JPH0817439B2 - Area designation method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an area specifying method for an image processing apparatus having a two-dimensional coordinate input device for specifying an area.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, in an image processing apparatus such as a copying machine, a digitizer is used as an area designating means on an original to realize a trimming function for extracting only an arbitrary area on the original and a masking function for erasing. As shown in FIG. ₁ , there is a method of instructing _two diagonal points (P ₁ , P ₂ ) of a rectangular area (hereinafter, this input method is called a diagonal method).

[Problems that the invention is trying to solve]

However, in this diagonal method, when designating an area in which rectangles are combined, for example, as shown in FIG. 2-2, the area is divided into rectangles and two pairs of diagonal two points (P ₃ , P ₄ ) and (P 3 ₅ , P ₆ )
Must be specified by. In such a case, it is difficult for the operator to divide a complicatedly shaped area in his head first, and it is also difficult to ideally enter each divided area without any gaps, so operability is very high. Is bad. In order to eliminate such a defect, for example, as shown in FIG. 2-3, surrounding the area (P ₇ , P ₈ , P ₉ , P ₁₀ ,
A method of inputting in the order of P ₁₁ , P ₁₂ , P ₇ ) is possible. According to this method, it is easy to specify a region having a more complicated shape (hereinafter, this method is called a corner method). However, in the corner method, conversely, when a simple rectangular area as shown in FIG. 2-4 is designated (P ₁₃ , P ₁₄ , P ₁₅ , P ₁₆ , P ₁₃ )
It becomes necessary to input 5 points and the operability is not good.

〔Purpose〕

The present invention has been made in view of the above point, and automatically determines the input mode from the coordinate input state by the operator without setting in advance which of the two input modes for coordinate input is used. It is an object of the present invention to provide an area designation method with improved operability.

That is, according to the present invention, in a region specifying method of an image processing apparatus having a two-dimensional coordinate input device for specifying a region, a first input mode for inputting coordinates of two diagonal points of a desired rectangular region and a rectangular region. The desired area can be designated in any one of the second input modes for inputting the coordinates of the points at the corners of the desired area consisting of a combination of, and when an instruction indicating completion of coordinate input is input, If the number of coordinate input points up to the time point is two, it is determined that the coordinate is input based on the first input mode, the area is determined based on the input coordinate, and the number of coordinate input points is three or more. If there is, it is to provide an area designating method for determining that the coordinates are input based on the second input mode and determining the area based on the input coordinates.

According to the present invention, in a region specifying method of an image processing apparatus having a two-dimensional coordinate input device for specifying a region, a first input mode for inputting coordinates of two diagonal points of a desired rectangular region and a rectangular region. The desired area can be designated in any one of the second input mode in which the coordinates of the points at the corners of the desired area consisting of the combination of
If the difference between the coordinate value and the X coordinate of the first input point and the difference between the Y coordinate value of the second input point and the Y coordinate of the first input point are both above a predetermined value, then the second input point The coordinates are the above first
The input mode is determined based on the input mode, the area is determined based on the input coordinates, and the difference between the X coordinate value of the second input point and the X coordinate of the first input point and the second If only one of the difference between the Y coordinate value of the input point and the X coordinate of the first input point is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, it is determined that the coordinate of the second input point is input based on the second input mode. When the determination is made, the input of the coordinates of the new point is waited, and when the coordinates of the new point are input, the X coordinate value of the latest input point and its 1
If only one of the difference between the X coordinate of the previous input point, the Y coordinate value of the latest input point and the Y coordinate of the previous input point is greater than or equal to the predetermined value, the latest It is to provide an area designating method for determining that the coordinates of an input point are valid inputs based on the second input mode.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

