JP2014146916A - Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program for determining color amount - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem in which: in determining whether blocks in an input image are color blocks or monochrome blocks, and determining a printing fee of the image input on the basis of the amount of color blocks, if a user is not satisfied with the determined printing fee, the user has to abandon the printing.SOLUTION: In changing a printing fee, if the printing fee is changed to a printing fee for the amount of colors that is smaller than the amount of colors in an input image, an image processing apparatus automatically performs image processing to increase the amount of colors to the maximum possible within the printing fee, and prints a result of the image processing.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and a program for determining a color amount.

  In Patent Document 1, it is determined whether each block in the input image is a color block or a monochrome block, and the printing fee of the input image is determined based on the amount of the color block.

JP2012-32668

However, in Patent Document 1, when the user is dissatisfied with the printing fee determined as described above, the user has to give up printing.
The present invention eliminates user dissatisfaction with a segment by allowing the segment once determined or determined to be changed.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention has, for example, a configuration as described in claim 1.

  User dissatisfaction with the classification can be resolved.

Block diagram of image forming apparatus Block diagram of the input image processing unit 104 Pixel data format in Embodiment 1 Block diagram of the edited image processing unit 105 Page image area data 501 in Embodiment 1 Overall Flowchart of Copy Job Operation by Image Forming Apparatus 100 Detailed flowchart of printing fee setting process Detailed flowchart of fee change processing in embodiment 1 Detailed flowchart of a process for determining a color block to be monochromeized according to the first exemplary embodiment. Detailed flowchart of fee change processing in embodiment 2 Detailed Flowchart of Color / Monochrome Flag Generation Processing in Embodiment 2 Display example of the operation display unit 107 when a preview image is selected in the second embodiment

[Example 1]
Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described as a first embodiment with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image forming apparatus according to this embodiment. The image forming apparatus 100 includes an image input unit 101, an image processing device (consisting of a control unit 102, an input image processing unit 104, an edited image processing unit 105, an output image processing unit 106, and an operation display unit 107) and an image output unit. 103.

  The image input unit 101 is configured by hardware such as a scanner, and converts an image on a document into an RGB digital image and takes it in. The captured RGB digital image is input to the input image processing unit 104.

  The control unit 102 includes a CPU, a RAM, and a ROM, and the CPU executes program data included in the ROM while using the RAM as appropriate. The processing executed by the control unit 102 will be described in each step of the flowchart. The RAM is also used as a temporary storage memory for RGB digital images.

  The image output unit 103 is composed of hardware such as a printer engine, and prints an image composed of digital signals such as CMYK signals on an output medium such as paper.

  The input image processing unit 104 performs predetermined image processing such as shading correction processing, misregistration correction processing, and image area determination processing on the RGB digital image input from the image input unit 101. After image processing by the input image processing unit 104, the RGB digital image is input to the control unit 102.

  The edited image processing unit 105 performs various image processing such as rotation, scaling, and monochrome processing of the RGB digital image input from the control unit 102. After image processing by the edited image processing unit 104, the RGB digital image is input to the control unit 102.

  The output image processing unit 106 performs color conversion processing on the RGB digital image input from the control unit 102 to obtain a CMYK digital image. Then, halftone processing is performed on the obtained CMYK digital image. The obtained digital image is input to the image output unit 103. Of the CMYK digital images, a digital image in which the density of all the images is C = M = Y = 0 may be referred to as a K monochrome digital image.

  The operation display unit 107 is configured by hardware such as an LCD touch panel, and receives an operation input from the user to the image forming apparatus 100 or displays a notification or an inquiry from the image forming apparatus 100 to the user. Also, the RGB digital image input from the edited image processing unit 105 is displayed on the LCD display.

  FIG. 2 is an internal block diagram of the input image processing unit 104 in the present embodiment. The RGB digital image input to the input image processing unit 104 is subjected to image correction such as shading correction processing and misregistration correction processing by the image correction unit 201. The RGB digital image subjected to the image correction is input to the image area determination unit 202, the pixel color determination unit 203, and the image delay buffer 204.

