JP2012203775A - Image processing device, image forming device, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To create a new document form with a blank area having no field to be filled even when there is no blank area in a prepared document form.SOLUTION: A field detecting part 26 detects a field to be filled from a blank document form read by a scanner 41. A field editing part 24 generates a group field including the fields to be filled. A statistic information calculation part 28 refers to an image of a filled-in document form stored in a storage part 23 to calculate the fill-in frequency for each group field. On the basis of the calculated fill-in frequency, the field to be filled is moved to a position different from the original position to create a new document form with a blank area.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image forming apparatus, and a program.

  For example, in Patent Document 1, a plurality of different layouts created in the past are stored as a layout dictionary, and when a document is laid out, a desired layout can be selected from the layout dictionary. A technique is disclosed that can easily lay out a document even if it is not.

JP 2001-109745 A

  The present invention provides an image processing apparatus and a program capable of creating a new document format in which a blank area is secured even when there is no blank area, which is an area where no entry area exists in a document format prepared in advance. The purpose is to provide.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided reading means for reading an image of a paper on which a document format prepared in advance is printed,
Detecting means for detecting an entry area, which is an area for entering character information, from an unfilled document format image read by the reading means;
A calculating means for calculating a filling frequency for each filling area detected by the detecting means with reference to images of a plurality of completed document formats read by the reading means;
Based on the frequency of entry calculated by the calculating means, at least one of the plurality of entry areas is moved to a different position from the original position, so that there is no entry area. Generating means for generating a new document format in which an area is secured;
Is an image processing apparatus.

  In the present invention according to claim 2, the generation means moves the entry area with the lowest entry frequency to a position different from the original position based on the entry frequency calculated by the calculation means, The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a new document format in which the blank area is secured is generated.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, the generating means moves the entry area to be moved to another page different from the page where the original position is located, whereby a new document in which the blank area is secured. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the format is generated.

  The present invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that the generation means has a size greater than or equal to a specified size in the entry area detected by the detection means based on the entry frequency and the designated size calculated by the calculation means. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a new document format in which a blank area of a specified size or more is secured is generated by moving the entry area to a position different from the original position.

  The present invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that the generation means includes at least one of the entry areas detected by the detection means based on the entry frequency calculated by the calculation means, the designated position, and the designated size. 2. The image according to claim 1, wherein one entry area is moved to a position different from the original position, and a new document format is generated in which the blank area of a specified size or more is secured at a specified position. It is a processing device.

  The present invention according to claim 6 is the image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising an adding means for adding additional data to the blank area.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the present invention, the detecting means detects a writing area by recognizing a line or a character from an unfilled document format image read by the reading means. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1.

The present invention according to claim 8 further includes a group area generation means for generating a group area in which a plurality of entry areas among the entry areas detected by the detection means are combined into one group,
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the calculation unit treats the group area generated by the group area generation unit as one entry area and calculates an entry frequency for each group area. is there.

The present invention according to claim 9 comprises reading means for reading an image of a paper on which a document format prepared in advance is printed,
Detecting means for detecting an entry area, which is an area for entering character information, from an unfilled document format image read by the reading means;
A calculating means for calculating a filling frequency for each filling area detected by the detecting means with reference to images of a plurality of completed document formats read by the reading means;
Based on the frequency of entry calculated by the calculating means, at least one of the plurality of entry areas is moved to a different position from the original position, so that there is no entry area. Generating means for generating a new document format in which an area is secured;
Adding means for adding additional data to the new document format generated by the generating means;
Output means for outputting an image in a document format to which additional data is added by the adding means to paper;
An image forming apparatus having

The present invention according to claim 10 comprises a step of reading an image of a sheet on which a previously prepared unfilled document format is printed,
Detecting an entry area, which is an area for entering character information, from the read unwritten document format image;
Reading an image of a paper on which a plurality of pre-filled document formats are printed;
Referring to the read images of a plurality of document formats, and calculating a writing frequency for each detected writing area;
Based on the calculated entry frequency, a blank area, which is an area where no entry area exists, is secured by moving at least one entry area of the plurality of entry areas to a position different from the original position. Generating a new document format;
Is a program for causing a computer to execute.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to create a new document format in which a blank area is secured even if there is no blank area that does not have an entry area in a document format prepared in advance. An image processing apparatus can be provided.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect obtained by the first aspect, there is provided an image processing apparatus capable of moving the entry area with the lowest entry frequency to another area different from the original position. Can be provided.

