JP4501731B2 - Image processing device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus that generates a thumbnail image for an image document read by a scanner, for example.

  In order to facilitate the search of documents stored in a disk device such as a computer or a multifunction peripheral, so-called thumbnail images are widely generated and displayed as document preview images. For example, if it is a still image, a reduced image of the display image of the still image is used as a thumbnail image. In the case of a document document, a reduced image is generated from the display image of the first page and used as a thumbnail.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-151561 discloses a technique for displaying additional information that can be used for identification in addition to thumbnails, and for facilitating document search.
JP 2001-337994 A

  However, in the above-described conventional thumbnail generation, a thumbnail image is generated by generating a reduced image of a display image regardless of whether a document includes only a picture, a combination of characters / pictures, or only a letter. For example, it was not considered due to circumstances such as characters being crushed and difficult to see.

  Further, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, it may be possible to display with additional information attached, but acquisition of the additional information is not always easy. For example, if the user inputs it, the operation becomes complicated and the convenience is reduced, and even if additional information is extracted using OCR (optical character recognition), it is not always possible due to problems such as accuracy. Character recognition is not always performed correctly.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus capable of easily searching a document in consideration of various types of documents. I will.

  The present invention for solving the problems of the above conventional example is an image processing apparatus that generates a reduced display image of a document to be processed, based on the document to be processed. And generating means for generating a plurality of different reduced display images, and display means for displaying the generated reduced display images.

  Here, the image processing apparatus further includes a classifying unit that classifies the document into any of predetermined types based on the contents thereof, and the generation unit generates a plurality of reduced display images generated based on the classification result. The content may be determined, and a plurality of reduced display images related to the determined content may be generated.

  In these, the classification means may classify the document into one of predetermined types in relation to the ratio of the area including the character image in the display image of the document as the content of the document. .

  Furthermore, a means for generating keyword character string information based on the document to be processed may be further included.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing method for generating a reduced display image of a document to be processed, the plurality of reductions being different from each other based on the document to be processed. The method includes a step of generating a display image and a step of displaying the generated plurality of reduced display images.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a program for generating a reduced display image of a document to be processed, the computer having a plurality of different ones based on the document to be processed. And a procedure for generating a plurality of reduced display images generated and a procedure for displaying the generated plurality of reduced display images.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The image processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention can be realized as, for example, a multifunction peripheral. As shown in FIG. 1, the scanner unit 11, the control unit 12, the storage unit 13, the storage unit 14, and the operation display unit are provided. 15, a printer unit 16, and a communication unit 17.

  The scanner unit 11 optically reads, for example, an image formed on a paper medium and outputs the image data to the control unit 12 as image data.

  The control unit 12 can be realized by a CPU or the like, and operates based on a program stored in the storage unit 13. The control unit 12 executes processing for generating a thumbnail image (reduced display image), processing for displaying a thumbnail image, and the like. In addition, the control unit 12 arranges cells assigned for each document, displays thumbnail images generated in each cell, and performs processing for selecting a document. In the present embodiment, the control unit 12 may generate a plurality of thumbnail images for one document. In this case, the plurality of thumbnail images are laid out and displayed in a cell. The specific processing contents of the control unit 12 will be described in detail later.

  The storage unit 13 is realized by a storage element such as a RAM or a ROM. The storage unit 13 stores a program executed by the control unit 12, and the storage unit 13 operates as a computer-readable storage medium that holds the program executed by the control unit 12. The storage unit 13 also operates as a work memory for the control unit 12.

  The storage unit 14 is, for example, a hard disk device, and stores image data and the like. The operation display unit 15 is realized using a liquid crystal display, a touch panel, or the like. The operation display unit 15 outputs the content of the user operation performed on the touch panel to the control unit 12. Further, the operation display unit 15 displays information according to an instruction input from the control unit 12.

  The printer unit 16 forms an image on a paper medium in accordance with an instruction input from the control unit 12. The communication unit 17 is a network interface or the like, and transmits data to a specified destination via the network in accordance with an instruction input from the control unit 12. The communication unit 17 receives data that arrives via the network and outputs the data to the control unit 12.

  In the present embodiment, the following description will be given on the assumption that the document to be processed is image data read by the scanner unit 11. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a document to be processed may be an electronic document of a word processor received via a network, a moving image, or the like.

  Next, the content of the process of the control part 12 is demonstrated here. When receiving the input of image data from the scanner unit 11, the control unit 12 according to the present embodiment stores the input image data in the storage unit 14 and performs processing for generating the thumbnail image.

