JP4414402B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus that restores an aggregated image obtained by aggregating a plurality of images to an original image and outputs the restored image.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a digital copying machine, for example, a plurality of documents placed on a document table are sequentially read, and a plurality of obtained document images are reduced and aggregated and copied onto a single recording sheet (hereinafter referred to as “recording paper”). (Referred to as an aggregate copy). There is a case in which it is necessary to restore the original-sized original image from such a consolidated and copied original. Such an image forming apparatus is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-350,000 (Patent Document 1) and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-282668 (Patent Document 2).

  The image forming apparatus described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 can copy by specifying the number of divided images, the vertical / horizontal image direction, the image magnification, and the paper size included in the collectively copied document. Yes. In this image forming apparatus, for example, an image area of an aggregated copy original is read and divided into four and each image is copied onto a sheet of the same size as the aggregate copy original, or a paper copy of a size 1/4 of the aggregate copy original is copied. Is possible.

The image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 2 prints on a recording sheet together with a reduced original image an aggregation ratio mark indicating the number of original images to be integrated and a mark indicating the print order at the time of recovery when performing an integrated copy. When copying a document that has been consolidated and copied, the original image is restored using the consolidation ratio mark, and printing is performed in order based on the mark indicating the print order.
JP 2000-350,000 A JP 2004-282668 A

  In the image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the number of divisions, vertical / horizontal image directions, image magnification, and the like must be set each time, and there is a problem in that the operation is complicated and inconvenient for the user. is there.

  The image forming apparatus described in Patent Literature 2 can automatically restore the original image only to those on which the aggregation rate mark is printed. For this reason, the original copy image cannot be restored to the original image printed on a copier of another manufacturer that does not print the aggregation rate mark.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an easy-to-use image forming apparatus that can restore an original image while minimizing user's trouble when restoring an image of an aggregate copy to the original image. It is.

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that restores an aggregated image obtained by aggregating a plurality of images to an original size image and outputs the image, and includes a reading unit for reading the aggregated image, A division determination unit that determines whether each image can be divided by determining each white background portion of the image, and an aggregation read by the reading unit when it is determined that the division can be performed by the division determination unit Guidance display means for dividing and displaying an image and displaying guidance for input of a division method in response to the fact that the division determination means does not determine that the image can be divided.

  Further, the image processing apparatus includes an output unit that divides an image that is determined to be divisible by the division determination unit, restores the image to an original size, and outputs the image.

  Preferably, it includes page number determining means for determining the page number of each image included in the aggregated image, and the output means outputs each image divided in the order of page numbers determined by the page determining means.

  Specifically, the guidance notification means includes an output order display means for displaying an output order indicating a plurality of different output orders with the same number of divisions for each aggregated image, and further includes any one of the plurality of output orders. Output order designating means for designating the output order, and the output means determines whether each of the aggregated images can be divided by the judging means and the page number is not recognized by the recognizing means. Of the plurality of output orders displayed on the display means, each image is divided and outputted so that the images are outputted in the output order designated by the output order designation means.

  The guidance notification means includes a plurality of divided frames indicating that the aggregated image is divided into different numbers for each image, and a divided frame order display means for displaying an output order to be output within each divided frame. And a frame order designating unit for designating one of a plurality of divided frames and one of the output orders, and the output unit has not been determined by the determining unit that each of the aggregated images can be divided. Accordingly, in any of the divided frames displayed on the divided frame order display means, in response to the user designating any output order by the frame order designation means, Each image is divided and output in the output order.

  Preferably, an image designating unit for designating whether or not each divided image displayed on the guidance display unit is output by the output unit is included.