  According to the present invention of claim 3, in addition to the effect obtained by the present invention of claim 1 or 2, the entry area can be moved to a page different from the page where the original position was located. An image processing apparatus can be provided.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect obtained by the first aspect, it is possible to provide an image processing apparatus capable of securing a blank area of a specified size.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect obtained by the first aspect, it is possible to provide an image processing apparatus capable of securing a blank area of a designated size at a designated position. .

  According to the present invention of claim 6, in addition to the effect obtained by the present invention of any one of claims 1 to 5, an image processing apparatus capable of generating a document format to which additional data is added Can be provided.

  According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect obtained by the present invention according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, an entry area based on lines or characters in a document format can be detected. A possible image processing apparatus can be provided.

  According to the present invention according to claim 8, in addition to the effect obtained by the present invention according to any one of claims 1 to 7, it is possible to prevent related entry areas from being processed separately. A possible image processing apparatus can be provided.

  According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to create a new document format in which a blank area is secured even when there is no blank area that does not have an entry area in a document format prepared in advance. Image forming apparatus can be provided.

  According to the tenth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to create a new document format in which a blank area is secured even when there is no blank area that does not have an entry area in a document format prepared in advance. Program can be provided.

1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of an image forming apparatus 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which simplifies and shows the pre-entry chart in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an overall operation flow of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the detection result of the entry area | region in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example in which the entry area in the 1st Embodiment of this invention was put together into one group. It is a figure which shows simply the completed medical record in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the size of additional data and the size of Y in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the detection process of the entry area | region in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a calculation process of the entry frequency in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the position of X in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which compares the area | region corresponding to the entry area | region in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the calculation result of the entry frequency in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the production | generation process of the document format in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the position of Y in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the new document format in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the production | generation process of the document format in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the designation | designated position of the additional data in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the calculation result of the entry frequency in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the position of Y and Y 'in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which compares the size of the additional data and the size of Y and Y 'in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the new document format in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

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

[First embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a printing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, in the printing system of the first embodiment, an image forming apparatus 1 having functions of a printer, a scanner, a facsimile, and the like and a terminal device 2 are connected via a network 3.

  The image forming apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment has a configuration in which an image in a document format printed on a paper sheet such as a medical chart optically read by a scanner or the like can be received and edited on the image. Yes. The “medical record” referred to here is a medical record in the form as shown in FIG. 4, but the form shown in FIG. The contents of various numbers, numerical values, the number of digits, etc. are different from the actual ones. In the following description, this simplified chart format is also simply referred to as a chart.

  Next, the hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 1 transmits and receives data to and from an external device or the like via a CPU 11, a memory 12, a storage device 13 such as a hard disk drive (HDD), and a network 10. It has a communication interface (IF) 14, a user interface (UI) device 15 including a touch panel or a liquid crystal display and a keyboard, a scanner 16, and a printer 17. These components are connected to each other via a control bus 18.

  The CPU 11 controls the operation of the image forming apparatus 1 by executing predetermined processing based on a control program stored in the memory 12 or the storage device 13. In the first embodiment, the CPU 11 is described as reading and executing a control program stored in the memory 12 or the storage device 13, but the program is stored in a storage medium such as a CD-ROM. It can also be provided to the CPU 11.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 realized by executing the control program.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the image forming apparatus 1 includes an image processing apparatus 4, a scanner 41, and a printer 42. The image processing apparatus 4 includes a UI panel 21, a reception unit 22, a storage unit 23, an area editing unit 24, a control unit 25, an entry area detection unit 26, a data addition unit 27, a statistical information calculation unit 28, and a document format generation unit 29. Each has inside.

  The scanner 41 reads an image on a sheet on which a document format prepared in advance is printed.

  The accepting unit 22 accepts an image of a sheet on which a document format prepared in advance and read by the scanner 41 is printed.