  That is, the control unit 12 uses the input image data as a document to be processed, and generates a plurality of different reduced display images based on the image data. As a specific example, the control unit 12 generates a plurality of reduced display images by changing the resolution, the number of gradations (or the number of colors), the area to be reduced, and the like.

  In the present embodiment, the control unit 12 classifies the document into one of predetermined types based on the contents thereof, and generates contents of a plurality of reduced display images generated based on the classification result. And a plurality of reduced display images related to the determined contents are generated.

  That is, a program for generating thumbnail images executed by the control unit 12 according to the present embodiment is functionally, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, a display image generation unit 21, a document classification unit 22, And a thumbnail generation unit 23. The document classification unit 22 includes an area separation unit 31, a ratio calculation unit 32, and a classification determination unit 33.

  Here, the display image generation unit 21 generates a display image of the document to be processed. Here, the document to be processed is the image data read by the scanner unit 11 and the display image is the image data itself. Therefore, here, the display image generation unit 21 is the document to be processed. Are directly output as a display image to the document classification unit 22 and the thumbnail generation unit 23.

  The region separation unit 31 of the document classification unit 22 separates the character region / design region from the display image by using a well-known character / design separation technique. Here, the character / picture separation technique is, for example, binarizing a display image, and using a continuous area of black pixels having a character smaller than a predetermined size as a character and a picture having a predetermined size or larger as a picture, And those using layout processing in OCR or the like.

  The ratio calculation unit 32 calculates the sum of the sizes (areas) of character regions (that is, regions including character images) among the regions separated by the region separation unit 31. Then, a value obtained by dividing the total size of the character area by the size (area) of the display image is calculated, and the calculated value (character area ratio information) is output to the classification determining unit 33.

  The classification determination unit 33 classifies the document as a “character present” document when the ratio value of the character area input from the ratio calculation unit 32 exceeds a set threshold value, and is equal to or lower than the threshold value. In some cases, it is classified as a “picture-based” document. In this example, the document type is classified as either “character present” or “picture subject”. However, the ratio of the character area is divided in stages and classified into more types. Good. Furthermore, it may be classified into more types using the background color, the ratio of the pattern area, and the like.

  The thumbnail generation unit 23 generates a thumbnail image based on the classification result by the classification determination unit 33. The thumbnail generation unit 23 determines the type of thumbnail image to be generated from the result of classification by the classification determination unit 33. For example, a table that associates the types of thumbnail images generated for each classification result is stored in the storage unit 13 in advance, and it is determined which thumbnail image to generate while referring to this table. As a specific example, a document classified as “with text” includes an entire thumbnail image obtained by reducing the entire display image of the document, and a character partial thumbnail image obtained by reducing at least a part of the display image of the character area. A plurality of thumbnail images are generated. For a document classified as “picture subject”, an entire thumbnail image obtained by reducing the entire display image of the document is generated.

  In the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment, the control unit 12 arranges rectangular cells assigned to each document in a matrix as shown in FIG. 3, and displays thumbnail images and the like generated in each cell. , Used to select a document. For a document in which a plurality of thumbnail images are generated, a plurality of thumbnail images are laid out and displayed in a cell corresponding to the document. Therefore, for the documents classified as “characters present” (documents for generating a plurality of thumbnail images), the thumbnail generation unit 23 determines the sizes of both the entire thumbnail image and the character partial thumbnail image based on the cell size. To decide. Also, each cell may be associated with a column (date display column) for displaying information on the generation / modification date and time of the document related to the thumbnail displayed in the cell, a file name, and the like.

  For example, when the cell size is Sx × Sy, for the document classified as “character present”, the thumbnail generation unit 23 performs Sx / 2 × Sy / 2 for the entire thumbnail image and Sx / 2 × Sy for the character partial thumbnail image. A total of three sizes of / 2 and Sx × Sy / 2 are determined. For a document classified as “picture subject”, the size of the entire thumbnail image is Sx × Sy.

  Then, the thumbnail generation unit 23 generates an entire thumbnail image of the determined size. This whole thumbnail image is the same as the conventional one. If the document is classified as “with text”, a character part thumbnail image of size Sx / 2 × Sy / 2 and a character part thumbnail image of size Sx × Sy / 2 are generated.