1-2 is a diagram showing the external appearance of a copying apparatus to which the present invention is applied. The document reading unit 101 includes a document table glass (not shown),
It has a 2: 1 optical system composed of an illumination lamp and a mirror, a lens, a CCD, and the like, and the optical system photoelectrically converts the original image while sub-scanning and outputs it as an electric signal. The printing unit 102 is a so-called laser printer, which scans the photosensitive member with a modulated laser beam that receives an electric signal from the document reading unit 101 and prints by a known electrophotographic method.
The reading unit 101 is an operation unit 103, and a coordinate input device 1 that also functions as a document holder.
04 and coordinate input pen 105. FIG. 1-1 shows a view of the coordinate input device 104 as viewed from above. 106 is an effective coordinate input surface, 107 is an abutting reference point for placing a document 114 on the input surface, 108 is an area designation key for inputting that area designation is to be performed, 1
09 is a clear key to cancel a series of input coordinates, 110
Is an OK key that finishes inputting the specified area, 111 is a trimming mode selection key that outputs only the specified area, 112 is a masking mode selection key that erases only the specified area, and 113 is the output inside the specified area that is different from the outside Image separation mode selection key. Examples of these operating methods will be described. As shown in the figure, the operator abuts the original 114 on the reference point 107, places it upward, and presses the key 108 to declare that the area specifying operation is to be performed, and then the input pen 105 is used to, for example, a black circle in an area surrounded by a dotted line. After sequentially inputting the coordinates of each corner in the clockwise or counterclockwise direction and pressing the OK key 110 to notify the completion of the input, the contents of processing to be performed on the designated area are instructed by the keys 111, 112, 113.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic block diagram of the copying machine of this embodiment. 302 is an image reading unit. The image reading unit 302 has a CCD, a signal amplification circuit, an A / D conversion circuit, and a shiting correction circuit, and the corrected signal is input to the image processing unit 303. The image processing unit 303 temporarily stores the image signal in the shift memory, then changes the magnification,
Image processing such as movement and trimming / masking density conversion is performed, and the result is output to the external unit 312 as a VIDEO signal. Although the external unit 312 is assumed to be a so-called laser printer in this embodiment, it may be a controller such as an electronic file or facsimile and a memory device. In addition to the image signal VIDEO via the cable 313, serial communication is performed with the external unit via the serial signal line SRAL including a plurality of signal lines to control the system main body. When the external unit 312 is a laser printer, it receives a horizontal cycle signal BD from the printer, and a clock generator 304 generates a clock for internal operation.
Or to the processing unit 303.

CPU301 is a ROM3 that stores control programs and control data
05, RAM306 for storing processing data, timer circuit
It has a reading unit 302, a processing unit 303, and an external unit 3 as described above.
In addition to controlling communication with 12, the fluorescent lamp driver circuit 309 for illuminating the original and the motor driver circuit 30 for driving the optical system
8, and controls the operation unit 311 and the coordinate input device 310.

 FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of the coordinate input device 310.

The timing circuit 402 generates a clock with an internal oscillator and gives it to the address counter 403. The address counter 403 counts while the switch built in the pen 412 is pressed. During the counting operation, first X
The decoder 409 operates to sequentially apply the pulse voltage to the X of the input surface 411.
The direction electrode is subjected to two rounds of dynamic scanning, and then the Y decoder 410 operates to sequentially apply the pulse voltage to the Y of the input surface 411 in sequence.
Two rounds of dynamic scanning are applied to the direction electrode. Input surface 411
When the switch of the pen is turned on, when the scanning in the X and Y directions reaches the pen position, a voltage is induced in the pen due to capacitive coupling, and a pen input signal is obtained and amplified by the amplifier 404. . The count value is set in the X register 406 by the pen input signal of the first round of X-direction scanning, and 2
The comparator 405 compares the contents of the X register 406 with the count value according to the pen input signal at the time of round scan, and if they match, a match signal is output to the CPU 401. Similarly, in the Y direction, the Y register 408 is set during the first scan,
When the second round scan time comparator 407 compares them and if they match, a match signal is output to the CPU 401, and when two match signals of the CPU 4012 are obtained, coordinate values are fetched from the X and Y registers, and the main CPU 301 is read. For example, it can be notified by serial communication. When the X register 406 and the count value do not match, it is determined that the input is invalid. The same applies to the Y direction.

In the present embodiment, the means for performing the processing on the area designated by the keys 111, 112, 113 will not be particularly mentioned.

Further, in the present embodiment, when inputting according to the corner method by the coordinate input device, it is assumed that the operator inputs the respective corners of the area formed by the combination of rectangles so as to connect them horizontally or vertically as much as possible. Also, when inputting according to the corner method, it is assumed that the end point points near the start point.

