JP4983610B2 - Image processing device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus that extracts a difference between original image data and corrected image data.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, document data has been widely created using a document creation application installed in a personal computer (PC). The creator of document data may check the contents of the created document data using a printed document on which the document data is printed. Specifically, the creator checks the document data by confirming the contents of the print document and directly writing the correction contents in the print document.

  In addition, when the document data is corrected, the creator needs to visually confirm all the correction contents written in the print document. If the creator overlooks the correction content written in the print document, the correction content written on the printing paper is not reflected in the document data. Therefore, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses an image processing apparatus that extracts a difference between a print document on which original data is printed and the original data.

  The image processing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 stores original data created by a scanner reading a document in a database in association with identification information. The original data is printed as a copy document with a barcode indicating identification information added thereto. The image processing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 extracts a barcode from detection target document data created by reading a copy document, and acquires identification information from the barcode. Difference processing is performed by comparing the detection target image data and the original data specified by the identification information in units of pixels.

JP-A-2005-64786

  As described above, the image processing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 prints original data to which a barcode is added. Also, the conventional image processing apparatus may reduce the original data when adding a barcode to the original data. This is to prevent a copy document from being created when the original data and the barcode are overlapped.

  However, when a copy original is created from the reduced original data, the following problem occurs. In the difference processing, it is necessary to match the size and resolution of the original data in the detection target image data with the size and resolution of the original data specified by the identification information. The image processing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 cannot acquire the correct value of the size and resolution of the original data in the detection target image data. As a result, the image processing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a problem that it is difficult to accurately extract the difference between the original data in the detection target image data and the original data specified by the identification information. .

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus capable of accurately extracting a difference between original image data and changed image data.

In order to solve the above-described problem, the invention according to claim 1 is an image processing apparatus that stores image data to be printed as original image data in a storage unit, and creates setting information related to the size change of the image data, A size changing unit for generating size-changed image data from the image data based on setting information; an attribute information generating unit for generating attribute information having the setting information and identification information for identifying the original image data; An image composition unit that composes the size-changed image data and the attribute information to create output image data, a printing unit that prints the output image data on a print sheet, and a print on which the output image data is printed A scanner unit that scans paper and creates scan image data; and attribute information is extracted from the scan image data, and the attribute information is extracted from the extracted attribute information. The attribute information extraction unit that acquires the different information and the setting information, the data acquisition unit that acquires the original image data stored in the storage unit based on the acquired identification information, and the acquired setting information And a difference extraction unit that adjusts the size of the acquired original image data and the size of the scanned image data and extracts a difference between the original image data and the scanned image data. To do.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image processing apparatus according to the first aspect, the attribute information creating unit creates a two-dimensional code in which the identification information and the setting information are recorded as the attribute information. A creation unit.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image processing apparatus according to the first or second aspect , the difference extraction unit includes an attribute information deletion unit that deletes the attribute information from the scanned image data, and the difference The extraction unit extracts a difference between the scanned image data from which the attribute information has been deleted and the original image data.

  The image processing apparatus according to the present invention prints the identification information of the image data and the setting information regarding the size change of the image data on the printing paper together with the resized image data whose size has been changed. Therefore, when the image processing apparatus according to the present invention extracts the difference between the image data and the scan image data created by reading the printing paper, the image data parameter and the scan image data parameter are set as the setting information. Can be easily matched. Therefore, the image processing apparatus according to the present invention can accurately extract the difference between the image data and the scanned image data.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, a network multifunction peripheral will be described as an example of the image processing apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a network system including the configuration of the network multifunction peripheral 1 according to the present embodiment.

  The network system shown in FIG. 1 has a configuration in which a network multifunction device 1, personal computers (PCs) 2 and 2, and a file server 3 are connected to a local area network (LAN) 4.

  The network multifunction device 1 is a multi-function device having a copy function, a printer function, a scanner function, a facsimile (FAX) function, an Internet FAX (I-FAX) function, and the like. PCs 2 and 2 are terminal devices used by the user. The user can use the printer function, FAX function, or I-FAX function of the network multifunction peripheral 1 by operating the PCs 2 and 2. The file server 3 stores the original image data 52 based on an instruction from the network multifunction device 1. The LAN 4 is provided with a router (not shown) for connecting to the Internet or another LAN.

  Next, the configuration of the network multifunction device 1 will be described. The network multifunction device 1 includes a control unit 11, an operation unit 12, a touch panel display 13, a printer unit 14, a scanner unit 15, a FAX unit 16, an I-FAX unit 17, and a communication unit 18. .

  The control unit 11 includes a data management unit 111, a code processing unit 112, an image processing unit 113, a difference extraction unit 114, a microprocessor (not shown), and a main memory (not shown). The microprocessor performs overall control of the network multifunction device 1.

