JP2016225701A - Image processing apparatus and image processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing apparatus and an image processing method that enable a user to select and specify either one of monochromatic printing or color printing for each of partial areas in a page.SOLUTION: An image processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a preview image creation part that creates preview image data partially including a color area on the basis of image data of an input document image; and an image creation part that creates image data for image formation partially including a color output area on the basis of the preview image data created by the preview image creation part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method, and can be applied to, for example, an image processing apparatus that processes an image read by an image reading apparatus.

  In Patent Document 1, it is determined whether print data is monochrome data or color data in units of pages based on a preview image of a read image, and the print data is converted into monochrome data according to a change instruction by a user. A change from data to color data or a change from color data to monochrome data is performed for each page.

JP 2009-70302 A

  The above-described prior art performs monochrome printing or color printing in units of pages. However, when a monochrome image and a color image are mixed in a document of one page, it is possible to select whether the entire page is set to monochrome printing or color printing. There is a problem that printing or monochrome printing cannot be selected.

  Therefore, there is a strong demand for an image processing apparatus and an image processing method that can select and designate either monochrome printing or color printing for each partial area in a page.

  In order to solve such a problem, an image processing apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention provides (1) a preview image that generates preview image data partially including a color area based on image data of an input original image. A generating unit; and (2) an image generating unit that generates image forming image data partially including a color output region based on the preview image data generated by the preview image generating unit.

  In the image processing method according to the second aspect of the present invention, (1) the preview image generation unit generates preview image data partially including a color area based on the input image data of the document image, and (2) The image generation unit generates image forming image data partially including a color output region based on the preview image data generated by the preview image generation unit.

  According to the present invention, either monochrome printing or color printing can be selected and specified for each partial area in a page in order to meet the detailed demands of the user.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of an image processing apparatus mounted on a multifunction peripheral according to an embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the image processing method in the image processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement of the production | generation process of the preview image in the preview image generation part which concerns on embodiment. It is explanatory drawing explaining the preview image produced | generated by the preview image production | generation part which concerns on embodiment. It is explanatory drawing explaining the example of a screen of the preview image displayed on the display part which concerns on embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the image generation process by the image generation part which concerns on embodiment.

(A) Main Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of an image processing apparatus and an image processing method according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  This embodiment illustrates an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a multifunction peripheral (MFP) including an image reading apparatus.

(A-1) Configuration of Embodiment FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of an image processing apparatus installed in a multifunction peripheral according to an embodiment. In FIG. 1, the image processing apparatus 100 according to the embodiment includes an image reading unit 101, a preview image generation unit 102, a display unit 103, an output designation receiving unit 104, an image generation unit 105, and an image forming unit 106.

  The image processing apparatus 100 is mounted on, for example, a multifunction machine having an image reading function and an image forming function. The image processing apparatus 100 converts the read image data of the document into a preview image, and displays the preview image. At this time, the image processing apparatus 100 generates a plurality of preview images each having a different image conversion format for one page of image data, and displays one of the preview images in a selectable manner. Then, the image processing apparatus 100 generates print data based on the preview image designated by the user operation and forms an image.

  The image reading unit 101 gives image data obtained by scanning and reading a document image to the preview image generating unit 102. For example, the image reading unit 101 can be applied to an existing image reading apparatus such as a flatbed scanner that reads a document image by irradiating a document placed on a glass table with light from below the glass table.

  The preview image generation unit 102 generates a preview image based on the image data from the image reading unit 101 in order to display the preview image, and gives the generated preview image to the display unit 103. The hardware configuration of the preview image generation unit 102 includes, for example, a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, an EEPROM, an input / output interface, and the like. When the CPU executes a processing program stored in the ROM, the preview image generation unit 102 Various functions of 102 are realized.

  Here, the preview image generation unit 102 generates a plurality of preview image data in which the ratio of the color pixels is changed for one page of the document read by the image reading unit 101. More specifically, the preview image generation unit 102 determines whether each pixel is a color pixel or a monochrome pixel for one page of document image data. If it is determined that the pixel is a color pixel, a peripheral area including the peripheral pixels of the pixel is extracted as a color pixel area. When a monochrome pixel area and one or a plurality of color pixel areas are included in one page, the preview image generation unit 102 displays a preview image having each of the one or more color pixel areas as a monochrome area or a color area as color pixels. The number corresponding to the number of combinations of areas is generated.

