JP2010212743A - Image processing apparatus, image processing method and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To print an image displayed on an electronic paper while suppressing a decrease in picture quality and a decrease in operability. <P>SOLUTION: An image processing apparatus includes: an acquisition means of acquiring information for specifying an image displayed on an information display medium placed on a manuscript table; a readout means of reading image data corresponding to the image out of a storage device wherein the image data is stored based on the information that the acquisition means acquires; a detection means of detecting the size of the information display medium placed on the manuscript table; and a printing means of printing the image data read out by the readout means based on the size of the information display medium detected by the detection means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to output control of an image processing apparatus that can communicate with electronic paper.

  Conventionally, an image processing apparatus that can communicate with electronic paper, which is an example of an information display medium that displays input data in a set display format, has been disclosed (Patent Document 1 below). According to this system, the image processing apparatus acquires data and a display format from electronic paper, and prints the data in the acquired display format.

JP 2007-144673 A

In order to print the contents displayed on the electronic paper as it looks, it is a simple method to copy the screen by the same method as the conventional method of copying a document. However, when electronic paper is optically read and printed, sufficient image quality cannot be obtained.
In the image processing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, when printing an image displayed on electronic paper, it is necessary to connect the image processing apparatus and electronic paper with a dedicated interface. Therefore, the user needs to connect the electronic paper to the image processing apparatus, which is troublesome. Further, in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to set the print document size, the print magnification, and the like on the electronic paper in advance, which has been a factor in reducing operability.
The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism for printing an image displayed on electronic paper while suppressing deterioration in image quality and operability. It is to be.

The image processing apparatus of the present invention that achieves the above object has the following configuration.
An acquisition unit configured to acquire information for specifying an image displayed on the information display medium placed on the document table; and image data corresponding to the image based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit. Is read from the storage means in which is stored, detection means for detecting the size of the information display medium placed on the document table, and image data read by the reading means is detected by the detection means. Printing means for printing based on the size of the information display medium.

  According to the present invention, according to the present invention, it is possible to print an image displayed on electronic paper while suppressing deterioration in image quality and operability.

It is a block diagram explaining the structure of an image processing apparatus. 3 is a plan view illustrating the configuration of an operation unit 107. FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the control part 400 of an electronic paper. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a state where electronic paper is placed on a document table of a scanner. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a state where electronic paper is placed on a document table of a scanner. It is a flowchart which shows the data processing procedure of an image processing apparatus. It is a figure explaining the image processing state by the image processing part. It is a figure explaining the image processing state by the image processing part. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the coordinate extracted by the image process by an image process part, and a label. It is a flowchart which shows the data processing procedure of an image processing apparatus.

Next, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
<Description of system configuration>
[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment. In this example, an example of a multifunction peripheral (MFP (Multi Function Peripheral)) that performs composite image processing is shown as the image processing apparatus, but the image processing apparatus may be configured by an image processing system in which a scanner and a printer can communicate. The configuration of the main part of the control unit of MFP 1000 will be described below.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 denotes a main controller, which includes a high-speed CPU 101, a RAM 102 that the CPU 101 reads and writes, and a ROM 103 that stores a program for the CPU 101.
An IO control unit 104 controls various IO devices. Connected to the IO control unit 104 are a network control unit 105, a data storage unit 106 for storing image data, an operation unit 107 for displaying an operation panel of the apparatus and performing control by key operation, an image processing unit 108, and a CPU 101. The

  Note that the operation unit 107 sets an image processing mode for display data displayed on a document placed on the document table or the electronic paper ES. The electronic paper ES is an example of an information display medium. Here, the image processing mode includes various image processing modes such as 2in1.

  When the storage destination of the image information is the data storage unit 106, the IO control unit 104 receives the image information according to the specified information (ID information) and outputs it to the image processing unit 108. Here, the image processing unit 108 performs image processing for printing the image information received by the IO control unit 104 from the storage destination. The image processing is performed based on the size of the document detected from the electronic paper ES placed on the document table, the orientation of the placed document, and the image processing mode set by the user using the operation unit 107.

