JPH08181852A - Image scanner with void function - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide an image scanner which automatically converts a full painted graphic into a void graphic so as to output it. CONSTITUTION: The density of the respective picture elements of a two-dimensional picture in an original 3 is read by an image sensor 6 and it is converted into binary data to output it. At that time, a void processor 1 inputs binary data, converts binary data of the picture element whose periphery is surrounded by a black picture element into a value showing a white picture element so as to output it and outputs binary data of the picture elements except for the binary data as they are. An output device 2 outputs binary data outputted from the void processor 1 to an external part as image scanner output.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image scanner, and more particularly to an image scanner having a whitening function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An image scanner is a device that reads an image such as a picture, a photograph, or a figure by an image sensor, converts it into binary data, and outputs it, and basically reads and outputs the original image faithfully. I am trying. Image scanners are used in various fields. In particular, recently, a simple image scanner has been put into practical use for inputting an image into a personal computer or a word processor, and it is possible to easily input a picture or a photograph into the personal computer or the like. You can do it.

[0003]

By the way, since the conventional image scanner has only the basic function of faithfully reading and outputting the original image, when the solid image is read by the image scanner, The same solid figure is input to a personal computer or the like. Therefore, when creating an illustration of only the outline of the original figure, that is, an outline figure, it is necessary to input the entered figure as figure data into the figure creation software of the personal computer and process it into an outline figure. It will be required separately.

The present invention has been proposed in order to free the user from the work of processing such a white figure, and the purpose thereof is to perform the white processing already at the time of output. An object is to provide an image scanner capable of obtaining an image.

As a device for processing and outputting an image read by an image sensor as it is, a device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 224473/1988 is known. However, this device is a digital copying device,
However, the solid-filled graphic is converted into a shaded graphic for output, which is basically different from the present invention in which the graphic is processed and output.

[0006]

The image scanner with a whitening function of the present invention is an image scanner which reads the density of each pixel of a two-dimensional image by an image sensor, converts it into binary data and outputs it. Input the binarized data, convert the binarized data of the pixels surrounded by black pixels on the original two-dimensional image to a value indicating a white pixel, and output it, and binarize the other pixels It is provided with a whitening processing device that outputs the data as it is, and an output device that outputs the binarized data output from the whitening processing device to the outside as an image scanner output.

Further, the whitening processing device has a shift register for i-1 row and a shift register for i row which holds the binarized data columns of the i-1th row, the ith row and the i + 1th row of the two-dimensional image. Register, i + 1 row shift register, i-1 row shift register, i row shift register, i + 1
Binary data of a two-dimensional image, including a shift register for the preceding row, a shift register for the target row, a shift register for the following row, which has a capacity of 3 pixels and is connected between the serial output terminal and the serial input terminal of the row shift register. Every time one row is input, the input binary data string for one row is added to the i-1
The binarized data string held in the i-1th row shift register is stored in the row shift register, and the binarized data string held in the i row shift register is stored in the i-th row shift register. The shift register for the i-1th row, the shift register for the i-th row, and the shift register for the i-th row are shifted in each of the shift registers for the i + 1th row and until the next one row of binarized data is input. a shift control unit for synchronizing the contents of the shift register for i + 1 rows through the shift register for the preceding row, the shift register for the noticed row and the shift register for the succeeding row, and the shift for the noticed row Three 2's shifted into the register
Binary data in the middle of the binarized data is set as a pixel of interest and held in the preceding row shift register, the row of interest shift register, and the following row shift register,
The logical product of the binarized data of the pixels around the target pixel is obtained, and the binarized data of the target pixel is converted into the binarized data of the white pixel and output according to the result. And a pattern determination unit that determines whether to output in the state.

The output device further includes an instruction means for instructing whether or not the whitening function is valid, and the output device outputs the whitening processing device when the whitening function is instructed by the instructing means. The binarized data is output to the outside as an image sensor output, and the binarized data that is not subjected to the whitening process is output when it is not instructed to be valid.

[0009]

In the image scanner with the whitening function of the present invention, when the density of each pixel of the two-dimensional image is read by the image sensor and converted into binarized data for output, the whitening processing device uses the binary value. Input binarized data, and the binarized data of pixels surrounded by black pixels on the original two-dimensional image is converted to a value indicating a white pixel and output, and binarized data of other pixels Is output as it is, and the output device outputs the binarized data output from the whitening processing device to the outside as an image scanner output.

