JPH0638019A - Copying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To surely designate areas in the case of extracting images by changing area positions when the area designation is overlapped with images, and similarly changing the area positions when a large member of area designations is overlapped at the copying device provided with an image editing function. CONSTITUTION:In the case of designating the edited image area at the copying device, an area synthesizing part 10 and an area position storage part 11 are newly additionally provided from an area correction part 6 to an editing work part 8. Thus, the image read by an image reading part (scanner) 1 is displayed on a display part (display) 2 and stored in an image memory 3, and the editing area is inputted to an area designating part (tablet) 4. Next, an area line from the tablet 4 is corrected by an area judge part 5 and the area correction part 6, and the first area designation is not performed at the area synthesizing part 10 but stored in the area designating position storage part 11. The area designation following to second one is performed at the synthesizing part 10, and position information from here is stored in the storage part 11. According to an editing instruction, work processing is performed at the editing work part 8 by repeating the area designation, the correction of the area line, synthesization and storage.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a copying machine having an image editing function, and more particularly to a copying machine characterized by processing for indicating an area in image editing and extracting an image in the area.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a copying apparatus, an area to be edited is specified by reading an original whose area is specified by a mark pen to detect an image in a mark line or by setting the original on a digitizer. It is also specified by the end point of a rectangle, etc. For example, when an area is designated for the copy object as shown in FIG. 26, the designated area as shown in FIG.

[0003]

However, this method is
Since there is no confirmation of the designated area and there is no means for correcting, even if the designated area is missed, the processing is performed without confirmation or correction. Further, even when a plurality of designations are made and the designated areas overlap each other, the processing for the overlapped portion is not particularly performed.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object thereof is to provide a copying apparatus capable of correcting the area designation in the area designation of an image to be edited.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a copying apparatus capable of extracting images of overlapping designated areas when area designations overlap.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a first means is a liquid crystal display which has an image editing function such as partial copying, moving and scaling of an original, and which displays a read original image. In a copying apparatus having a transparent tablet integrated with a display and a coordinate input means having a stylus pen, an area line is determined by specifying an area on the tablet on which the read original image is displayed and determining the specified area line. Means, a means for dividing the original image into blocks, an intersection judging means for judging whether or not the designated area line judged by the area line judging means intersects with a portion where the image exists, and a correction for correcting the position of the area indication. And means.

The second means determines whether the intersecting image is a character image or a picture or photographic image when the area-designated line intersects the image by the correcting means in the first means. Image type judging means and correction changing means for changing the way of correcting the position of the area designation according to the image type when the position of the area line is corrected according to the type of the image judged by the image type judging means. To do.

The third means is, in addition to the first means, means for judging an image within the area line and displaying the extracted portion on the display so that the user can easily understand the image to be edited within the area. When a plurality of designations are made and the designations are overlapped, a means for identifying the designated area and a means for extracting an image of the designated area are provided.

[0009]

In the first means, when the intersection determining means determines that the area designation intersects the image, the correcting means automatically changes the area designation to an area position where the area designation does not intersect the image. Therefore, the mistake of the area designation is corrected.

In the second means, when the intersection determination means determines that the area designation intersects with the image, the modification position changing means changes the area position according to the type of the image intersecting the area position. Is changed, so the mistake of the area designation is corrected.

According to the third means, the area to be edited is displayed, and the area specification can be confirmed even when there are a large number of area specifications and the areas are overlapped. Therefore, the area specification error is corrected.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of implementation of the present invention. It should be noted that this embodiment relates to the correction of the designated area according to the above-mentioned first means. FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing a schematic operation in the designated area correction,
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the area designation, FIGS. 4 and 5 are explanatory diagrams showing judgment as to whether or not an image exists near the area designation line, and FIGS. 6, 7, and 8 are the area designation line of FIG. Explanatory drawing showing intersection judgment of blocks, FIG. 9, FIG. 10, and FIG.
12 is an explanatory view showing the contour line tracking of the block, FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the result of the block contour line tracing, and FIG. 13 is an explanatory view showing the combination of the area designation line and the block contour lines.

In FIG. 1, the copying apparatus according to the embodiment is
An image reading unit 1, which is also called a scanner, a display unit 2, which is also called a display, an image memory 3, an area specifying unit 4 including a tablet, an area determining unit 5, an area correcting unit 6, an editing instructing unit 7, an editing processing unit 8, and an output. It is composed of a part 9 and a part 9.

In the case of processing with such a configuration, first, the image is read by the scanner 1 (step 1), and the read image is displayed on the display 2 which is integrated with the tablet (step 2). At the same time, the read image data is stored in the image memory 3. Next, the area designation of the image to be edited with respect to the image read by the stylus pen is input from the tablet 4 integrated with the display (step 3), and the position of the area designation line is detected (step 4). The detected area designating line is displayed as a line 21 on the read image 22 as shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the portion indicated by reference numeral 32 in FIG. The area determination unit 5 and the area designation unit 6 perform the processing from step 5 onward. That is, a preset range 32 around each pixel 31 of the area designating line 21 detected in step 5 is set.
It is determined whether there is image data in. Whether or not an image exists here is determined by binary image data.
It is a judgment as to whether it is a black image (1) or a white image (0). If it is a black image, it is judged that an image exists. When it is determined that the image does not exist (N in step 5)
O), it is determined in step 6 whether or not the image existence check is checked for all the pixels of the area designation line.
If not checked (N in step 6)
O), the position of the area designating line is sequentially moved by one pixel in a tracking manner, and the process returns to step 5. If it is determined in step 6 that all have been checked (YES in step 6)
S), the image data in the area designation is read from the image memory 3, and in accordance with the instruction from the editing instruction unit 7, the editing / editing unit 8 edits the read image data in the area designation, in other words, cuts out an image. Output section 9
The image which has been edited is output in step (step 7).

On the other hand, if there is image data in the judgment of step 5 (YES in step 5), the original image is divided into blocks. In the blocking method, when the original image is considered as a coordinate system, projection calculation is performed in the X direction (horizontal direction) and the Y direction (vertical direction), and respective histograms are acquired. The image is divided at the point where the value of each position point in the acquired histogram is significantly different from the value of the adjacent point (a threshold value is set in advance).
The block is divided in the X direction when it is determined based on the histogram result in the X direction and is divided in the Y direction when it is divided in the Y direction. Similarly, the projection operation is performed on the divided blocks to acquire a histogram and divide the blocks.
By repeating this process up to a certain block size, the image can be easily divided into blocks, and the original document shown in FIG. 3 is divided into blocks as shown in FIG. 6 (step 8). In the blocked area, it is assumed that all pixels are present.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the intersection of the image area 23 (hereinafter referred to as a block), which is divided into blocks, and the area designating line is judged as in step 5 (step 9). If it is determined that the block and the area designating line do not intersect (NO in step 9), whether the surroundings are block areas for all positions of the area designating line as in the process of step 6 Is judged (step 10). If it is determined that all are not checked (NO in step 10), the position of the area designation line is sequentially moved by one pixel in a tracking manner, and the process returns to step 9. If it is determined that all are checked (YES in step 10), the process proceeds to step 13.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step 9 that the area designating line intersects the block (YES in step 9), the contour line of the block is detected. That is, it is determined whether or not the contour line detection of the blocks intersected in step 11 is executed once, and if the contour line is detected (YES in step 11), step 10
If the contour line is not detected (step 1
(NO in 1), after detecting the contour line of the intersecting block (step 12), the process proceeds to step 10.

The detection of the contour line in step 12 is performed by detecting the pixels of the area designating line which are determined to intersect (reference numeral 3 in FIG. 8).
From 1), follow the point 42 in which a pixel of the block exists in a certain direction (reference numeral 41 in FIG. 8), and regard the point 43 immediately before the point 44 where the pixel of the block disappears as one point of the outline of the block. . Then, the point 43 regarded as one point of the contour line of the block is set as the detection start point, and the coordinate value of this point is stored. Next, one pixel on the contour line is set as a target pixel, and pixels connected to the target pixel are sequentially examined.

