JP4502960B2 - Image editing apparatus and image editing method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image editing apparatus and an image editing method, and in particular, can be used for a certificate issuing apparatus that cuts out only a desired image and issues various certificates such as a family register copy or resident's card at a local government or the like. The present invention relates to an image editing apparatus and an image editing method.

  2. Description of the Related Art An image editing apparatus that cuts out and outputs only a desired image from an image read by a reading apparatus is known. Such an editing device is used as a certificate issuing device for issuing various certificates such as a family register copy and a resident's card in a local government, for example.

  When creating this type of certificate, the operator can either specify the document directly on the document or indirectly specify the video displayed on the screen via the device. There are considered a method and a method in which the apparatus automatically substitutes the operator without designating the cutout position.

  However, in the former, it is possible to obtain a stable image for any manuscript by devising a designation means to improve operability, but the device performs only the editing process and inputs the cutting position. Therefore, there is a risk that an unintentionally edited image may be output if the position designation or operation procedure is wrong. For this reason, there is a problem in that careful attention and a great deal of time are required for position designation, and the burden on the operator is large.

  On the other hand, in the latter case, the format of the original to be read is known in advance, and when it is not so many, the image editing operation can be automated, and a desired image can be obtained by a simple operation. However, in order to perform automatic editing, it is necessary to register a document as a form in advance, but in reality it is impossible to register all the formats of a document to be handled. For this reason, if an unregistered document is scanned, it is necessary to leave the designation of the cutting position to the operator completely. In addition, there is a problem that even if the form is registered in advance, the original cannot be specified depending on the position where the original is placed.

  Thus, a technique has been proposed by the present inventor of the present application that improves both manual and automatic advantages while simultaneously solving the problems of both, and has good practical operability for the operator (see Patent Document 1). This image editing technique detects a ruled line information of a read image from image data read from a document and stored in an input image memory, generates a ruled line information list, and estimates and reads the type of document based on the list. Estimate the cutout position of the image, and edit the outer frame part including the description of the margin part of the read image according to the estimated cutout position so that the blank frame position at the center of the read image becomes the center of the output image I am doing so.

Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-316847 (pages 4-7, FIG. 1)

  However, with the above-described conventional technology, it is not possible to automatically estimate the added position of the “margin” message, which is often described in various certificates such as family register abstracts and resident's cards. Conventionally, it is displayed on the screen. There is a problem in that the operability is poor because a method is adopted in which the operator moves the “following margin” message by manual operation and determines the position. The “margin” message means that the above-mentioned various certificates have a fixed description area, but the actual description amount is a ward due to differences in family structure, etc. This message is added by the prover to prevent the credibility of the certificate from being lost due to extra entries.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an image editing apparatus and an image editing method in which the operability in describing the “margin” message is improved based on the above prior art.

  An image editing apparatus according to the present invention includes a reading unit (1 in FIG. 1) for reading a document of a form, an input image memory (21 in FIG. 1) for storing image data read by the reading unit, and the input image memory. A ruled line detection unit (321 in FIG. 1) that detects ruled line information of the read image from the stored image data and generates a ruled line information list, and a document based on the ruled line information list generated by the ruled line detection unit A form estimation unit (322 in FIG. 1) for estimating the type of the read image and specifying the cutout position of the read image, and an outer frame including a description of the blank portion of the read image according to the cutout position estimated by the form estimation unit An image editing unit (323 in FIG. 1) is provided that cuts out an image of a part and edits an output image in which a “margin” message is added to an undescribed column estimated from the read image.

  In more detail, when estimating the unrecorded column, the number of black pixels existing between the outer frames in the document and interspersed between adjacent ruled lines is sequentially measured and compared, and in accordance with the characteristics of the form to be handled. It is characterized in that an undescribed line is determined by using a specific description line as a clue.

If the difference between the number of black pixels in the line of the form and the number of black pixels in the predetermined undescribed line exceeds a predetermined ratio of the difference between the number of black pixels in the predetermined unwritten line and the number of black pixels in the predetermined unwritten line This line is a description line, and if not, it is an undescribed line .

