JP3075111B2 - Image cropping device and layout scanner - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image cropping apparatus for creating a cropped image, which is incorporated in a layout scanner itself or a layout scanner or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a plate making operation using a layout scanner, an operation of cutting out a previously prepared image is performed prior to a layout (plate collecting) process. In general, in the plate making process, the clipping process of an image such as a photograph, for example, creates a mask for transmitting only a necessary portion in the photograph,
This is done by pairing both. This is the same in the plate making process using a layout scanner.
An image represented by photographic image data obtained by scanning a photograph (film) with a flatbed scanner or the like (FIG. 5)
(See FIG. 5A.) Mask data representing a mask (see FIG. 5B) for transmitting only necessary portions is formed, and the image clipping process is performed by pairing the photographic image data and the mask data. Is done.

[0005] The mask data is created by an operator tracing the contour of a necessary area while visually observing a photographic image displayed on a display device of a layout scanner. The mask data has the same resolution as the photographic image data, and each unit area is binary data represented by “0” and “1”. For example, the cutout area corresponding to the necessary area is “0”. , And other areas to be shielded have a data format of “1”. Specifically, in the mask data representing the mask shown in FIG. 5B, the value of each unit area surrounded by a line is “0”, and the other areas are “1”. In addition,
Bitmap data, run-length data, and the like are known as data in such a format.

Incidentally, as a method of displaying a mask on a display device at the time of creating mask data, a method of painting a region other than the cutout area (“1” portion) with a predetermined color, or a method of FIG.
As shown in (b), there is a method of representing the cutout area with a line along the contour. In the former case, an image in a necessary area of the photographic image is transparently displayed, and another area is filled with a predetermined color. In the latter case, an image in which a contour line of a cutout area is drawn on a photographic image is obtained.
Then, the operator performs layout processing by processing / moving an image including the mask data and the photographic image data created through the above-described process, that is, an image in a cutout state (hereinafter, referred to as a cutout image). The completed layout image was proof-printed.

[0005]

As described above, in the conventional image clipping process, the mask is
For example, the cutout area is displayed as transparent ("0"), and the other areas are displayed as non-transparent ("1"). In this case, the operator cannot visually recognize the photographic image hidden behind the non-transmissive portion. Therefore, for example, when the cutout area is slightly smaller than the necessary area, it is extremely difficult for the operator to recognize the error.

As shown in FIG. 5 (b), there is a method in which a mask is represented by a line along the contour of the cutout area, and an image in which the contour of the cutout area is drawn on a photographic image is also available. This method also has a drawback that the operator cannot visually recognize an image hidden behind the line, and needs to perform tracing in consideration of an error in advance. In general, a line on a display device requires a width of about several dots (pixels). Therefore, unless an image hidden behind the line can be visually recognized, the cutout region cannot be accurately determined. The inconvenience that an image of a necessary area (for example, an image of a product) is deformed or an unnecessary background enters the area becomes a very important problem. It must match the required area of the image.

[0007] Even if mask data is created by any of the above methods, only the cut-out image is displayed in the plate collection process, and even if there is a difference between the photographic image data and the mask data, the difference is determined by the operator. Was very difficult to see. For this reason, it is often the case that a shift is confirmed for the first time in proof printing, and the process is repeated from the mask data creation process (image cutting process).

By the way, in a layout scanner or a general design system, when arranging a character on a photographic image or laying a flat screen, an image in which the character or the flat screen is watermarked in order to smoothly perform the processing. Is displayed on the display device. Conventionally, when displaying a watermarked image, a layout scanner or the like performs a predetermined calculation process to create transparent image data representing the image. This calculation process was generally complicated and put a considerable load on the system. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide an image clipping device and a layout scanner that can easily obtain highly accurate mask data or transmitted image data.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An image clipping apparatus and a layout scanner according to the present invention are image clipping apparatuses for creating mask data for clipping a desired necessary area from a clipped image. Storage means for storing data; mask data creation means for creating mask data having a cutout area for extracting a desired area from the cutout image and storing the mask data in the storage means; And reading out image data of the clipped image,
A transmission image creating unit that creates transmission image data in which transmission regions at predetermined intervals are provided in the cutout region of the mask data, and outputs the transmission image data and image data of the cutout image, and a display surface. Display means for superimposing and displaying an image represented by each of the image data output from the transparent image creating means.