  The operation unit 12 includes a hardware key for inputting various instructions to the network MFP 1. The touch panel display 13 displays information related to the network multifunction peripheral 1 and various operation menus. A user can perform various operations of the network multifunction peripheral 1 using the operation unit 12 and the touch panel display 13.

  The printer unit 14 prints the output image data 57 created by the image processing unit 113 and outputs it as a print document 71. The scanner unit 15 reads a print document 72 set in an auto document feeder (not shown), and creates scan data 61 including scan image data 611, 612,... Corresponding to each page of the print document 72. . The print document 72 is a document in which new information is added to the print document 71 by the user.

  The FAX unit 16 performs facsimile communication via a public line network (not shown). The I-FAX unit 17 performs I-FAX transmission / reception via the communication unit 18. The communication unit 18 transmits / receives data to / from each computer connected to the LAN 4 or the Internet using a protocol such as TCP / IP.

  Next, each functional unit included in the control unit 11 will be described. In response to the print instruction transmitted from the PC 2, the data management unit 111 rasterizes the print data 51 to create original image data 52. The original image data 52 is transferred to the image processing unit 113 and stored in the file server 3. At this time, the data management unit 111 creates storage destination information 53 indicating the storage destination of the original image data 52. In addition, the data management unit 111 acquires the original image data 52 based on the storage destination information 63 acquired by the code processing unit 112.

  The print data 51 is data obtained by converting text data stored in the PC 2 into PDL (Page Description Language) data by a printer driver installed in the PC 2.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the original image data 52. The original image data 52 includes page data 521, 522, and 523. The page data 521, 522, and 523 correspond to the first, second, and third pages of the print data 51, respectively. As shown in FIG. 2, the vertical size of the page data 521, 522, and 523 is a1, and the horizontal size is b1.

  The storage destination information 53 and 63 is information that can uniquely specify the original image data 52 stored in the file server 3. For example, the storage destination information 53 and 63 is described based on a format such as a URL (Uniform Resource Locator).

  The code processing unit 112 creates a two-dimensional code 55 in which the storage destination information 53 and the size setting information 54 created by the image processing unit 113 are recorded. As the two-dimensional code 55, for example, a QR code (registered trademark) can be used. The code processing unit 112 may create a one-dimensional code (bar code) instead of the two-dimensional code 55.

  In addition, the code processing unit 112 extracts the two-dimensional code 55 from the scanned image data 611 corresponding to the first page of the print document 72 and acquires the region information 62. The area information 62 is information indicating an area where the two-dimensional code 55 is arranged in the scan image data 611. The code processing unit 112 acquires storage location information 63 and size setting information 64 from the extracted two-dimensional code 55. The storage destination information 63 is information indicating a storage destination of the original image data 52 corresponding to the print document 72. The size setting information 64 is information used when creating difference reference data described later.

  The image processing unit 113 creates the size setting information 54 based on the original image data 52 and the type information indicating the type of printing paper (A4, B5, etc.). The type information is transmitted from the PC 2 together with a print instruction. Based on the size setting information 54, the image processing unit 113 creates page data 561 obtained by reducing the page data 521 in the original image data 52. The size setting information 54 is information in which the resolution, vertical size, horizontal size, and the like of the page data 561 are recorded. In addition, the image processing unit 113 creates output image data 57 from the reduced image data composed of the page data 561, 522, and 523 and the two-dimensional code 55 created by the code processing unit 112.

  The difference extraction unit 114 deletes the two-dimensional code 55 from the scan image data 611 of the scan data 61 based on the region information 62. The difference extraction unit 114 creates difference reference data from the original image data 52 acquired by the data management unit 111 based on the size setting information 64. The configuration of the difference reference data is the same as that of the reduced image data. Then, the difference between the difference reference data and the scan data 61 is extracted, and difference data 65 is created.

  Hereinafter, the operation of the network MFP 1 having the above-described configuration will be described. Here, the operation of the network multifunction peripheral 1 in the print processing of the print data 51 will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation flow of the network multifunction device 1 in the print processing of the print data 51.

  First, the user operates the PC 2 to specify text data to be printed and a type of printing paper. The printer driver of the PC 2 converts the text data into PDL data and creates print data 51. The print data 51 and the type information are transmitted from the PC 2 to the network multifunction device 1 together with a print instruction.

  The control unit 11 of the network MFP 1 receives the print instruction via the communication unit 18 (Yes in step S11), and starts the print processing of the print data 51. Specifically, the data management unit 111 rasterizes the print data 51 transmitted from the PC 2 to create original image data 52 (step S12). The data management unit 111 stores the original image data 52 in the file server 3 and creates storage destination information 53 indicating the storage destination of the original image data 52 (step S13). The original image data 52 is passed to the image processing unit 113, and the storage destination information 53 is passed to the code processing unit 112.

