JP2013102287A - Image forming apparatus and image forming method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent information included in an image of a bar code in an original from lacking even if the image is removed in a device for reading the original and transmitting it as a file.SOLUTION: A scan processing section 202 reads a file format which a user designates. A file generating section 206 determines whether the designated file format is that in which storage of meta data is limited or meta data cannot be stored such as JPEG and BMP. Since the meta data cannot be stored with such a file format, a QR code (R) of an original image is not removed and an image file is generated with an image which is scanned as it is.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and method, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus and method for adding information to an electronic document including image data for transmitting the electronic document from a device.

  There is a technique in which a document is scanned and stored as image data, converted into an electronic document, and transmitted. A technique for printing a barcode including some information on a document to be scanned is also known. A technique has been proposed in which a document on which such a barcode is printed is scanned, and the stored image data is converted into an electronic document and transmitted. In such a technique, when converting to an electronic document and transmitting it, information is acquired from the barcode, stored as metadata in the electronic document to be transmitted, and only the barcode image is removed from the image data Has been proposed. A technique has also been proposed in which information that is removed or missing is replaced with other information when image data stored in the device is output to the outside (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2006-345049 A

  However, even if the information obtained from the barcode is stored in the metadata, if the user designates an electronic document file format that cannot store the metadata, the obtained information is lost. . In other words, when the image data stored in the device is converted and sent to an electronic document, either the file format that can store metadata, or the file format that has limited storage of metadata or cannot store metadata There are devices that can be selected by the user. Even if metadata is stored in an electronic document as in the prior art, it cannot be stored if the user has selected a file format containing only image data. If a file format that does not store metadata is selected, but the barcode image is removed from the image data, the information contained therein will be lost. Here, the file format capable of storing metadata is, for example, a file format such as PDF or TIFF, and the file format in which metadata storage is restricted or metadata cannot be stored is, for example, JPEG or BMP. File format.

  With regard to this problem, it is considered that if the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 is used, information included in the image data can be replaced with a barcode image and output. However, if the barcode image itself has been removed in the first place, there is no information to replace the missing information, so this problem cannot be solved.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a reading unit that reads a document, a file format that outputs the read document as an electronic document, and one or more specific items from the document read by the reading unit. Detection means for detecting an image in which information is encoded, embedded information extraction means for extracting embedded information from an image in which one or more specific information detected by the detection means is encoded, and embedded information extracted by the embedded information extraction means Is stored in an image file as metadata, image removing means for removing an image obtained by coding specific detected information from image data read by the reading means, and the read image data is output as an image file File output means, and the file output means stores the metadata in the file format set by the setting means. If not, without removing the coded image specific information in the image removing unit, and outputs the image data of the document read by the reading means.

  According to the present invention, image data stored in a device can be converted into an electronic document and transmitted without losing information included in the image data.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of an MFP according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a software configuration of an MFP. FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the original document to which the code image was attached. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of scan processing in the MFP according to the present exemplary embodiment. It is a table | surface which shows an example of the embedding information extracted by the decoding process. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of transmission file generation processing in the MFP according to the present exemplary embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the image data from which the area | region containing QR Code (trademark) was removed. It is a flowchart in the case of selecting and changing the format of the file which the user of a present Example produces | generates.

[Example 1]
A multi-function peripheral (hereinafter referred to as MFP) as an embodiment of a device according to the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of an MFP as an image forming apparatus equipped with a scanner function, a copying function, a printing function, a transmission function, and the like. The CPU 100 is a processor that controls the MFP in an integrated manner, and controls each unit connected via the internal bus 107. In this embodiment, QR code (registered trademark) is printed on the original and information is embedded, but the present invention is not limited to this, and any information embedding method in this technical field can be used.

  The display unit 101 is configured by an image display device such as a touch panel, and the user gives a copy instruction or the like using the touch panel while referring to a screen displayed on the display unit 101. The scanner unit 102 scans a document and acquires image data. The printer unit 103 forms an image on a recording medium such as paper. The memory 104 stores programs and related data such as applications that issue various commands executed by the CPU 100 to control the MFP, and the large-capacity storage unit 105 temporarily stores image data scanned by the scanner unit 102. The network interface 106 transmits and receives various data via the network 105 in accordance with the CPU 100.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the software configuration of the MFP. Each module of this software configuration is implemented by the CPU 100 of the MFP executing programs stored in various storage devices (RAM, external memory, mass storage device, memory, etc.) in the MFP. The control unit 200 controls the entire MFP, and instructs and manages each unit described later. The data transmission / reception unit 201 performs data transmission / reception processing.

