JP3483266B2 - Image communication device and image communication method - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an image communication device and an image communication device.
Regarding the belief method .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional facsimile apparatus, a reading mode such as reading density, characters / photographs, resolution, etc. can be selected from an operation unit or the like according to a document. Normally, the reading mode can be set for each page, and when the reading is started, even if an attempt is made to change the reading mode, the reading is performed in the same mode until the reading of one page is completed.

[0003]

However, the above-mentioned conventional example has the following problems. (1) A manuscript written on the printed manuscript with a pencil, a manuscript with mixed images such as ballpoint pen, pencil, ink, and ink, consultation,
If there is a high contrast part and a low contrast part in the same manuscript, such as a manuscript including a seal, etc. (for example, the printed part has high contrast, the pencil part has low contrast),
Of a single read-mode or gone hoarse low contrast part, a problem that the high contrast portion becomes difficult to read crushed black occurs. (2) In the case of a manuscript in which characters and photographs are mixed, when reading in the character mode, the gradation of the photograph part does not appear and it becomes dirty,
There is a problem that the characters are blurred when scanned in the photo mode. Recently, there are facsimiles that perform image area separation that automatically determines while reading a character portion and a photograph portion, but it may not be able to be discriminated depending on the original. (3) When it is desired to change the reading mode for each page, manual input from the operation unit is troublesome.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional example, and an object thereof is to mix an original document in which a low contrast portion and a high contrast portion are mixed, a character and a photograph are mixed. The point is to provide a facsimile machine that can read even a manuscript neatly. Further, in the conventional facsimile apparatus, the minimum designated unit of the reading mode of the transmission original is one page, and at the time of reading the original, the reading mode is switched for each page from the reading mode key of the operation unit, and the transmission is performed according to the mode. I was doing

However, when photographs and characters are mixed in one original, or when graphics and characters are mixed in one original, the reading modes of one original cannot be switched on the way, so that the same reading modes are used. I was reading with (halftone, fine, etc.). Therefore, there are the following drawbacks. (1) The text originals are also sent in halftone, which lengthens the communication time and at the same time increases the communication charge.

(2) There is a problem that a part of the original that reaches the other party is easy to read, but the other part is difficult to read. Another object of the present invention is to shorten the communication (transmission) time, reduce the communication charge, and further to provide a facsimile apparatus that can send an easy-to-read document to the other party.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the object, a facsimile apparatus according to the present invention reads a marked original document and outputs image data.
And a reading unit that reads the image data from the output image data.
Detection means for detecting the color information of the binarization slice level according to the color information detection <br/> knowledge by the sensing means
Setting means for setting and before setting by the setting means
Output by the reading means using the slice level
Binarizing means for binarizing image data according to
The change selected according to the color information detected by the means.
Image output by the reading means using a conversion table
Conversion means for performing a brightness-density conversion process on the data,
Intermediate to the image data converted by the conversion means
The halftone processing means for performing the tone processing and the detection means for detecting
According to the known color information, the simple binarizing means
The image data to be output and the output from the halftone processing means.
And image data to be selected .

[0008] The image communication method according to the present invention, the indicia
Scanning that reads the attached document and outputs image data
Process and color information of the mark from the output image data
And a detection step for detecting
Binary slice level is set according to the color information
A setting step and the slide set by the setting step.
The image data output by the reading process using the scanning level.
The simple binarization step of binarizing the data and the detection step
Conversion table selected according to the detected color information
Image data output by the reading process
And a conversion step for performing a brightness-density conversion process,
Perform halftone processing on the image data converted by the process
Detected by the halftone processing step to be performed and the detection step
Output from the simple binarization process according to the color information.
Image data and the image output from the halftone processing step
And a selection step of selecting either of the data .