  That is, when the color pixel area is included in the partial area of the image data for one page, the preview image generation unit 102 generates a preview image in which all the image data is monochrome, and a preview image in which only the color pixel area is in color. , A preview image with all the colors is generated. In addition, when a plurality of color pixel areas are included, a plurality of preview images having a combination number in which each color pixel area is either monochrome or color, a preview image in which all image data is monochrome, and all in color. A preview image is generated.

  The display unit 103 displays a plurality of preview images one by one in association with image numbers for identifying each of the plurality of preview image data generated by the preview image generation unit 102. Note that the display unit 103 may simultaneously display a plurality of preview images related to one original such as thumbnails. For example, a display of an operation panel can be applied to the display unit 103.

  The output designation accepting unit 104 accepts designation of an image relating to image formation from the preview images displayed on the display unit 103 by a user operation. The output designation receiving unit 104 receives designation of an image number of an image to be finally output from the preview image displayed on the display unit 103, and gives the designated image number to the display unit 103. Thereby, the display unit 103 gives preview image data of the designated image number to the image generation unit 105. The output designation receiving unit 104 can be applied with an operation panel, for example, and receives an input on a display screen of the operation panel or receives an input with a hard key (physical button).

  The image generation unit 105 acquires the image number, the preview image, and the image data read by the image reading unit 101 from the display unit 103, and converts the output format of the read image data based on the image number and the preview image. Process. In addition, the image generation unit 105 gives the converted image data to the image forming unit 106.

  The output format conversion process includes, for example, a process of converting RGB format image data read by the image reading unit 101 into CMYK format image data. Further, when performing the output format conversion process, the image generation unit 105 determines whether the pixel area in the image is a monochrome pixel area or a color pixel area based on the designated image number and preview image, and the color pixel. The pixel value of each pixel belonging to the area is replaced with a color pixel value, and the pixel value of each pixel belonging to the monochrome pixel area is replaced with a monochrome pixel value.

  The image forming unit 106 forms an image on a recording medium (for example, paper) using print data based on the image data from the image generation unit 105. As the image forming unit 106, for example, an image forming apparatus that performs color printing by electrophotography using a developer of K (black), M (magenta), C (cyan), and Y (yellow) can be applied.

(A-2) Operation of Embodiment Next, the operation of the image processing method by the image processing apparatus 100 according to the embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the image processing method in the image processing apparatus 100 according to the embodiment.

(Step S100)
An original is placed on the glass table of the image reading unit 101, and the image reading unit 101 reads an image of the original and generates image data in RGB format. The RGB format image data read by the image reading unit 101 is given to the preview image generating unit 102.

(Step S200)
The preview image generation unit 102 generates a preview image based on the RGB format image data acquired from the image reading unit 101. Here, the preview image generation unit 102 generates a plurality of preview images for the image data of the original for one page. That is, when one or more color partial areas are present in one page of the document, a preview image in which each color area is expressed in monochrome or color is generated.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of preview image generation processing in the preview image generation unit 102 according to the embodiment.

  The preview image generation unit 102 determines whether each pixel is a color pixel or a monochrome pixel based on the pixel value of each pixel of RGB format image data. That is, assuming that the pixel to be determined is N, the preview image generation unit 102 initializes N = 1 (step S201). Then, the preview image generation unit 102 uses the pixel value (RGB value) of the Nth pixel to determine whether | RG |, | GB |, and | BR | are all less than the threshold value. Determination is made (step S202). Here, a case where the threshold values for determining the values of | R−G |, | GB− |, and | B−R | are the same is illustrated.

  When the values of | R−G |, | G−B |, and | B−R | are less than the threshold value, the preview image generation unit 102 determines that the N pixel is a monochrome pixel and determines that the pixel is a monochrome pixel. Setting is performed (step S203). If each of the values | R−G |, | GB− |, and | B−R | is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the preview image generation unit 102 determines that the N pixel is a color pixel, and is a color pixel. Is set (step S204).