  According to the present invention, it is determined whether or not each image included in the read aggregated image can be divided, and if it can be divided, the original image is restored and output, and can be divided. Since the input guidance of the dividing method is notified when the image is not determined, the original image can be restored with minimum troublesome user's hand, so that an image forming apparatus with good usability can be obtained. it can.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, an image forming apparatus 1 includes a reading unit 3 serving as a reading unit connected to a control unit 2, an operation unit 4 serving as an output order designation unit and a frame order designation unit, and a printing device 5 serving as an output unit. A display unit 6 as an output order display unit and a divided frame order display unit, an external communication unit 7, and an HDD (Hard Disk) 8, which are operated by the control of the control unit 2.

  The reading unit 3 reads an image from a document to be copied or a consolidated copy of a plurality of images. The operation unit 4 designates the division frame or the output order of the images included in the consolidated and copied original by the user's operation. The printing device 5 prints an image. The display unit 6 displays information such as division frames and output order of each image of the aggregate copy. The external communication unit 7 is an interface with an external communication line (not shown). The HDD 8 stores image data read by the reading unit 3. The control unit 2 constitutes a discriminating unit that discriminates whether or not each image can be divided when the collectively copied document is read, and a recognition unit that recognizes the division number and the page number.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. The control unit 2 determines whether or not a restoration mode for restoring the aggregated copy to the original document of the standard size is set in a step (abbreviated as SP in the drawing) SP1 shown in FIG. The restoration mode can be set by the user operating the operation unit 4, and the user instructs the restoration mode, and the originals that have been collectively copied are set in the reading unit 3 and included in the operation unit 4. Operate the start key (not shown).

  In step SP <b> 2, the control unit 2 reads the originals that are collectively copied by the reading unit 2, and stores the read data in the HDD 8. At step SP3, the field separator detects a white background portion present around each reduced image included in the consolidated and copied document. The field separator detects a white background existing around each image by software processing. If a white background portion exists, it is determined that the image can be divided. If no white background portion exists, it cannot be determined that the image can be divided. For example, when a memo written by handwritten characters or the like is written on a white background portion, it cannot be determined that it can be divided.

  If it is determined in step SP4 that the image can be divided, the number of divisions determined in step SP5 that the image can be divided is recognized to be, for example, four. In step SP6, the page number printed on each reduced image is read by OCR and detected by pattern recognition or the like. In step SP7, the control unit 2 determines whether or not the page number has been detected. If it is determined that the page number has been detected, in step SP9, the control unit 2 determines to divide by the number of divisions recognized in step SP7. . In step SP10, it is determined to print in the order of the detected page numbers. At this time, each divided image may be displayed on the display unit 6. In step SP11, each image is restored to the original document size, and in step SP12, each restored image is printed by the printing device 5.

  With this series of processing, the user simply reads the consolidated and copied originals with the reading unit 3, and thereafter, without performing any operation, the images included in the consolidated and copied originals are returned to the original size in the order of page numbers. Therefore, it is possible to restore the original image with minimal user trouble.

  When it is determined in step SP7 that the page number could not be detected, the control unit 2 notifies the user that the page number could not be recognized in step SP8, and corresponds to the recognized number of four divisions. As shown in FIG. 3B, the division frame 61 and the arrow 64 and the division frame 63 and the arrow 65 are displayed on the display unit 6 so that the user can select them. An arrow 64 in the divided frame 61 indicates that each image is printed in the order of upper left, lower left, upper right, and lower right, and an arrow 65 in the divided frame 63 indicates in the order of upper left, upper right, lower left, and lower right. Each image is printed. Each time the user presses the selection key 41, the divided frame 61 and the arrow 64, and the divided frame 63 and the arrow 65 are alternately displayed, and the selected printing order is determined by pressing the enter key 42.

  For example, when the user selects the display of the division frame 61 and the arrow 64, the control unit 2 determines four divisions as the division method in step SP9, and in step SP10, the upper left, lower left, upper right, lower right as the printing order. It is decided to print in the order. Then, by performing the processing of steps SP11 and SP12, each image is restored to the original document size, and each restored image is printed by the printing device 5.

  Therefore, when the page number is not read, the user simply performs an operation of selecting either the divided frame 61 and the arrow 64 or the divided frame 63 and the arrow 65 shown in FIG. It is possible to restore the image to the original document size and print each restored image.