Furthermore, the prescribed line is the second line from the top where the address matters in the first column of the first copy of the removal copy are listed, and the predetermined unrecorded line is the leftmost line of the removal copy. To do.

  Since the present invention is configured to sequentially measure and compare the number of black pixels between a line and a line in the document, using the number of black pixels in the document as a sample and the number of black pixels in the document as a sample, an allowable error that occurs when a ruled line is detected. Within the range of, find a place where the number of black pixels has changed greatly, and based on the overall column structure, confirm that the condition of the undescribed column is satisfied, The effect that estimation becomes possible can be obtained.

  Specifically, taking advantage of the characteristics of the forms to be handled, the second line from the top where the address matters in the first author column are described as the description line, and the last line in the leftmost column is the undescribed line By comparing the number of black pixels in each row with the number of black pixels as a clue, the background part that should be considered white at the time of reading due to dirt, stains, wrinkles, etc. However, it will be possible to correctly estimate the description line.

  To create a certificate such as a copy of an unregistered copy, first find the outer frame of the original, cut out including the description of the margin, then find the blank frame in the center, and use the center position as the center of the output image After the arrangement, an authentication text is added. Furthermore, a message “hereinafter blank” may be added to a column that is not described.

  The present invention proposes a method in which an unedited column is estimated by applying a form estimation algorithm possessed by an automatic editing apparatus, and a “hereinafter blank” message is correctly added. The method uses the number of black pixels in the document in the document as the sample and the number of black pixels in the document as a sample, and sequentially measures and compares the number of black pixels between the columns and lines in the document, allowing the tolerance that occurs when detecting ruled lines. Find a place where the number of black pixels has changed significantly within the range of error, confirm that the condition of the undescribed column is satisfied, based on the overall column configuration, and add the “margin” message Is. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an image editing apparatus according to the present invention. This image editing apparatus is roughly divided into a reading unit 1 for reading a document, a storage unit 2 for storing the read image data, and the like, and controls the entire apparatus and edits the read image data and stores it in the storage unit. The control unit 3, the operation unit 4 operated by the operator, the display unit 5 for displaying the operation procedure and the like to the operator, and the edited image data stored in the storage unit 2 are taken out and printed on the recording paper. The recording unit 6 and a communication unit 7 that extracts edited image data stored in the storage unit 2 and transmits the image data by a transmitter or the like.

  The storage unit 2 includes an input image memory 21 that stores image data read by the reading unit 1 and an output image memory 22 that stores image data edited by the editing unit 32 of the control unit 3.

  The control unit 3 includes a main control unit 31 that receives a command from the operation unit 4 and sends a command to each unit, and an editing unit 32 that reads and edits the image data recorded in the input image memory 21 of the storage unit 2. Composed. The editing unit 32 includes a ruled line detection unit 321, a form estimation unit 322, and an image editing unit 323.

  The ruled line detection unit 321 detects ruled line information from the image data stored in the input image memory 21, and simultaneously extracts line information of the read image to automatically generate a black pixel count list for each line. The ruled line information is given by a list of the coordinates of the start and end points of the ruled line included in the image data, and the line information is information on an image existing between the ruled lines.

  The form estimation unit 322 extracts the features of the form based on the ruled line information generated by the ruled line detection unit 321 and estimates the cutout position and the like. When creating a copy, an outer frame ruled line and a central frame ruled line are extracted.

  The image editing unit 323 cuts out the outer frame portion including the description of the blank portion of the read image according to the cutout position estimated by the form estimation unit 322, and then outputs the center position from the blank frame position in the center portion. Place it so that it becomes the center. Then, an authentication sentence is added, and an unwritten line is estimated based on the black pixel number list, an unwritten column is estimated, and a message “hereinafter blank” is added.

  A case will be described in which an unregistered copy is taken as a form, and an authentication text and a message “hereinafter blank” are added thereto. FIG. 2 shows the layout of the original copy. The names and careers of household members are listed in four columns (referred to as the basic column, column 1, column 2, column 3 from the right) surrounded by an outer frame.