  Here, an example of a method for generating a character partial thumbnail image will be described. First, the thumbnail generation unit 23 receives input of character region information from the region separation unit 31 of the document classification unit 22, and among the display images of the document to be processed (here, the input image data itself). The region portion indicated by the character region information is extracted. Then, the extracted image of the portion (character partial image) is converted into an image having a predetermined resolution (a resolution that enables reading of the character, for example, about 200 dpi). Further, the number of gradations of this image may be converted (for example, binarized). The thumbnail generation unit 23 further includes a first area having a size Sx / 2 × Sy / 2 determined based on a predetermined condition in the converted character partial image, and a size Sx × Sy / 2. The second region is cut out.

  Here, the predetermined condition is, for example, that a circumscribed rectangle is defined for each continuous pixel corresponding to a character, and a portion including a circumscribed rectangle having a large size is extracted from each of the defined circumscribed rectangles (that is, And a condition for extracting the upper left corner portion (that is, the portion considered to be the beginning of a sentence) of the character partial image.

  In addition, the character partial image is displayed on the operation display unit 15 and the user is allowed to specify the first area of the size Sx / 2 × Sy / 2 determined and the second area of the size Sx × Sy / 2. On the condition that it is specified, the first area of size Sx / 2 × Sy / 2 determined by the condition and the second area of size Sx × Sy / 2 may be cut out.

  Furthermore, the thumbnail generation unit 23 may draw frame lines (L1, L2) that emphasize portions corresponding to the first area and the second area cut out on the entire thumbnail image (FIG. 4). Here, each image of the first area and the second area cut out from the character area image by the thumbnail generation unit 23 becomes a character partial thumbnail image.

  The thumbnail generation unit 23 processes the thumbnail images thus generated (one overall thumbnail image and two character partial thumbnail images for a document “with text”, and one overall thumbnail image for a “picture-based” document) as processing targets. The data is stored in the storage unit 13 in association with the document.

  In addition, the control unit 12 performs OCR on the character partial image generated by the thumbnail generation unit 23 (either before conversion or after conversion) for the document to be processed. Processing may be performed, and a character string obtained as a result may be stored in the storage unit 13 as keyword character string information in association with a document to be processed.

  Further, the control unit 12 performs a display for prompting the user to input a keyword for the document to be processed on the operation display unit 15, and when the keyword is input from the user, the character of the keyword is displayed. The column may be stored as keyword character string information in the storage unit 13 in association with the document to be processed.

  Further, the control unit 12 may store the document classification result in the above processing in the storage unit 13 in association with the document to be processed.

  As a result of the above-described processing of the control unit 12, the storage unit 13 stores, for example, document body information (I), document classification result information (C), and generated thumbnails, as shown in FIG. The image (P) and the keyword character string information (K) are associated with each other and stored as a document database.

  The control unit 12 refers to the document database when displaying a list of documents. Hereinafter, an example of document list display processing in the control unit 12 will be described. In response to an instruction from the user to select, for example, a document to be printed from among the documents stored in the storage unit 13, the control unit 12 starts a document list display process.

  First, the control unit 12 generates coordinate information of a cell area for displaying a thumbnail image of each document. The coordinate information of the cell area is obtained, for example, by arranging rectangular areas of each cell size Sx × Sy in a matrix. That is, the coordinate information of the first cell is (0,0) to (Sx, Sy), the coordinate information of the next cell (assuming that they are arranged in the line direction), (Sx + 1,0) to (2Sx + 1, Sy) ), And so on, depending on the displayable area of the operation display unit 15, the next line is moved, and from (0, Sy + 1) to (Sx, 2Sy + 1). I do. Thereafter, the arrangement for each line is repeated until all documents are arranged.

  The control unit 12 refers to the document database stored in the storage unit 13 and performs the following process while sequentially selecting each document stored in the document database as a document of interest.

  First, the information (C) of the classification result relating to the document of interest is referred to. When the classification result is “picture subject”, the thumbnail image (P) of the generated document of interest is read out by displaying one whole thumbnail. Then, the coordinate information of the current cell (the cell in which the thumbnail image of the document is to be placed next) is acquired, and the thumbnail image (P) is displayed in the area defined by the coordinate information. Then, the next document is selected as the document of interest and the process is continued.

  Further, when the obtained classification result is “with character”, information on the length of the character string of the keyword character string information is obtained. Here, when the length of the character string is less than a predetermined character string length threshold, a plurality of thumbnail images of the whole thumbnail and the character partial thumbnail are displayed and generated for the document of interest. A plurality of thumbnail images (P) are read out. Then, the coordinate information of the current cell (the cell in which the thumbnail image of the document is to be placed next) is acquired, and a plurality of thumbnail images (P) are laid out and displayed within the area defined by the coordinate information (then See FIG. 6 (a) as an example). Then, the next document is selected as the document of interest and the process is continued.

