JPH07184044A - Image processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform the variable power processing with a proper variable power rate to prevent the image in input picture data from being larger than the output image size. CONSTITUTION:Inputted image data is stored in an image memory 204. A CPU 207 recognizes the image position from stored image data and detects corner positions of the recognized area. The CPU calculates and sets the variable power rate based on the image area size and the output image size after obtaining the image area size in accordance with corner positions. Input image data is outputted from a printer part 205 after being subjected to the variable power processing with the set variable power rate.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus,
In particular, the present invention relates to an image processing apparatus that performs scaling processing on input image data and outputs the image data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Heretofore, a digital copying machine has been known as an image processing apparatus for performing a scaling process on image data input from a scanner or the like and outputting the image data. When performing the scaling process with this digital copying machine, the operator sets the scaling factor from the operation unit and then presses the start button. By this operation, the digital copying machine reads the original image data, performs a scaling process on the read data at a scaling ratio set by the operator, and outputs a copy.

[0003]

The above-mentioned conventional apparatus has the following problems. It is difficult to set an appropriate scaling ratio just by looking at the original and the recording paper.
In addition, if the set scaling ratio is not appropriate, there are cases in which some characters or the like in the original document may stick out from the recording paper and a desired scaling copy may not be obtained.

In order to eliminate such inconveniences and set an appropriate scaling ratio, the size of the image area to be subjected to the scaling process and the size of the recording paper to be output are measured with a ruler or the like, and the values are used. It was necessary to calculate and determine and set the scaling factor, which was very complicated.

[0005]

According to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in an image processing apparatus for performing a scaling process on input image data and outputting the image data, storage means for storing the input image data. An image area size detection means for detecting the size of an area where an image exists from the input image data stored in the storage means, and a change based on the image area size detected by the image area size detection means and the output image size. A configuration having a scaling factor calculating unit for obtaining a scaling factor and an image processing unit for scaling and outputting the image data input at the scaling factor calculated by the computing unit is adopted.

Further, the image area size detecting means detects black pixels in the input image data stored in the storage means, and detects an area having a black pixel density of a certain value or more as an image area. The image area size calculating means calculates the size of the image area based on the image area detected by the image area detecting means.

Further, the image area size calculating means employs a structure for calculating the image area size using data indicating the position of the corner of the image area detected by the image area detecting means.

[0008]

According to the present invention, with the above-described configuration, the variable magnification processing is performed by setting an appropriate variable magnification based on the size of the area where the image of the input image data exists and the image size of the output image. It is possible to output the image in the image data at an appropriate scaling ratio without protruding.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of the entire apparatus of a digital copying machine which is an embodiment apparatus adopting the present invention. In the illustrated digital copying machine, an image input unit 101 that reads original image data, an image processing unit 102 that performs various types of image processing on the read original image data or image data stored in the image storage unit 104, and an image processing unit 102 perform processing. The image storage unit 104 is configured to temporarily store the scanned image data or the pre-scanned image, and the image output unit 103 to print out the image data sent from the image processing unit 102 onto a recording sheet.

FIG. 2 shows a more detailed block diagram of the embodiment apparatus shown in FIG. The image input unit 101 includes a scanner unit 201 that reads a document image, an A / D converter 202 that performs A / D conversion, and an interface 203 for connecting to a system bus 211. Scanner unit 2
01 outputs the read original image data as an analog signal. This analog signal is converted into a digital original image data signal by the A / D converter 202 and output to the system bus 211 for exchanging data between the blocks via the interface 203.

The image processing unit 102 controls a CPU 207 for controlling the entire apparatus based on a control program, a ROM 208 for storing the control program, a RAM 209 for temporarily storing various data when the CPU 207 executes the control program, The operation unit 210 is used by an operator to input a start instruction of a copying operation.

The image storage unit 104 is composed of an image memory 204 for storing image data. Image output unit 103
Is composed of a printer unit 205 and an interface 206. Image data sent through the system bus 211 is sent to the printer unit 205 through the interface 206 and is printed out by the printer unit 205.

FIG. 3 shows the structure of the apparatus of this embodiment. This digital copying machine is roughly divided into a scanner unit 201 and a printer unit 205. First, the scanner unit 2
01 will be described. Light source 302a and light source 302b
Is a lamp for illuminating a document placed on the contact glass 301. Light reflected from the original is reflected by the mirrors 303 to 3
An image is formed on the light receiving surface of the image sensor 309 via 07 and the lens 308.