  The image processing unit 108 controls the scanner 301 and the printer 302 and performs necessary image processing. Image data input from the scanner 301 is directly processed by the image processing unit 108 and then temporarily stored in the RAM 102. Thereafter, the image data is stored in the data storage unit 106. The scanner 301 functioning as a reading unit includes a non-contact communication unit 301A. Then, the scanner 301 acquires ID information for specifying image information corresponding to display data displayed on the electronic paper placed on the document table from the electronic paper ES by non-contact communication. This ID information is used as information for specifying image information stored in the data storage unit 106.

  Note that the non-contact communication unit 301A includes a plurality of non-contact communication units as shown in FIG. The scanner 301 can optically read a document placed on a document table, and can also read display data displayed on an electronic paper ES described later as image data. The displayed image can be subjected to image processing by the control unit of the electronic paper ES, and scrolled and enlarged display processing is performed. This is because the characteristics of the displayed image are read and extracted by the scanner 301 based on processing described later.

The image data stored in the data storage unit 106 is read out when output is required under the control of the IO control unit 104 and is temporarily held in the RAM 102 again. Thereafter, the IO control unit 104 outputs the image data to the image processing unit 108 to perform image processing, and outputs the image data directly to the printer 302.
In addition to controlling the entire apparatus, the CPU 101 converts PDL data (print command data that can be processed at high speed by the printer) into a bitmap format that can be directly printed by the printer 302.

  The PDL data sent from the information processing apparatus via the network 200 is accumulated in the data storage unit 106 constituted by a large-capacity storage medium such as an HDD via the network control unit 105 and the IO control unit 104. Thereafter, as described above, the CPU 101 performs conversion into the bitmap format. After the conversion to the bitmap format, the image processing unit 108 performs tone correction of the image, filter processing, resolution conversion as necessary, and the like, and the image is printed out from the printer 302.

  Also, the bitmap data fetched from the scanner 301 is subjected to image gradation correction, filter processing, and resolution conversion as necessary, after the PDL data has been converted into the bitmap format. Is called. Then, the print data subjected to the image processing is output to the printer 302, printed out on paper, and a copying operation is realized. Alternatively, after image compression is performed by the image processing unit 108, the image data can be transmitted to a PC connected to the network 200 via the network control unit 105.

  FIG. 2 is a plan view for explaining the configuration of the operation unit 107 shown in FIG. This example shows an example of a copy setting screen when the user selects the “Copy” menu on the operation unit 107. BT1 is a button corresponding to a 2-in-1 function for placing a two-page document on one page of paper. BT2 is a button for starting reading of a document. BT3 is a button for selecting a portion to be displayed. BT4 is a button indicating that the document placed on the document table is electronic paper.

  In FIG. 2, the user performs settings such as copy magnification, paper selection, electronic paper mode selection, display part selection, double-sided, density adjustment, and 2 in 1 on the copy screen of FIG. Thereafter, the user can start document reading by pressing a start button on the operation unit 107, and can realize copy output in a desired mode.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the electronic paper control unit 400.
In FIG. 3, the control unit 400 performs control in accordance with the instruction content operated by the operation unit 501.
The power supply unit 401 includes a battery, and supplies power to the CPU 402, the display memory 403, the display driver 404, the non-contact communication unit 405, the operation unit 501, and the display unit 502.

The CPU 402 receives an operation command from the operation unit 501 and controls the entire electronic paper. The CPU 402 sends the image data stored in the display memory 403 as necessary to the display unit 502 via the display driver 404 as necessary.
The display unit 502 only needs to be configured by electrodes, display particles, and the like employed in general electronic paper. The non-contact communication unit 405 is used for transferring data to an external device and electronic paper and transferring various information such as a document ID using a known wireless communication technology or optical communication technology.

  FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a state in which the electronic paper is placed on the document table of the scanner 301 shown in FIG. In the present embodiment, non-contact communication means 51A and 51B capable of communicating with the non-contact communication unit 405 of the electronic paper ES are provided in the vicinity of the position where the document of the scanner 301 of the MFP shown in FIG. It has been. The non-contact communication means 51A and 51B can exchange display data and document IDs for specifying display data with the electronic paper via the non-contact communication unit 405.

  For example, the electronic paper ES can transmit a document ID corresponding to the image displayed on the electronic paper ES to the MFP 1000 via the non-contact communication unit 405.

  Information can also be transmitted from the MFP 1000 to electronic paper. For example, image data in the MFP stored in the data storage unit 106 of the MFP 1000 can be converted to a resolution that can be transferred to the electronic paper by the image processing unit 108 of the MFP, and can be transmitted to the electronic paper. Thereafter, the transmitted image data is received by the electronic paper by the non-contact communication unit 405 via the above-described non-contact communication means 51A and 51B connected to the IO control unit 104. A document ID for associating the image data with the image data in the MFP 1000 is transmitted to the non-contact communication unit 405.

The display memory 403 stores the above-described image data received from the MFP 1000 and the corresponding document ID.
Note that the image data and the corresponding document ID may be stored in an external device connected to the MFP 1000 via the network 200 instead of the data storage unit 106.
In the scanner 301, document detection sensors 52 to 54 for detecting the size of a document to be copied are embedded. The document detection sensors 52 to 54 are used when detecting the size of the document placed on the document table. The document detection sensors 52 to 54 detect the orientation of the document placed on the document table. The original detection sensors 52 to 54 detect the size and orientation of the electronic paper ES when the electronic paper ES is placed on the original table.

As shown in FIG. 4, only the lower left document detection sensor 54 among the document detection sensors embedded on the document table is currently detecting the electronic paper ES. For this reason, the CPU 101 determines that the document size of the electronic paper ES is A4 (A4 portrait) based on the sensor arrangement information and the detected value.
The example of FIG. 4 shows a state in which the electronic paper size is automatically determined as A4, and the user has selected the button BT1 corresponding to “2 in 1” on the operation unit 107 of FIG.

Next, when the user presses the start button BT2 in the state shown in FIG. 4, the CPU 101 receives the document ID corresponding to the image displayed on the electronic paper ES from the non-contact communication means 51A and 51B. Then, the CPU 101 reads out the image data in the MFP 1000 stored in the data storage unit 106 corresponding to the document ID.
When “2 in 1” is selected on the operation unit in FIG. 2, the image processing unit 108 performs resolution conversion and image rotation necessary for outputting the read image data to the A4 printing paper in a 2 in 1 manner. After the image data after image processing is converted into an image format necessary for printing, the print data is sent to the printer 302. The printer 302 feeds A4 paper, prints the image, and discharges the paper.

In the MFP 1000 shown in FIG. 4, an image of the electronic paper ES is printed according to the above flow.
FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a state where the electronic paper ES is placed on the document table of the scanner 301 shown in FIG. A state is shown in which an A4 size electronic paper ES is placed horizontally on the document table. Further, the electronic paper ES indicates that the image displayed on the operation unit 501 in FIG. 4 is enlarged and scrolled to a triangular position. Accordingly, in the figure indicated by the broken line of the electronic paper ES shown in FIG. 4, the upper left triangle is enlarged and previewed by the operation unit 107.

  In FIG. 5, the document detection sensor differs from that shown in FIG. 4 in that the lower left document detection sensor 54 does not detect paper, and only the upper right document detection sensor 52 detects the electronic paper ES. Therefore, the CPU 101 determines that the size of the electronic paper ES is A4R (A4 horizontal).

In this example, the magnification is selected on the operation unit 107 shown in FIG. 2 operated by the user, and the enlargement mode of “A4R → A3” is selected.
In this state, when the user presses the start button BT2 in the state shown in FIG. 5, the above-described document ID corresponding to the image displayed on the electronic paper ES is read by the non-contact communication means 51A and 51B. Then, CPU 101 reads image data in MFP 1000 stored in data storage unit 106 corresponding to the read document ID onto RAM 102.

In addition, since the button BT3 corresponding to “display portion selection” is selected on the operation unit 107 shown in FIG. 2 (in this case, a triangular portion), the selected image displayed on the electronic paper ES is scanned by the scanner. 301 reads.
At this time, the image processing unit 108 automatically detects that the image is enlarged and scrolled on the electronic paper ES based on the feature of the image scanned by the scanner 301. For this reason, the CPU 101 reads out image data from the data storage unit 106 only in a portion that matches the detected feature of the image, and holds it in the RAM 102. For example, the CPU 101 reads an image corresponding to the document ID from the HDD 106 and causes the RAM 102 to hold an image having a feature similar to the feature of the scanned image among the images included in the read image.

  Then, the read image data is converted by the image processing unit 108 to a resolution that can be enlarged and output to A3 paper in the A4R direction, and then the print data is sent to the printer 302. The printer 302 feeds A3 paper, prints an image, and discharges the paper. FIG. 5 shows a state in which image data is printed according to the above flow.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a data processing procedure in the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment. This example is an example of processing for extracting features of image data read by the scanner 301 shown in FIG. 1, and S601 to S605 indicate each step. In each step, the CPU 101 loads the control program stored in the ROM 103 to the RAM 102 and executes it.
First, in step S <b> 601, the CPU 101 causes the image processing unit 108 to perform edge extraction of image data held in the RAM 102. The extraction method may be a commonly used means such as an edge extraction filter.

In step S <b> 602, the image processing unit 108 searches for the neighborhood of the pixel that generates the extracted edge portion, and performs tracking of connected pixels. In step S <b> 603, the image processing unit 108 tracks the pixels and performs labeling (labeling the pixel groups) on the pixel groups that are considered to be connected.
In step S604, the image processing unit 108 extracts coordinate information in which each pixel group exists after labeling. In step S <b> 605, the image processing unit 108 stores the existence range of the pixel group as feature information, and ends this processing.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an image processing state by the image processing unit 108 illustrated in FIG. This example shows that the existence range of the pixel group of the image data is (x1, y1) to (x2, y2). Thereby, the size and offset (scrolling situation) of the target image can be grasped.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an image processing state by the image processing unit 108 illustrated in FIG.
This feature information extraction process is executed for the purpose of image identification for images of the same size. Specifically, by the method of extracting the histogram information of the image, the average density value of the pixels existing on a specific sampling line of the image is stored as histogram data as shown in FIG. Thereby, the image can be specified from the feature of the density distribution of the image.
FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the coordinates extracted by the image processing by the image processing unit 108 shown in FIG. 1 and the labels. This example shows an example of extracting and holding as a database by the feature information extraction process shown in FIG. The database stored in the data storage unit 106 includes image existence ranges (coordinates) for each labeled pixel group and density histogram data for each sampling line. In FIG. 10, x1, y1, x2, and y2 indicate the existence range (coordinates) of the image, and d1 to dN indicate density istogram data.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure when the image processing apparatus (MFP 100) according to the present exemplary embodiment reads a document placed on a scanner. Note that the steps of S701 to S711 are executed by the CPU 101 of the computer loading the control program stored in the ROM 103 into the RAM 102.

First, in S701, the CPU 101 determines whether or not the user has pressed the start button BT2 in the operation unit of FIG. If the CPU 101 determines that the start button BT2 is pressed, the CPU 101 determines whether the electronic paper mode is selected by pressing the electronic paper key BT4 in S702.
If the CPU 101 determines that the electronic paper mode is not selected, the process advances to step S703, and the screen of the electronic paper ES is scanned as it is as in normal copying. In step S710, the read image data is output to the printer 302 to perform hard copy, and the process ends.

