JPH0869452A - Image processor and image processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To smoothly operate even image data which are reduced and displayed and to improve the usability by performing composition control on the basis of the display image data so that relatively large characters can be written between lines, in a blank, etc. CONSTITUTION: An image processor main body 1 inputs document image data from an image scanner 6 or external memory 7 to a memory 8 and an image data editing part 5 reduces the inputted document image data to size matching a display part 2 under the control of the image processor main body 1 and displays the data at a display part 2. The image processor main body 1 inputs strokes of a handwritten memo, inputted at 4 handwriting input part 4, as image data, cuts image data within a range circumscribed with the area of the handwritten memo on the basis of control information in the memory 8, and produces the coordinates of the document image data corresponding to the left upper end of the rectangular range, and the image data editing part 5 puts the handwritten memo together at this position with the same resolution as the display data.

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 and an image processing method capable of retrieving image data and making a handwritten memo on a display.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, binary image data is displayed on a display as an edit for binary image data input from an image scanner or the like.
There has been provided an image processing apparatus equipped with a handwritten memo function for inputting the trajectory of a pointing device such as a pen as image data.

[0003]

Generally, in order to recognize the contents of a document, when inputting with an image scanner,
A resolution of 200 DPI or higher is required. On the other hand, the resolution of a normally used display is 100 DPI or less, and it depends on the size of the document. However, for example, an A4 size document cannot display the entire document at once.

When searching for a target document while displaying the contents of the document, it is easier to search if the entire image data is visible at once. Therefore, it has been considered to thin out the image data so as to fit in the size of the display and display it in a reduced size. Conventionally, when performing a handwritten memo with a pen or the like on the image data of a document retrieved by this method, it is difficult to input the handwritten memo because the reduced document image data has reduced line spacing and margins. A troublesome operation is required such as exiting the search mode and displaying the document image data in the original size.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides an image processing apparatus and an image processing method which are easy to use even for document image data reduced and displayed on a display for retrieval or the like. The purpose is to do.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises means for inputting document image data from an image scanner, an external storage device or the like onto a memory,
Means for reducing the document image data from this means to display image data of a size suitable for the display unit, means for displaying the display image data by this means on the display unit, handwriting with pen input, etc. Means for inputting strokes as handwritten image data, means for designating a timing for synthesizing the handwritten image data by the means with the document image data, means for extracting a rectangular range of the input handwritten image data, and the handwritten image A means for synthesizing data at the resolution of the document image data corresponding to the upper left corner of the rectangular range, and when writing the handwritten image data in a line space or a blank space with reference to the display image data, a relatively large character It is in the image processing device that enables the input of.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention inputs document image data from an image scanner or an external storage device into a memory, and the input document image data has a size suitable for a display section. The display image data is reduced to a display image data, the reduced display image data is displayed on the screen of the display unit, handwriting strokes input by a pen or the like are input as handwriting image data, and the handwriting image data is the document image data. To specify the timing to be combined, extract the rectangular range of the input handwritten image data, combine the handwritten image data with the resolution of the document image data corresponding to the upper left end of the rectangular range, and display the display image data. When writing the handwritten image data in the space between lines, etc. Allows the input of a character and then there is the image processing method.

[0008]

In the present invention, when writing the handwritten image data in the space between lines or in the blank space with reference to the display image data, it is possible to input a relatively large character. Therefore, the document image data reduced on the display for retrieval or the like is displayed. Also, the usability can be improved.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of an image processing apparatus according to this embodiment. The image processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 includes an image processing apparatus main body 1 and a display device (display function).
2, keyboard / tablet 3, handwriting input unit (handwriting input function) 4, image data editing unit (image data editing function) 5, image scanner 6, external memory 7, memory 8, margin detection unit (margin detection function) 9, etc. Is provided.

The image processing apparatus body 1 includes a memory 8
2 to 6 which will be described later based on various control of the entire system based on predetermined control information stored in the memory, and the overall image processing function. Supervise.

The display device 2 is a liquid crystal display device (LC
D), data under control of the image processing apparatus main body 1, information under various control processing, and the like are displayed on the screen, and various information such as a selection menu is also displayed.

The keyboard / tablet 3 is provided on the upper surface of the display device 2, and is used as an input device for detecting position information pressed by a pen or the like and for inputting commands / coordinate values according to the guidance of the display device 2. Is.

The handwriting input unit 4 is a handwriting input function unit for inputting handwritten stroke data of the keyboard / tablet 3 as image data (handwritten memo).