  First, the operator performs a desired designation with the operation unit 4 in accordance with an instruction from the display unit 5. In response to the instruction, the main control unit 31 of the control unit 3 instructs each unit to sequentially execute the following processing. The reading unit 1 reads the original removal of the layout as shown in FIG. 2 set by the operator and stores it in the input image memory 21 of the storage unit 2.

  FIG. 3 shows a layout of a certified certificate created by the image editing apparatus of the present invention from the unregistered original in FIG. In this editing procedure, first find the outer frame of the original removal, cut out including the description of the margin, then find the blank frame in the center, arrange the center position to be the center of the output image, then authenticate A sentence is added, an undescribed column is further extracted, and a message “hereinafter blank” is added.

  The reason why the text message “margin” is described is to indicate that there is no further description so that unnecessary writing is not performed in a field that is not described after the certificate is issued. Accordingly, there should be no description after the “margin” message, and it is necessary to correctly recognize the presence or absence of the description. The present invention proposes a method for correctly adding a “hereinafter marginal” message as described above.

  Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of the details of the removal copy of Fig. 2. The ruled line of the removal copy is assigned to L0, L1, L2, ... in order from the last row, and the first row number is L32. ing. The black dots in FIG. 4 indicate the characters described in the line.

  The ruled line detection unit 321 of the editing unit 32 detects the ruled line information from the image data stored in the input image memory 21, and simultaneously extracts the line information of the read image and automatically lists the black pixel count list for each line. Generate. FIG. 5 is a black pixel number list corresponding to the removal copy of FIG. 4, and is a table that summarizes the black pixel numbers for the row numbers.

  By the way, in order to prevent the description outside the column from adversely affecting the judgment of the description line, measure by excluding black pixels outside the outer frame, and removing the name column etc. as necessary Of course, this is done, but it is omitted because it is not directly related to the present invention. Also, the remarks in FIG. 4 are added for reference, and “the presence / absence of description” means the presence / absence of a black dot in FIG.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing processing in the form estimation unit 322 and the image editing unit 323. As a premise, when the ruled line detection unit 321 detects ruled lines, the number of pixels between the ruled lines is also measured at the same time. The number of black pixels per line number with the last line set to L0 and the first line set to LX (= L32) Is stored as a table.

  First, it is determined whether or not the currently processed form is the first sheet (step S1 in FIG. 6). Whether or not it is the first sheet is determined by the presence or absence of the basic column shown in FIG. If it is the first one, the black pixel number Pix [LX-1] on the second line from the top where the address information in the first column is written is regarded as the written line, and the black pixel number Pix [LX-1] is Save to internal variable PixON (step S2). In the case of the form in FIG. 2, as shown in FIG. 5, the second line from the first line is L31 and the number of black pixels is “564”.

  Next, the number of black pixels Pix [0] in the last line of the leftmost column is regarded as an undescribed column and stored in the internal variable PixOFF (step S3). In the case of the form in FIG. 2, as shown in FIG. 5, the last row L0 and the number of black pixels is “177”. Then, the internal variable L is examined for each line in the form from the last line L0 toward the first line L32 in order to check whether each line is a written line or an unwritten line (steps S4 to S7).

  In this investigation, if the difference between the number of black pixels Pix [L] on the L line and the internal variable PixOFF is 40% or more of the difference between the internal variable PixON and the internal variable PixOFF, it is considered as a description line, and if it is 40% This is done by considering it as a description line (step S5). The criterion of 40% or more is a consideration when the original is unclear due to dirt or stain. When it is determined that the line is a description line (step S5), a value obtained by adding “1” to the value (any one of 1, 2, 3) in the column including the current line L is set as the internal variable N (step S8). ) To calculate the cutout column including the description line L. In the case of the form shown in FIG. 4, the first description line is L11 and belongs to the second column, so N = 3.