  The image area determination unit 202 determines the image area of each pixel of the RGB digital image. The image area determination is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 6-320955. In this patent document, the image area of each pixel is determined based on the outline of the pixel block included in the document image and the arrangement of the pixel block. Specifically, the combined pixel component included in the RGB digital image is identified, and based on the identified pixel component, the image area of the target pixel is any one of “character”, “graphic”, “photo”, and the like. Judging whether there is. The image area determination unit 202 includes an image area flag indicating an image area determination result of each pixel (for example, the image area flag is configured with a value from 000 to 111. 100 indicates a character and 001 indicates a figure. 010 indicates a photograph, and any other value indicates that it is neither a character nor a graphic or a photograph.

  The pixel color determination unit 203 determines whether each pixel is a color pixel or a monochrome (that is, monochrome) pixel for each pixel of the input RGB digital image. For example, a difference between R component, G component, and B component values of a target pixel is calculated, and when the largest value of the difference is larger than a predetermined threshold, it is determined as a color pixel, and when it is smaller, it is determined as a monochrome pixel. This determination is performed by a known algorithm. The pixel color determination unit 203 outputs a color / monochrome flag indicating the color / monochrome determination result of each pixel (for example, this flag is 0 or 1, where 0 indicates color and 1 indicates monochrome). To do.

  The image delay buffer 204 delays the input RGB digital image during the processing of the image area determination unit 202 and the pixel color determination unit 203 described above.

  The data combining unit 205 combines the image area flag output from the image area determination unit 202, the color / monochrome flag output from the pixel color determination unit 203, and the RGB digital image output from the image delay buffer 204. . Here, a corresponding image area flag and color / monochrome flag are added to each pixel. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a pixel format of one pixel. Therefore, each pixel of each 8-bit RGB digital image (301, 302, 303) of R (red), G (green), and B (blue) after being processed by the input image processing unit 104 is 3 An image area flag 304 consisting of bits and a color / monochrome flag (308) consisting of 1 bit are added.

  FIG. 4 is an internal block diagram of the edited image processing unit 105. A scaling processing unit 401, a page data analysis unit 402, a monochrome processing unit 403, and a rotation processing unit 404 are connected to each other.

  The scaling processing unit 401 and the rotation processing unit 404 perform scaling processing and rotation processing of the RGB digital image. The page data analysis unit 402 performs processing on the RGB digital image to which the image area flag and the color / monochrome flag are added by the input image processing unit 104. Specifically, page image area data indicating the type and number of image area flags included in an RGB digital image (this is an image for one page) and the total number and position of color pixels for each image area is created. To do. The page image area data is input from the page data analysis unit 402 to the control unit 102.

  FIG. 5 is an example of page image area data 501. The page image area data 501 includes a color pixel counter value (502, 503, 504) indicating the number of color pixels in each of the character portion, the photograph portion, and the graphic portion in the target page, and the color pixel position (505, 506, 507). The color pixel position is, for example, a position coordinate in an RGB digital image.

  The monochrome processing unit 403 performs monochrome conversion of an image according to the pixel position set to be monochrome. Details will be described together with the flow of the printing fee change process.

  FIG. 6 shows an overall flow of a copy job operation for a single document by the image forming apparatus 100.

  First, the image input unit 101 inputs the captured RGB digital image to the input image processing unit 104 (S601). Then, the input image processing unit 104 performs the predetermined image processing described above on the input RGB digital image, and further adds an image area flag (305, 306, 307) and a color / monochrome flag (308). Then, the added RGB digital image is input to the control unit 102 (S602). Thereafter, the RGB digital image to which the image area flag and the color / monochrome flag are added is input from the control unit 102 to the edited image processing unit 105. The edited image processing unit 105 creates the page image area data as described above (S603). Subsequently, the control unit 102 performs a print fee setting process based on the RGB digital image input from the input image processing unit 104 (S604). This process will be described later with reference to FIG.