The image data editing section 5 enlarges / reduces / combines image data under the control of the image processing apparatus body 1. The image scanner 6 is for inputting a document or the like as image data to the memory 8.

The external memory 7 is a hard disk drive, a floppy disk drive, an optical disk device,
It consists of a storage device such as a PC card. The memory 8 stores control data and image data of the image processing apparatus body 1.

The margin detecting section 9 detects a margin on the document image data where a handwritten memo can be displayed. By the way, in the present image processing apparatus configured as described above, the image processing apparatus main body 1 executes the control processing as shown in FIG. 2 based on the control information stored in the predetermined area of the memory 8.

That is, when the document image data is input from the image scanner 6 or the external memory 7, the image data is first stored in the memory 8 (see step S21 in FIG. 2).

When the image data is stored in the memory 8, the image processing apparatus body 1 performs a reduction process so that the entire document image data can be displayed on the screen of the display device 2 (step S22 in FIG. 2). .

The reduced display image data is displayed on the screen of the display device 2 (step S in FIG. 2).
23). The handwritten stroke input by handwriting in the handwriting input unit 4 is converted into image data (step S24 in FIG. 2). In addition, it is determined where in the document image data the handwritten memo should be pasted, and the composite position is calculated (step S25 in FIG. 2).

Thereafter, the handwritten memo is combined with the document image data (step S26 in FIG. 2). In addition, in the present image processing apparatus configured as described above, the memory 8
Based on the control information stored in the predetermined area of the image processing apparatus main body 1, the image processing apparatus main body 1 executes the control processing regarding the handwritten memo input as shown in FIG.

That is, first, the counter c for measuring the time in the input waiting state is initialized (see step S31 in FIG. 3). Then, when the pen input is made (step S32 in FIG. 3), it is judged whether or not the memo input is made (step S33 in FIG. 3).

If it is a memo input (step S33 in FIG. 3)
Y), the process of converting the handwriting stroke image data into a pen coordinate image data is performed (step S34 in FIG. 3).

On the other hand, if it is not the memo input (N in step S33 of FIG. 3), it is determined whether or not the button icon is selected (step S35 of FIG. 3). When the button icon is selected (Y in step S35 in FIG. 3), the process proceeds to step S25 in FIG.

When the button icon is not selected (N in step S35 in FIG. 3), "1" is added to the counter c to count the input waiting state (step S36 in FIG. 3).

Then, it is judged whether or not the input waiting time is equal to or longer than the predetermined time (n) (step S3 in FIG. 3).
7). If the predetermined time (n) or more (step S of FIG. 3)
37, Y), and the process proceeds to step S25 of FIG. Otherwise (N in step S37 of FIG. 3), the process proceeds to step S32.

Further, in the present image processing apparatus configured as described above, the image processing apparatus main body 1 determines the composition position as shown in FIG. 4 based on the control information stored in the predetermined area of the memory 8. Executes control processing related to calculation.

That is, the image data of the rectangular range circumscribing the area of the handwritten memo is cut out (step S4 in FIG. 4).
1) Calculate the coordinates of the document image data corresponding to the upper left corner of the rectangular area of the handwritten memo (step S4 in FIG. 4).
2).

Further, in the present image processing apparatus configured as described above, the image processing apparatus main body 1 determines the composition position as shown in FIG. 5 based on the control information stored in the predetermined area of the memory 8. Executes control processing related to calculation.

That is, when a position for composing a handwritten memo is designated by pen input (step S51 in FIG. 5), image data in a rectangular range circumscribing the area of the handwritten memo is cut out (step S52 in FIG. 5), and the handwritten memo is drawn. The coordinates of the document image data corresponding to the upper left corner of the rectangular range of are calculated (step S53 in FIG. 5).

Further, in the present image processing apparatus configured as described above, based on the control information stored in the predetermined area of the memory 8, the image processing apparatus main body 1 determines the composition position as shown in FIG. Executes control processing related to calculation.

That is, first, the image data of the rectangular range circumscribing the area of the handwritten memo is cut out (step S61 in FIG. 6), and the coordinates of the document image data corresponding to the upper left end of the rectangular range of the handwritten memo are calculated. (Step S62 of FIG. 6).

Next, a blank portion of the document image data is detected and registered in the management table of the memory 8 (step S63 in FIG. 6). Then, it is selected from the management table such that a blank space close to the coordinates in step S62 is selected as a candidate (step S64 in FIG. 6).

