JPH0670167A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily obtain an image which has required density or color balance partially by providing a changing means to change the image density inside or outside an area designated by a designating means. CONSTITUTION:A main body operating part 1 is provided with the designating means 2 to designate the arbitrary area partially on an image (original). Besides, an image control part 3 to execute image processing is provided with an adjusting means 4 to adjust the image density and the changing means 5 to change the image density inside or outside the area designated by the designating means 2. Further, the input part (reader part) 6 of the original image and the output part 7 of the processed image are provided. The adjusting means of the image density is provided in this way, and the image density inside or outside the designated area is changed by the changing means 5. Accordingly, the image density inside or outside the designated area can be changed into the prescribed density.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a digital electrophotographic copying machine or printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a digital electrophotographic copying machine, when adjusting the density or color balance, an output signal for adjustment is normally converted by a linear expression with respect to a set input signal. There are several types in the memory of the main body. Then, select a predetermined conversion formula according to the density or color balance setting value specified on the main body operation unit,
Image processing is performed based on the conversion formula.

In addition, for example, when changing the image processing contents of only a part of the original, the area is designated by the main body operation section, and the divided areas are changed in color, filled, trimmed, masked, etc. Is being processed.

[0004]

However, in the conventional image forming apparatus as described above, it is possible to change the color or fill only a part of the image, but to change the density partially. , I couldn't change the color balance.

For this reason, for example, the density of the photograph of the original document may be the same, but the density of the character portion is a little lower, or when copying two or more photographs, it is desired to change the color balance of only one photograph. However, there is a problem in that it is not possible to deal with such cases, and it is not possible to partially obtain an image having a desired density or color balance.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of easily obtaining an image partially having a desired density or color balance. I am trying.

[0007]

An image forming apparatus according to the present invention comprises adjusting means for adjusting image density, specifying means for specifying an arbitrary area on an image, and image density inside or outside the specified area. And a changing means for changing.

[0008] Further, it is provided with an adjusting means for adjusting the color balance of the image, a specifying means for specifying an arbitrary area on the image, and a changing means for changing the color balance inside or outside the specified area. Is.

[0009]

In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the image density adjusting means is provided, and the image density inside or outside the designated area is changed by the changing means.

A color balance adjusting means is also provided, and the color balance inside or outside the designated area is changed by the changing means.

[0011]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which an electrophotographic copying machine for performing digital image processing is shown. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a main body operation unit, which is provided with a designation means 2 for partially designating an arbitrary area on an image (original).

An image control unit 3 for performing image processing is provided with an adjusting unit 4 for adjusting the image density and a changing unit 5 for changing the image density inside or outside the area designated by the designating unit 2. ing. Reference numeral 6 is an original image input unit (reader unit), and 7 is a processed image output unit.

Next, the operation will be described. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of one embodiment. First, after the copy start (START), the document image is read by the reader unit, and the read analog signal is converted into a digital signal by A /
D conversion is performed and image reading processing is performed (step S1).

Next, the A / D-converted image signal is processed by the image control unit 3. At this time, first, whether there is an area designated by the designation means 2 of the main body operation unit 1, that is, whether there is partial processing. Confirm whether or not (step S2). Then, if there is partial processing, the cut portion of the area is confirmed, and image processing in the designated mode is performed (step S
3). That is, the set density of the area portion is, for example, F9.
If so, the density in the area is set to F9, and the image processing is performed in the area other than the area with the normal density of F5.

If there is no partial processing in step S2, normal image processing is performed (step S4). When the image processing is completed, the processed image is output (step S
5) Then, the copy operation ends (END).

As a method of designating the density in the area, for example, an item "density" is provided in the selection section of the partial processing on the operation panel, the density in the area is designated here, and then the area is designated. The range should be specified. The other areas are set by the density lever on the operation panel.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the relationship between the digital input value (0 to FF) and the output value (0 to FF) for designating the density. As described above, the conversion of these signals is performed by a linear equation, and the densities from F1 to F9 can be set.

In this way, the image density inside or outside the designated area can be changed to a predetermined density. Therefore, it is possible to easily obtain an image in which the density is partially changed to the desired density.

In the above embodiment, the case where the image density is partially changed has been described, but it is also possible to perform the process so as to partially change the color balance. In this case, the adjusting unit 4 in FIG. 1 is used as an adjusting unit for adjusting the color balance of the image, and the changing unit 5 is used as a changing unit for changing the color balance inside or outside the area designated by the designating unit 2.

Then, the color balance within the area designation can be changed so as to be different from other areas. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a relationship between an input value and an output value in the color balance adjustment, and here, an example of converting the color balance of 9 steps of 4 to -4 by a linear expression is shown.

In addition to the above-described embodiment, for example, automatic density adjustment (AE) and automatic color balance adjustment (BE) can be performed only within the area designated range, and conversely, only outside the area designated range. It is also possible to perform processing.

As described above, the density can be changed only in the area designation range, and at the same time, even if there are different photographs in the same image, only one area can be designated and the color balance adjustment can be changed. Further, it is also possible to skip the background of an original document partially having the background by processing such as AE and BE.

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily obtain an image having a partially desired density or an image having a partially desired color balance.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of one embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between an input value and an output value in density adjustment.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between an input value and an output value in color balance adjustment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 main body operation unit 2 designating unit 3 image control unit 4 adjusting unit 5 changing unit

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An adjusting means for adjusting the image density, a specifying means for specifying an arbitrary area on an image, and a changing means for changing the image density inside or outside the specified area. Image forming apparatus. 2. An adjusting means for adjusting the color balance of the image, a specifying means for specifying an arbitrary area on the image, and a changing means for changing the color balance inside or outside the specified area. An image forming apparatus characterized by.