  When the control unit 2 determines in step SP4 that the white background portion could not be detected by the field separator, the control unit 2 displays the divided frames 61 and 62 shown in FIG. To specify the number of divisions. This division number may be displayed as 6 or 8 divisions of 4 or more. When the user selects, for example, a 4-division frame 61, the control unit 2 determines the division method to be 4-division in step SP14. Then, the processing of the above-described steps SP10 to SP12 is performed to divide the image included in the aggregate copy document by the designated number of divisions, restore the original document size, and print by the printing device 5 in the designated printing order. .

  As described above, when the number of divisions cannot be detected, the original document can be restored and printed by a simple operation of designating the divided frames and the printing order in the divided frames. Therefore, it is possible for the user to restore each image to the original document size and to print each restored image by minimizing the time and effort required to restore each image from the aggregated copy document. Become.

  Note that, for example, if an aggregate copy original contains four images, and if the page number could not be read from one of the three images, the page number could not be read. A message notifying that is displayed on the display unit 6 and performing the processing of steps SP7 to SP11. Further, when the field separator of two images out of the four images cannot be detected, a message to that effect is displayed on the display unit 6 and the processes of steps SP13, SP14, SP10 to SP12 are performed. do it.

  Further, the printing order is not limited to the example shown in FIG. 3B, and may be another order. Further, the number of divisions is not limited to four divisions, and eight or more divisions may be displayed according to the recognized number of divisions, and each division number may be displayed so that it can be printed in an arbitrary order.

  Further, each divided image may be displayed on the display unit 6 so that when the user confirms that there is a blank page, it can be specified not to output the page.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described with reference to drawings, this invention is not limited to the thing of embodiment shown in figure. Various modifications and variations can be made to the illustrated embodiment within the same range or equivalent range as the present invention.

1 is a block diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the information which designates the division frame displayed on a display part, and a printing order.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus, 2 Control part, 3 Reading part, 4 Operation part, 5 Printing apparatus, 6 Display part, 7 External communication part, 8 HDD.

Claims (6)

An image forming apparatus that restores and outputs an aggregate image obtained by aggregating a plurality of images into an original size image,
Reading means for reading the aggregated image;
Division determination means for determining whether or not division is possible by determining each white background portion of each image of the aggregated image read by the reading means;
In response to determining that the image can be divided by the division determination unit, the aggregated image read by the reading unit is divided and displayed, and the division determination unit does not determine that the division is possible. An image forming apparatus comprising: a guidance display unit that displays guidance for input of the division method according to the situation.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an output unit that divides an image determined to be divisible by the division determining unit, restores the image to an original size, and outputs the image. Furthermore, it includes page number determination means for determining the page number of each image included in the aggregated image,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the output unit outputs the divided images in the order of page numbers determined by the page determination unit. The guidance display means includes an output order display means for displaying an output order indicating a plurality of different output orders with the same number of divisions for each aggregated image, and further specifies any one of the plurality of output orders. Including an output order specifying means for
The output means is displayed on the display means in response to determining that each of the aggregated images can be divided by the division determination means and the page number is not recognized by the page number determination means. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein among the plurality of output orders, each image is divided and output in an output order designated by the user by the output order designation unit. The guidance display means includes a plurality of divided frames indicating that the aggregated image is divided into different numbers for each image, and a divided frame order display means for displaying an output order to be output in each divided frame. A frame order designating unit for designating any of the plurality of divided frames and any of the output orders;
In the division frame displayed on the division frame order display unit, the output unit determines that each of the aggregated images can not be divided by the division determination unit. 5. The image according to claim 2, wherein each image is divided and output in the output order within the designated divided frame in response to any one of the output orders designated by the frame order designation unit. Image forming apparatus. Including an image designating means for designating whether to output the respective divided image said output means displayed on the guidance display unit, an image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 5.

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