  The scan processing unit 202 performs processing for causing the scanner unit 102 to scan a document set on a document reading table and acquiring image data as a scan result based on a user operation instruction given via the UI. The code detection unit 203 performs a process of detecting a QR code (registered trademark) from image data acquired by scanning. In the present specification, a QR code (registered trademark), which is a representative two-dimensional code, is described as an example of a code image attached to a document, but is not limited thereto. For example, the present invention can be widely applied to a manuscript created using a technique for adding an image in which specific information is coded for the purpose of document management or copy restriction, such as a one-dimensional code or a digital watermark, to the manuscript. Can do.

  Further, in this specification, “original” is used as a term indicating a printed matter or a copied matter on which specific information composed of characters, figures, and the like is printed. In this specification, “content” is used as a term indicating specific information itself composed of characters, graphics, and the like on a printed material or a copy. Therefore, for example, a certain printed matter A and its copy B are distinguished as different originals, but the characters, figures, etc. included therein are the same, and therefore the contents are the same.

  The decoding unit 204, which is also an information extraction unit, performs a process of decoding (decoding) the detected QR code (registered trademark) and extracting embedded information. The image removal unit 205 performs a process of removing a portion including the QR code (registered trademark) detected by the code detection unit 203 from the image data. The removal processing can be executed by image processing known in the art, such as painting with white, painting with black, painting with the same pattern as the surrounding tint block. The file generation unit 206 performs processing to convert and generate image data into a file including an image that can be transmitted from the data transmission / reception unit 201. In addition, the file generation unit 206 can write the embedded information extracted by the decoding unit 204 to a file as metadata. The file format that can be generated can be selected by the user from a file format that can store metadata such as PDF or TIFF, or a file format that can store metadata such as JPEG or BMP, or that cannot store metadata. Shall.

FIG. 3 is a view showing an example of a document with a code image to be scanned in the present invention. The original 301 is printed with a QR code 302 as a code image obtained by encoding the embedded information. The QR code (registered trademark) is usually a predetermined area on the recording medium, and in this embodiment, any one of the rectangular areas 303 provided in the upper left corner, lower left corner, upper right corner, and lower right corner in the original 301. In this area, QR code (registered trademark) detection processing is performed for this area. In addition, the length of one side of the rectangular area of the present embodiment is, for example, 30 mm in both vertical and horizontal directions. Of course, the area in which the QR code (registered trademark) can be printed is not limited to this example, and its position, shape, and size can be arbitrarily set. The embedded information can include the following information, for example.
・ Document number ・ Document page number ・ User information to specify the user who issued the document output ・ Date information to specify the date and time when the document was output ・ Identify the MFP that output the document Equipment information for

Of course, the contents of the embedded information are not limited to these. For example, output type information (information such as whether the image data transmitted from the PC is printed or a copy using a document reading table) is also necessary. May be added. Further, not only device information for specifying the MFP that outputs the document, but also information for specifying the device that output the content first may be added separately. Here, the number of copies is information indicating the number of copies of the document output in the printing or copying process. The page number is information indicating the page number of the document output in the printing and copying processes. For example, when two copies of a document consisting of three pages are printed, the copy number and page number that are written as embedded information on the six printed materials to be output are as follows.
Printed matter 1: number of copies = 1, page number = 1
Printed matter 2: number of copies = 1, page number = 2
-Printed matter 3: number of copies = 1, page number = 3
Printed matter 4: number of copies = 2, page number = 1
Printed matter 5: number of copies = 2, page number = 2
Printed matter 6: number of copies = 2, page number = 3

  Therefore, there is no output printed matter in which the combination of the copy number and the page number is the same in one printing or copying. In the case of printed matter printed on both sides, different page numbers are written on each side.

  Hereinafter, a process of scanning an original in the MFP, generating an image file that is an electronic document, and transmitting the image file will be described. In this embodiment, an application (program) stored in the memory 104 is activated by a user operation instruction, and the CPU 100 executes the application to execute the following steps.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of scan processing in the MFP of this embodiment. When the user sets a document on the document reading table of the MFP and presses a transmission instruction button (not shown), the scan processing unit 202 resets the page count N to 0 in step 401. In step 402, the scan processing unit 202 increases the page count N by one. In step 403, the scan processing unit 202 causes the scanner unit 102 to scan a document set on the document reading table of the MFP. Thereby, the image data of the first page is acquired.