The light source 302a, the light source 302b and the mirror 303 are mounted on the traveling body 310. Traveling body 31
0 is driven by a driving unit (not shown) so as to move along the contact glass 301 in the sub-scanning direction. Mirror 3
04 and 305 are associated with the traveling body 310 and the traveling body 3
It is mounted on a traveling body 311 that moves in the same direction as the traveling body 310 at a speed of ½ of 10. These running bodies 31
By the operations of 0 and 311, scanning in the sub-scanning direction can be performed.

The image sensor 3 is used for scanning in the main scanning direction.
The image sensor 309 reads the original image line by line. By the above-described scanning of the optical system in the sub-scanning direction and the main-scanning direction, the entire document is scanned and the image of the entire document can be read.

Next, the printer unit 205 will be described.
The printer unit 205 includes a laser writing system, an image reproducing system, and a paper feeding system. The laser writing system includes a laser output unit 321, an imaging lens 322, and a mirror 323. Laser output unit 321
Inside, a laser diode which is a laser light source and a polygon mirror (polygon mirror) which is driven to rotate at a high speed by an electric motor are provided. Laser light output from the laser writing system is applied to the photosensitive drum 324 of the image reproducing system.

The image reproducing system includes a photosensitive drum 324 on which an electrostatic latent image or the like is formed, a charger 325 for charging the photosensitive drum 324, an eraser 326 for discharging the charged photosensitive drum 324, and a photosensitive drum 324. A developing unit 327 for developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 324, a transfer charger 328 for transferring the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 324 to a recording sheet, a separation charger 329 for separating the recording sheet from the photosensitive drum 324, and A cleaning unit 331 that removes unnecessary toner remaining on the separation claw 330 and the photoconductor drum 324 is provided.

Next, the paper feed system will be described. The apparatus of this embodiment has two paper feeding systems. One of the paper feed systems is provided with an upper paper feed cassette 333a and a manual paper feed tray 333c. The recording sheet 332a set on the upper paper feed cassette 333a or the manual paper feed tray 333c is fed by a paper feed roller 337a. It

The other paper feed system has a lower paper feed cassette 3
33b, and the recording paper 332b in the lower paper feed cassette 333b is fed by the paper feed roller 337b.
Recording paper 332a fed from the selected paper feed cassette
Alternatively, 332b is temporarily stopped while being in contact with the registration roller 338, and is sent to the image reproducing system at a timing synchronized with the progress of the recording process.

Next, the operation of the printer unit 205 will be described. First, the charger 325 is installed on the photosensitive drum 3
The peripheral surface of 24 is uniformly charged to a high potential. Next, laser light is emitted from the laser optical system toward the surface of the photosensitive drum 324. The potential of the portion irradiated with the laser light decreases.
Laser light is ON / OF corresponding to black / white of recorded pixel
Since the F control is performed, the potential distribution corresponding to the recorded image, that is, the electrostatic latent image is formed around the photosensitive drum 324 by the irradiation of the laser light. Then, the developing unit 327
The electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductor drum 324 is developed by the toner, and a toner image corresponding to the recorded image is formed on the photoconductor drum 3.
Formed on 24.

The paper feeding system has a recording paper 332a or 3 at a predetermined timing so that the recording paper 332a or 332b overlaps the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 324.
32b is guided to the photosensitive drum 324. The recording paper 332a or 332b is placed on the photosensitive drum 324 at a predetermined timing.
The toner image formed on the photoconductor drum 324 after contact with the recording paper 332a is recorded by the transfer charger 328.
Alternatively, it is transferred to 332b. The toner image is on the recording paper 332.
After being transferred to a or 332b, the recording paper 332 is separated from the photosensitive drum 324 by the separation charger 329 and the separation claw 330.

Separated recording paper 332a or 332b
Are transported to the fixing roller 335 by the transport belt 334. A heater is built in the fixing roller 335, and the conveyed toner image on the recording paper 332a or 332b is heated and attached to the recording paper 332a or 332b by the fixing roller 335. The recording paper 332 a or 332 b on which the toner image is heated is discharged to the paper discharge tray 336.

Next, the image processing of the apparatus of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 shows a flowchart showing the image processing of the apparatus of this embodiment.

First, a prescan is performed, and the original image is read by the image input unit 101 shown in FIG. 1 (S40).
1). The read image data is sent to the image processing unit 102. The image processing unit 102 sequentially performs binarization processing on the sent image data, and sends the binarized image data to the image storage unit 104. The image storage unit 104 stores the sent image data.

Next, in the image processing unit 102, the CPU 207 shown in FIG. 2 performs image position recognition based on the control program stored in the ROM 208 (S40).
2). In this image position recognition, a position where the density of black pixels is a certain value or more is recognized as a place where an image exists in the image data stored in the image memory 204, and the coordinates in the main scanning direction and the sub scanning direction at that time are recognized. , And the coordinates are recognized as the image position.