  Next, the image processing unit 113 creates the size setting information 54 based on the type information transmitted from the PC 2 (step S14). Specifically, size information indicating the vertical size and horizontal size of the page data 561 is determined in advance according to the paper type. The page data 561 is created by reducing the page data 521. The image processing unit 113 determines the resolution of the page data 561 and the reduction ratio of the page data 561 with respect to the page data 521 based on the size information corresponding to the type information and the vertical size and horizontal size of the page data 521. decide. In the size setting information 54, the resolution, the reduction ratio, the vertical size, and the horizontal size of the page data 561 are recorded. Further, the image processing unit 113 reduces the page data 521 of the original image data 52 based on the created size setting information 54 and creates page data 561. Then, reduced image data composed of page data 561, 522, and 523 is created (step S15).

  Next, the code processing unit 112 creates a two-dimensional code 55 in which the storage destination information 53 created by the data management unit 111 and the size setting information 54 created by the image processing unit 113 are recorded (step S16). The image processing unit 113 creates output image data 57 from the reduced image data and the two-dimensional code 55 created by the code processing unit 112 (step S17). The output image data 57 is printed by the printer unit 14 (step S18) and output as a print document 71.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing output image data 57 created from the original image data 52 shown in FIG. The page data 571, 572, and 573 of the output image data 57 correspond to the page data 521, 522, and 523 of the original image data 52, respectively. In the page data 571, the page data 561 and the two-dimensional code 55 are combined without overlapping. The page data 561 has a vertical size of a2 and a horizontal size of b2. Here, a1> a2 and b1> b2. The page data 522 and 523 of the original image data 52 are page data 572 and 573 of the output image data 57, respectively. That is, when the output image data 57 is created, image processing is not performed on the page data 522 and 523 of the original image data 52.

  As described above, the image processing unit 113 determines the vertical size and the horizontal size of the page data 561 according to the paper type, thereby arranging the two-dimensional code 55 in the margin of the page data 561. Yes.

  Note that the same processing as the printing processing of the print data 51 described above is performed when printing the FAX data received by the FAX unit 16 or the attached file of the e-mail received by the I-FAX unit 17. In this case, when the FAX unit 16 receives FAX data or when the I-FAX unit 17 receives an e-mail, the processes shown in Steps S12 to S18 are performed.

  Next, the operation of the network multifunction device 1 in the difference extraction process will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation flow of the network multifunction peripheral 1 in the difference extraction process.

  First, the user creates new print document 72 by adding new information to print document 71 by handwriting or the like. The print document 72 is set in an auto document feeder (not shown) of the scanner unit 15. The user operates the operation unit 12 or the touch panel display 13 to set the difference extraction process for the print document 72.

  After setting the difference extraction process, the user operates the operation unit 12 or the touch panel display 13 to input a scan start instruction. Based on an instruction to start scanning (Yes in step S21), the scanner unit 15 reads each page of the print document 72 and creates scan data 61 (step S22).

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of the scan data 61 created from the print document 72. The scan data 61 shown in FIG. 6 corresponds to the output image data 57 shown in FIG. The scan data 61 includes scan image data 611, 612, and 613 corresponding to the first, second, and third pages of the print document 72, respectively. It can be seen that information added by handwriting by the user is recorded in the area 721 of the scan image data 611 and the area 722 of the scan image data 612.

  Next, the code processing unit 112 extracts the two-dimensional code 55 from the scanned image data 611, and acquires area information 62 of the two-dimensional code 55 (step S23). The code processing unit 112 analyzes the two-dimensional code 55 and acquires the storage destination information 63 and the size setting information 64 (step S24). The data management unit 111 acquires the original image data 52 corresponding to the print document 72 based on the storage destination information 63 acquired by the code processing unit 112 (step S25).

  Next, the difference extraction unit 114 creates difference reference data from the original image data 52 acquired by the data management unit 111 (step S26). Specifically, the difference reference data is created by reducing the page data 521 of the original image data 52 based on the size setting information 64 acquired by the code processing unit 112. The reduction process for the page data 522 and 523 of the original image data 52 is not performed. That is, the difference reference data is created in the same procedure as the process (step S15) when the reduced image data is created, and the difference reference data and the reduced image data are the same data. Further, based on the region information 62, the difference extraction unit 114 paints the two-dimensional code 55 in the scan image data 611 white, and deletes the two-dimensional code 55 from the scan image data 611 (step S27).

