is detected from the character data of the recognized character group, and the character size of the character area is equal to or less than a threshold character size. Expanded character data generation means for detecting a character region as an expansion target character region and generating expanded character data of an expanded character size from the character data of the expansion target character region;
An image forming apparatus that lays out and outputs the enlarged character data for each enlargement target character region. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2,
The enlarged character data generating means calculates the number of output pages when the enlarged character images having the enlarged character size are continuously laid out, and classifies the enlarged character data regions for each of the enlargement target character areas so as to be within the calculated output page number. And generating the enlarged character data laid out. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3,
The enlarged character data generation means lays out a page break in the enlargement target character area within a range that fits within the number of output pages. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2,
An image forming apparatus, wherein a reduced original image specifying an enlarged character area by reducing an image in the original is laid out and output adjacent to enlarged character data in the enlargement target character area. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2,
The enlarged character data generation means is a character region whose character size is equal to or smaller than a threshold character size when detecting the enlargement target character region, and further has any one of a set character color and character density Detecting the character area as the character area to be enlarged;
An image forming apparatus that outputs the enlarged character data by changing a color or a character density of the character. In an image forming program for causing a computer to execute image forming processing,
The image processing
An input step of inputting character data of the recognized character group from a character recognition unit that recognizes characters included in the image and generates character data from image data obtained by optically reading an image in a document; ,
A character area having a character size of the same character size group and having a cluster of adjacent characters within a predetermined distance is detected from the character data of the recognized character group, and the character size of the character area is equal to or less than a threshold character size. An enlarged character data generation step of detecting a character area as an enlargement target character area and generating enlarged character data of an enlarged character size from the character data of the enlargement target character area;
An image forming program comprising: an output step of laying out and outputting the enlarged character image for each enlargement target character region based on the enlarged character data.

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