Further, the transmission image forming means performs a thinning process on the cutout area of the mask data to generate transmission image data. For example, n (n is an integer of 1 or more in the vertical scanning direction of the display surface) The transmission image data may be created by providing transmission regions in the cutout region at intervals of rows or n columns. The transmission image creation unit may create a plurality of different transmission image data from the mask data, and switch the transmission image to be displayed on the display unit based on an instruction input from the instruction input unit. . Further, the transmission image creating means may create the transmission image data such that a color of a non-transmission portion of the transmission image is different from a color of the cutout image superimposed on the display surface.

[0011]

According to the above arrangement, the mask data creation means can
Mask data having a cutout area for extracting a desired area from the cutout image stored in the storage means is created and stored in the storage means. A transmission image creation unit that reads out the mask data and the image data of the cut-out image from the storage unit, creates transmission image data in which transmission regions at predetermined intervals are provided in the cutout region of the mask data, and a display unit An image represented by each of the image data output from the transmission image creating means is displayed. Therefore, the image representing the cutout region and the cutout image behind the image can be visually recognized simultaneously.

Further, the transmission image creating means may be, for example,
The transmissive image data is obtained by performing a thinning process such as providing a transmissive area in the cutout area at intervals of n rows in the vertical scanning direction of the display surface or at intervals of n columns in the horizontal scanning direction of the display surface. Further, the transmission image creation unit creates a plurality of different transmission image data from the mask data, and switches the transmission image to be displayed on the display unit based on an instruction input from the instruction input unit. In addition, the transmission image creating means creates the transmission image data such that a color of a non-transmission part of the transmission image is different from a color of the cutout image superimposed on the display surface.

[0013]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an image clipping process using a layout scanner having the image clipping device of the present invention. FIG. 1A is a diagram for clipping a necessary area from the photographic image shown in FIG. FIG. 1B shows a display image of the mask data of FIG.
3A shows an image obtained by superimposing the photographic image data shown in FIG. Here, before describing the image clipping process in the present embodiment, the configuration of a layout scanner including the image clipping device according to the present embodiment will be described.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a layout scanner provided with an image clipping device according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes an instruction input means composed of a mouse, a keyboard, and the like. It is for input. Reference numeral 2 denotes a mount information input unit including a flatbed scanner, a drawing machine, and the like, for inputting image data of the mount to which an image or the like is attached. The mount image data input from the mount information input means 2 is used in a plate collection process subsequent to the image cutting operation. Reference numeral 3 denotes an image information input unit composed of a drum type scanner, a flat bed, or the like, for inputting image data to be cut out (hereinafter, referred to as cut-out image data).

Reference numeral 4 denotes layout means (trace means, mask data creation means and transmission image creation means) which will be described in detail later. Each of the image data input through the image information input means 3 is supplied to the storage means 5. I do. The storage unit 5 is composed of a magnetic disk, a magneto-optical disk, or the like, and stores each image data supplied from the layout unit 4 in a predetermined storage format. Note that the image information input unit 3 and the storage unit 5 may be directly connected, and each image data may be stored in the storage unit 5 without going through the layout unit 4.

Reference numeral 6 denotes display means such as a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube), which is controlled by the layout means 4 and displays various images. Reference numeral 7 denotes an output unit such as a scanner, which is controlled by the layout unit 4 and outputs a layout result to a plate making film or the like. The output means 7 also has a function of outputting a proof print. The layout means 4 includes a CPU, a ROM,
It has a RAM and various I / O interfaces, and performs layout processing based on a program (or a program read from the storage unit 5) built in the ROM and an instruction input from the instruction input unit 1. The function of the layout unit 4 for performing the image clipping step and the plate collection step which are the object of the present invention in the layout processing will be described below.