On the other hand, if the CPU 101 determines in step S702 that the electronic paper mode has been selected, the process advances to step S704. In step S <b> 704, the CPU 101 determines whether the above-described non-contact communication is possible in order to acquire the above-described document ID corresponding to the image on which the electronic paper ES is displayed. If the CPU 101 determines that non-contact communication is possible, the process proceeds to S705.
In step S <b> 705, the CPU 101 acquires a document ID from the electronic paper ES by non-contact communication. Based on the acquired document ID, the CPU 101 identifies the above-described document from among a plurality of documents stored in the data storage unit 106 corresponding to the image on which the electronic paper ES is displayed.

On the other hand, if the CPU 101 determines in S704 that contactless communication is not possible, the process proceeds to S706. In step S <b> 706, the CPU 101 determines whether or not the barcode indicating the document ID can be detected in the image of the electronic paper ES. This bar code indicates a document ID for specifying a document stored in the HDD 106, and may be added to an image when transmitting image data to electronic paper in advance.
If the CPU 101 determines that the barcode can be detected, the document ID indicated by the barcode is acquired in S707. Then, the CPU 101 specifies a document corresponding to the image displayed on the electronic paper ES based on the acquired document ID.

  On the other hand, if the CPU 101 determines in step S706 that the barcode cannot be detected, the scanner 301 scans the display unit 502 of the electronic paper ES in step S711. In step S <b> 710, the CPU 101 prints the image read by the scanner 301 using the printer 302, and the process ends.

When the document ID is acquired in S705 and S707, the display unit 502 of the electronic paper ES is scanned by the scanner 301 in S708. In step S709, the area of the image where the electronic paper is displayed by comparing the density distribution from the coordinate information based on the specified document ID and the data shown in FIG. 9, the magnification ratio of the displayed image, and the like. Is identified.
For the image enlargement ratio, for example, a similar label is searched based on the degree of approximation of the ratio calculated by the CPU 101 by (Yn−Yn + 1) / (Xn−Xn + 1) from the coordinate data of Label n shown in FIG. Then, the CPU 101 analyzes the enlargement ratio based on the ratio of the length of Xi−Xi + 1 with the similar label.
Next, the CPU 101 aligns the number of sampling lines according to the assumed image enlargement ratio, compares the histogram values in that state, and determines whether or not the image data being compared correspond to each other. To do.

Further, as described above, the coordinate information shown in FIG. 9 can also be used to determine the enlargement ratio and offset (scrolling status) of the image on the electronic paper ES.
In step S <b> 710, the CPU 101 outputs the print data, which has been image-processed with the enlargement ratio specified in step S <b> 709, to the printer 302, and prints the specified document. Thereby, an image in the same state as that displayed on the electronic paper ES can be printed with high image quality.

  As described above, the desired state can be easily copied by performing the same operation as the normal copy of the contents displayed on the electronic paper. When the enlargement ratio is separately designated as “A4R → A3” by the user, the image may be enlarged and printed according to the enlargement ratio designated by the user in addition to the enlargement ratio analyzed in S709. . When an image in the same state as that displayed on the electronic paper ES is printed on the A3 paper, the image can be enlarged and printed according to the enlargement factor designated by the user.

  In the above embodiment, the case where the electronic paper ES displays the display data for one page has been described. However, the display data displayed for a plurality of pages is stored, and is printed collectively based on the stored display data. You may do it. At this time, the CPU 101 can perform image processing corresponding to the image processing mode executed by the image processing apparatus by repeating the processing of S704 to S710 shown in FIG. 10 for a plurality of pages. That is, it is possible to cope with a process of printing a plurality of pages on a single sheet, a process of printing a plurality of pages on both sides, a combination thereof, and the like.