FIG. 5 shows a control flow of the area designation method according to this embodiment. First, the counter i is preset to 0, and if there is a pen input, the X and Y components of the input coordinates are sequentially stored in the area (PX ₀ , PY ₀ ), (PX ₁ , PY ₁ ), ..., (PX _i , PY _i ) (501-504). If there is an OK key input (50
5) Then, the number of input points at that time is checked by the counter i (506), and if it is 0 point or 1 point, the area is not determined, so that it is assumed that there is no designation and the process ends. If the number of input points is 2, it is determined to be the diagonal method (508), and if it is 3 or more, it is determined to be the corner method (507). In this way, by distinguishing by the number of input points at the time of entering the OK key, the operator does not have to select the input method in advance, but the method intended by the operator is automatically determined from the number of coordinate points considered necessary, so operability is improved. improves.

The operator can use the two types of schemes consistently as shown in FIG. 2-1 in the case of a rectangle and as shown in FIG. 2-3 in the case of a combination of a plurality of rectangles.

 FIG. 6 shows a control flow according to another embodiment.

First, the counter i on the RAM indicating the number of input coordinate points is cleared to 0 (601) and the coordinate input is awaited (602). If there is a coordinate input, the X component is set to the flag PX _i on the RAM and the Y component is set to PY _i (603). Then, the counter i is incremented for the next input (604). After that, the absolute value of the difference between each of the X and Y components between the latest input point and the input point immediately before it, αX,
The absolute values βX and βY of αY and the difference between each of the X and Y components between the latest input point and the starting point are calculated (605, 606). The number of input points is 1
In case of, wait for input of the second point (607,602). The number of input points is 2
(607), αX = βX, αY = βY.
When both X and βY are larger than a certain reference value K (608), it is determined that the first point and the second point are input according to the diagonal method, and the rectangular area is determined as shown in FIG. 2-1. Process as appropriate (609). When βX and βY are both smaller than K (61
0) The counter i is decremented in order to wait for re-input with the second point being invalid input (611). One of βX and βY is K
When it is smaller and the other is larger than K, it is determined that the input point is input according to the corner method, and the input of the third point is waited (610, 602).

When inputting after the third point (607), first check the relationship with the previous input point. When both αX and αY are larger than K or both are smaller than K (612,613), the latest input is invalidated and the counter i is decremented to wait for re-input (616,602). When one of αX and αY is larger than K and the other is smaller than K, it is determined that the input is valid according to the corner input method, and then the positional relationship between the latest input point and the start point is checked. When both βX and βY are smaller than K, it is determined that the final point is the area limited according to the corner method (614), the area is determined (615), and then the counter i is cleared to 0 to wait for a new area designation. (601). βX, β
When at least one of Y is larger than K, it is not recognized as the final point and the coordinate input according to the next corner input method is waited for.

The concept of the above method will be described with reference to FIG. First, with respect to a certain input point P _i , a band having a width of 2K centering on P _i in each of the X and Y directions is assumed, and the band is used to divide the effective input surface of the coordinate input device into nine.

Now, when the point P _i is the starting point, the second point is the zone Z _PP , Z _PM , Z _MP ,
If it belongs to any one of Z _MM , it is judged as the coordinate input according to the diagonal method.

When the second point belongs to any one of the zones Z _OP , Z _PO , Z _OM , and Z _MO , it is determined that the coordinate input is in accordance with the corner method, and even after the third point, the relationship between the points P _i and P _{i + 1} is Point P _{i + 1} must belong to one of these four zones of point P _i .

In order to finish the coordinate input according to the corner method, when the point P _i is considered as the starting point P _{0 in} FIG. 7, the final input point must be in the zone Z _OO for the point P ₀ . Further, when the next point P _{i + 1} with respect to the point Pi is in the zone Z _OO of the point P _i , P _{i + 1} is invalidated.

The reference range K used in the above description is a coefficient indicating variation due to human manual operation expected when inputting two points as horizontally or vertically as possible as described above, or when inputting the end point in the vicinity of the start point. Or empirically.