  The storage unit 23 stores the image received by the receiving unit 22.

  The entry area detection unit 26 detects an entry area, which is an area for entering character information, by recognizing a character or line from an unfilled document format image read by the scanner 41.

  Based on an operation on the UI panel 21 by the user, the region editing unit 24 generates a group region by combining a plurality of entry regions among the entry regions detected by the entry region detection unit 26 into one group. This group area is treated as one entry area.

  The statistical information calculation unit 28 refers to a plurality of completed document format images read by the scanner 41 and calculates the writing frequency for each writing area compiled by the area editing unit 24. Specifically, the statistical information calculation unit 28 compares the entry area compiled by the area editing unit 24 with the area of the completed document format image corresponding to the entry area, and the difference in the number of black pixels is the threshold value. If it is above, it is determined that it has been entered, and if it is less than the threshold value, it is determined that it has not been entered. Then, the statistical information calculation unit 28 records the number of images determined to be filled in as statistical information for each filling area, and calculates the filling frequency from the ratio to the total number of filled-in document formats. Ask.

  The document format generation unit 29 first selects an entry region to be moved based on the entry frequency for each entry region calculated by the statistical information calculation unit 28. Next, based on the size of the additional data added by the data adding unit 27, the document format generation unit 29 determines whether or not the selected entry area has a size that allows additional data to be added. When the selected entry area is equal to or larger than the size of the additional data, the document format generation unit 29 sets the selected entry area as a back page that is a different page from the page where the original position is located. To generate a new document format in which a blank area, which is an area where no entry area exists, is secured. In addition, when the selected entry area is smaller than the size of the additional data, the document format generation unit 29 selects the entry area with the next lowest entry frequency and performs the same determination as described above.

  The data adding unit 27 adds additional data to the blank area of the new document format generated by the document format generating unit 29. Here, the additional data is, for example, an image such as a QR code (registered trademark) in which identification information for specifying a newly generated document format is encoded, or an image such as a company logo mark. It is data for.

  When the user gives an instruction to print a newly generated document format on paper, the document format generation unit 29 sets the new document format data in which a blank area larger than the size of the additional data is secured. Is transmitted to the printer 42.

  The printer 42 prints an image of a new document format received from the document format generation unit 29 on paper. Whether or not additional data is added to the blank area of the new document format by the data adding unit 27 when the image of the new document format generated by the document format generating unit 29 is output by the printer 42. The user can select.

  The control unit 25 controls the operations of the region editing unit 24, the entry region detection unit 26, the statistical information calculation unit 28, and the document format generation unit 29 described above.

  Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  In the following description, as shown in FIG. 4, a new document format in which a blank area necessary for adding additional data is generated to an unfilled medical record 30 that is an unfilled document format is generated. Will be described. In addition, an image in which data such as identification information for specifying a new document format and personal information of a patient is QR-coded is used as additional data.

  First, the overall operation flow of the image forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  First, the entry area detection unit 26 detects an entry area by recognizing a line or a character in the image of the unfilled chart 30 read by the scanner 41. Then, the area editing unit 24 groups a plurality of entry areas among the entry areas detected by the entry area detection unit 26 into one group based on the user's operation on the UI panel 21 (step S101).

  An example of the entry area detected by the entry area detection unit 26 is shown in FIG. In the example shown in FIG. 6, entry areas 201 to 222 are detected.

  FIG. 7 shows an example in which a plurality of entry areas are grouped into one group by the area editing unit 24. In the example shown in FIG. 7, a plurality of entry areas among the entry areas 201 to 222 in FIG. 6 are grouped into entry areas 301 to 314. For example, two entry areas 201 and 202 are grouped together in the entry area 301 as one group. A detailed method for detecting the entry area will be described later.

  Then, the statistical information calculation unit 28 refers to the image of the completed medical record 40, which is an image of the completed document format read by the scanner 41 and stored in the storage unit 23 as shown in FIG. To do. Then, the statistical information calculation unit 28 calculates the entry frequency for each entry area generated in step S101 (step S102). A method for calculating the entry frequency will be described later.