In the layout scanner,
As described above, the image clipping process is nothing but a process of creating mask data. In order to perform such an image clipping process, the layout unit 4 includes a part of an image obtained by superimposing two virtual planes 10 and 11 (a displayable range of the display unit 6), as shown in FIG. ) Is displayed on the display means 6. That is, the display means 6
Is determined based on the contents of the corresponding unit areas of the two planes.

The layout means 4 uses the upper plane 10 as a transparent plane for creating mask data, the lower plane 11 as a plane for clipped image data, and the upper plane 10 is positioned in front of the lower plane 11. Is displayed on the display means 6. Layout means 4
Displays a cursor of a predetermined shape on the front of each of the planes 10 and 11, and moves the cursor according to an instruction input from the instruction input unit 1. Further, the layout means 4 has a function of writing the trajectory of the cursor on the upper plane as needed.

Further, the layout means 4 has a function of creating mask data with a region surrounded by the locus of the cursor as a cutout region. The mask data is "0"
And "1". For example, display means 6
For each region corresponding to each pixel, a region corresponding to a necessary portion of the clipped image is represented by “0”, and the other regions are represented by “1”. On the other hand, in the lower plane 11, the clipped image data is represented in, for example, an RGB format.

That is, the lower plane 11 is a red (R)
(For example, 256 tones), a plane representing green (G) gradation, and a plane representing blue (B) gradation. Of course, the color image may be expressed not only in the RGB format but also in various formats such as the HSV format. Further, the layout unit 4 responds to an instruction input from the instruction input unit 1,
When an image (image) of the cutout area is displayed on the display means 6, the image is displayed on the display surface of the display means 6 in the vertical scanning direction, for example, every other line (thinned out) based on the mask data. It has a function of creating transmission image data. That is, for example, as shown in FIG.
Represents an image that is “transparent” every other line. Note that "thinning out" in the specification of the present application means providing a transmissive area as described above, and does not change the resolution or size of an image.

The layout means 4 has a function of arbitrarily setting the width and interval of each non-transparent line in the transmitted image data according to the instruction input from the instruction input means 1.
For example, it is also possible to transmit one line at a time at three line intervals. Further, in the present embodiment, since the direction of each non-transparent row constituting the transmissive image data is made to coincide with the horizontal scanning direction of the display means 6, the thinned-out display can be easily performed. Further, the layout means 4 has a function of treating the “1” portion of the upper layer plane 10 as transparent and treating the “0” portion as non-transparent, and a function of inverting the “1” portion. It has a function of setting a color to a preset color.

The layout unit 4 has a function of relatively moving the image on the lower plane 11 and the image on the upper plane 10 in accordance with the instruction input from the instruction input unit 1. With this function, the upper plane 10
Can be easily aligned with the cutout area of the lower plane 11 and the necessary area. The layout unit 4 realizes a function of moving the two regions without changing the relative position of the two regions, a scaling process of an image displayed on the display unit 6, a rotational movement, a mirror image process, various filter processes, and the like. It has a function to

An image clipping process performed in such a configuration will be described. It is assumed that the storage unit 5 has already stored cut-out image data representing the image of FIG. In addition, the operation described below
Unless otherwise specified, this is performed by the layout means 4.

In the above state, when a predetermined instruction is input from the instruction input means 1 to the layout means 4, in step S1, the size of the display area for performing the image clipping process is calculated. Next, in step S2, the clipped image data specified by the instruction input unit 1 is read from the storage unit 5, and written in the lower plane 11 at a desired magnification and orientation in step S3. Therefore, the clipped image is displayed on the display surface of the display unit 6.

Next, in step S4, the operator determines whether or not to newly create mask data for cutting out a necessary area. The judgment result in this step is “Y
If "ES", the process proceeds to step S5. Step S
Reference numeral 5 denotes a step for newly creating mask data, which is performed, for example, by the operator tracing the contour of the required area while referring to the display surface of the display means 6.

Step S6 is a process subsequent to step S5 and performed when the result of the determination in step S4 is "NO". The mask data specified by the instruction input means 1 is read from the storage means 5. In step S7, the cut-out area of the created or read mask data (that is, the part having a value of "0") is rewritten to "1" at one-row intervals in the vertical scanning direction of the display surface to create transmitted image data. Then, after scaling to a desired size, writing is performed on the upper plane 10 (see FIG. 1A).