Further, although the above-described embodiment is an example applied to a digital copying machine, it can be naturally applied to an image input device such as an analog copying machine, a facsimile machine, an electronic file device, or the like.

As the coordinate input device, the digitizer using the capacitance coupling method was mentioned, but the digitizer using the electromagnetic induction method, the optical method using ultrasonic waves, the current division by resistance, and the optical, magnetic, mechanical, etc. pointing It can also be realized by a device.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, when an instruction indicating completion of coordinate input is input, if the number of coordinate input points up to that point is two, the coordinate is input based on the first input mode. It is determined that a region is determined based on the input coordinates, and if the number of coordinate input points is 3 or more, it is determined that the coordinates have been input based on the second input mode, and based on the input coordinates. By determining the area, or 2
If the difference between the X coordinate value of the second input point and the X coordinate of the first input point and the difference between the Y coordinate value of the second input point and the Y coordinate of the first input point are all above a predetermined value, then It is determined that the coordinates of the second input point are input based on the first input mode, the area is determined based on the input coordinates, and the X coordinate value of the second input point and the first input are determined. The difference between the X coordinates of the points, the Y coordinate value of the second input point, and the Y of the first input point
If only one of the coordinate differences is greater than or equal to the predetermined value, it is determined that the coordinate of the second input point has been input based on the second input mode, and the input of the coordinate of the new point is awaited. , When the coordinates of a new point are input, the difference between the X coordinate value of the latest input point and the X coordinate of the previous input point, the Y coordinate value of the latest input point, and the previous one. If only one of the differences between the Y coordinates of the input points is greater than or equal to the predetermined value, it is determined in advance that the coordinates of the latest input point are valid inputs based on the second input mode. Even if the input mode is not set, it is possible to provide a region specifying method with good operability in consideration of the operator's input intention.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1-1 is an external view of a coordinate input device, FIG. 1-2 is an external view of a copying device to which the present invention can be applied, and FIGS. 2-1 to 2-4 are for explaining a region specifying method. Fig. 3, Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing the constitution of the copying machine, Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing the constitution of the coordinate input device, Figs. 5 and 6 are control flow charts for specifying the area, and Fig. 7 is a coordinate flow chart. It is a figure for demonstrating a positional relationship. 104 is a coordinate input device, 105 is a coordinate input pen, and 106 is an effective coordinate input surface.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A method for specifying an area of an image processing apparatus having a two-dimensional coordinate input device for specifying an area, comprising: a first input mode for inputting coordinates of two diagonal points of a desired rectangular area; The desired area can be specified in either of the second input mode in which the coordinates of the points at the corners of the desired area composed of the combination are input, and when an instruction indicating completion of the coordinate input is input, If the number of coordinate input points up to is 2 points, it is determined that the coordinate is input based on the first input mode, the area is determined based on the input coordinate, and the number of coordinate input points is 3 or more. For example, the area designating method is characterized in that it is determined that the coordinates are input based on the second input mode, and the area is determined based on the input coordinates. 2. An area specifying method for an image processing apparatus having a two-dimensional coordinate inputting device for specifying an area, comprising: a first input mode for inputting coordinates of two diagonal points of a desired rectangular area; The desired area can be specified in either of the second input mode in which the coordinates of the points at each corner of the desired area composed of combinations are input, and the X coordinate value of the second input point and the first input point can be specified. If the difference between the X-coordinates and the difference between the Y-coordinate value of the second input point and the Y-coordinate value of the first input point are both equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the coordinate of the second input point is the first input mode. It is determined that the input is made based on, and the area is determined based on the input coordinates,
Only one of the difference between the X coordinate value of the second input point and the X coordinate of the first input point and the difference between the Y coordinate value of the second input point and the X coordinate of the first input point is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. If so, it is determined that the coordinates of the second input point are input based on the second input mode, the input of the coordinates of the new point is awaited, and the coordinates of the new point is input, Only one of the difference between the X coordinate value of the latest input point and the X coordinate of the previous input point and the difference between the Y coordinate value of the latest input point and the Y coordinate of the previous input point Is greater than or equal to the predetermined value, it is determined that the coordinates of the latest input point are valid inputs based on the second input mode.