  The data addition unit 27 notifies the document format generation unit 29 of the size of additional data necessary for adding an image of additional data. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9A, a case where two images of 20 × 20 (pixel) QR code 31 and QR code 32 are added will be described. In this case, the data adding unit 27 notifies the document format generating unit 29 of 20 × 40 (pixels), which is the size of the QR code 31 and the QR code 32, as the size of the additional data.

  Next, based on the statistical information obtained from the statistical information calculation unit 28, the document format generation unit 29 uses the method described later, and the document format generation unit 29 is the largest of the entry areas larger than the size of the additional data notified by the data addition unit 27. A new document format in which a blank area is secured is generated by moving an entry area with a low entry frequency to a back page that is a different page from the page where the original position was located (step S103).

  When the user gives a print instruction, the document format generation unit 29 transmits an image of a new document format to the printer 42. Then, the printer 42 outputs the received image in the new document format on a sheet. In addition, when adding additional data to a blank area of a new document format, the data adding unit 27 adds an image of the additional data to the blank area secured in step S103.

  Next, the flow of the entry area detection process performed in step S101 described above will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

  First, the unfilled medical chart 30 is read by the scanner 41, and the receiving unit 21 receives the read image (step S201).

  Next, the entry area detection unit 26 refers to the image of the unfilled chart 30 received by the receiving section 21 and recognizes the lines and characters of the unfilled chart 30 (step S202). For example, the writing area detection unit 26 recognizes a predetermined number of black pixel groups continuous in the same direction as a line, and recognizes a character when a certain number of black pixel groups exist within a predetermined range.

  Then, the entry area detection unit 26 detects an entry area based on each recognized line or each character (S203). For example, when there is a point orthogonal to a black pixel recognized as a line, the entry area detection unit 26 detects it as a frame line of the entry area. Further, when there is a black pixel group recognized as a character within the detected frame line, the entry area detection unit 26 detects it as a part of the entry area.

  Next, the flow of the entry frequency calculation process performed in step S103 described above will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

  First, the statistical information calculation unit 28 selects images of a plurality of completed medical charts 40 read by the scanner 41 in the past (step S301).

  Next, the statistical information calculation unit 28 determines whether or not the completed chart 40 is an image recorded in the statistical information (step S302). If the completed chart 40 is an image recorded in the statistical information, the statistical information calculation unit 28 ends the calculation process and selects another image. If the completed chart 40 is not recorded in the statistical information, the statistical information calculation unit 28 counts the number of sheets and records it in the statistical information, and proceeds to step S303.

  Next, the statistical information calculation unit 28 calculates the difference between each entry area and the corresponding area in the completed chart 40 (step S303). For example, the statistical information calculation unit 28 sets the entry area 305 to X as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13A when taking the difference between the entry area 305 and the corresponding area. Next, the statistical information calculation unit 28 refers to an area 50 corresponding to X in the completed chart 40 as shown in FIG. 13B, and compares X with the area 50 to determine the number of black pixels. Take the difference.

  Then, the statistical information calculation unit 28 returns to step S301 when there is no area equal to or greater than the threshold in the difference between each entry area and the corresponding area in the completed chart 40. Further, if there is an area where the difference between each entry area and the corresponding area in the completed chart 40 is greater than or equal to the threshold, the statistical information calculation unit 28 proceeds to step S305 (step S304).

  If it is determined in step S304 that there is an area greater than or equal to the threshold value, the statistical information calculation unit 28 performs additional recording on the statistical information indicating the presence or absence of entry for each entry area, and returns to step S301 (step S305). .

  For example, a case where the threshold value is 20 pixels and it is determined in step S304 that there is an area equal to or greater than the threshold value will be described.

  First, the statistical information calculation unit 28 compares X with the number of black pixels in the region 50.

  The number of black pixels of X selected from the entry area of the unfilled chart 30 is 420 pixels, which is the reference value for the area not filled in. The number of black pixels in the area 50 is filled with the location and name, and the number of black pixels takes a value of 580 pixels. Here, since 580−420 = 160> 20 and the threshold value is exceeded, the statistical information calculation unit 28 determines that the area 50 has been filled in, and performs additional recording with filling in the statistical information. .

