JP2999961B2 - Image communication device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an apparatus for communicating image data, and more particularly to an apparatus for communicating handwritten input information as image data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in this type of image data communication apparatus, one page of dot images is stored in a bitmap buffer memory, and the stored one page of dot images are sequentially communicated. However, such an apparatus always transmits all data in the bitmap buffer memory irrespective of where the graphic data is drawn in the storage area of the bitmap buffer memory. Had problems.

In order to solve such a problem, an apparatus which scans all bitmap data stored in a bitmap buffer memory, detects a drawing area as a rectangular area, and sends out data of the rectangular area has been proposed. It is disclosed in JP-A-2-93724.

[0004]

However, in the above-described apparatus, since all the bitmap data stored in the bitmap buffer memory are scanned and the drawing area is detected as a rectangular area, it takes a long time to perform the detection, which is complicated. There was a problem that it would be a detection process. The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to provide an apparatus for obtaining and transmitting a drawing area without detecting a complicated rectangular area.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, in an image processing apparatus for drawing based on stroke information, the maximum sampling coordinate position in the sub-scanning direction among the sampling coordinates in the stroke information. Stroke information lowest position detecting means for detecting the value of the above, and transmitting means for sequentially transmitting from the top line to the line corresponding to the value detected by the lowest position detecting means, is there.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in an image processing apparatus for drawing based on stroke information, a stroke information lowermost position for detecting a value of a maximum sampling coordinate position in the sub-scanning direction among sampling coordinates in the stroke information. A predetermined value is added to the value of the maximum sampling coordinate position in the sub-scanning direction detected by the detecting means and the stroke information lowermost position detecting means, and the line from the top line to the line corresponding to the added value is sequentially transmitted. Transmission means.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus for drawing by superimposing stroke information on image information.
Stroke information bottom position detection means for detecting the value of the maximum sampling coordinate position in the sub-scanning direction among the sampling coordinates in the stroke information; and the coordinate position in the sub-scanning direction corresponding to the lowest effective image line of the image information. A lowest effective image position detecting means for detecting a value, a value detected by the stroke information lowest position detecting means and a value detected by the lowest effective image position detecting means, and a value in the sub-scanning direction. And a transmitting means for sequentially transmitting from the first line to a line corresponding to the value detected by the comparing and detecting means.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image processing apparatus for drawing by superposing stroke information on image information,
Stroke information bottom position detection means for detecting the value of the maximum sampling coordinate position in the sub-scanning direction among the sampling coordinates in the stroke information; and the coordinate position in the sub-scanning direction corresponding to the lowest effective image line of the image information. A lowest effective image position detecting means for detecting a value, a value detected by the stroke information lowest position detecting means and a value detected by the lowest effective image position detecting means, and a value in the sub-scanning direction. Comparison detecting means for detecting a value of which is larger, a predetermined value is added to the value of the maximum sampling coordinate position in the sub-scanning direction detected by the comparison detecting means, and a line corresponding to the added value from the top line And transmission means for sequentially transmitting the data up to

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of an image communication apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing an embodiment of the image communication device of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an input unit which includes a transparent pressure-sensitive digitizer or a capacitance digitizer and inputs handwritten drawing information including stroke information. Reference numeral 2 denotes an interpolation processing unit that performs an interpolation process using stroke information (sampling coordinate information, line type, and the like) from the input unit 1 or a stroke information memory 4 described later as drawing image information. 3 is RA
The image processing memory unit is configured by a memory such as M and has at least a memory larger than the amount of information that can be displayed on the display unit 6 described later. Reference numeral 4 denotes a non-volatile RAM or the like, which stores stroke information input from the input unit 1 in the image processing memory unit 3 via the interpolation processing unit 2 and, at the same time, includes drawing information input from the input unit 1 A stroke information memory unit that stores information on stroke information. Reference numeral 5 denotes an image information storage memory unit configured by a nonvolatile RAM or the like and storing image information read via an image reading device (not shown) or a communication control unit described later. Reference numeral 6 denotes a display unit which includes a display memory and a color LCD or a monochrome LCD, and displays image information stored in the image information memory unit 3. Reference numeral 7 denotes a communication control unit which has a predetermined communication procedure and controls communication with a partner device (not shown) connected via a communication line such as a public line or a local line. Reference numeral 8 denotes an input unit 1 based on control programs stored in the ROM, the input unit 1 including a CPU and a ROM.
It is a main control section that controls the interpolation processing section 2, the image processing memory 3, the stroke information memory 4, the image information memory 5, the display section 6, and the communication control section 7 as a whole. Note that the input unit 1 and the display unit 6 are used as a display-integrated digitizer that is formed to overlap. In the present embodiment, the display unit 6
Can display information of 640 × 240 dots, and the image processing memory unit 3 can store information of 640 × 720 dots corresponding to three screens of the display unit.
Further, in the present embodiment, it is assumed that the communication control unit 7 has a facsimile communication procedure and is connected to a not-shown facsimile apparatus via a wired or wireless communication line.

