JPH0877348A - Method for connecting break of binary image data - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To avoid the non-coincidence of the area recognized result in a source image and the area recognized result in a thinned image and to enable the automatic recognizing processing of a closed area in the method for connecting the break of binary image data for an image processing system. CONSTITUTION: A user sets the processing range of a source binary image (S11), the thinned image thinned from the source binary image corresponding to the area set by the user with a previously set reduction scale is possessed (S12 and S13), the thinned image is subjected to thinning, and the thinning image is extended to the magnification of the source binary image (S14 and S15). Then, the extended thinning image and the source binary image are ORed and synthesized so that the break part of the source binary image can be connected (S16 and S17).

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a disconnection / connection method of binary image data in an image processing system, and is particularly suitable for matching a closed area recognition result in an original image with an area recognition result in a thinned image. The present invention relates to a method for disconnecting and connecting binary image data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a digital image processing apparatus controlled by a computer, generally, when high density data is required for high quality output, image processing is performed by using binary image data of an original image. If the coarse density data is sufficient, the image processing is performed using the thinned image data.
When the image closed region recognition processing is performed using these image data, the processing result performed based on the binarized image data of the original image may differ from the processing result performed based on the thinned image data. It was This is because even if the original image is cut, it may be connected in the thinned image. In order to avoid this, conventionally, the operator cuts a part of the original image and connects it by drawing a closed line with a mouse or the like, and then performs automatic recognition processing of the closed region again (Japanese Patent Application No. 2-270266), or
The thinned image data was used as it was.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned method, the closed area cannot be automatically recognized when there is a cut portion in the original image, which imposes a burden on the operator and wastes the designation error. There was a drawback that work was required. Further, the method (1) has a drawback that it cannot be applied when high density data is required for high image quality output.

The present invention has been made under the circumstances as described above, and an object of the present invention is to avoid the discrepancy between the area recognition result in the original image and the area recognition result in the thinned image, and to close the closed area. An object of the present invention is to provide a disconnection connection method of binary image data that enables automatic recognition processing of.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method of disconnecting and connecting binary image data in an image processing system. The above object of the present invention is to set an area for a user to set a processing range of an original binary image. A step of obtaining a thinned image obtained by thinning an original image binary image corresponding to the user-set area at a preset reduction ratio; a thinning step of thinning the thinned image; An image expansion step of expanding the thinned image thinned in the thinning step to the magnification of the original binary image, and the thinned image expanded in the image expansion step and the original binary image are ORed and combined. And a break connection process.

[0006]

In the present invention, the thinned image is thinned and expanded to the magnification of the original binary image, and the thinned image obtained as a result and the original binary image are ORed and combined. Connection of disconnection of binary image data is performed. Therefore, it is not necessary for the operator to draw a closed line by using a mouse or the like, and the automatic recognition processing of the closed region becomes possible. Also, when the closed area recognition processing of the image is performed by using the combined image data in the subsequent editing processing, the area recognition result of the original image and the area recognition result of the thinned-out image are eliminated. be able to.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An image processing system which is a premise of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an example of the overall configuration of an image processing system. A plurality of editing workstations 10 are connected to each other via Ethernet, and one workstation 10 among them is relatively connected. A galley printer 20 for performing low-quality galley printing is connected. A workstation 30 for a server having a data server and a recorder server function is further connected to the Ethernet, and a mount input device 40 for reading and inputting a layout mount for printing is attached to the server workstation 30. A plurality of color scanners 50, 50 that are connected via the input controller 40A and that read and input a color image or a monochrome image of patterns, characters, figures, etc. by color separation are input via the plurality of input controllers 50A, 50A. It is connected. Further, the server workstation 30 has a high-quality image through an output synchronization buffer 70 which has functions of decompression, half-shading, merging (line drawing and continuous tone (monotone) image), and buffering for synchronization. Printer 6 for outputting
0 is connected.

FIG. 1 shows an example in which a plurality of editing workstations 10 and one server workstation 30 are systematically combined, but one editing / server workstation 30A as shown in FIG. It is also possible to have a stand-alone configuration with. In addition, other information (for example, LAN (Lo
(Cal Area Network) information, information from other computer systems, etc.) and processes it. Although the output synchronization buffer 70 is inserted between the server workstation 30 and the film printer 60 in the configuration examples of FIGS. 1 and 2, it may be incorporated in the film printer 60. .