[0009]

According to this structure, the reading means is marked.
The original is read, the image data is output, and the detection means outputs.
The color information of the mark is detected from the applied image data, and the setting means
Is binarized according to the color information detected by the detection means.
The slice level is set, and the simple binarization means is the setting means.
By the reading means using the slice level set by
Image data output from the
The conversion table selected according to the color information detected by the stage.
Image data output by the reading means
Brightness-density conversion processing, and halftone processing means conversion
Halftone processing for image data converted by
The selection means responds to the color information detected by the detection means.
The image data output from the simple binarization means and the intermediate
Select either the image data output from the adjustment processing means.
Choose .

As a result, the low contrast area and the high contrast area are
Originals with mixed trust, text and photos
Even originals that have been read can be read neatly.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. <First Embodiment> This embodiment has a reading mode for reading darkness, characters / photographs, resolution, and the like. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a facsimile apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 101 denotes a scanner, which optically reads a document, AD-converts the R. G. The image digital multi-valued data is output from B. Reference numeral 102 denotes a color detection unit, which looks at RGB multi-valued data at a predetermined position on the document,
The color is discriminated from the respective ratios, and the discriminated color information is output. An image processing unit 103 converts RGB multi-valued data into black-and-white multi-valued data, and performs edge emphasis and resolution conversion. Reference numeral 104 denotes a simple binarization processing unit, which converts monochrome multi-valued data into binary data at a set slice level. A slice level setting unit 105 sets a slice level according to the color information from the color detection unit 102 in the simple binarization processing unit 104. A γ conversion unit 106 has a plurality of γ conversion tables and has a color detection unit 102.
The .gamma. Conversion table is selected according to the color detected in step S1, and brightness-density conversion is performed. Reference numeral 107 denotes a halftone processing unit, which performs halftone processing by an average density storage method, an error diffusion method, a dither method, or the like to binarize the input multivalued black-and-white image data.

Reference numeral 108 denotes a switch, which is the color detection unit 102.
The output of the simple binarization processing unit 104 and the halftone processing unit 107 is selected according to the color detected in. A coding processing unit 109 compresses and codes the binarized image data. 110 is an image memory. Reference numeral 111 is a CPU that controls the entire apparatus, 112 is a ROM that stores programs for operating the CPU 111, and 113 is a RAM that is used as a work area for various programs.

Next, a method of reading a document will be described. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a read document according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a color detection unit 102 according to the first embodiment.
3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the main part of FIG. In FIG.
Reference numeral 31 is a pixel counter, 32 is a gate, 33 is an AND gate, 34 is a color identification unit, and 35 is a selector.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart for explaining the image processing procedure according to the first embodiment. In FIG. 2 (1),
In the original A, characters of normal darkness, light characters, and photographs are mixed. This manuscript A is in character mode, "normal"
When you read in the darkness of, the part of the thin text may be faint and the halftone of the photo part may not appear. In this case, Fig. 2 (2)
As shown in the original B shown in, the left side of the photo and light letters
Color scanner 101 is provided with marks 2-1 and 2-2 at predetermined positions with a color representing "dark" and a color representing "photograph".
Read the original from.

In the operation of FIG. 4 described below, the whole is C
PU111 controls and each part in FIG. 1 performs each process. Therefore, the scanner 101 scans the original document and outputs the RGB3
Image data in primary colors, that is, digital multi-valued data is output (S1). While sending the digital multi-valued data to the image processing unit 103, the color detection unit 102 takes in the digital multi-valued data for a predetermined bit from the beginning of each line, and determines the color from the size and ratio of each R, G, B data. Is determined, and the color information is latched and output. The latched color information is reset for each line (S2). Further, the RGB multi-valued data when a color is detected is replaced with the data of the pixel immediately before that which is detected, so that the color attached to the document cannot be read. Image processing unit 10
The digital multi-valued data sent to 3 is subjected to color / monochrome conversion, resolution conversion, edge emphasis, and simple binarization processing unit 1
04 and the γ conversion unit 106 (S3). The simple binarization processing unit 104 binarizes the black-and-white multivalued data at the slice level set by the slice level setting unit 105 (S4). The γ conversion unit 106 selects the γ conversion table based on the color information from 102 and performs γ conversion on the black-and-white multivalued data (S5). The γ-converted monochrome multivalued data is binarized in the halftone processing unit 107 (S
6). The binarized image data binarized by the simple binarization processing unit 104 is selectively output by the switch 108 and encoded by the encoding processing unit 109 (S7).