After that, it is judged whether or not the margin is entered (step S65 in FIG. 6). If the margin is entered (Y in step S65 of FIG. 6), the coordinates of the document image data corresponding to the upper left corner of the rectangular area of the handwritten memo are calculated (FIG. 6).
Step S66). If the blank space is not entered (N in step S65 of FIG. 6), it is determined whether or not there is a blank space (step S67 of FIG. 6).

When there is a remaining margin (step S in FIG. 6)
67 Y), and the process proceeds to step S64.
If there is no remaining margin (N in step S67 of FIG. 6), the process proceeds to step S26 of FIG.

The above-described embodiment of the present invention will be summarized as follows in consideration of the above matters. (1) First, a means for inputting binary image data (document image data) into a memory from an image scanner or an external storage device, and reducing the binary image data to display image data of a size suitable for a display device. Means for displaying display image data on a display device, means for inputting handwritten strokes input with a pen or the like as image data (handwritten memo), and timing for combining handwritten memo with document image data. A means for designating with a button icon or the like (composite icon), a means for extracting the rectangular range of the input handwritten memo, and a means for combining the handwritten memo with the resolution of the document image data corresponding to the upper left end of the rectangular range are provided. , When writing a handwritten memo in the space between lines or other margins with reference to the display image data, it is relatively large It made it possible to input the character.

More specifically, referring to FIGS. 1 to 4,
First, in the step of inputting document image data (step S21 in FIG. 2), the document image data is input from the image scanner 6 or the external memory 7 to the memory 8.

Then, in the reduction processing step (step S22 in FIG. 2), the document image data is reduced to a size suitable for display by the image data editing device 5 into display image data, and the display step (FIG. 2). In step S23), the display device 2 displays the display image data on the display.

In the step of inputting a handwritten memo (step S24 in FIG. 2), the handwritten stroke input from the tablet 3 on the display is input. The process at this time is as shown in FIG. 3, and after the handwritten memo is input, the step of calculating the combined position is performed by the button icon for ending the handwritten memo input (step S2 in FIG. 2).
Control is transferred to 5).

In the step of calculating the combined position (step S25 in FIG. 2), the position to be combined with the range of the handwritten memo for pasting and combining the handwritten memo with the document image data is calculated (see FIG. 4). In step S41 of FIG. 4, the range of the handwritten memo is cut out in the size of the circumscribing rectangle, and in step S42, the coordinates of the document image data corresponding to the upper left end position of the rectangular range on the display are calculated. It

Finally, in the synthesizing step (step S26 in FIG. 2), the image data editing device 5 synthesizes the handwritten memo with the document image data at the same resolution as the document image data.

Therefore, even if characters, figures, etc. larger than the line spacing or the margin of the display image data are input by handwriting, when the handwriting input is finished and the text image data is combined with the document image data,
Since it is easy to fit in the space between lines or in the margins, the overlap between the meaningful document image data and the handwritten memo is reduced and the legibility is maintained. (2) Further, in the present invention, in the configuration of (1) described above, when the composition of the handwritten memo with respect to the document image data is designated by the composition icon, the waiting time for inputting is detected. If there is no handwriting input,
The handwritten memo is automatically combined with the document image data.

That is, in step S24 of FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the control shifts to step S25 by the button icon for ending the input of the handwritten memo in the above (1), but in the embodiment of the present invention. As a condition for shifting to step S25, the waiting time for pen input is added, and when there is no input for a predetermined time or more, the control shifts to step S25 in the same manner as when the button icon is selected. .

Therefore, by automatically detecting the breaks of the handwritten memo at time intervals, it is possible to reduce the number of operations at the end of the handwritten memo, and the operation is simplified. (3) Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, in the configuration of (1) above, by providing the position designation function after the means for designating the timing of synthesizing the handwritten memo with the document image data with the button icon or the like, It is possible to combine at any position.

That is, in the above (1), in step S25 and step S42, the place where the handwritten memo is combined with the document image data is the upper left corner of the rectangular area on the display. Then, as shown in FIG. 5, the operator specifies the position to be combined in step S51 by pen input. In step S52, step S4
In the same manner as 1, the handwritten memo rectangular range is cut out, and in step S53, which position of the document image data the position on the display (upper left corner of the rectangle) designated in step S51 corresponds is calculated, and the handwritten memo is calculated. Is the upper left end position of the place to be combined in the document image data.

Therefore, when the handwriting input is completed and the document image data is to be combined, the operator can specify the combining position, so that a more free handwritten memo becomes possible. (4) Further, in the present invention, in the configuration of the above (1), a means for calculating a blank portion of the document image data is provided, and the handwritten memo is positioned on the document image data corresponding to the upper left end of the rectangular range. In the case of synthesizing with the center, when the rectangular range of the handwritten memo is larger than the blank space such as the space between lines, it is possible to synthesize with the margin part which is larger than the rectangular range of the handwritten memo and is the closest.