  Next, the control unit 102 determines the printing fee based on the result of the printing fee setting process S604 (S605). In the present embodiment, it is assumed that there are three levels of printing charges: a monochrome charge (for example, 10 yen), a full color charge (for example, 20 yen), and a full area color charge (for example, 40 yen). Details of each charge will be described in the description of FIG. 7, but it goes without saying that there may be more stages than three stages. When the printing fee is a monochrome fee, the control unit 102 starts processing from S611 onward. When the printing fee is a full color fee, the control unit 102 confirms whether or not to change the printing fee to the monochrome fee via the operation display unit 107 (S606). If the operation display unit 107 does not accept an instruction to change the printing fee to the monochrome fee by the user, the control unit 102 starts the processing from S611 onwards, and if accepted, changes the color / monochrome flag of all pixels to the monochrome flag. (S607). If the printing fee is a full area color fee, the control unit 102 confirms whether or not to change the printing fee via the operation display unit 107 (S608). If accepted, the control unit 102 confirms whether or not to change the printing fee to the monochrome fee or the full color fee via the operation display unit 107 (S609). When the operation display unit 107 receives an instruction to change the printing fee to the monochrome fee from the user, the color / monochrome flag of all the pixels is changed to the monochrome flag (S607). If not accepted, the control unit 102 performs a printing fee change process to a full color fee (S610). This process will be described later with reference to FIG.

  Next, the control unit 102 sets color conversion parameters for the output image processing unit 106 (S611). Specifically, the color conversion parameter for a monochrome image is set for a pixel whose color / monochrome flag is monochrome, and the color conversion parameter for a color image is set for a pixel whose color / monochrome flag is color. Do it. The color conversion parameter for monochrome images is a parameter for converting an RGB digital image into a K single color digital image, and the color conversion parameter for a color image is changed to a CMYK digital image that is not K single color. It is a parameter for. Among these, the color conversion parameters for color images are those when the R component, G component, and B component values of the pixels included in the RGB digital image are close to each other (that is, the difference between them is less than a predetermined threshold value). In some cases, this is preferably a parameter that converts the RGB value of the pixel into a K monochrome pixel. Of course, if any of the differences is greater than the predetermined threshold, the RGB value of the pixel is converted into a CMYK value (however, any of the CMYK values is a CMYK value having a non-zero value). Preferably, the parameter is

  When the above processing is completed, the control unit 102 inputs the RGB digital image input from the input image processing unit 104 to the output image processing unit 106.

  Subsequently, the output image processing unit 106 performs color conversion processing on the input RGB digital image using the set color conversion parameters. Then, halftone processing is performed on the CMYK digital image obtained by the color conversion processing. Then, the halftone processing result is input to the image output unit 103 (S612).

  Finally, the image output unit 103 prints the input image (image processing result after image processing such as color conversion processing and halftone processing) (S613).

  FIG. 7 shows a detailed processing flow of the printing fee setting processing S604 in FIG.

  In the printing fee setting process S604, the control unit 102 divides the input RGB digital image into a plurality of blocks (S701). Then, an average value of RGB luminance in each block is calculated (S702). In the following description, the block is described as an area composed of 32 pixels × 32 pixels, but it goes without saying that the area may be an area of another size. In the present embodiment, the value to be calculated (calculation is a calculation) is described as an average value of RGB luminances, but other values may be used. For example, a weighted average value may be used.

  Next, the control unit 102 determines whether each block is a color block or a monochrome block based on the calculated average value (S703). For example, the difference between the R component, G component, and B component values in the average value of the target block is calculated, and the largest value of the difference (this value may be referred to as color difference) is greater than a predetermined threshold. This determination is performed by a known algorithm such that a color pixel is determined when the pixel is small, and a monochrome pixel is determined when the pixel is small.

  The determination algorithm is not limited to this algorithm. For example, a method may be used in which RGB luminance is converted into YUV luminance and the sum of the square of U and the square of V (this sum is a general color difference) is compared with a threshold value. There are various other color difference determination methods, but any method may be used.