Here, a specific operation will be described with reference to FIG. The color information signal output from the color detection unit 102 includes a slice level setting unit 105, a γ conversion unit 106,
It is connected to the switch 108. In the above-mentioned original B,
When the "deep" color is read, the slice level setting unit 105 switches the level from "normal" to "deep" slice level according to the color information, and outputs it to the simple binarization processing unit 104. Further, when a color of'photograph and darkness' is read, the switch 108 selects and outputs the output of the halftone processing unit 107 according to the color information. At this time, if the density is not “normal”, the γ conversion unit 106 performs γ conversion using a γ conversion table that is not “normal”.

As a result, it is possible to read thin characters and a photograph portion neatly. If the mark 3-1 is applied in one color like the original C, the page can be read in the reading mode indicated by the color. As described above, according to the first embodiment, the color corresponding to each reading mode is added to the document at a predetermined position to read the document.
The reading mode can be set automatically without inputting from the operation unit. In addition, even if you cannot scan well in one scanning mode, you can change the scanning mode and indicate the part you want to read in a color that corresponds to the scanning mode, so that you can select the optimum scanning mode for any part of the document. Can read. Therefore, the low contrast part,
Even originals with high-contrast areas and originals with text and photographs can be read neatly.

<Second Embodiment> FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of the essential parts of a color detecting section according to the second embodiment. In the figure, 50 is a pixel counter, 51 is a gate, 52 is an AND gate, 53 is a color identification section, 54 to 56 are selectors, and 57 to 59 are NOR. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a read document according to the second embodiment.

In the color detection unit 102 (FIG. 3) according to the first embodiment, the color information is not reset by the line synchronization signal which is used for each line in the second embodiment, but the color information is reset.
The color information set once is retained until another color is detected and set next. According to this, FIG. 2 (1)
When the document A shown in FIG. 6 is read, as shown in the document D shown in FIG. 6A, "character, darkness is normal" and "normal" in the first predetermined position of each part of characters, light characters, and photographs. Colors 5-1 and 5-2 and 5 that represent "text, dark" and "photo, normal"
Add -3 to read. First, when a "character, normal" color is detected, the mode is read until the next "character, dark" color is detected, and the reading mode is switched each time a color is detected. As a result, thin characters and photo parts can be read neatly. Further, as in the case of the document E shown in FIG. 6B, by adding the color 5-4 to the first predetermined position of the document, one page can be read in the reading mode indicated by the color.

As described above, the same applies to the case where there are a plurality of originals. When reading all in the same mode, it is sufficient to color the first predetermined position of the first page, and when changing the mode,
It suffices to mark the first predetermined position of the portion. <Third Embodiment> FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a read document according to the third embodiment, and FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main part of a color detection unit according to the third embodiment. In FIG. 8, 81 is a color identification unit, 82 to 84 are selectors, 85 is an inverter, 86 and 87 are ANDs, and 88 is NOR.

The case of reading the original shown in FIG. 7 will be described. When the original F shown in FIG. 7A has a character and a photograph on one line and it is desired to read in different reading modes, As in the case of the original G shown in FIG. 2B, the characters and photographs are surrounded by the colors 7-1 and 7-2 indicating the reading mode, and the color information is output only during the surrounding. It can be realized by For that purpose, the following implementation is necessary. That is, the read R
When a color is detected from the GB multivalued data, the color information signal is set and output. After that, the color information signal is reset when the color is once undetected and then detected again, or when a color other than that color is detected, or by a line synchronization signal.

With the configuration shown in FIG. 8, while the color information is set and output, the reading can be performed in the reading mode represented by the color information, and characters and photographs can be read neatly. <Fourth Embodiment> FIG. 9 is a block diagram schematically showing the internal structure of a facsimile apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 91 is a modulator / demodulator (MODEM) that modulates and demodulates transmission data, 92 is an NCU (network control unit) that controls the interface with a line 98, 93 is a control circuit that controls the entire embodiment, and 94 is a reading unit. During transmission, the document reading operation is performed according to the reading mode.