  Further, when the length of the character string of the acquired keyword character string information is equal to or greater than a predetermined character string length threshold, a plurality of thumbnail images of the whole thumbnail and the character partial thumbnail, and the keyword character string information Are displayed, a plurality of thumbnail images (P) and keyword character string information (K) generated for the document of interest are read. Then, the coordinate information of the current cell (the cell in which the document thumbnail image is to be placed next) is acquired, and a plurality of thumbnail images (P) and keyword character string information (K) are included in the area defined by the coordinate information. Are laid out and displayed (see FIG. 6B as an example). Then, the next document is selected as the document of interest and the process is continued.

  The control unit 12 repeats these processes until thumbnail images for all documents are arranged. For each document, the user selects a document to be printed while referring to one or more displayed thumbnail images and keyword character string information. This selection operation can be performed, for example, by selecting a coordinate area of a cell to be selected by an operation on the touch panel.

  When the user performs an instruction operation to select one of the documents, the control unit 12 refers to the document database, reads information (I) on the body of the selected document, and outputs the information to the printer unit 16 for printing. To do.

  Here, the keyword character string information is displayed only for documents classified as “character present”. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the keyword character string is also displayed for documents classified as “picture-based”. It is good also as displaying the information of.

  In the description so far, the control unit 12 classifies the document based on the ratio of the character portion in the entire display image of the document. For example, in a pamphlet or the like, the pattern is dominant. The character part may have important information. Therefore, in the processing of the document classification unit 22 of the control unit 12, the display image of the document is divided into predetermined blocks in advance, for example, the upper half and the lower half, and the character portion for each block. The ratio of the area occupied by the area may be calculated, and if the ratio occupied by the area of the character portion in any block exceeds a predetermined threshold value, it may be classified as “character present”. Thereby, for example, when the upper half of the document is occupied by a picture, but important character information is included in the lower half, a character part thumbnail image related to the character information is generated and displayed, It can contribute to the identification of the user's document.

  Further, in the document database, access right information may be associated with each document. Here, as the access right, for example, user names that can access the document may be listed and associated.

  In this case, when displaying the list of documents, the control unit 12 requests the user to input a user name and password, authenticates the user, and the user name of the authenticated user is You may control not to display the thumbnail image about the document which is not contained in the list enumerated as accessible. In this case, a character string such as “no access right” may be displayed in the cell, or the process may be shifted to the process for the next document without performing the process for displaying the thumbnail image.

  According to the present embodiment, a plurality of thumbnail images are generated and displayed as required and presented to the user, so that various types of documents can be processed, and documents can be searched. Easy to do.

1 is a configuration block diagram illustrating an example of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a functional block diagram showing the example of a process of the image processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing showing the example of the list of the documents shown by the image processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing showing the example of the thumbnail image shown by the image processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing showing the example of the information regarding a document. It is explanatory drawing showing the example of the list of the documents shown by the image processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Scanner part, 12 Control part, 13 Storage part, 14 Storage part, 15 Operation display part, 16 Printer part, 17 Communication part, 21 Display image generation part, 22 Document classification part, 23 Thumbnail generation part, 31 Area separation part, 32 Ratio calculation part, 33 Classification determination part.

Claims (5)

Classification means for classifying each document to be processed into one of predetermined types based on the contents thereof,
Based on the results of the classification, the contents of the thumbnail images generated determined for each document, a generation unit which had One each document as the object of processing, and generates the thumbnail image according to the content the determined ,
Display means for displaying a reduced display image generated for each document ;
An image processing apparatus comprising: The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
The classification means classifies the document into one of predetermined types based on the ratio of the area including the character image in the display image of the document as the content of the document. . An image processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
An image processing apparatus, further comprising means for generating keyword character string information based on the document to be processed. For each document to be processed, a step of classifying the document into one of predetermined types based on the contents thereof;
Based on the results of the classification, the contents of the thumbnail images generated determined for each document, a generation step of have One each document as the object of processing, and generates the thumbnail image according to the content the determined ,
Displaying a reduced display image generated for each document ;
An image processing method comprising: Computer
Classification means for classifying each document to be processed into one of predetermined types based on the contents thereof,
Based on the results of the classification, the contents of the thumbnail images generated determined for each document, a generation unit which had One each document as the object of processing, and generates the thumbnail image according to the content the determined ,
Display means for displaying a reduced display image generated for each document ;
A program characterized by functioning as

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