  Thereafter, the control unit 102 counts the number of blocks determined to be color blocks and divides by the number of blocks included in the input image. As a result, the ratio of the color blocks to all the blocks is calculated (S704). When the color block ratio falls within the first category “below the first threshold (first threshold = 0.1%)”, the printing fee for this image is set to a monochrome fee (for example, 10 yen) ( S705). If the color block ratio falls within the second category “first threshold or higher and lower than second threshold (second threshold = 10%)”, the printing fee for this image is the full color fee (for example, 20 yen). (S706). If the color block ratio falls within the third category “second threshold or higher”, the printing fee for this image is set to a full area color fee (for example, 40 yen) (S707). In addition, this time, 0.1% and 10% are described as examples, but it goes without saying that other threshold values may be used. However, it goes without saying that the second threshold must be greater than the first threshold. The control unit 102 holds the calculated color block ratio in the control unit 102.

As described above, when setting the printing fee, the control unit 102 divides the color image into a full color image and a full area color image according to the ratio of the color blocks, not the monochrome image and the color image. To do. The control unit 102 may display the printing fee on the operation display unit 107 in the above-described printing fee setting process S604. As described above, the ratio of the color blocks. Further, the classification need not be defined by the ratio of the color blocks, but may be defined by the number of color blocks. It should be noted that in measuring the amount of color, the number of color blocks is only one form, and it goes without saying that other numerical values for measuring the amount of color, such as the number of color pixels, may be used. Absent.

  It should be noted that a thumbnail image can be obtained by collecting the average values for each block obtained in S702. When displaying the printing fee information, the control unit 12 may display the thumbnail image together with the printing fee information on the operation display unit 107 as a preview image.

  FIG. 8 shows a detailed processing flow of the printing fee change processing S610 in FIG. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the RGB digital image whose print fee is to be changed has an image size of 320 pixels × 320 pixels and a color block ratio of 20%.

  First, the control unit 102 determines a target color block ratio (S801). The target color block ratio is a value near the second threshold value. That is, for example, a value that is less than the second threshold value that is closer to the second threshold value than the first threshold value, such as the ratio of the color block that becomes the largest at the full color fee. Note that the ratio of the color block that is the largest at the full color fee is, for example, 9%, which is the largest value less than the second threshold (10%). The ratio of color blocks before change is calculated in S704, and then the ratio of color blocks held in the control unit 102 is acquired and used. The target color block ratio differs depending on the image size of the RGB digital image and the second threshold value (10% in this embodiment) indicating the ratio of the color block having the full color fee described in FIG.

  Next, the control unit 102 displays an image area selection button for selecting an image area that may be converted to monochrome on the operation display unit 107 (S802). The control unit 102 refers to the color pixel counter values (502, 503, 504) of the page image area data 501 and displays a button for selecting an image area where the color pixel counter value is not zero. In addition, an “all” button is also displayed as an image area selection button, which means that all color blocks may be converted into monochrome. Note that by selecting a plurality of image area selection buttons such as “character” and “photograph”, it is possible to execute monochrome conversion of a color block including the image areas of “character” and “photograph”.

  The control unit 102 determines which image area selection button has been pressed (S803). When the “all” button is pressed, the control unit 102 acquires the RGB luminance average values of all the color blocks (S804). The RGB luminance average value of the color block determined in S703 may be held in the control unit 102 and acquired in S804. Since the pressed button is “all”, monochrome processing can be executed for all color blocks. Thereafter, the control unit 102 starts the processing after S808.

  If the pressed button is not the “all” button, the control unit 102 determines whether the printing fee can be changed when all the color blocks including the selected image area are converted to monochrome (S805). Specifically, if the ratio of the color blocks excluding the color block including the selected image area is smaller than the ratio of the target color block determined in S801, it is determined that the printing fee can be changed. A block including the color pixel position (505, 506, 507) of the page image area data 501 becomes a color block including the selected image area. If the printing fee can be changed, the control unit 102 acquires the RGB luminance average value of the color block including the selected image area (S806). Thereafter, the control unit 102 starts the processing after S808. If it is impossible to change the printing fee in S805, a process for additionally selecting an image area that may be converted to monochrome is performed (S807). For example, the operation display unit 107 is notified of a message that prompts the user to select an additional image area. Thereafter, the process returns to S802 to display an image area selection button. Further, by displaying the already selected image area selection button in a color different from that of the other image area selection buttons and making the selection impossible, the user can intuitively understand which image area selection button has already been selected. . In this manner S802, it may be beforehand what the image area selected one of the information may be held in the control unit 102 switches the display by referring to it.