  The difference extraction unit 114 aligns each page data of the difference reference data and each page data of the scan data 61. Then, the difference extraction unit 114 extracts the difference between the difference reference data and the scan data 61, and creates the difference data 65 (step S28). Specifically, the difference extraction unit 114 performs an X-OR (exclusive OR) process for each pixel corresponding to each page data of the difference reference data and each page data of the scan data 61 to obtain the difference data 65. create. The difference data 65 is printed by the printer unit 14 (step S29).

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing difference data 65 indicating the result of the difference extraction process for the print document 72. The page data 651, 652, and 653 of the difference data 65 correspond to the scan image data 611, 612, and 613 of the scan data 61. It can be seen that information newly added by the user is extracted from the page data 651 and 652 of the difference data 65. Further, since the two-dimensional code 55 is deleted from the scanned image data 611, the area 551 in which the two-dimensional code 55 is arranged in the page data 651 is in a white state.

  As described above, the network multifunction peripheral 1 according to the present embodiment combines the two-dimensional code 55 in which the storage destination information 53 and the size setting information 54 are recorded with the original image data 52 in the printing process, and prints it. A document 71 is created. Therefore, the network multifunction peripheral 1 can easily match the resolution and size of each page data of the difference reference data and the scan data 61 by analyzing the two-dimensional code 55 in the scan image data 611 in the difference extraction process. Can do. Therefore, the network MFP 1 can accurately extract the difference between each page data of the scan data 61 and each page data of the original image data 52.

  In the present embodiment, the case where the print data 51 is PDL data has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the print data 51 may be raster data. In this case, the image processing unit 113 may create the output image data 57 from the print data 51 and the two-dimensional code 55.

  In the present embodiment, the case where the difference data 65 is printed has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the difference extraction unit 114 may store the difference data 65 in association with the original image data 52.

  In the present embodiment, the case where the difference extraction unit 114 creates difference reference data from the original image data 52 has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the difference extraction unit 114 may use the original image data 52 as the difference reference data as it is. That is, the difference extraction unit 114 may use the size setting information 64 to match the area corresponding to the page data 651 in the scanned image data 611 with the resolution, the vertical size, and the horizontal size of the page data 521. Good.

  In this embodiment, the case where the two-dimensional code 55 is printed on the first page of the print document 71 has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the two-dimensional code 55 may be printed on all pages of the print document 71. In this case, reduced image data and difference reference data are created by performing reduction processing on all page data of the original image data 52. Further, the two-dimensional code 55 is deleted from all the page data of the scan data 61.

  In the present embodiment, the case where the original image data 52 is stored in the file server 3 has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the network multifunction device 1 may include a storage unit configured by a hard disk device or the like. In this case, the data management unit 111 may store the original image data 52 in the storage unit.

1 is a configuration diagram of a network system including a configuration of a network multifunction peripheral according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the original image data printed on a printing paper. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a network multifunction peripheral in print processing. It is a figure which shows the output image data produced based on the original image data shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the network multifunction device in a difference extraction process. It is a figure which shows an example of scan data. It is a figure which shows an example of difference data.

Explanation of symbols

1 Network MFP 2 Personal Computer (PC)
3 File Server 11 Control Unit 12 Operation Unit 13 Touch Panel Display 14 Printer Unit 15 Scanner Unit 16 FAX Unit 17 I-FAX Unit 111 Data Management Unit 112 Code Processing Unit 113 Image Processing Unit 114 Difference Extraction Unit

Claims (3)

An image processing apparatus for storing image data to be printed as original image data in a storage unit,
Creating setting information relating to the size change of the image data, and a size changing unit for creating size-changed image data from the image data based on the setting information;
An attribute information creating unit that creates attribute information having the setting information and identification information for identifying the original image data;
Combining the size-changed image data and the attribute information to create output image data; and
A printing unit for printing the output image data on a printing paper;
A scanner unit that reads the printing paper on which the output image data is printed and creates scan image data;
An attribute information extracting unit that extracts attribute information from the scanned image data, and acquires the identification information and the setting information from the extracted attribute information;
A data acquisition unit that acquires the original image data stored in the storage unit based on the acquired identification information;
A difference extraction unit that adjusts the size of the acquired original image data and the size of the scanned image data based on the acquired setting information, and extracts a difference between the original image data and the scanned image data;
An image processing apparatus comprising: The image processing apparatus according to claim 1.
The attribute information creation unit
A code creation unit for creating a two-dimensional code in which the identification information and the setting information are recorded as the attribute information;
An image processing apparatus comprising: The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 ,
The difference extraction unit
An attribute information deletion unit for deleting the attribute information from the scanned image data;
Including
The difference extraction unit extracts a difference between the scanned image data from which the attribute information has been deleted and the original image data.

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