By doing so, for example, an image as shown in FIG. 1B is displayed on the display surface of the display means 6, and the operator visually recognizes the background image through the transmission image representing the cutout area. It is possible to do. However, in this case, the layout unit 4 operates so that the “0” portion on the upper layer plane 10 is non-transparent and the “1” portion is transparent.

The operator operates the instruction input means 11 so that the cutout area and the necessary area coincide with each other while visually recognizing the image behind the mask, and when the two coincide, a predetermined instruction is issued from the instruction input means 11. When input, the positional relationship between the clipped image data and the mask data is stored in the storage means 5. That is, a clipping process is performed (step S8).

In step S9, it is determined whether or not to end the image clipping process. In the above-described series of image clipping processing, when a problem such as insufficient accuracy of mask data occurs, or when similar processing is performed on another clipped image, the determination result of this step is “ "NO", and the process proceeds to Step S10. In step S10, various processes necessary for continuously performing the image clipping process (for example, reading other clipped image data) are performed, and the process returns to step S4. Conversely, if the decision result in the step S9 is "YES",
The image clipping process ends. The operator repeats the above processing until the desired mask data is obtained. When the desired mask data is obtained, the operator causes the storage unit 5 to store the mask data.

The cutout image created in this way is displayed on the display means 6 so as to be superimposed on the image of the mount in a later plate collecting process. The clipped image displayed here is
Usually, the image is obtained by cutting out a necessary area, but when a predetermined instruction is input from the instruction input unit 1, the image shown in FIG. 1B is displayed. Therefore, the operator can check with high accuracy whether or not the mask and the cutout image match in the plate collection process.

In order to make the above determination more accurate, the method of creating the transparent image data may be changed. For example, usually, only 1, 3, 5,... Rows in the cutout area of the mask are non-transparent rows, and when a predetermined instruction is input from the instruction input unit 11,
Only the 4, 6,... Rows may be made non-transparent rows. By doing so, the operator can switch between the two to make a more accurate determination.

As described above, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the cutout area of the mask is made transparent, for example, every other row. The operator can clearly recognize the cutout image and the background. That is, when creating the mask data, the clipped image is not hidden behind the image representing the mask as in the related art, and the error generated in the contour of the clipped region can be extremely small. Further, since the amount of images to be displayed is small, the load on the layout means 4 can be reduced. further,
Also in the plate collection process, the cut-out image and the transmission image of the cut-out area can be displayed at the same time, so that it is easy to find the deviation of the mask data without actually performing proof printing. Thus, according to the present embodiment, the load on the operator can be reduced.

In addition, instead of thinning out the cut-out image, a transparent image representing the cut-out area is composed of a transparent and a transparent area, and the cut-out image is transparently displayed through the transparent image. This eliminates the need for a complicated calculation process for the required watermark display, thereby reducing the load on the layout unit 4. This can be applied to a watermark display when characters are arranged on a photographic image or when a flat screen is applied.

In the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which the direction of each row constituting the image of the cutout area is made to coincide with the horizontal scanning direction of the display means 6. However, the present invention is not limited to this.
For example, the direction of each row (column) may coincide with the vertical scanning direction, and may be an arbitrary direction. Further, like the mesh, the image may be configured by combining rows (columns) in different directions.

Further, for example, the color of the non-transparent area of the transparent image on the upper plane 10 is set to a color different from the color of the clipped image existing at the corresponding position, and the color of the lower plane 11 (the clipped image) is changed. Instead, the cutout area may be clearly displayed. To make the color of the non-transparent image of the transparent image clearly and reliably different from the color of the image to be clipped behind, for example, in the layout means 4, the RGB components of the color of the background image and the maximum value that they can take ( In this embodiment, it can be easily realized by taking each exclusive OR with 255).