A first embodiment of the image communication of the above apparatus will be described. The drawing information (stroke information) input from the input unit 1 is stored in the stroke information memory unit 4, and at the same time, the interpolation processing unit 2 performs an interpolation process of the stroke information, and the stroke information in the image processing memory 3. Are temporarily stored as drawing image information at positions corresponding to the respective sampling coordinates. Image processing memory 3
Are sequentially displayed on the display unit 6. In the first embodiment, it is assumed that “a” shown in FIG. At this time, the image is stored in the image processing memory 3 as shown in FIG. still,
The sampling coordinates are (x, y) coordinates with the point A as a reference (0, 0).

[0011] Here, an instruction to transmit the drawn "A" information to the partner device (not shown) currently connected via the communication line is input from the operator of the present device via the input unit 1. Then, a signal indicating the start of transmission is transmitted from the input unit 1 to the main control unit 8. When receiving a signal indicating the start of transmission from the input unit 1, the main control unit 8 performs processing according to the flowchart shown in FIG.

In step S101, the sampling coordinates forming the stroke information stored in the stroke information memory unit 4 are compared in the sub-scanning direction (y coordinate) to determine the maximum value. That is, the lowest position of the input depiction image “a” (the position of the maximum value of the y coordinate of the sampling coordinates) (FIG. 2A)
P position). Further, it may be detected in real time at the time of input.

In step S102, the main control unit 8 stores only the image information stored in the image processing memory 3 (see FIG. 2B) from the top to the position (P position) detected in step S101. Is transmitted to a facsimile machine (not shown) via the communication control unit 7 in accordance with the communication procedure. This allows
The effective area can be detected in a short time by simple processing, and transmission of unnecessary image information is suppressed when transmitting, so the communication time is shortened, and when transmitting using a public line,
Communication costs can also be reduced.

In the first embodiment, the image information up to the lowermost position (P position) of the drawn image is transmitted. However, the image information is shifted by a predetermined range from the lowermost position of the drawn image (P + the predetermined range). May be transmitted. Thereby, a minimum margin can be provided. next,
A second embodiment of the image communication will be described. The second
In the embodiment, it is assumed that image information is received from a facsimile apparatus (not shown) via a communication line and a communication control unit 7. In addition, in order to simplify the description, 640 × 720
Assume that dot image information has been received.

The received image information is stored in the image information storage memory unit 5. At the same time, the image processing memory unit 3
(See FIG. 4A). The input unit 1 performs additional drawing (stroke information) on the image displayed on the display unit 6. This additional drawing is stored in the stroke information memory unit 4, and at the same time, the interpolation processing unit 2 performs an interpolation process on the stroke information, and the position corresponding to each sampling coordinate forming the stroke information in the image processing memory 3. Is temporarily stored as depiction image information and is displayed on the display unit 6. At this time, the display is superimposed on the received image and displayed on the display unit 6 sequentially. In the second embodiment, it is assumed that “clouds” shown in FIG. At this time, FIG.
It is stored as shown in FIG. The sampling coordinates are x and y coordinates with the point A as a reference (0, 0).

Here, when the operator of the present apparatus receives an instruction via the input unit 1 to transmit the additionally drawn information to the other apparatus (not shown) currently connected via the communication line, A signal indicating the start of transmission is transmitted from the input unit 1 to the main control unit 8. When receiving a signal indicating the start of transmission from the input unit 1, the main control unit 8 performs processing according to the flowchart shown in FIG.

In step S201, the maximum value is obtained by comparing the sub-scanning direction (y coordinate) of the sampling coordinates forming the stroke information stored in the stroke information memory unit 4. That is, the lowest position of the input depiction image “cloud” (the position of the maximum value of the y coordinate of the sampling coordinates) (FIG. 4).
(P position of (b)). In S202, the main control unit 8 determines the last line of the image information (see FIG. 4C) stored in the image processing memory 3 (the N position in FIG. 4C, ie, the line of the y coordinate 719). ) Is set, and detection of whether or not there is image information other than white information by one line (main scanning direction) is sequentially started in the leading direction (the arrow direction in FIG. 4C).

In step S203, it is detected whether or not the line is an all white line.
The line (the line at the y-coordinate 718 when the line at the y-coordinate 719 has been specified) is specified, and it is detected again at S203 whether there is image information other than white information for each line in the main scanning direction. . If a line (image position M in FIG. 4C) having image information other than white information is detected in S203, the process proceeds to S205.