Reference numeral 95 denotes an operation unit, which has keys for registering the divided reading mode and selecting the divided reading mode. Reference numeral 96 is a memory for storing the contents of the divided reading mode registered by the operation unit 95, 97 is an image memory for storing the image data of the original read according to the divided reading mode, and 98 is a facsimile line connected to the apparatus of this embodiment. In other words, it is configured to be able to perform facsimile communication with other facsimile devices via the facsimile network.

The general operation of this embodiment having the above configuration will be described below. First, before the transmission operation is performed, the operation unit 9
The registration mode is entered from step 5, and the division reading mode of the original is set, and the contents are stored in the memory 96. When the divided reading mode is set and the divided reading mode is selected by the divided reading mode selection key of the operation unit 95, the original reading mode of the transmission original is read from the memory 96 at the time of transmission, and the original is read according to the mode. The reading unit 94 reads the image data and stores the image data in the image memory 9
Store in 7.

After that, the data is read from the image memory,
The transmission image is sent from the facsimile line 98 to the other party via the MODEM 91 and NCU 92. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of setting the original reading mode. In the figure, when the item for setting the document reading mode is selected from the operation unit, the number of pages is input. In this state, when the number of pages is input (S11), the number of pages is put in the variable m (S12), and 01 is set in the variable n of the division line (S13). Therefore, the reading mode (halftone,
Resolution, density, ...) are set (S14), and when the reading mode is confirmed, the set key is pressed (S15).
The reading mode is stored in the memory (P _m L _n ) γ (S16).

If the set key is not pressed, the process waits for setting the reading mode in S14. When the reading mode is set in this way, next is the input of the number of lines,
When the number of lines is input (S17), the line number variable n
Is incremented by 1 (S18). Therefore, the reading mode is set from the reading mode of the operation unit, and when the reading mode is confirmed (S19), the set key is pressed (S2
0), the reading mode is stored in the memory (P _m L _n ) γ (S21). In addition, the input line number is stored in the memory (P _m L _n ) l as a division line (S2).
2).

After that, the process returns to S17 to wait for the input of the next line number, and if the line number is input, S18.
The operations of to S22 are repeated, and if the number of lines is not input, the process returns to S11. If the next page number is input in S11, the processes of S12 to S22 are performed to set the divided reading mode of the page.

If the next page number is not input, the setting of all pages is completed and the registration mode is completed. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a document reading operation during transmission.
In the figure, when the divided reading mode is designated from the operation unit (S31), 01 is set in the page number variable (S32) and 01 is also set in the line number variable (S33), and the reading mode is set. From memory 96 (P _m L
_n ) The reading mode of γ is read and the reading mode is set (S34).

Then, the reading of the original is started, the read image is input to the memory 96 (S35), and when the number of lines for reading the original reaches (P _n L _n ) 1 of the above-mentioned setting, the reading of the divided portion is performed. Is finished (S36). next,
The line number variable is incremented by 1 (S37), and it is determined whether reading of one page is completed (S38). If not completed, the process returns to S33, and the reading operation of the next divided portion is repeated.

When the reading of one page is completed in S38, the page number n is incremented by 1 (S39), and the presence or absence of the next page is determined (S40). If there is a next page, the process returns to S33 to repeat the divided reading operation for the next page. If there is no next page, the reading is ended and the read original is transmitted.

In S31, if the divided reading mode is not set, the reading mode is set from the operation unit 95 (S41), the original is read, and the original is input to the memory 96 (S42). The reading operation of S42 is performed until the reading of one page is completed (S43). When one page is finished, check whether there is a document on the next page (S
44) If there is a next page, the process returns to S41 and the reading operation for the next page is repeated. If there is no next page, the reading is ended, and then the read original is transmitted.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the contents of the memory for storing the original reading mode. In the figure, P _a ,
P _b and ˜P _x are pages for which the divided reading mode is set by the registration operation, and L ₁ , L ₂ , and ˜L _n indicate the number of lines of the divided part of each page. As the reading mode, various modes (halftone, density, ...) Are stored in the memory corresponding to the divided lines.