Further, in the whitening processing device, every time one row of binarized data of a two-dimensional image is inputted, the inputted one row of binarized data string is shifted register for i-1 row. The binarized data string held in the i-1 row shift register is stored in the i row shift register, and the binarized data string held in the i row shift register is i +.
By shifting in the shift register for one row, the binarized data string for a total of three consecutive rows is held. The contents of the i-1 row shift register, the i row shift register, and the i + 1 row shift register are synchronized with each other until the next one row of binarized data is input. Through the row shift register, the target row shift register, and the subsequent row shift register, the shift is performed until one cycle. During this period, the pattern determination unit sets the middle binarized data of the three binarized data shifted into the target row shift register as the target pixel, and sets the front row shift register, the target row shift register, and the rear row shift register. The logical product of the binarized data of the pixels around the target pixel (for example, front, rear, left, and right) held in the row shift register is obtained, and the binarized data of the target pixel is converted into the white pixel according to the result. It is determined whether the data is converted into binary data and output, or the original state is output.

Further, the instructing means gives an instruction as to whether or not the whitening function is valid according to the operation of the user, and the output device is the whitening processing device only when the whitening function is valid. The binarized data output from is output to the outside as an image sensor output, and when it is not instructed to be valid, the binarized data that is not subjected to whitening processing is output.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the essential parts of an image scanner with a whitening function according to the present invention. In the figure, original 3
The density of each pixel of a two-dimensional image such as a figure or a character drawn above is determined by the light source 4, the optical system 5 such as a mirror and a lens, and the CCD.
The image is read by the reading device 7 including the image sensor 6 and the like. This reading is, for example, 2
This is performed by a raster scan method in which a main scan for scanning a three-dimensional image from left to right and a sub-scan for scanning from top to bottom are alternately repeated. The density of each pixel read by the reading device 7 is input as serial data to the binarization processing device 8 where it is converted into binarized data. In this binarized data, black pixels are represented as "1" and white pixels are represented as "0", for example. The binarized data output from the binarization processing device 8 is input to the whiteout processing device 1 and the output device 2.

The whitening processing device 1 converts the binarized data of pixels surrounded by black pixels in the original two-dimensional image into a value indicating a white pixel based on the inputted binarized data. Then, the binary data of the other pixels are output to the output device 2 as they are.

The output device 2 is connected to an instruction means 9 composed of a manual switch or the like for instructing whether or not the blanking function is valid. The output device 2 is connected to the instruction means 9.
If the whitening function is effective, the whitening processing device 1
The binarized data output from the image sensor is output to the outside as an image sensor output, and if it is not instructed to be valid, the binarized data that is not subjected to whitening processing, that is, the output of the binarization processing device 8 is output to the image sensor output. Output to.

Hereinafter, the whitening processing apparatus 1 which is the greatest feature of the present invention will be described in detail.

In the present embodiment, the whitening processing device 1 includes a buffer register 11 and a first shift register group 1.
2, second shift register group 13, pattern determination unit 14
And the shift control unit 15.

The buffer register 11 stores the read 2
The shift register has a capacity to store the binary data of one row of the dimensional image, and the binary data output from the binarization processing device 8 is temporarily stored in the buffer register 11. The buffer register 11 is reset in the initial state, and its contents are all binary data indicating white pixels.

The first shift register group 12 holds the binarized data for three consecutive rows of the read two-dimensional image, and is the i-1th row, i-th row, i + 1 of the two-dimensional image.
It has an i-1 row shift register 121, an i row shift register 122, and an i + 1 row shift register 123 that hold the binary data string of the row. Each of the shift registers 121 to 123 can perform parallel input / output and serial input / output. The parallel input source of the i-1 row shift register 121 is the buffer register 11 and the parallel output destination is i.
The row shift register 122, the parallel input source of the i row shift register 122 is the i−1 row shift register 121, and the parallel output destination is the i + 1 row shift register 1.
23, and the parallel input source of the shift register 123 for the i + 1th row is the shift register 122 for the ith row. In addition,
The initial contents of each shift register 121, 122, 123 are all binary data indicating white pixels.

The second shift register group 13 is included in a rectangle of a size of 3 × 3 in which the size in the row direction and the size in the column direction are 3 pixels on the read two-dimensional image. It holds the binarized data of 9 pixels, and has a shift register 131 for the preceding row, a shift register 132 for the target row, and a shift register 133 for the subsequent row, each of which has a capacity of 3 pixels. Each of the shift registers 131 to 133 is capable of serial input / output, and is connected between the serial output terminal and the serial input terminal of the i-1 row shift register 121, the i row shift register 122, and the i + 1 row shift register 123, respectively. Has been done.
In addition, the middle binarized data held in the preceding row shift register 131 and the following row shift register 133,
All the binarized data held in the row shift register 132 of interest is output to the pattern determination unit 14. The initial states of the shift registers 131 to 133 are all binary data indicating white pixels.