  Next, the control unit 102 performs monochrome conversion based on the ratio of color blocks of the RGB digital image before the change (20% in this embodiment) and the ratio of target color blocks after the change (9% in this embodiment). A color block is determined (S808). Details will be described with reference to FIG.

  Next, the control unit 102 changes the color / monochrome flag of the color pixel (that is, the pixel to which the monochrome flag is added) included in the color block to be monochrome determined in S808 to the monochrome flag (S809). The control unit 102 refers to the color / monochrome flag changed in step S809 and sets color conversion parameters for the output image processing unit 106 in step S611.

  An example of using an average value of RGB luminances of a target color block as an algorithm for determining a color block to be converted into monochrome will be described with reference to FIG. In the algorithm, first, the difference between the R component, G component, and B component values in the average RGB luminance value of the color block acquired in S804 or S806 is calculated (S901). Next, the block with the smallest difference is determined as a block to be monochromeized (S902). Next, it is determined whether the ratio of the color blocks excluding the block determined in S902 is smaller than the target color block ratio determined in S801 (S903). If it is smaller, the process is terminated. If it is larger, the process returns to S902, and blocks that have the smallest difference in R component, G component, and B component values in the average value of RGB luminance among the blocks that have already been determined to be monochrome are monochromeized. In this way, information on blocks that have already been converted into monochrome may be held in the control unit 102, and in step S902, the information may be determined with reference to the information. The processes in S902 and S903 are repeated until the ratio becomes smaller than the target color block ratio. In this embodiment, eleven blocks to be monochromeized are determined in ascending order of difference in values of the R component, G component, and B component so that the number of color blocks is nine.

  Further, the RGB digital image after the change of the printing fee may be displayed on the operation display unit 107 as a preview. The control unit 102 sets the pixel position to the monochrome processing unit 403 based on the position of the color pixel whose color / monochrome flag has been changed in the process of the printing fee change process (S610). Next, the control unit 102 inputs the RGB digital image from the control unit 102 to the editing processing unit 105, and executes the monochrome processing by the monochrome processing unit 403. The monochrome processing unit 403 performs monochrome processing according to the following procedure. The RGB luminance of each pixel of the input RGB digital image is converted into YUV space. Next, the Y component value in the converted YUV space is converted into RGB luminance as the value of each component of RGB luminance, and an RGB digital image is generated. That is, the R component, G component, and B component values of the converted RGB digital image are all the same. By these processes, a monochrome RGB digital image is generated. The generated RGB digital image is output from the monochrome processing unit 403 and input to the scaling processing unit 401 and the rotation processing unit 404. The scaling processing unit 401 and the rotation processing unit 404 perform scaling processing and rotation processing according to the resolution of the LCD display mounted on the operation display unit 107 and the orientation of the RGB digital image to be previewed, and the preview image is displayed. Generated. Thereafter, the control unit 102 inputs the preview image processed by the edited image processing unit 105 to the operation display unit 107, and displays a preview of the RGB digital image after changing the printing fee. The RGB digital image after the change of the printing fee thus generated is displayed as a preview on the operation display unit 107 in the step after S809, for example. Further, the user may confirm whether or not to print the preview displayed image. For example, an OK button (not shown) is displayed on the operation display unit 107, and the user presses the OK button when executing printing. Thereby, since the user can easily confirm the image after the change of the printing fee, it is possible to reduce failures related to printing.

  Further, the preview image showing the RGB digital image after the change of the printing fee generated by the method described above and the preview image showing the RGB digital image before the change of the printing fee may be compared and displayed on the operation display unit 107. . A preview image showing an RGB digital image before the printing fee may be generated by the following procedure. The control unit 102 inputs the RGB digital image processed by the input image processing unit 103 in S <b> 602 to the edited image processing unit 105. In view of this, the scaling processing unit 401 and the rotation processing unit 404 perform scaling processing and rotation processing according to the resolution of the LCD display mounted on the operation display unit 107 and the orientation of the RGB digital image to be previewed. An image is generated. The two preview images generated in this way are input to the operation display unit 107, and the preview images are compared and displayed. Thereby, since the user can easily confirm the change of the image due to the change of the printing fee, the failure related to the printing can be further reduced.