  In step 404, the code detection unit 203 detects (registered trademark) from the acquired image data. That is, the presence / absence of a QR code (registered trademark) is checked for the rectangular areas at the four corners of the acquired image data. If a QR code (registered trademark) is detected, the process proceeds to step 405. In step 405, the decoding unit 204 decodes the detected (registered trademark). That is, a process of decoding the QR code (registered trademark) and extracting the embedded information of the first page is performed. The image data obtained in this way and the detected and extracted embedded information are stored in the scanner processing unit 202 or in any storage unit such as various memories or a large-capacity storage unit.

  FIG. 5 shows an example of embedded information extracted by the decoding process. In the example of FIG. 5, the user information “Suzuki” of the user who instructed the printing of the original document, the date information of the date and time when the original document was output “January 30, 2008 9:53:13”, the number of copies of the original document “1” and page number “2” of the original document are extracted. Also, the device information “MPF-0001” of the MFP that output the original document is also extracted.

  In step 406, the scan processing unit 202 causes the scanner unit 102 to detect whether the next document is set on the document reading table of the MFP. If a document is set, the process proceeds to step 402. Until it is detected in step 406 that no original is set, image data of the Nth page is acquired in step 403, and embedded information of the Nth page is extracted in step 405.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of transmission file generation processing in the MFP of this embodiment. When the image data is acquired from the document set on the document reading table of the MFP and the embedding information is extracted according to the flowchart shown in FIG. 4, the file generation unit 206 sets the page count N to 0 in step 601. Reset. In step 602, the file generation unit 206 generates an empty image file. The image file generated in the present embodiment has a file format that can store metadata.

  In step 603, the file generation unit 206 increases the page count N by one. In step 604, the file generation unit 206 inquires of the scan processing unit 202 whether image data of the Nth page can be acquired. If there is a response that image data can be acquired, the process proceeds to step 605. In step 605, the file generation unit 206 acquires the image data of the Nth page from the scan processing unit 202.

  In step 606, the file generation unit 206 inquires of the decoding unit 204 whether the embedded information of the Nth page can be acquired. If there is a response that the embedded information can be acquired, the process proceeds to step 607. In step 607, the file generation unit 206 acquires N-th page embedding information from the decoding unit 204. In step 608, the file generation unit 206 causes the image removal unit 205 to remove a certain area including the QR code (registered trademark) detected by the code detection unit 203 from the image data acquired from the scan processing unit in step 605.

  FIG. 7 shows an image obtained by removing the region including the QR code (registered trademark) from the image data by the image removal processing 205. As an example of removing the QR code 302 from the image document as shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 7 shows a state 701 in which a region including the QR code (registered trademark) is filled with black. In this embodiment, the removal method is painted in black, but it is also possible to select a method in which removal is not noticeable, such as painting in white or painting with the same pattern as the surrounding background pattern. In step 609, the file generation unit 206 merges the image data from which the image has been removed in step 608 with the image file generated in step 602. In step 610, the file generation unit 206 stores the embedded information acquired in step 607 as metadata in the image file generated in step 602. In step 611, since embedded information is not detected on the Nth page, the file generation unit 206 merges the image data acquired in step 605 into the image file generated in step 602 as it is. In step 612, the file generation unit 206 increases the page count N by one.

  In step 613, the file generation unit 206 inquires of the scan processing unit 202 whether image data of the Nth page can be acquired. If there is a response that image data can be acquired, the process proceeds to step 614. In this embodiment, since the embedded information is stored and the QR code (registered trademark) is removed only for the first page where the embedded information is detected, first in step 614, the file generation unit 206 starts from the scan processing unit 202. N page image data is acquired. In step 615, the file generation unit 206 merges the image data acquired in step 614 with the image file generated in step 602. After merging the image data of the Nth page in step 615, the file generation unit 206 increases the page count N by 1 in step 612. Thereafter, the processing in step 614 and step 615 is repeated until there is no image data acquired from the scan processing unit 202 (S613), and the processing is terminated. As a result, all the originals are processed, and an image file that is an electronic document storing metadata is completed. In this embodiment, the scanner processing unit 202 scans a document and temporarily holds data, and the file generation unit acquires data held by the scanner unit 202 or another storage unit. Not limited. That is, when generating image data from a document, the scan processing unit 202 can perform processing each time a page of the document is scanned. In this case, the file generation unit 206 and other various modules are mainly processed. You can also.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an image of a document in which an area including a QR code (registered trademark) is removed from image data by image removal processing. Referring to FIG. 7, it can be understood that the QR code 302 is painted black in the image of the document of FIG. In this embodiment, as an example of the removal, the region including the QR code (registered trademark) is painted in black. However, the present invention is not limited to this. A method may be selected.