  Further, by checking whether the internal variable N is equal to the number of columns (N = 4 in the case of the form in FIG. 2) (step S9), the column containing the current line L is the final column (3 columns). It is determined whether it is. As a result, if it is not the last column, it is checked whether the condition (undescribed) is satisfied in the column (the column number is large) next to the column including the current row L (step S10).

  Specifically, it is checked that the first line of the column (the column number is small) before the column including the description row including the corresponding column is a description row. If all of these conditions are satisfied, a “margin” message is added after the corresponding field and the process ends (step S12). In the case of the form shown in FIG. 2, the number of columns is 4, and the corresponding column is 2 columns (N = 3). Therefore, a “margin” message is added to the 3rd column, as shown in FIG. The certificate is completed. Even if the above conditions are not met, the “Blank” message is added (step S12), but the edited image is displayed and the operator must check the certificate. Yes.

  On the other hand, if the result of the check in step S9 is that the field containing the current line L is the last field, even if there are unlisted lines, all the fields are described (step S13), and the step “margin” message is added. It ends without doing (step S14).

  If the current line L is the first line LX in step S7, since there are no description lines in all columns, “N = 0” is set (step S11), and the column to which the first line LX belongs (N = 0). Is appended with a “following margin” message (step S12). Although it is a snake leg, if you add it as a precaution, if it is the first sheet of the form, since it is Pix [L] = PixON for line L31, it is always determined that there is a description line in step S5. The entire column is not blank. In addition, even if it is the second and subsequent sheets, if there is no description in all the columns, the operator does not create the certificate itself, so the processing of step S12 is not substantially executed.

  In the above description, the number of columns of the form is 4, but even if the number of columns covers 6 or 8 columns, it can be dealt with by basically the same procedure. In addition, the target form can be applied to the family register and the original form of the tag in the same way. Further, the present invention is not limited to the copy but also when editing a resident's form, when adding the same margin message, although the appearance is different. Can be an effective means.

1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an image editing apparatus of the present invention. Diagram showing original layout The figure which shows the layout of the certificate of the copy produced by the image editing apparatus of this invention Schematic details of the removal copy The figure which displays the black pixel number list which corresponds to the removal copy of figure 4 The flowchart which shows the process in the form estimation part and image edit part of this invention

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Reading part 2 Memory | storage part 3 Control part 4 Operation part 5 Display part 6 Recording part 7 Communication part
21 Input image memory
22 Output image memory
31 Main control unit
32 Editorial Department
321 Ruled line detector
322 Report Estimator
323 Image Editor

Claims (4)

A reading unit that reads documents such as family register copies ;
An input image memory for storing image data read by the reading unit;
A ruled line detection unit that detects ruled line information of the read image from the image data stored in the input image memory and generates a ruled line information list;
A form estimation unit that estimates the cutout position of the read image based on the ruled line information list generated by the ruled line detection unit;
In accordance with the cutout position estimated by the form estimation unit, the outer frame portion of the read image is cut out, and all the lines in the columns constituting the outer frame portion are estimated as unwritten columns, and more An image editing apparatus comprising: an image editing unit that edits an output image in which a message to the effect that there is no description is added to the unwritten field . In estimating the unrecorded column, the number of black pixels present in the outer frame portion and interspersed between adjacent ruled lines is sequentially measured and compared, and a specific description line according to the characteristics of the family register copy, etc. The image editing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an unwritten line is determined by using a clue. The difference in the number of black pixels of a black pixel number with a predetermined undescribed line of each row, such as the family register, the ratio of the difference between the number of black pixels in the predetermined undescribed rows and the number of black pixels in a predetermined described row The image editing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein if the ratio exceeds a predetermined ratio, the line of the family register copy or the like is a description line, and if the ratio is less than the predetermined ratio , the line is an undescribed line. The family register copy etc. is a copy of the registration ,
The specified line is the second line from the top where the address items in the first column of the first copy of the registered copy are listed,
The image editing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined unrecorded line is set as the leftmost line of the copy of the copy.

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