[0036]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The mask data creating means creates mask data having a cutout area for extracting a desired area from the clipped image stored in the storage means and stores the mask data in the storage means. A transmission image creation unit that reads out the mask data and the image data of the cut-out image from the storage unit, creates transmission image data in which transmission regions at predetermined intervals are provided in the cutout region of the mask data, and a display unit An image represented by each of the image data output from the transmission image creating means is displayed. For this reason, the image representing the cutout region and the cutout image behind the image can be visually recognized simultaneously. Therefore, when creating the mask data, the clipped image is not hidden behind the image representing the mask unlike the related art, and the background portion is also visually recognized at the same time, so that the error generated in the mask data is extremely small. (Claims 1 and 7).

Further, the transmission image creating means may be, for example,
The transmissive image data is obtained by performing a thinning process such as providing a transmissive area in the cutout area at intervals of n rows in the vertical scanning direction of the display surface or at intervals of n columns in the horizontal scanning direction of the display surface. That is, instead of thinning out the cutout image, the image data representing the cutout area is thinned out and displayed (with a transparent area provided at a predetermined interval). This eliminates the need for complicated calculation processing, and can reduce the load on the system.
7).

Further, the transmission image creating means creates a plurality of different transmission image data from the mask data,
To switch the transmission image to be displayed on the display unit based on an instruction input from the instruction input unit,
More accurate mask data can be created (claims 5 and 7). Further, the transmission image creating means creates the transmission image data such that the color of the non-transmission part of the transmission image is different from the color of the cut-out image superimposed on the display surface. The image behind the transmissive part can be clearly recognized (claims 6 and 7).

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIGS. 1A and 1B are diagrams for explaining processing performed by an image clipping device according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 1A is a display image of a clipping region of a mask, and FIG. This shows an image when the image and the image are displayed at the same time.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a layout scanner to which the image clipping device is applied.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram for explaining a process in which the image cropping device displays an image on a display surface of a display means 6;

FIG. 4 is a processing diagram showing a flow of an image clipping process performed by the image clipping device.

5A and 5B are diagrams for explaining the operation of the conventional image clipping device, wherein FIG. 5A illustrates an image represented by clipped image data, and FIG. 5B illustrates a mask display image corresponding to the image. I have.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Instruction input means 2 Mount information input means 3 Image information input means 4 Layout means (mask data creation means, transmission image creation means) 5 Storage means 6 Display means 7 Output means

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-61-4061 (JP, A) JP-A-2-959 (JP, A) JP-A-1-298477 (JP, A) (58) Investigation Field (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G03F 1/00-1/16 H04N 1/387

Claims (7)

(57) [Claims] 1. An image clipping device for creating mask data for clipping a desired required area from a clipped image, comprising: storage means for storing image data of the clipped image; Mask data creating means for creating mask data having a cutout area for extracting an area and storing the mask data in the storage means; reading out the mask data and the image data of the cutout image from the storage means; A transmission image generating means for generating transmission image data in which transmission regions are provided at predetermined intervals in the cutout region, and outputting the transmission image data and the image data of the cutout image; Display means for superimposing and displaying an image represented by the respective image data output from the means. Image cutout and wherein the Rukoto. 2. The image cutout apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transparent image forming means performs a thinning process on the cutout area of the mask data to generate transparent image data. 3. The transmission image creation means according to claim 1, wherein the transmission image data is created by providing transmission areas in the cutout area at intervals of n (n is an integer of 1 or more) rows in a vertical scanning direction of the display surface. The image clipping device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein 4. The transmission image creating means creates transmission image data by providing transmission areas in the cutout area at n (n is an integer of 1 or more) column intervals in a horizontal scanning direction of the display surface. The image clipping device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein 5. The transmission image creating unit creates a plurality of different transmission image data from the mask data, and switches the transmission image to be displayed on the display unit based on an instruction input from the instruction input unit. 5. The image clipping device according to claim 3, wherein: 6. The transmission image creating means creates the transmission image data such that a color of a non-transmission portion of the transmission image is different from a color of the cut-out image superimposed on the display surface. The image clipping device according to claim 1. 7. A layout scanner comprising the image clipping device according to claim 1.