  As described above, in the present exemplary embodiment, when acquiring image data from a document including one or more pages, the MFP detects a QR code (registered trademark) that appears first among all pages, and the QR code (registered trademark). The embedded information included in is extracted and only the QR code (registered trademark) image that appears first is removed. Accordingly, the QR code (registered trademark) appearing after the second does not remove the QR code (registered trademark) image. Therefore, an image file in which the embedded information is stored as metadata can be generated as a file output, and the image file can be transmitted from the network interface 106 according to an instruction from the data transmission / reception unit 201.

In the present embodiment, the extraction of the embedded information in the decoding unit 204 is performed during the scanning process of the flowchart shown in FIG. 4, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the same effect can be obtained even if the code detection in the image data and the extraction of the embedded information are performed during the transmission file generation process of the flowchart shown in FIG.
[Second Embodiment] This embodiment is a file format in which the user cannot store read information embedded in a QR code (registered trademark) or the like as a file for storing an electronic document when the MFP instructs the creation of the electronic document. This processing is performed when an image file is designated. That is, in the first embodiment, the image data obtained by scanning is an image file that can store read information such as metadata. However, in this embodiment, there is an image file in a file format that cannot store read information. Processes even when specified. FIG. 8 shows a flow of transmission file generation processing in the MFP when the user changes the format of the file generated by the user in the processing of generating and transmitting an image file by scanning a document in the MFP of the first embodiment. It is a flowchart. Basically, the processing when the image file capable of storing the read information is designated is the same in both the present embodiment and the first embodiment, and therefore the steps having the same processing in the flowchart of FIG. Therefore, different processes in this embodiment are steps 801 and 802.

  Referring to FIG. 8, since a user who reads a normal document may designate a file format in which image data generated by reading is stored, in step 801, the scan processing unit 202 first displays the display unit. The format of the specified file is read from 101.

  In step 802, the file generation unit 206 determines whether the file format read in step 801 is a file format in which metadata storage such as JPEG or BMP is restricted or metadata cannot be stored. If the file format is such, the metadata cannot be stored, so the process proceeds to step 612, where the QR code (registered trademark) of the original image is not removed, and an image file is generated with the scanned image. On the other hand, if it is not so, that is, if the file format can store the metadata, the process proceeds to step 607 and the same processing as in the first embodiment is performed.

  In this embodiment, it is assumed that a QR code (registered trademark) is printed on a plurality of pages of a document having a plurality of pages. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the QR code (registered trademark) is one page. The present invention can also be applied to a case where only one page is printed or a one-page document. That is, for example, when a QR code (registered trademark) is printed on a one-page document, according to the present embodiment, when a user sets a file format that cannot store metadata as an output destination, a QR code ( The image data is output without removing the registered trademark.

  In the processing of the above embodiment, the MFP may instruct file transmission by selecting a file format in which the user has limited storage of metadata or cannot store metadata. In such a case, according to this embodiment, a file can be generated and transmitted without removing an area including a QR code (registered trademark) from image data.

[Other Embodiments]
The present invention can also be realized by executing the following processing. That is, software (program) for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or apparatus via a network or various storage media, and a computer (or CPU, MPU, etc.) of the system or apparatus reads the program. It is a process to be executed. The present invention can also be realized by a plurality of processors cooperating to perform processing.

Claims (2)

Reading means for reading a document;
Setting means for setting a file format for outputting the read original as an electronic document;
Detecting means for detecting an image encoded with one or more specific information from the original read by the reading means;
Embedded information extracting means for extracting embedded information from an image obtained by encoding one or more pieces of specific information detected by the detecting means;
Storage means for storing the embedded information extracted by the embedded information extracting means as metadata in an image file;
Image removing means for removing an image obtained by encoding the detected specific information from the image data read by the reading means;
File output means for outputting the read image data as an image file,
When the file format set by the setting unit cannot store metadata, the file output unit does not remove an image encoded with specific information by the image removing unit, and removes an image of the document read by the reading unit. An image forming apparatus that outputs image data. Reading means for reading a document including a plurality of pages;
Setting means for setting a file format for outputting the read original as an electronic document;
Detecting means for detecting an image encoded with one or more specific information from the original read by the reading means;
Embedded information extracting means for extracting embedded information from an image obtained by encoding one or more pieces of specific information detected by the detecting means;
Storage means for storing the embedded information extracted by the embedded information extracting means as metadata in an image file;
Image removing means for removing an image obtained by encoding the detected specific information from the image data read by the reading means;
File output means for outputting the read image data as an image file,
The file output means stores the extracted embedded information as metadata in an image file only for the first page having an image in which the specific information is encoded in the document, and encodes the detected specific information. An image forming apparatus that removes an image that has been removed.

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