  In this embodiment, in the printing fee change process, the image area selection instruction is received from the user and the image area to be monochromeized is determined. However, the area instruction to be monochrome is determined by receiving the area instruction from the user, and printing is performed. Fee change and printing may be performed. According to this, the pixel position for the monochrome process that determines the largest number of color pixels at the same printing fee is determined based on the area selected by the user. Further, when the selected area is insufficient, the user is prompted to add an area. As a result, the user can print an image having the largest number of color pixels at the same printing fee while maintaining the color of the necessary area.

  Further, in the printing fee change process, a color object to be monochromeized may be determined upon receiving a color object selection from the user, and the printing fee may be changed / printed. The image forming apparatus 100 automatically extracts a pixel group that is a color pixel and has similar characteristics such as “character”, “figure”, “photograph”, and the like, and is close in position on the image as a color object. According to this, the pixel position for the monochrome processing that maximizes the number of color pixels at the same printing fee is determined based on the color object selected by the user. As a result, the user can print an image having the largest number of color pixels at the same printing fee while maintaining the color of the necessary color object.

  Furthermore, in the printing fee change process, a color that may be converted to monochrome may be selected. Instead of selecting a specific color as a color selection method, a color having a certain range of saturation, density, luminance, or the like may be selected. For example, instead of selecting “red”, “color close to red” is selected. As a result, the user can print an image having the largest number of color pixels at the same printing fee while maintaining the necessary color.

  The present invention can also be realized by executing the following processing. That is, software (program) that realizes 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, or the like) of the system or apparatus reads the program. It is a process to be executed.

As described above, at the time of changing the printing fee, the user selects an image area to be converted into monochrome. Based on the selected printing fee and image area, monochrome processing is performed so that the color amount is the largest at the same printing fee. As a result, the user can print an image having the largest number of color pixels at the same printing fee while maintaining the color of the required image area. In the above embodiment, the user selects the image area. Instead, the user may select an area, and the color pixels included in the area may be converted to monochrome.
Also, in this embodiment, the case where charges are displayed on the display screen has been described as an example, but instead the color amount (for example, the ratio of color blocks) and the corresponding classification are simply displayed. Also good.

[Example 2]
In the form of the first embodiment, in the printing fee changing process, an image area selection instruction is received from the user, an image area to be monochromeized is determined, and a pixel position to be monochromeized is determined. In the present embodiment, in order to obtain a simpler operation, an example will be described in which a print image is displayed by displaying a preview image after changing the print fee and selecting a preview image in the print fee changing process.

  Since the configuration of the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment has not changed, description thereof will be omitted.

  The printing fee change process in this embodiment will be described in detail based on the flowchart of FIG. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the RGB digital image whose print fee is to be changed has an image size of 320 pixels × 320 pixels and a color block ratio of 12%. Further, color blocks include 4% of blocks including only a character image area, 4% of blocks including only a photographic image area, and 4% of blocks including only a graphic area.

  In the printing fee change process S610, the control unit 102 first determines a target color block ratio (S1001). In this embodiment, the image size is 320 pixels × 320 pixels, and the ratio of the target color block after the change is less than 10%, which is 9%, which is the largest value. Next, the control unit 102 generates a plurality of color / monochrome flags for one page in order to obtain the color block ratio determined in S1001 (S1002). The color / monochrome flag generation processing will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