In S205, the main control unit 8 executes S20
The lowest position of the drawn image "cloud" detected in 1 (FIG. 4 (b)
Of the image information other than the white information detected in S203 (the lowest effective image line position of the received image information) (the M position in FIG. 4C).
If the position is large, that is, if the drawing information is additionally drawn below the lowest effective image line position (M position in FIG. 4C) of the received image information, image processing is performed in S206. Only the image information from the head stored in the memory 3 (see FIG. 4C) to the P position detected in S201 is transmitted to a facsimile machine (not shown) via the communication control unit 7 according to the communication procedure. .

In step S205, when the M position is large, that is, when the image other than the white information of the received image information is located below the additionally drawn lowermost position (P position in FIG. 4B). If there is information, in step S207, from the top stored in the image processing memory 3 (see FIG. 4C),
Only the image information up to the M position detected in 203 is transmitted to a facsimile machine (not shown) via the communication control unit 7 according to the communication procedure.

Thus, the effective area can be detected in a short time by simple processing, and transmission of unnecessary image information is suppressed at the time of transmission. Therefore, the communication time is shortened, and transmission is performed using a public line. In addition, communication costs can be reduced.
In the second embodiment, the lowermost position (P position) of the drawn image
Alternatively, the image information up to the lowest effective image line position (M position) of the received image information is transmitted, but is shifted by a predetermined range from the lowermost position of the drawn image (P + position within a predetermined range).
Alternatively, image information up to a position (M + a position within a predetermined range) shifted by a predetermined range from the lowest effective image line position of the received image information may be transmitted. Thereby, a minimum margin can be provided.

In this embodiment, the image data is sequentially transmitted from the top line of the image information to the lowest position (P position) of the drawn image or the lowest effective image line position (M position) of the image information. From the uppermost position of the drawn drawing image (the position of the minimum value of the y coordinate of the sampling coordinates) or the uppermost effective image line position of the image information (the line position where there is image information other than white information closest to the first line). Lowermost position (P
Position) or the lowest effective image line position (M
The same effect can be obtained even when the data is sequentially transmitted up to the position).

When transmitting image information, the image information may be transmitted in units of screen display.

[0024]

According to the present invention, an effective area can be detected in a short time by simple processing, and transmission of unnecessary image information is suppressed when transmitting. In the case of using and transmitting, the communication cost can also be reduced. Also, a minimum margin can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating an embodiment of an image communication device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates drawing from an input unit according to the first embodiment;
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of image information stored in an image processing memory.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of image communication according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a received image, a drawing from an input unit, and image information stored in an image processing memory according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of image communication according to the first embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 input unit 2 interpolation processing unit 3 image processing memory unit 4 stroke information memory unit 5 image information storage memory unit 6 display unit 7 communication control unit 8 main control unit

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. An image processing apparatus for drawing based on stroke information, comprising: a stroke information bottom position detecting means for detecting a value of a maximum sampling coordinate position in a sub-scanning direction among sampling coordinates in the stroke information; An image communication apparatus comprising: a transmission unit for sequentially transmitting data from a line to a line corresponding to a value detected by the bottom position detection unit. 2. An image processing apparatus for drawing based on stroke information, wherein: a stroke information lowermost position detecting means for detecting a value of a maximum sampling coordinate position in a sub-scanning direction among sampling coordinates in the stroke information; Transmitting means for adding a predetermined value to the value of the maximum sampling coordinate position in the sub-scanning direction detected by the information bottom position detecting means, and sequentially transmitting from the top line to a line corresponding to the added value; An image communication device, comprising: 3. An image processing apparatus for drawing by superimposing stroke information on image information, wherein a stroke information bottom detecting a value of a maximum sampling coordinate position in a sub-scanning direction among sampling coordinates in the stroke information. Position detection means, bottom effective image position detection means for detecting the value of the coordinate position in the sub-scanning direction corresponding to the bottom effective image line of the image information, and a value detected by the stroke information bottom position detection means And a value detected by the lowest effective image position detecting means, and a value detected in the sub-scanning direction is detected. An image communication device comprising: a transmission unit that sequentially transmits up to a corresponding line. 4. An image processing apparatus for drawing by superimposing stroke information on image information, wherein a stroke information bottom detecting a value of a maximum sampling coordinate position in a sub-scanning direction among sampling coordinates in the stroke information. Position detection means, bottom effective image position detection means for detecting the value of the coordinate position in the sub-scanning direction corresponding to the bottom effective image line of the image information, and a value detected by the stroke information bottom position detection means And a value detected by the lowermost effective image position detecting means, and a comparing and detecting means for detecting a value having a larger value in the sub-scanning direction; and a maximum value in the sub-scanning direction detected by the comparing and detecting means. Transmitting means for adding a predetermined value to the value of the sampling coordinate position and sequentially transmitting from the first line to a line corresponding to the added value. Image communication apparatus.