In FIG. 12, the table shown on the right shows the reading mode of the document corresponding to the table on the left. As described above, by designating the reading mode for the details of the transmitted document, the transmission time can be shortened, the communication fee can be reduced, and further, an easily readable document can be sent to the other party.

By the registering operation, the original reading mode is specified by pressing a certain one-touch key instead of selecting the original reading mode and selecting the reading mode from the operation unit during transmission. You may make it a read mode and it may be transmitted. Also,
The transmission is not limited to one-touch transmission, but may be transmission by speed dial. Further, the division reading mode may be registered not only for a specific one destination document but also for a plurality of destination documents.

The present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of a single device. Further, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to the case where it is achieved by supplying a program to a system or an apparatus.

[0036]

As described above, according to the present invention, even a manuscript in which a low-contrast portion, a high-contrast portion, a character portion, and a photograph portion are mixed, such as a low-contrast photograph portion and a high-contrast character portion, is used. It can be read neatly. Also, low contrast areas and high contrast areas
Processing corresponding to the untrusted part, photo part and text part
One specification for both processes of minute and
Can be easily specified by the mark .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a facsimile apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a read document according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main part of a color detection unit 102 according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an image processing procedure according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main part of a color detection unit according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a read document according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a read document according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main part of a color detection unit according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a facsimile apparatus according to a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an operation of setting a document reading mode in the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an operation of reading a document at the time of transmission in the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the contents of a memory for storing a document reading mode in the fourth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

91 MODEM 92 NCU 93 Control circuit 94 Reader 95 Operation unit 96 memory 97 Image memory 98 fax lines 101 color scanner 102 color detector 103 image processing unit 104 Simple binarization processing unit 105 slice setting section 106 γ converter 107 Halftone processing unit 108 switch 109 encoding unit 110 memory

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (56) Reference JP-A-4-166860 (JP, A) JP-A-55-14073 (JP, A) JP-A-61-139161 (JP, A) JP-A-2- 249359 (JP, A) JP 63-316563 (JP, A) JP 2-84876 (JP, A) JP 2-192266 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 1/40

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A reads a document that is attached marked, and reading means for outputting image data, and detection means for detecting the color information of the mark from the output image data, which is detected by said detecting means Binarization according to color information
Use setting means for setting a slice level, the slice level set by said setting means
And binarize the image data output by the reading means.
Selected according to the color information detected by the simple binarizing means and the detecting means.
Output by the reading means using a conversion table
Conversion that performs brightness-density conversion processing on the image data to be displayed
Means and intermediate to the image data converted by the converting means
The halftone processing means for performing the tone processing, and the preprocessing according to the color information detected by the detection means.
Image data output from the simple binarizing means and the intermediate
Select either the image data output from the adjustment processing means.
An image communication device comprising: a selecting unit that selects the image communication unit. 2. The image communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mark is composed of a line and is attached at least one in the sub-scanning direction in one document. 3. The image communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mark comprises a frame, and at least one mark is attached to one document. 4. The image communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mark is composed of dots, and at least one mark is attached to one manuscript. 5. The image output by the selecting means
The image communication device according to claim 1, further comprising an output unit that outputs data to an external device. 6. A document with a mark is read and an image data is read.
Data reading step, and detecting the color information of the mark from the output image data.
A binary value depending on the color detection information detected by the detection step and the color information detected by the detection step.
The setting step of setting the slice level for conversion and the slice level set by the setting step are used.
And binarize the image data output in the reading process.
Select according to the simple binarization process and the color information detected by the detection process.
Output by the reading process using the conversion table
Conversion that performs brightness-density conversion processing on the image data to be displayed
Process and intermediate to the image data converted by the conversion process
The halftone processing step of performing the tone processing, and the color information detected by the detection step.
Image data output from the simple binarization process and the intermediate
Select either the image data output from the adjustment process.
An image communication method comprising: a selecting step of selecting .