  FIG. 13C shows an area 51 corresponding to X in another completed medical chart (not shown), and the number of black pixels is slightly increased as compared with an unfilled state due to contact with a writing tool such as a pen. The number of black pixels in the area 51 is 430 pixels. In this case, the difference from X is 430−420 = 10 <20, which is less than the threshold value, so the statistical information calculation unit 28 is entered in the area 51. Judge that it is not, and make an additional record without entry.

  As described above, the statistical information calculation unit 28 additionally records in the statistical information whether or not there is an entry in an area corresponding to X while changing X for each entry area of the unfilled medical chart 30.

  If there is no unrecorded image in the statistical information in step S301, the statistical information calculation unit 28 ends the entry frequency calculation process.

  The statistical information calculation unit 28 calculates the entry frequency for each entry area based on the statistical information obtained as described above. An example of the entry frequency calculated by the statistical information calculation unit 28 is shown in FIG. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 14, the number of images entered in the area corresponding to the entry area 307 is 10 and the total number of images in the completed document format is 50, so the entry frequency is 20 % Is calculated.

  Next, a flow of generating a new document format in which a blank area is secured by moving the entry area performed in step S103 described above to the back page will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

  First, the document format generation unit 29 is notified of the size of the additional data by the data adding unit 27 (step S401).

  Next, based on the entry frequency calculated by the statistical information calculation unit 28, the document format generation unit 29 has the entry area Y with the lowest entry frequency among the entry areas that have not been compared with the size of the additional data. Is selected (step S402, step S403). For example, as shown in FIG. 16, when the entry area 305 has the lowest entry frequency, the document format generation unit 29 selects the entry area 305 and sets the entry area 305 to Y.

  Then, the document format generation unit 29 compares the size of the Y area with the size of the additional data notified in step S401 (step S404).

  Here, if the size of the Y area is less than the size of the additional data, the document format generation unit 29 returns to step S402 and enters the entry with the lowest entry frequency among the entry areas other than the entry area 305 already determined. Change Y to the region. If the size of the Y area is greater than or equal to the size of the additional data, the document format generation unit 29 proceeds to the process of step S406 (step S405).

  As shown in FIG. 9A, in the present embodiment, since the size of the additional data is 20 × 40, the document format generation unit 29 determines that the size of the Y area is less than 20 × 40. Change Y to another entry area.

  If it is determined that the size of the Y area is equal to or larger than the size of the area necessary for adding the image of the additional data, the document format generation unit 29 moves Y to the back page (step S406).

  As shown in FIG. 9B, when the size of the Y area is 20 × 50 (pixels), the size of the additional data is 20 × 40 (pixels) or more. Moves Y to the back page.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 17B, the document format generation unit 29 adds additional data 31 and 32 as shown in FIG. 17A by moving Y from the unfilled chart 30 to the back page. A new document format in which a blank area of a size that can be secured is secured is created (step S407).

  Then, the image forming apparatus 1 displays the new document format created as described above on the UI panel 21.

  For example, when filling out a form on which the medical chart generated as described above is printed, the computerized information is managed by reading the identification number in the document format and the QR code of the patient's personal information. This makes it easier to manage the medical chart.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  Since the basic configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 in the present embodiment is the same as the configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 in the first embodiment, description thereof is omitted.

  In the present embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the scanner 41 reads an image of the unfilled medical chart 30 in the unfilled document format as shown in FIG. An entry area is detected by recognizing lines or characters in 30 images.

  Next, the region editing unit 24 combines a plurality of entry regions among the entry regions detected by the entry region detection unit 26 into one as shown in FIG. 7 based on the operation of the UI panel 21 by the user. Create an entry area.

  Then, the statistical information calculation unit 28 refers to an image of the completed medical record 40 that is a completed document format read by the scanner 41 and stored in the storage unit 23 as shown in FIG. Then, the statistical information calculation unit 28 calculates the entry frequency for each entry region generated by the region editing unit 24.

  Further, in addition to notifying the size necessary for adding the additional data, the data adding unit 27 also notifies the document format generating unit 29 of the designated position Z where the image of the additional data is added. .