The method for checking the connection with the pixel of interest is to look at 8 neighboring pixels (1 to 8) with respect to the pixel of interest p as shown in FIG. 9 one by one counterclockwise as shown in FIG. The point at which the pixel first exists is a connected pixel with the pixel of interest. Next, the detected connected pixel is set as the pixel of interest p, and 8 neighboring pixels are sequentially examined. At this time, the position of the first pixel for checking whether it is a connected pixel is 1 of the position of the preceding pixel of interest.
It is the next position. However, the order of checking the connection of the tracking start points is from the position 3 in FIG. For example, if there are contour lines (p1, p2, p3, p4 ...) As shown in FIG. 11 and the tracking start point is p1, the position of the tracking start point p1 becomes p in FIG. On the other hand, if the connection is examined from the position of 3, and then 4 and 5 are sequentially examined, p2 can be detected at the position of 5. Next, p2 is set as the target pixel p, and the position of the immediately preceding target pixel p1 is 1 in FIG. 9. Therefore, when the connection is examined from the position 2 next to this position, the position p becomes 4
3 can be detected. The point detected in this way is stored as the contour line of the block. Repeat this process,
Each time one connected pixel is detected, it is checked whether or not the stored contour start detection point (coordinate of p1) and the coordinate value are equal, and if they are equal, the detection is ended. In this way, the outline of the block (FIG. 12) can be detected (step 12). After detecting the contour line of the block, the position of the area designation line stored in step 9 is moved by one and the same processing is performed again. If it is determined in step 10 that all the area designating lines have been checked, the area designating line, the area designating line, and the contour of each block intersecting the area designating are combined. The combining method is the same as the method of detecting the contour line, and the two data of the region designation line and the contour line of each block are used as an image to detect the contour line by the above-described contour line detection method, and as shown in FIG. The area designation line is corrected.

Next, a second embodiment will be described. This second embodiment corresponds to the above-mentioned second means,
In the determination of the intersection of the area line and the block in step 9 of FIG. 1, the correction method of the area designation line is changed depending on the type of the image of the intersecting block. 14
Is a flowchart for explaining the schematic operation of one embodiment of the designated area correction method according to the present invention of the second means, in which the front area line correction method is changed according to the type of image (only text, picture, photograph). The processing procedure at this time is shown.

In this process, step 1 to step 1
Up to 0, the same processing as the processing shown in FIG. 2 is performed.
When it is determined that there is an intersection with the block in the intersection determination processing of the area designation line and the block in step 9 (YES in step 9), the image type of the intersecting block is determined (step 11). There are two types of images, characters, pictures, and photographs. When it is determined that the character is a character, the area designation is corrected in the same manner as the above processing (from step 12 to step 13, step 10). If it is determined to be a picture or an image, the area designating line is not corrected and the area is left as it is. For example, when the area designation 61 is performed on a document in which characters 62 and pictures 63 are mixed as shown in FIG.
When the block intersecting the area designating line is a character image, the area line is corrected as shown in FIG. 16A, and when the block is a picture or photograph, the area designating is performed as shown in FIG. 16B. By not modifying the line as specified, the area designating line can be modified by changing the modification method according to the type of image. Next, a third embodiment will be described. This embodiment corresponds to the third means described above, and relates to a method of extracting an image in an area when a plurality of area designations are designated and they overlap.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing an outline of an image extracting method in a designated area according to the third embodiment, FIG. 18, and FIG.
9, FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the image extraction method in the designated area, FIG. 21, FIG. 22, FIG. 23, FIG. 24, FIG.
26 and 27 are explanatory views showing the process of calculating the area of the designated area when the area designation is multiplexed.