That is, in the above (1), in step S25 and step S42, the place where the handwritten memo is combined with the document image data is the upper left corner of the rectangular area on the display. In the example, as shown in FIG. 6, the blank portion of the document image data is managed, and it is checked whether or not the handwritten memo fits in the blank space. . When there is no suitable margin, the composition is performed in the first place, and in this case, the same result as (1) above is obtained.

Therefore, when the handwritten memo runs out of the space between lines or the blank space, the handwritten memo is combined with the larger space between the spaces and the blank space, so that the overlap with the significant document image data is reduced, and it is easy to see. Is maintained. (5) Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, in the configuration of the above (4), the handwritten memo is input in order to clarify to which part of the document image data the synthesized handwritten memo is. It is possible to connect the position of the document image data corresponding to the upper left end of the created rectangular range and the upper left end of the actually combined position with a line image.

That is, in the above (4), when the composite position of the handwritten memo is largely separated from the original position, the original position on the document image data is set in order to clarify which place the memo is. The relationship between the combined places is connected by the image pattern of lines.

Therefore, by connecting with the line pattern in the above (4), it becomes clear which part of the document image data the handwritten memo is. (6) Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, in the configuration of the above (5), instead of connecting with a line image, a unique symbol may be added to distinguish from others to clarify the relationship. It is possible.

That is, when the line image pattern in (5) above becomes complicated, the relationship between the original place and the synthesized place is clarified by a unique symbol. Therefore,
In the above (5), when the handwritten memo is relatively far from the corresponding portion of the document image data, the line pattern may overlap with many significant portions. To avoid this, other distinctive unique symbols can clarify the relationship. (7) Further, in the present invention, the above (1), (3),
In the configurations of (5) and (6), by having four button icons for temporarily ending the handwritten memo that triggers the operation,
Enables processing depending on the situation.

That is, the above (1), (3), (5),
It is possible to input a handwritten memo according to the situation by having a total of four button icons for the end of the handwritten memo that triggers the operation of (6).

Therefore, the above (1), (3), (5),
By combining (6), that is, by having four types of button icons for synthesizing the handwritten memo with the document image data, the operation according to the situation becomes possible.

[0053]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to input a relatively large character when writing handwritten image data in a space or a blank space with reference to display image data. Smooth operation can be performed even on document image data that is reduced and displayed on the display.
Therefore, it has an excellent effect that the usability can be improved in the image processing.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an image processing apparatus main body according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary flowchart showing a procedure of processing for synthesizing a handwritten memo and document image data according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a control processing procedure relating to handwritten memo input according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a control processing procedure relating to calculation of a combined position according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a control processing procedure regarding calculation of a combined position different from that in FIG. 4 according to the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a control processing procedure relating to calculation of a combined position different from that in FIG. 5, according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Image processing device main body, 2 ... Display device (display function), 3 ... Keyboard / tablet, 4 ... Handwriting input unit (handwriting input function), 5 ... Image data editing unit (image data editing function), 6 ... Image scanner , 7 ... External memory, 8 ... Memory, 9 ... Margin detection unit (margin detection function).

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI technical display location 9365-5H G06F 15/62 325 A

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A means for inputting document image data from an image scanner, an external storage device or the like into a memory, and display image data of a size suitable for the display portion of the document image data input into the memory by this means. Means for performing reduction processing, means for displaying the display image data processed by this means on the display unit, means for inputting handwritten strokes by a pen input operation, etc. as handwritten image data, and handwriting performed by this means. Means for designating a timing of combining image data with the document image data; means for extracting a rectangular range of the input handwritten image data; and the document image data corresponding to the upper left end of the rectangular range of the handwritten image data. And a means for synthesizing at the resolution of , The line spacing and margins, etc., allows entry of relatively large characters when writing the handwritten image data and the image processing apparatus. 2. Document image data from an image scanner, an external storage device, or the like is input to a memory, and the input document image data is reduced to display image data of a size suitable for a display unit. The display image data is displayed on the display unit, the handwriting strokes input by the pen are input as the handwriting image data, the timing for synthesizing the handwriting image data with the document image data is designated, and the input handwriting is input. The rectangular range of the image data is extracted, the handwritten image data is combined with the resolution of the document image data corresponding to the upper left end of the rectangular range, and the handwritten image data is displayed in a line space or a margin with reference to the display image data. Image processing method that allows input of relatively large characters when writing .