  Further, when the electronic paper holds image data of a plurality of pages and wants to print the image data for the plurality of pages, the MFP 1000 may print the image data based on the document ID indicating the plurality of pages. . In this case, the user sets the electronic paper ES on the document table and presses the start key while pressing a button for instructing a multiple page mode (not shown). Thereafter, the CPU 101 of the MFP 1000 acquires document IDs for a plurality of pages from the electronic paper ES. Thereafter, the CPU 101 communicates with the CPU 402 of the electronic paper ES, reads the displayed data while switching the pages displayed on the electronic paper page by page, and performs the processing of S704 to S710. Thus, when printing a document composed of a plurality of pages, the user can easily print a plurality of pages corresponding to the displayed document without switching the display of the electronic paper page by page. Can do.

Although an example in which the image data displayed on the electronic paper is stored in the image processing apparatus has been described here, the present invention is not limited to this. The original data of the image displayed from the electronic paper may be acquired from an external PC or the like and printed by performing the same comparison as the image read by the scanner. Thereby, it is possible to create high-quality print image data in the same state as the image displayed on the electronic paper from the original data.
Further, when the storage destination is an information processing apparatus or another image processing apparatus, a request for processing corresponding to the set image processing mode is requested, and print data subjected to image processing corresponding to the image processing mode is acquired. You may comprise as follows. Accordingly, it is possible to shorten the processing time required for the printer 302 to perform image processing and complete printing.
Each process of the present invention can also be realized by executing software (program) acquired via a network or various storage media by a processing device such as a CPU.
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications (including organic combinations of the embodiments) are possible based on the spirit of the present invention, and these are excluded from the scope of the present invention. is not.
While various examples and embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, the spirit and scope of the present invention are not limited to the specific descriptions in the present specification by those skilled in the art.

100 main controller 101 CPU
102 RAM
103 ROM

Claims (11)

An acquisition means for acquiring information for specifying an image displayed on the information display medium placed on the document table;
Reading means for reading out image data corresponding to the image from the storage means in which the image data is stored, based on the information acquired by the acquisition means;
Detecting means for detecting the size of the information display medium placed on the document table;
An image processing apparatus comprising: a printing unit that prints image data read by the reading unit based on the size of the information display medium detected by the detection unit. The detecting means detects the size and orientation of the information display medium placed on the document table;
The image processing according to claim 1, wherein the printing unit prints the image data read by the reading unit based on the size and orientation of the information display medium detected by the detection unit. apparatus. Reading means for reading an image displayed on the information display medium placed on the document table;
Analyzing means for analyzing the magnification of the image read by the reading means,
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing unit prints image data read by the reading unit based on an enlargement ratio analyzed by the analyzing unit.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit is a storage unit of the image processing apparatus or a storage unit of an external apparatus connected via a network.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition unit acquires information for specifying the image from the information display medium by wireless communication. An image processing method of an image processing apparatus,
An acquisition step of acquiring information for specifying an image displayed on the information display medium placed on the document table;
A reading step of reading out image data corresponding to the image from the storage means in which the image data is stored based on the information acquired in the acquisition step;
A detection step of detecting the size of the information display medium placed on the document table;
An image processing method comprising: a printing step of printing the image data read by the reading step based on the size of the information display medium detected by the detection step. The detecting step detects the size and orientation of the information display medium placed on the document table,
The image processing according to claim 6, wherein the printing step prints the image data read by the reading step based on the size and orientation of the information display medium detected by the detection step. Method. A reading step of reading an image displayed on the information display medium placed on the document table;
An analysis step of analyzing an enlargement ratio of the image read by the reading step,
The image processing method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the printing step prints the image data read by the reading step based on the enlargement ratio analyzed by the analyzing step.   The image processing method according to claim 6, wherein the storage unit is a storage unit of the image processing apparatus or a storage unit of an external apparatus connected via a network.   The image processing method according to claim 6, wherein the acquiring step acquires information for specifying the image from the information display medium by wireless communication. A program for causing a computer to execute the image processing method according to any one of claims 6 to 10.

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