This embodiment is different from the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in that an area composition section 10 and an area position storage section 11 are provided between the area correction section 6 and the editing / processing section. , And other parts are the same as those in the first embodiment. In such a configuration, the image read by the scanner 1 is displayed on the display 2 which is integrated with the tablet, and at the same time, the image data is stored in the image memory 3. An area to be edited with respect to the read image is designated by a stylus pen from the tablet 4 which is integrated with the display. The area line input from the tablet is displayed overlapping the image read on the display, and the position of the area designation line is detected. The area determination unit 5 and the area correction unit 6 correct the area designation line as described above. The first time area designation is stored in the area designation position storage section 11 without performing synthesis in the area synthesis section 10. For the second and subsequent area designations, after the correction, the area line position that has been designated and modified last time is read from the area position storage unit 8 and the area composition unit 10 combines the areas, and the position information of the combined area is used as the area position. Memory 1
1, and the area designation, area line correction, composition, and storage are repeated. Then, when the edit instruction is input in the edit instruction unit 8, acceptance of the area designation is prohibited, the synthesis result of the area designation is read from the area position storage unit 11, and the image read from the scanner 1 is read from the image memory 3. The edit processing unit 7 performs edit processing on the read image data according to the edit instruction on the image data in the image area, and then outputs the output data at the output unit 9.

The determination as to whether the image is within the designated area will be described with reference to FIGS. First, a judgment area (reference numeral 72 in FIG. 18) for judging whether or not it is within the designated area is defined. First, the maximum and minimum of the Y coordinate value of the area designating line (reference numeral 78 in FIG. 19) are obtained. The range from the minimum to the maximum of the obtained Y coordinate value (reference numeral 71) is set as the determination area in the Y direction. The determination area in the X direction is a point that is a detected area designation line of each line by detecting a point where the area designation line 78 exists in each line 73 in the X direction with respect to the area designation line 78 as shown in FIG. (74, 75, 76, 77), the range from the maximum value 77 to the minimum value 74 of the X coordinate value is set as the determination area for the line, and the determination area in the X direction is set for each line.

When it is determined whether the pixel is within the designated area, the pixel 80 shown by the square in FIG. 19 is first set as the pixel within the initially designated area. The pixels 80 in the initial setting designation area are
In each one line (vertical one line) in the Y direction, the Y coordinate of the pixel of the area designation line is a pixel whose value is one larger than the coordinate value of the pixel 79 which is the minimum value. However, the pixel in the designated area is the judgment area 7
It is supposed to be in 2. Set the judgment area 72 to the X-direction line 2
One pixel is detected in the X direction from the position 81 having the minimum X coordinate of the line, and when the determination region in the X direction is finished, the X direction line is advanced by one line. In this way, the judgment areas are sequentially detected. As shown in FIG. 20, the detection is performed by examining the pixel pU one above the pixel of interest p and the pixel pL one to the left of the pixel of interest p, and as shown in (a) to (c) of FIG. When any one of the pixels is a pixel in the designated area, it is regarded as a pixel in the designated area. When the pixels at the positions of pU and pL are within the specified region, the pixel pO on the upper left is further examined, and the pixel at the position of pO is within the specified region as shown in (d) and (e) of FIG. If the pixel is not a pixel in the designated area or is a pixel on the area designation line, p is set as a pixel in the designated area.

A plurality of areas are designated and the area range when the areas are overlapped will be described with reference to FIGS. 21 to 25. First, as shown in FIG. 21, all the values as the positions within the area designated at the beginning are set to 1 (positions having a value of 1 in the drawing are displayed as vertical lines). This result is displayed on the display so that it can be seen that it is within the area designation. The next area instruction (reference numeral 91 in FIG. 22) output is
All 1's as well as the value of the position in the area designated at the beginning
To As shown in FIG. 27, the values in the first designated area and the second designated area are set at the same coordinate position, and the value of the vertical line portion as shown in FIG. , The result of setting the white background to 0 is obtained. By repeating this processing, it is possible to perform composition of area designation (FIG. 2).
4). The value of the area position synthesized by the above processing is stored as 1, and the other positions are stored as 0.
The value of the position indicating the inside of the area designation thus obtained is 1
By setting a pixel as an object to be edited, it is possible to cut out an image within the area designation even when a plurality of intersecting areas are designated.