  Also in this embodiment, a case will be described in which two 20 × 20 (pixel) QR code images shown in FIG. 9A are added to a newly generated document format.

  First, as with the first embodiment, the statistical information calculation unit 28 calculates the entry frequency. In the present embodiment, the case where the entry frequency as shown in FIG. 20 is calculated will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

  First, the document format generation unit 29 determines whether there is an entry area that has not been compared with the size of the additional data (step S501).

  Next, when there is an undetermined entry area, the document format generation unit 29 selects the entry area with the lowest entry frequency among the undetermined entry areas, and sets the selected entry area to Y. . Further, the document format generation unit 29 ends the process when there is no undetermined entry area (steps S502 and S503).

  Then, the document format generation unit 29 determines whether or not the selected Y is equal to or larger than the size of the additional data notified from the data adding unit 27 (step S504).

  Here, if it is determined that the size of Y is smaller than the size of the additional data, the process returns to step S501, and the document format generation unit 29 determines an undecided entry area again, and undecided entries other than Y are entered. The entry area with the lowest entry frequency is selected as Y ′. Then, the document format generation unit 29 adds the size of Y and the size of Y ′ to calculate the total size. If the total size of Y and Y ′ is equal to or larger than the size of the additional data, the document format generation unit 29 proceeds to the process of step S506 (step S505).

  For example, as shown in FIG. 21, the entry area 307, which is the entry area with the lowest entry frequency, is set to Y, and the entry area 311 with the lowest entry frequency after Y is set to Y '. Then, as shown in FIGS. 22A and 22B, the size of Y is 15 × 50 (pixels), and the size of additional data 20 × 40 (pixels) cannot be added. Determined to be less than the size of the data. In this case, the document format generation unit 29 selects Y ′ having the lowest entry frequency after Y, and sums the size of Y and the size of Y ′. Since the size of Y ′ is 10 × 50 (pixels) and the sum of the size of Y and the size of Y ′ is 25 × 50 (pixels), the total size of Y and Y ′ is determined to be equal to or larger than the size of the additional data. Is done.

  Next, the document format generation unit 29 moves Y and Y ′ to the back page, and determines whether or not an image of additional data can be added (step S506). Here, as shown in FIGS. 19 and 21, Y and Y ′ are not the designated position Z notified by the data adding unit 27, and even if Y and Y ′ are moved to the back page, they are larger than the size of the additional data. If the blank area is not secured, the document format generation unit 29 moves the entry areas 308 to 310 between Y ′ and Y by the size of Y ′, as shown in FIG. Are moved by the total size of Y size and Y ′ size. Then, the document format generation unit 29 secures a blank area equal to or larger than the size of the additional data at the designated position Z notified by the data addition unit 27 (step S507). If it is determined that the blank area cannot be secured even if Y and Y ′ are moved, the document format generation unit 29 returns to the process of step S501.

  Then, the document format generation unit 29 generates a new document format in which a blank area larger than the size of the additional data is secured as shown in FIG. 23 (step S508).

  When the user gives a print instruction, the printer 42 outputs the new document format in which the blank area generated in step S508 is secured on a sheet. In this case, additional data may be added by the data adding unit 27 to a blank area of a new document format.

[Modification]
In the first and second embodiments described above, it has been described that the entry area to be moved is moved to the back page in order to add the image of the additional data. May move the entry area to be moved to a blank area where no entry area exists in the same page. Further, the document format generation unit 29 may delete the entry area that is the object of movement without moving it.

  In the first and second embodiments, the data adding unit 27 has been described as simply adding a QR-coded image. However, the data adding unit 27 generates an image by itself and uses the generated image as additional data. You may make it add to a new document format. In this case, a means for generating an image may be added to the data adding unit 27.

  In the first and second embodiments, the description has been made assuming that the entry areas are combined to generate the entry areas. However, the entry frequency may be calculated without combining the entry areas. In this case, the area editing unit 24 is not required.

  Further, in the first and second embodiments, it has been described that the user operates the UI panel 21 to create the group area by grouping the entry areas and use this as the entry area. If the detected entry areas are related, the related entry areas may be combined to generate a group area.