Next, the corner position of the image is detected (S40).
3). The detection of the corner position of the image is performed by detecting the maximum value and the minimum value of the coordinates in the main scanning direction and the coordinates in the sub scanning direction recognized by the image position recognition. The image corner position of the detection result is stored in the RAM 209.

Next, the scaling factor is set (S404). The scaling factor is set so that all of the images existing on the original document are as large as possible within the range where they do not protrude from the recording paper. For example, when the document shown in FIG. 5 is processed, the scaling factor is automatically set so that the image shown in FIG. 6 is obtained.

An example of calculating the scaling factor will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. The document corner position detection result in the document image of FIG. 7 shows that the minimum coordinate in the main scanning direction is 160 and the maximum coordinate is 11.
60, the minimum coordinate in the sub-scanning direction is 368, and the maximum coordinate is 1344.

As shown in FIG. 8, the size of the recording paper is
The main scanning direction is 2000 and the sub scanning direction is 2784.

An appropriate scaling factor is calculated from these data. First, in order to obtain the image area size, the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the original image in the main scanning direction and the sub scanning direction is obtained. Here, the main scanning direction is 1000 (= 1
160-160), and the sub-scanning direction is 976 (= 1344-).
368). These represent the sizes of the image area in the main scanning direction and the sub scanning direction, respectively.

Next, the ratio between the image area size and the recording paper size is calculated. The ratio in the main scanning direction is 2.0 (= 200
0/1000), the ratio in the sub-scanning direction is 2.85 (= 27)
84/976).

The scaling factor is the smaller value of the two calculation results. That is, here, since 2.0 is smaller, the scaling factor is 200%. The copying operation is performed with the finally determined scaling factor (S405). In this specific example, the scaling factor was 200%, so the enlarging process was performed, but if the scaling factor is a value smaller than 100%, the scaling process is performed.

With the above-described structure and operation, in the apparatus of this embodiment, the size of the image in the original is detected, and the size of the detected image and the size of the recording paper are used to cause the image in the original to protrude from the recording paper. It is possible to copy and output at an appropriate scaling ratio without any need. Further, although the case where the present invention is used in a digital copying machine has been described as an example, the present invention is not limited to this, and any other printer having a function of scaling input data and outputting the data may be used. , Fa
x, electronic filing system, etc.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention, in the image processing apparatus for performing the scaling processing on the input image data and outputting the same, the storage means for storing the input image data and the storage means. Image area size detecting means for detecting the size of the area where the image exists from the input image data stored in the image data, and a scaling factor for obtaining the scaling factor based on the image area size detected by the image area size detecting means and the output image size. Since the structure having the magnification calculation means and the image processing means for changing the magnification of the input image data and outputting the image data with the magnification calculated by the calculation means is adopted, the image in the input image data is scaled with an appropriate magnification change. It can be processed and output.

Further, according to the present invention, the image area size detecting means detects a black pixel in the input image data stored in the storage means, and detects an area having a black pixel density of a certain value or more as an image area. Since the configuration having the image area detecting means and the image area size calculating means for calculating the size of the image area based on the image area detected by the image area detecting means is adopted, the image to be output is appropriately scaled. be able to.

Further, since the image area size calculating means employs a structure for calculating the image area size using the data indicating the position of the corner of the image area detected by the image area detecting means, the same effect can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a digital copying machine according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of the digital copying machine of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a digital copying machine according to an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the digital copying machine of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a sample document.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an output of the digital copying machine of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a scaling process of the digital copying machine of the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a scaling process of the digital copying machine of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101 image input unit 102 image processing unit 103 image output unit 104 image storage unit 201 scanner unit 204 image memory 205 printer unit 207 CPU 208 ROM 209 RAM 210 operation unit

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image processing apparatus for performing a scaling process on input image data and outputting the image data, the storage unit storing the input image data, and an image from the input image data stored in the storage unit. An image area size detecting means for detecting the size of an existing area, a scaling ratio calculating means for obtaining a scaling ratio based on the image area size detected by the image area size detecting means and an output image size, and the scaling operation An image processing device, comprising: an image processing unit that scales and outputs the input image data at the scaling ratio calculated by the unit. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image area size detection unit detects a black pixel in the input image data stored in the storage unit and has a black pixel density of a certain value or more. And an image area size calculating means for calculating the size of the image area based on the image area detected by the image area detecting means. . 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image area size calculation means calculates the image area size using data indicating the position of the corner of the image area detected by the image area detection means. An image processing device characterized by: