JP2945671B2 - Image reading device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus using an image sensor such as a CCD.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an image reading apparatus that reads a document of a subject with an image sensor, only an image signal related to a document portion in an image signal read by the image sensor is input as valid image information and recorded.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In a conventional image reading apparatus of this type, after reading an original with an image sensor, only image information of a subject is output from the image reading apparatus. If the size of the output document image is smaller than the size of the display screen of the display or the size of the recording paper, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, for example, the character image appears to be suspended from the background, Sometimes the image information is difficult to see and the border between the original and the background is not clear.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an image reading apparatus which can solve such a problem and selectively make it possible to clarify a boundary between a document and a background so that a document image can be easily viewed.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve such an object, the present invention provides an image reading unit that outputs image information by reading an original image, and a detection unit that detects a boundary between the original and the background. Means, forming means for forming boundary information representing the boundary between the document and the background, based on the boundary between the document and the background detected by the detecting means, and image information output from the image reading means In addition, there is provided an adding means for adding the boundary information formed by the forming means, and a selecting means for selecting whether or not to add the boundary information to the image information by the adding means.

[Operation] In the present invention, since the boundary information indicating the boundary between the detected original and the background is formed, it is possible to form the boundary information indicating the boundary between the original and the background without the need for manual region setting. This makes it possible to easily and accurately clarify the boundary between the document and the background to make the document image easy to see. Further, since it is possible to select whether or not to add the boundary information to the image information, it is possible to prevent the boundary information from being added to the image information regardless of whether the boundary information is unnecessary.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

 FIG. 1A shows a basic configuration of a first embodiment of the present invention.

 In FIG. 1A, reference numeral 1000 denotes image reading means for reading a document image.

 Reference numeral 1100 denotes detection means for detecting the range of the document.

1200 is an instructing means for selecting one of the boundary frame addition mode, the boundary position addition mode, and the no addition mode.

1300 adds a border frame of the range of the document around the image portion read by the image reading unit based on the range of the document detected by the detection unit in response to the instruction of the border frame addition mode. Frame adding means.

Reference numeral 1400 denotes a boundary position adding unit that adds the range of the document detected by the detection detecting unit to the image information read by the image reading unit in the form of position information in response to an instruction of the boundary position adding mode. .

An output control unit 1500 outputs the image information read by the image reading unit as it is in response to the instruction in the positionless mode.

 FIG. 1B shows a basic configuration of the second embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1B, reference numeral 100 denotes an image reading means for reading a document image.

 Reference numeral 200 denotes detection means for detecting the range of the document.

Reference numeral 300 denotes a boundary position adding unit that adds the range of the document detected by the detection unit in the form of position information to the image information read by the image reading unit.

 FIG. 2 shows a specific configuration of the embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 8 denotes an image input unit for photoelectrically converting a document image, and an image sensor such as a solid-state image sensor (CCD) is used.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a known signal processing unit that amplifies image information in the form of an analog signal output from the CCD input unit 8 and converts the image information into image information in the form of a digital signal.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a memory for temporarily storing image information output from the signal processing unit 9. The image information stored in the temporary storage memory 10 is stored in the storage device 12 via the storage device interface 11 or externally output via the output unit interface 15 based on an instruction from the central processing unit (MPU) 13. .

The central processing unit 13 controls the entire device,
Based on the output results of sensors 14-1 and 14-2 for detecting the size and position (range) of the document provided in the document transport mechanism,
Recognize the boundary between the manuscript and the background. Further, based on the recognition result, the MPU 13 adds an image representing the boundary between the document and the background portion with a frame of the outline to the read image information, or reads the information indicating the size (range) of the document. Performs processing related to the present invention to be added to information.

FIG. 3 shows the arrangement of sensors 14-1 and 14-2 for detecting the position and size of the document shown in FIG.

In FIG. 3, a sensor 14-2 is composed of a plurality of photo sensors along the width direction of the document, and detects the width by receiving light reflected on the document. The sensor 14-2 is disposed along the document transport path and detects the leading and trailing edges of the document. Based on the detection timing of the leading and trailing edges of the original by the sensor 14-2 and the original transport speed, the length of the original is determined by the MPU 13.
Is calculated.

The CCD input unit 8 is fixedly arranged at an upper position of the transport path so as to read the original 4 transported by a transport mechanism (not shown).

In this embodiment, the sensors 14-1 and 14-2 for detecting the position and size of the original are provided, but the detection can be performed only by the CCD input unit 8. In this case, the document width is calculated by detecting the position where the read output of the CCD input unit 8 becomes “0”, and the length of the document is determined by the timing when the read output becomes “0” or more from “0”. And by detecting the leading edge and the trailing edge of the document based on the timing when the read output changes from “0” or more to “0”.

FIG. 4 shows a control procedure executed by the MPU 13 shown in FIG.

In FIG. 4, the operator directly outputs the read image of the original via the keyboard 13-1, adds an image indicating the boundary of the original, or adds position information indicating the boundary of the original in the form of code information. When each mode instruction to output is input, the MPU 13 stores this instruction in the internal memory of the MPU 13 (Step S1).

Next, in response to an instruction to read a document image from the operator, the MPU 13 starts a document reading operation. First, a timer is started from the time when the document reaches the reference position, and the time until the leading edge and the trailing edge of the document are detected according to the output change of the document edge detection sensor 14-1 is measured. Further, the width of the document is calculated according to the output change of the width detection sensor 14-2 (step S2).

Next, the MPU 13 stores the read output of the CCD input unit 8 in the storage device 12 via the temporary storage memory 10 from the point in time when the document reaches the read position of the CCD input unit 8 (Step S).
3).

Next, based on the time measured by the internal timer and the document width calculated in step S2, the coordinate positions (frame pointers) A, B, C, and D of the document edges in the maximum reading range of the CCD input unit 8 (See FIG. 5), and this pointer information is stored in the storage device 12 via the temporary storage memory 10.
It is stored (step S5 → S6).

Next, the MPU 13 performs image processing based on the instruction of the read image stored in the internal memory. When the operator gives an instruction to add the boundary of the document as an image to be read and added to the image, the MPU 13 uses the image of the position of the frame pointer in the document image information stored in the storage device 12 based on the frame pointer information. After the information is rewritten to the image information of the mark 7 having a predetermined shape as shown in FIG.
S7 to S11).

In the present embodiment, the boundary of the document is represented by a special mark, but the periphery of the document may be represented by a solid line or a dashed line.

When the operator instructs to add position information on the boundary of the document to the read image, the MPU 13 converts the frame pointer information into code information such as numerical values and stores the converted information in the storage device 12.
Externally output together with the image information of the original (step S7 → S1
2 to S14).

Further, when the operator instructs to output the read image as it is, the MPU 13 outputs the image information of the document stored in the storage device 12 as it is (step S7 → S12).
→ S15).

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, since the boundary information indicating the boundary between the detected original and the background is formed, the boundary between the original and the background can be easily and accurately set. It is possible to make the boundary clear and make the original image easy to see. Further, since it is possible to select whether or not to add the boundary information to the image information, it is possible to prevent the boundary information from being added to the image information regardless of whether the boundary information is unnecessary.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 (A) is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 (B) is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the arrangement of the sensors 14-1 and 14-2 shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a control procedure executed by the MPU 13 shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is an explanatory view schematically showing the position and size of a document according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the relative position between a read document and a mark indicating the boundary of the document added to image information of the document. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a recording example of a conventional example. 8: CCD input unit, 9: Signal processing unit, 10: Temporary storage memory, 11: Storage device interface, 12: Storage device, 13: MPU, 13-1: Keyboard, 14: Original Conveyance mechanism, 15 Output interface, 16 Display device, 17 Printer.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An image reading unit that outputs image information by reading an original image; a detecting unit that detects a boundary with the background of the original; and a boundary between the original and the background detected by the detecting unit. Forming means for forming boundary information representing a boundary between the document and the background, based on the information, adding means for adding the boundary information formed by the forming means to the image information output from the image reading means, An image reading apparatus, comprising: selecting means for selecting whether or not to add boundary information to image information by an adding means.