  The preview image generation unit 102 determines whether all the pixels in the page are color pixels or color pixels. When all the pixels are not finished (step S205), the pixel to be determined The value of N is incremented by “1” to set N = N + 1 (step S206). On the other hand, when the determination for all the pixels is completed (step S205), the process proceeds to step S207.

  In step S207, the preview image generation unit 102 performs a color pixel diffusion process. Here, the color pixel diffusion process is a process in which a peripheral pixel region including a pixel determined to be a color pixel is set as a color pixel region in order to obtain a color pixel region candidate.

  Various methods can be widely applied to the color pixel diffusion process as long as the peripheral pixel region of the color pixel is a color pixel region. For example, a method in which an area of n × m pixels around the color pixel is used as the color pixel area can be used. In this case, for example, an n × m pixel region with a color pixel as a central point is set as a candidate for a color pixel region, or for example, the first quadrant, the second quadrant, the third quadrant with the color pixel as the origin of the XY coordinate axes, A method of applying an n × m pixel region in the fourth quadrant as a candidate for a color pixel region is applied. Note that n and m can be natural numbers. For example, the n × m pixel region can be a square pixel region such as 5 × 5 or 7 × 7. At this time, even if the color pixel area including the color pixel includes a pixel determined to be a monochrome pixel, the preview image generation unit 102 changes the monochrome pixel in the color pixel area to a color pixel.

  The preview image generation unit 102 performs color pixel diffusion processing for all pixels determined to be color pixels among all pixels in the page. Furthermore, the preview image generation unit 102 calculates the number of connected pixels belonging to each color pixel region candidate. Then, the preview image generation unit 102 extracts L color pixel regions from the ones with a large number of connected pixels (step S208). The L pixels for extracting color pixel areas can be arbitrarily set.

  If a color pixel area having a relatively small pixel area can be removed from the color pixel area candidates, a predetermined number L of color pixel areas are selected from the color pixel area candidates having a large number of connected pixels as described above. For example, it is also possible to remove a pixel whose number of connected pixels belonging to a candidate color pixel area is less than a threshold value.

  Further, the preview image generation unit 102 removes the number of connected pixels belonging to the color pixel area candidates that are less than the threshold value, and selects the L pixels from the color pixel area candidates having the largest number of connected pixels. A color pixel area may be extracted.

  The preview image generation unit 102 initializes the value of K indicating the Kth pattern in the extracted L color pixel regions, and sets K = 1 (step S209). Then, the K-th color pixel region is generated as a color image (step S210). If no color image has been generated for the color pixel areas of all patterns (step S211), the preview image generation unit 102 increments the value of K to K = K + 1 (step S212). On the other hand, when color images are generated for the color pixel areas of all patterns, the process is terminated.

  FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a preview image generated by the preview image generation unit 102 according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 illustrates a case where L is two. That is, the preview image generation unit 102 exemplifies a case where a preview image including two color pixel areas is generated from image data for one page. In FIG. 4, a portion (region) surrounded by a bold dotted line is a portion (region) displayed in color.

  In FIG. 4, the preview image generated by the preview image generation unit 102 generates five patterns of preview images as follows. That is, the preview image generation unit 102, based on one page of image data in which a monochrome pixel area and a color pixel area are mixed, displays a preview image (first pattern; see FIG. 4A) in which all pixels are monochrome pixels. ) And a preview image (second pattern, third pattern; see FIG. 4B and FIG. 4C) in which only one of the two color pixel areas is a color pixel and the other pixels are monochrome pixels. ) A preview image (fourth pattern; see FIG. 4D) in which only two color pixel areas are color pixels and the other pixels are monochrome pixels, and a preview image in which all pixels are color pixels. (Fifth pattern; see FIG. 4E) is generated.

  As described above, when a monochrome image and a color image are mixed, the preview image generation unit 102 generates a plurality of combinations of preview images for one page of image data according to the number of color pixel areas. .

  Here, a method in which the preview image generation unit 102 partially generates monochrome pixels will be described. The image reading unit 101 reads a document image in RGB format. Therefore, the preview image generation unit 102 converts RGB format image data into a color space composed of luminance, brightness, and saturation, such as YCbCr and CIELab. More specifically, the preview image generation unit converts the saturation component to “0”, that is, an achromatic color only in an area to be a monochrome pixel. Thereby, the color pixel area can be converted into a chromatic color pixel, and the monochrome pixel area can be converted into an achromatic monochrome pixel.