  In the color / monochrome flag generation processing S1002, the control unit 102 first selects a combination of image areas for generating a preview image (S1101). The control unit 102 selects an image area combination for generating a preview image, based on a predetermined algorithm, from image area combinations that allow the printing fee to be changed. From the conditions of this embodiment described above, the following can be extracted as combinations of image areas whose printing fee can be changed. Character image area only, photographic image area only, graphic image area only, character image area or photographic image area, character image area or graphic image area, photographic image area or graphic image area, all image areas combined. . Next, a combination to be previewed is selected from this combination. In the present embodiment, an algorithm is used that selects three combinations from a small number of types of image areas to be included and selects a combination to be previewed. When the types of image areas included are the same, the combination for preview display is selected based on the priority order for each image area held by the control unit 102. Of course, the priority order for each image area may be set by the user via the operation display unit 107. According to this algorithm, in this embodiment, three combinations of only a character image area, only a photographic image area, and only a graphic image area are selected. Next, the control unit 102 determines a color block to be monochromeized in each combination. In the character image area only, the control unit 102 acquires the RGB luminance average value of the color block including the character image area (S1102). Next, in only the photographic image area, the control unit 102 acquires the RGB luminance average value of the color block including the photographic image area (S1103). Next, only in the graphic image area, the control unit 102 acquires the RGB luminance average value of the color block including the graphic image area (S1104). Next, the control unit 102 determines a color block to be monochromeized for the three combinations (S808). In this embodiment, the same algorithm as that described in the first embodiment is used as an algorithm for determining a color block to be monochromeized. As a result, a color block to be monochromeized is determined for each of the three combinations. Next, the control unit 102 changes the color / monochrome flag of the color pixel included in the color block to be monochrome determined in S808 to monochrome (S1105). The control unit 102 performs processing on the color / monochrome flag of the RGB digital image input from the input image processing unit 103 stored in the control unit 102. As a result, a total of three changed color / monochrome flags for one page are generated.

  Returning to the description of the printing fee change processing S610. Next, the control unit 102 performs monochrome processing and preview image processing based on the three color / monochrome flags generated in S1002 (S1003). Based on the position of the color pixel whose color / monochrome flag has been changed, the pixel position is set for the monochrome processing unit 403. Next, the control unit 102 inputs the RGB digital image from the control unit 102 to the editing processing unit 104, and the monochrome processing unit 403 executes the monochrome processing. The generated RGB digital image is output from the monochrome processing unit 403 and input to the scaling processing unit 401 and the rotation processing unit 404. The scaling processing unit 401 and the rotation processing unit 404 perform scaling processing and rotation processing according to the resolution of the LCD display mounted on the operation display unit 107 and the orientation of the RGB digital image to be previewed, and the preview image is displayed. Generated. Thereafter, the control unit 102 inputs the preview image processed by the edited image processing unit 105 to the operation display unit 107, and displays a preview of the three RGB digital images after changing the printing fee (S1004). FIG. 12 shows a screen display example of the operation display unit 107 when a preview image to be printed is selected from a plurality of preview images. When the display of the preview image is completed, the designation frame 1201 of FIG. 12 is displayed on the operation display unit 107, and a waiting state for selecting a plurality of displayed preview images is entered. As indicated by 1203, 1204, and 1205 in FIG. 12, information indicating the processing pattern in which the preview image was created may be displayed below the image.

  When the user executes the print charge change process and outputs an image, the user presses the movement of the designated frame 1201 and the OK button 1202. The control unit 102 determines whether the operation display unit 107 has received selection of a preview image by the user (S1005) and pressing of an OK button 1202 (S1006). When the OK button is pressed, the control unit 102 sets the preview image data selected in S1005 as data to be printed (S1007). The control unit 102 performs the processing from S611 onward using the color / monochrome flag determined in S1007.

  In the present embodiment, an example in which the control unit 102 automatically generates a plurality of one-page color monochrome flags and selects a preview image from the preview image when changing the printing fee has been described. Also good. Specifically, in this example, the control unit 102 automatically generates a single page of color / monochrome flag when changing the printing fee, and prints it without selection by the user. According to this, since the user does not need to select an image (S1005) and print approval (S1006), the user can change the printing fee more easily and perform printing. Further, the image forming apparatus 100 does not need to create a plurality of color / monochrome flags for one page (S1002) and to generate and display a plurality of preview images (S1003, S1004), leading to a reduction in processing load. .