  Furthermore, in the second embodiment, it has been described that there is only one document format to be generated. However, when the entry area is moved to secure a blank area at the designated position Z, there are a plurality of patterns. Therefore, the document format generated by the plurality of patterns may be presented to the user as a candidate. In this case, document format candidates may be displayed on a display device such as a monitor so that the user can arbitrarily select them.

  In the first and second embodiments, the image forming apparatus 1 includes the image processing apparatus 4. However, the image processing apparatus 4 may be independent from the image forming apparatus 1. In this case, the terminal device 2 has the image processing device 4, the data received from the image forming device 1 is processed on the terminal device 2 side, and the data processed by the image processing device 4 is received by the image forming device 1. May be printed.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 2 Terminal apparatus 3 Network 4 Image processing apparatus 11 CPU
12 Memory 13 Storage device 14 Communication IF
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 15 UI apparatus 16 Scanner 17 Printer 18 Control bus 21 UI panel 22 Reception part 23 Memory | storage part 24 Area edit part 25 Control part 26 Entry area | region detection part 27 Data addition part 28 Statistical information calculation part 29 Document format generation part 30 Pre-entry chart 31 , 32 QR code 40 Completed chart 41 Scanner 42 Printer 50, 51 Area 201-222, 301-314, X, Y, Y 'entry area Z Specified position

Claims (10)

Reading means for reading an image on a paper on which a document format prepared in advance is printed;
Detecting means for detecting an entry area, which is an area for entering character information, from an unfilled document format image read by the reading means;
A calculating means for calculating a filling frequency for each filling area detected by the detecting means with reference to images of a plurality of completed document formats read by the reading means;
Based on the frequency of entry calculated by the calculating means, at least one of the plurality of entry areas is moved to a different position from the original position, so that there is no entry area. Generating means for generating a new document format in which an area is secured;
An image processing apparatus.   The generation means moves the entry area with the lowest entry frequency to a position different from the original position based on the entry frequency calculated by the calculation means, so that the new blank area is secured. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing apparatus generates a document format.   The generation unit generates a new document format in which the blank area is secured by moving the entry area to be moved to another page different from the original page. An image processing apparatus according to 1.   The generation means differs from the original position in the entry area detected by the detection means that is greater than or equal to the designated size based on the entry frequency calculated by the calculation means and the designated size. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a new document format in which a blank area of a specified size or more is secured is generated by moving to another position.   The generation means sets at least one of the entry areas detected by the detection means as the original position based on the entry frequency calculated by the calculation means, the specified position, and the specified size. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing apparatus generates a new document format in which the blank area having a size equal to or larger than a designated size is secured at a designated position.   6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an adding unit that adds additional data to the blank area.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit detects an entry area by recognizing a line or a character from an unfilled document format image read by the reading unit. Group area generating means for generating a group area in which a plurality of entry areas among the entry areas detected by the detecting means are grouped together;
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the calculation unit treats the group area generated by the group area generation unit as one entry area and calculates an entry frequency for each group area. Reading means for reading an image on a paper on which a document format prepared in advance is printed;
Detecting means for detecting an entry area, which is an area for entering character information, from an unfilled document format image read by the reading means;
A calculating means for calculating a filling frequency for each filling area detected by the detecting means with reference to images of a plurality of completed document formats read by the reading means;
Based on the frequency of entry calculated by the calculating means, at least one of the plurality of entry areas is moved to a different position from the original position, so that there is no entry area. Generating means for generating a new document format in which an area is secured;
Adding means for adding additional data to the new document format generated by the generating means;
Output means for outputting an image in a document format to which additional data is added by the adding means to paper;
An image forming apparatus. Reading an image of a paper on which a previously prepared unfilled document format is printed;
Detecting an entry area, which is an area for entering character information, from the read unwritten document format image;
Reading an image of a paper on which a plurality of pre-filled document formats are printed;
Referring to the read images of a plurality of document formats, and calculating a writing frequency for each detected writing area;
Based on the calculated entry frequency, a blank area, which is an area where no entry area exists, is secured by moving at least one entry area of the plurality of entry areas to a position different from the original position. Generating a new document format;
A program that causes a computer to execute.

Images