  Also, as shown in FIG. 4, the preview image generation unit 102 generates a first pattern preview image (FIG. 4A) in which all pixels are monochrome pixels, and then has a large color pixel area (that is, The preview image is generated in order from the pixel having the largest number of connected pixels belonging to the color pixel area. For example, as shown in FIGS. 4B and 4C, among the two color pixel regions, the color pixel region C1 having a relatively large pixel region is given priority, and the pixels belonging to the color pixel region C1. Is generated as a color pixel (see FIG. 4B). Next, a preview image in which the pixels belonging to the color pixel region C2 are color pixels is generated (see FIG. 4C).

  Note that the order in which the pixels in any of the plurality of color pixel areas are replaced with the color pixels is not limited to the above. Further, the order of generation of preview images is not particularly limited, for example, after generating a first pattern having all monochrome pixels and then generating a fifth pattern having all color pixels.

  When the preview image generation unit 102 generates a plurality of preview images for one page of image data as described above, the process proceeds to step S300 in FIG.

(Step S300)
Each preview image generated by the preview image generation unit 102 is given to the display unit 103, and the display unit 103 displays the preview image.

  FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a screen example of a preview image displayed on the display unit 103 according to the embodiment.

  In FIG. 5, the display unit 103 is displayed in the order of FIG. 5 (A) → FIG. 5 (B) → FIG. 5 (C) → FIG. 5 (D) → FIG. 5 (E) → FIG. An example of displaying a preview image will be described. Further, the display unit 103 displays a plurality of preview images in a circulating manner.

  As described above, the plurality of preview images are displayed one by one on the display unit 103 of the operation panel in order. At this time, each preview image screen 200 includes one preview image 201, an image number 202 indicating the number of all the displayed preview images, and left and right for changing the displayed preview image. , An OK button 204, and a cancel button 205 are displayed. By pressing the left and right arrow buttons, the displayed preview images can be changed in order.

(Step S400)
The output designation accepting unit 104 accepts designation of a preview image desired to be finally output by a user operation from the preview images displayed on the display unit 103 in step S300.

  For example, in FIG. 5, the user presses the OK button 204 on the preview image screen that the user finally desires to output. Further, when displaying another preview image, the output designation receiving unit 104 receives pressing of the left and right arrow buttons 203 and finally displays the preview displayed on the display unit 103 when the OK button 204 is pressed. The image is the final output. Further, the output designation receiving unit 104 receives an output cancellation by pressing a cancel button 205. By receiving the designation from the user, the image number to be the final output is obtained.

(Step S500)
The image generation unit 105 generates an image in which monochrome and color are mixed from the image number designated in step S400, the image for review obtained in step S200, and the image data in RGB format obtained in step S100. To do.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating image generation processing by the image generation unit 105 according to the embodiment.

  First, the image generation unit 105 performs color processing on the RGB format image data obtained in step S100 to obtain, for example, CMYK 4ch format image data (step S501).

  Next, the image generation unit 105 performs monochrome processing on the RGB format image data obtained in step S100 to obtain 1ch format image data of only the K component of CMYK, for example (step S502).

  The image generation unit 105 generates image data to be a final output from the CMYK 4ch image data and the 1ch image data of only the K component.

  Specifically, the image generation unit 105 initializes the N value of the N pixels of the image data (step S503), and then outputs the pixels to be output in color and monochrome based on the image number that is the final output. Since the pixel can be discriminated, it is determined whether the Nth pixel is a color output pixel or a monochrome output pixel (step S504).

  If the Nth pixel is set as a color output pixel, the process proceeds to step S505. In step S505, the image generation unit 105 reads out the pixel value at the position corresponding to the Nth pixel in the CMYK 4ch image data obtained in step S501, and the Nth pixel of the CMYK 4ch image data. The value is replaced with the pixel value of the Nth pixel of the image data (step S505).