When the binarized data of the pixels before and after the center pixel of 3 × 3 pixels held in the second shift register group 13 indicate all black pixels, the pattern determination unit 14 outputs 2 of the center pixels. The value-converted data is converted into a value indicating a white pixel and output, and in other cases, the binarized data of the central pixel is output as it is.
Of the three binarized data output from 32, the two binarized data excluding the middle binarized data and the middle binary output from the preceding row shift register 131 and the succeeding row shift register 133. AND gate 141 for obtaining a logical product of a total of four binarized data with the binarized data, and the middle binarized data output from the shift register 132 for the row of interest as the pixel of interest, and the output of AND gate 141 is logical When it is “1” (when the input binarized data are all black pixels), the binarized data of the target pixel is converted into the binarized data of the white pixel and output to the output device 2, and the AND gate 141 Is logical "0" (when all input binarized data are not black pixels), it is composed of a gate group 142 that outputs the binarized data of the target pixel to the output device 2 as it is.

The shift control section 15 is based on a clock signal and a timing signal supplied from a control circuit (not shown) for controlling the entire image scanner, and the buffer register 11 and the first and second shift register groups 12 and 13.
Is the part that controls the shift of. This shift control unit 15
Is the binarized data output from the binarization processing device 1
Every time the buffer register 11 is shifted in over the rows, the input binary data string for one row is i−1.
In the row shift register 121, the binarized data string held in the i-1 row shift register 121 is stored in the i row shift register 122, and the i row shift register 1
Control is performed to shift in the binarized data string held in 22 into the shift register 123 for the i + 1th row. Then, until the next one row of binarized data is input to the buffer register 11, the i-
1-row shift register 121, i-row shift register 1
22 and the contents of the shift register 123 for the i + 1 row,
In synchronization with each other, the preceding row shift register 131, the target row shift register 132, and the succeeding row shift register 13
Shift control is performed to serially make one cycle via 3. In addition, the shift control unit 15 controls the output device 2 with respect to the output device 2.
It also has a function of outputting an effective period signal indicating a period during which the output of the whitening processing device 1 is effective.

The whitening processing device 1 configured as described above operates as follows.

When the binary data string of the first row of the two-dimensional image is accumulated in the buffer register 11, the shift control unit 1
5 transfers it to the shift register 121 for i-1 rows,
When the next binary data string of the second row is accumulated in the buffer register 11, the binary data string of the first row is transferred from the i-1 row shift register 121 to the i row shift register 122 and The binary data string in the second row is transferred from the buffer register 11 to the shift register 121 for the i−1th row. Then, the shift registers 121 to 123, 131
.. 133 are serially shifted by 2 pixels, the effective period signal for the output device 2 is turned on, the shift registers 121 to 123 and 131 to 133 are further shifted, and the last pixel of the shift registers 121 to 123 is changed. At the time when the binarized data is shifted into the middle of the shift registers 131 to 133 and processed, the effective period signal for the output device 2 is turned off, and the shift is continued by two pixels.
The shift registers 121 to 123 and 131 to 133 are returned to the states immediately before the start of the shift.

In the pattern judging section 14, the AND gate 1
By 41, the two binarized data excluding the middle binarized data among the three binarized data output from the target row shift register 132 and the preceding row shift register 13
1, a logical product of a total of four binarized data with the middle binarized data output from the subsequent shift register 133 is obtained, and the gate group 142 outputs the AND gate 141 outputs the logic “1”. When, the shift register 13 for the row of interest is
The binary data in the middle output from 2 is converted into the binary data of the white pixel and output to the output device 2. When the output of the AND gate 141 is logical "0", the 2
The digitized data is output to the output device 2 as it is. As a result, in the order from the left pixel to the last pixel of the pixel row of the first row, the pixels whose front, rear, left, and right are all surrounded by black pixels are changed to white pixels. However, in the processing of the first row, all of the 0th row are processed as white pixels.

When the instructing means 9 indicates that the blanking function is effective, the output device 2 outputs the binary value output from the pattern determining section 14 while the effective period signal from the shift control section 15 is on. Input the converted data and output it to the outside.

Next, when the binarized data string of the third row is accumulated in the buffer register 11, the shift control unit 15 sets 1
The binary data string of the row is transferred from the i-th row shift register 122 to the i + 1 row shift register 123, and the second binary data string is transferred from the i-1 row shift register 121 to the i-row shift register 122. Each of them is transferred, and the binary data string of the third row is transferred from the buffer register 11 to the shift register 121 for i-1 row. Then, the shift control for the shift registers 121 to 123 and 131 to 133 similar to that described above is performed. Thereby, the pattern determination unit 1
In 4, the pixels in which the front, rear, left, and right pixels are all surrounded by black pixels in order from the left pixel to the last pixel of the second row of pixel columns are changed to white pixels.