[0029]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the invention, the area line determining means for specifying the area on the tablet on which the read original image is displayed and for judging the specified area line. A means for dividing the document image into blocks, an intersection judging means for judging whether or not the designated area line judged by the area line judging means intersects with a portion where the image exists, and a correcting means for correcting the position of the area indication. According to the invention described above, when it is determined by the intersection determination means that the area designation intersects with the image,
The area position can be automatically corrected by the correction means so that the images do not intersect.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the correcting means determines whether the intersected image is a character image, a picture or a photographic image when the area-designated line intersects the image. Since the type determining means and the correction changing means for changing the way of correcting the position of the area indication when the position of the area line is corrected by the type of the image judged by the image kind judging means The area position can be automatically corrected according to the type of.

According to the third aspect of the invention, means for judging the image within the area line and displaying the extracted portion on the display so that the image within the area to be edited is easy for the user to understand.
When a plurality of areas are designated and overlapped, a means for identifying the designated area and a means for extracting an image of the designated area are further provided. Therefore, even if the areas are designated, the image in the area designation can be extracted. You can do it.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration for executing correction of a designated area according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a schematic operation in the configuration of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an area instruction for a read document.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of detecting intersection of an area indicating line and an image.

5 is an explanatory diagram showing details of the detection method of FIG.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing blocking.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of detecting a contour line of a block that intersects with a region designating line.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing details of the detection method of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing the vicinity of a target pixel for detecting a contour line of a block.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an order of detecting neighboring pixels for detecting a contour line.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing detection of a contour line.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing a detection result of a contour line.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a result of combining a contour line and a region designating line.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing an operation in the case of changing the correction method for the area indication line correction depending on the type of image.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing a region instruction.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing a result of correcting an area indicating line according to an image type.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration for performing extraction of an image within a region indicating line.

FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram showing a detection range for extracting an image within a region indicating line.

FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram showing a detection order.

FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram showing a detection method.

FIG. 21 is an explanatory diagram showing a region instruction.

FIG. 22 is an explanatory diagram showing a region instruction.

FIG. 23 is an explanatory diagram showing a result when area designations overlap.

FIG. 24 is an explanatory diagram showing a result when area designations overlap.

FIG. 25 is an explanatory diagram showing a processing method when area designations overlap.

FIG. 26 is an explanatory diagram showing a conventional area instruction for a read document.

FIG. 27 is an explanatory diagram showing an image of a designated area in FIG. 26.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 image reading section 2 display section 3 image memory 4 area designation section 5 area determination section 6 area correction section 7 editing instruction section 8 editing processing section 9 output section 10 area synthesis section 11 area position storage section 21 area designation line 22 read image 23 Image after block formation 31 Pixel of area designation line 32 Setting range 41 Constant direction 42 Point where pixel exists 43 Point to be contour line 44 Point where pixel is gone 61 Area designation line 62 Character image part 63 Picture, photo image part 71 Y direction area judgment range 72 Judgment area 73 X direction line 74 Area designation line Minimum X coordinate value 75 Area designation line 76 Area designation line 77 Area designation line Maximum X coordinate value 78 Area designation line 79 Within the initial setting designation area Pixel 80 Pixel in designated area 81 Detection start point 91 Area designation line

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A coordinate input means having a liquid crystal display having an image editing function such as partial copying, moving and scaling of an original, and displaying a read original image, and a transparent tablet and a stylus pen integrated with the display. In the provided copying apparatus, the area line determination means for designating an area on the tablet on which the read original image is displayed and determining the designated area line, the means for dividing the original image into blocks, and the area line determination means A copying apparatus comprising: an intersection determination means for determining whether or not the determined designated area line intersects with a portion where an image exists, and a correction means for correcting the position of the area indication. 2. The correcting means, if the line designated by the area intersects with the image, the intersecting image is a character image or a picture,
Image type determination means for determining whether the image is a photo,
Depending on the type of image judged by the image type judgment means,
2. The copying apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a modification changing unit that modifies a method of modifying the position of the area designation according to the image type when modifying the position of the area line. 3. A means for determining an image within a region line and displaying an extracted portion on a display so that an image to be edited within the region can be easily understood by a user, and when a plurality of region designations are performed, the designated region is overlapped. The copying apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a unit for identifying the image and a unit for extracting the image of the designated area.