  On the other hand, if the Nth pixel is designated as a monochrome output pixel, the process proceeds to step S506. In step S505, the image generation unit 105 reads the pixel value at the position corresponding to the Nth pixel in the image data of only the K component obtained in step S502, and the pixel of the Nth pixel of the image data of only the K component. The value is replaced with the pixel value of the Nth pixel of the image data (step S506).

  If the replacement of the pixel values of all the pixels has not been completed (step S507), the image generation unit 105 increments the value to N and sets N = N + 1 (S508), returns to step S504, and repeats the processing. . Further, when the replacement of the pixel values of all the pixels is finished, the process is finished.

(Step S600)
The image forming unit 106 forms an image on a recording medium using, for example, a CMYK developer, based on the image data obtained in step S500 in which color and monochrome are mixed.

(A-3) Effects According to Embodiment As described above, according to this embodiment, when a document for one page is mixed in color and monochrome, an image is displayed with image data in which color and monochrome are mixed. By performing the formation, only a partial region in one page can be color printed. For this reason, the amount of color developer used can be adjusted compared to the case where all the images for one page are printed in color, so that the cost for image formation is reduced.

  In addition, it is possible to form a high-quality image richer in color than when image formation is performed with image data only for monochrome printing. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a print result that is easy for the user to see. Since the user can specify in detail the area desired to be colored and the area desired to be monochrome, it is possible to obtain an output result that is easy to see and costs are reduced.

(B) Other Embodiments Although various modified embodiments have been mentioned in the above-described embodiments, the present invention can also be applied to the following modified embodiments.

  (B-1) In the embodiment described above, the case where the preview image generation unit 102 generates a plurality of preview images when generating the preview image has been exemplified. However, for example, after the preview image generation unit 102 generates a preview image with all the monochrome pixels and displays it on the display unit 103 (display unit of the operation panel), the output designation receiving unit 104 such as the operation panel performs color processing. It is also possible to accept designation of an area as an area by the user and set the designated area as a color area.

  (B-2) In the above-described embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to a multifunction machine having the image processing apparatus according to the present invention is illustrated. However, the image processing apparatus according to the present invention may be applied to apparatuses other than the multifunction peripheral.

  For example, a terminal that can be connected to an image reading device such as a scanner and a printing device such as a color printer via a wired line or a wireless line (for example, a personal computer, a mobile terminal such as a smartphone or a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a game terminal) It can be applied to printer drivers installed in In this case, the terminal includes the display unit 103 and the output designation receiving unit 104 in FIG. 1, and the printer driver is software having the functions of the preview image generation unit 102 and the image generation unit 105 in FIG. it can.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Image processing apparatus, 101 ... Image reading part, 102 ... Preview image generation part, 103 ... Display part, 104 ... Output designation | designated reception part, 105 ... Image generation part, 106 ... Image formation part.

Claims (7)

A preview image generating unit that generates preview image data partially including a color area based on image data of an input document image;
An image processing apparatus comprising: an image generation unit that generates image forming image data partially including a color output region based on preview image data generated by the preview image generation unit. The preview image generation unit generates a plurality of preview image data having different color areas based on the image data;
A display unit for displaying a preview image based on the plurality of preview image data generated by the preview image generation unit;
An output designation receiving unit that receives an output designation of a preview image from a plurality of preview images displayed on the display unit;
The image generation unit generates image data for image formation partially including a color output area based on corresponding preview image data designated for output by the output designation receiving unit. The image processing apparatus described.   The preview image generation unit determines whether or not each pixel is a color pixel based on a comparison result of the saturation component value of each pixel of the image data, and a peripheral pixel region including each color pixel is determined. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the preview image data is generated as one or a plurality of color areas.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the preview image generation unit generates the plurality of preview image data according to a combination of one or a plurality of color regions. A display unit for displaying a preview image based on the preview image data generated by the preview image generation unit;
An output designation accepting unit that accepts designation of a color area in the display unit for displaying the preview image;
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the preview image generation unit generates a preview image including an area designated by the output designation reception unit as a color area.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an image forming unit that forms an image based on the image forming image data generated by the image generating unit on a recording medium. A preview image generation unit generates preview image data partially including a color area based on the input image data of the document image,
An image processing method, wherein the image generation unit generates image forming image data partially including a color output region based on the preview image data generated by the preview image generation unit.

Images