The above operation is continued until the binary data string of the last row output from the binary processing device 8 is processed. At the stage of transferring the binary data string of the last row to the i-row shift register 122, the contents of the buffer register 11 are returned to the initial state, so i-1
Binary data of all white pixels is stored in the row shift register 121.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a two-dimensional image to be read and an example of an image obtained by whitening the two-dimensional image according to the present embodiment. Reference numeral A in the figure is the original image, and reference numeral B in the figure is
Is an image represented by a binarized data string after whitening processing. It should be noted that although a grid is drawn to show the size of one pixel, this is not included in the original image. As shown in the figure, among the pixels of the original image, all the pixels whose front, rear, left, and right are black pixels are converted into white pixels, so that an outline figure is obtained.

In the above embodiment, when four pixels in the front, rear, left and right are black pixels, it is assumed that the surroundings are surrounded by black pixels. When the pixel is a black pixel, it may be surrounded by black pixels. In this case, the AND gate 141 of the pattern determination unit 14 includes the shift registers 131 to 141 excluding the binary data of the middle pixel of the shift register 132.
A total of eight binarized data stored in 133 are input.

[0031]

According to the image scanner with a whitening function of the present invention described above, the following effects can be obtained.

Since the image processed by the image scanner is automatically output from the image scanner, there is no need for the work of processing the figure again. Therefore, illustrations can be easily created.

As another configuration for realizing the whitening function in the image scanner, a configuration may be considered in which all the binarized data are temporarily stored in the memory, and then whitening processing is performed by software processing and output. Large-scale hardware is required and the processing time is long. According to the configuration of the whitening processing device according to the second aspect, it can be realized with a small amount of hardware, and high-speed processing is possible.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the user can freely select whether the whiteout function is valid or invalid.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an essential part of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an original image and an image after whitening processing.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... White processing apparatus 11 ... Buffer register 12 ... 1st shift register group 121 ... i-1 row shift register 122 ... i row shift register 123 ... i + 1 row shift register 13 ... 2nd shift register group 131 ... shift register for front row 132 ... shift register for target row 133 ... shift register for rear row 14 ... pattern determination unit 141 ... AND gate 142 ... gate group 15 ... shift control unit 2 ... output device 3 ... manuscript 4 ... light source 5 ... Optical system 6 ... Image sensor 7 ... Reading device 8 ... Binarization processing device 9 ... Instructing means

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image scanner which reads the density of each pixel of a two-dimensional image with an image sensor, converts the density into binary data, and outputs the binary data. A whitening processing device for converting binary data of pixels surrounded by black pixels into a value indicating a white pixel and outputting the converted value, and outputting the binary data of other pixels as they are, and the whitening processing device. An image scanner with a whitening function, comprising: an output device that outputs the binarized data output from the device as an image scanner output to the outside. 2. The whiteout processing device is a shift register for i-1 row and a shift for i row which holds a binarized data column of the i-1th row, the ith row, and the i + 1th row of a two-dimensional image. A register, a shift register for i + 1 row, a shift register for i−1 row, a shift register for i row, and a shift register for i + 1 row, which has a capacity of 3 pixels connected between serial output terminals and serial input terminals. Every time one row of binary data of a two-dimensional image is input, the shift register for the preceding row, the shift register for the target row, the shift register for the subsequent row, and the input binary data string for the one row In the shift register for the i-1 row, the binarized data string held in the shift register for the i-1 row in the shift register for the i row, and the binary data string held in the shift register for the i row The digitized data string is i + 1 The shift register for row i-1, the shift register for row i, and the row i before the binarized data for one row are input to the row shift registers, respectively.
And a shift control unit for circulating the contents of the row shift register and the i + 1 row shift register through the shift register for the preceding row, the shift register for the target row, and the shift register for the subsequent row in synchronization with each other. , The middle binarized data of the three binarized data shifted into the target row shift register is set as the target pixel, and the preceding row shift register, the target row shift register, and the subsequent row are used. The logical product of the binarized data of the pixels around the pixel of interest held in the shift register is obtained, and the binarized data of the pixel of interest is converted into the binarized data of the white pixel according to the result. 2. The image scanner with a blanking function according to claim 1, further comprising: a pattern determination unit that determines whether the image is to be output in the original state or to be output in the original state. 3. An output device is provided with an instruction means for instructing whether or not to enable the whitening function, and the output device outputs from the whitening processing device when the instruction means instructs to enable the whitening function. 3. The image scanner with a whitening function according to claim 2, wherein the binarized data is output to the outside as an image sensor output, and the binarized data not subjected to the whitening processing is output when it is not instructed to be valid. .