  As described above, when the printing fee is changed, a representative page that can display the most monochrome processing pattern is extracted from the image data, and the monochrome is determined by the number of image areas of the representative page and the presence / absence / number of color pixels. Generate a processing pattern for the conversion process. Further, the pixel position corresponding to the pattern is determined, and a preview page of a plurality of monochrome pages after monochrome processing is executed. As a result, the selection process of the image area that may be made monochrome can be reduced, and the user can select and print the image processing pattern closest to the intention from a plurality of preview images more easily than in the first embodiment. Is.

  The present invention can also be realized by executing the following processing. That is, software (program) that realizes 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, or the like) of the system or apparatus reads the program. It is a process to be executed.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 102 Control part 104 Input image process part 105 Edit image process part 107 Operation display part 202 Image area determination part 305,306,307 Image area flag 402 Scaling process part 405 Monochrome processing part 501 Page image area data

Claims (17)

A determination means for determining whether the color amount in the input image is in the first section, the second section, or the third section;
Control means for causing the display screen to perform display based on the classification determined by the determination means;
Image processing means for performing image processing on the input image so that a color amount in the input image enters the post-change category when a change in the displayed category is received from a user. An image processing apparatus.   The first category is less than a first threshold, the second category is greater than or equal to the first threshold and less than a second threshold, and the third category is The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing apparatus is greater than or equal to the second threshold value.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the displayed category is a third category, and the changed category is the second category. The image processing means includes
An image processing method is determined such that a color amount in the input image is equal to or larger than the first threshold and less than the second threshold and is in the vicinity of the second threshold, and the image processing method The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the image processing is performed. The control means includes
When receiving a change of the classification from the user, inquire about which part of the input image to reduce the color amount,
The image processing means includes
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an image processing method based on the inquiry result is determined, and image processing is performed using the image processing method. The control means includes
When receiving the change of the classification from the user, inquire about which image area in the input image to reduce the color amount of the pixel,
The image processing means includes
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an image processing method based on the inquiry result is determined, and image processing is performed using the image processing method. The determination means includes
The input image is divided into a plurality of blocks, an average value of color differences of each block is calculated, and when the average value exceeds a threshold, the block is determined as a color block, and the average value does not exceed the threshold 7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the block is determined as a monochrome block, and the number of blocks determined as color blocks is used as a color amount.   The image according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the display based on the classification determined by the determination means includes a display of a charge corresponding to the classification determined by the determination means. Processing equipment. A determination step of determining whether the color amount in the input image falls within the first section, the second section, or the third section;
A control step for causing the display screen to display based on the category determined in the determination step;
An image processing step of performing image processing on the input image so that a color amount in the input image enters the post-change category when a change in the displayed category is received from a user. And how to.   The first category is less than a first threshold, the second category is greater than or equal to the first threshold and less than a second threshold, and the third category is 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the method is greater than or equal to the second threshold.   11. The method of claim 10, wherein the displayed category is a third category and the changed category is the second category. The image processing step includes
An image processing method is determined such that a color amount in the input image is equal to or larger than the first threshold and less than the second threshold and is in the vicinity of the second threshold, and the image processing method The method according to claim 11, wherein the image processing is performed. The control step includes
When receiving a change of the classification from the user, inquire about which part of the input image to reduce the color amount,
The image processing step includes
The method according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein an image processing method based on the inquiry result is determined, and image processing by the image processing method is performed. The control step includes
When receiving the change of the classification from the user, inquire about which image area in the input image to reduce the color amount of the pixel,
The image processing step includes
The method according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein an image processing method based on the inquiry result is determined, and image processing by the image processing method is performed. The determination step includes
The input image is divided into a plurality of blocks, an average value of color differences of each block is calculated, and when the average value exceeds a threshold, the block is determined as a color block, and the average value does not exceed the threshold The method according to any one of claims 9 to 14, wherein the block is determined as a monochrome block, and the number of blocks determined as a color block is used as a color amount.   The method according to any one of claims 9 to 15, wherein the display based on the category determined in the determination step includes a display of a fee corresponding to the category determined in the determination step. .   A program for causing a computer to execute the method according to any one of claims 9 to 16.

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