Although the editing workstation 10 and the server workstation 30 can take various forms depending on the system configuration, an example of the same hardware configuration will be described here in detail with reference to FIG. 3 for the sake of convenience. The workstation 30 (or 10) is a CPU 301 that controls the entire system.
And a hard disk 302 for storing necessary information, a CRT 303 as a display means, a keyboard 304 and a mouse 305 as an input operation means, a digitizer 306, a pointing means such as a trackball and a joystick, and a memory. A floppy disk (FD) 307 as a means can be loaded.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the system shown in FIG. 1. The mount information KS (1 bit) read by the mount input device 40 is sent to the workstation 30 via the input controller 40A. Has become
C of four colors read by a plurality of color scanners 50, 50
MYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
w, Black) color information CL1, CL2 (= 3)
2 bits; or K monocolor information = 8 bits) is sent to the workstation 30 via the input controllers 50A, 50A. Input controller 40A (50A)
Is designed to simultaneously perform high-density data processing for high image quality processing and coarse-density data processing for display, etc. in parallel at the same time, achieving high speed as a whole and efficient data processing. Has been realized. Input controller 40A,
50A has the same configuration, and the thinning unit 401 repeatedly performs thinning in a feedback manner, for example, 1/2, 1 /
Input data K in integer ratio such as 3, ..., 1/6, 1 / n
Although S (CL1, CL2) is thinned out, naturally, thinning out is not executed for the high density data required for high image quality output. In the input controller 40A (50A), data compression is performed by the compression unit 402 together with data thinning,
The thinned and compressed data is temporarily stored in a buffer (not shown).

Data (1 bit (line drawing information), 8 bits (mono color), 32 bits (full color)) temporarily stored in the input controller 40A (50A) is input to the server workstation 30 as input information INS. External information EXS from another personal computer or the like connected to the external system is also input to the server workstation 30. The server workstation 30 includes a scan server 320 for converting the format of each input information and registering an image, and further includes a recorder server 310 for managing an output job. Allocation information from the recorder server 310 is provided. (Characters, figures, tables, etc.
Information for specifying the layout and size of photographs, etc.) PSD
Is input to the raster image processing unit (PSRIP) 312. Further, the server workstation 30 is provided with a data disk 311 for storing image data, and the image data IGS read from the data disk 311 is stored in the image replacement unit (Open PrePress Int).
erface) 313. Image replacement unit 3
The image data IGSA replaced in 13 is input to the raster image processing unit 312, and the raster image processing unit 3
The image is converted into a raster image at 12, and the pattern or the like in the image data is converted into a halftone dot. If necessary, the data-compressed raster data RD is input to the output synchronization buffer 70. The output synchronization buffer 70 synchronizes the data output with the printing speed of the film printer 60, performs necessary expansion on the data-compressed data, and further performs merging and halftone dot transmission to the film printer 60. To do.

FIG. 5 shows a detailed software configuration of the server workstation 30. The input information INS is shown in FIG.
The external information EXS is input to the format conversion unit 321 in the scan server 320, the format-converted data is used to create an image for display (display image) by the display image creation unit 322, and an image for icon (icon image). ) Is created, and the image registration unit 324 performs image registration processing. Registration data SS of the display image and the icon image output from the scan server 320
Although D is input to the database manager 330 and data is stored therein, the image data IG is stored in the data disk 311.
Is input to the allocation data (PostScript D
ata) PS is input to the recorder server 310 that manages output jobs. Database manager 330
Includes a large attachment module 340 for imposing each page, an image processing module 350 for performing line drawing preprocessing (noise removal, rotation, etc.), retouching and clipping processing of a continuous tone image, a mount layout, A plate collection module 36 for collecting image data such as image layout, figure generation, and shading
0, a data management module 370 that performs output job management and data management, and an operation data control module 380 that performs color editing, hatching editing, ground stop registration, and the like are connected by software.

Here, the processing operation of the database manager 330 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 6. When the registration data SSD such as the mount or the part image transmitted from the scan server 320 is input (step S1). Image data IG is stored in the data disk 311 via the database manager 330 (step S2). At the time of data correction, the database manager 330 reads out the image data from the data disk 311, and the image processing module 350 performs retouching (correction work for the purpose of correcting color, gradation, scratches, etc.), dust removal, cutout, etc. Manager 330
The data is stored in the data disk 311 via (step S3). Next, the database manager 330 performs plate-collection processing (arranges a mount, arranges each part along the mount, and performs character processing to synthesize parts such as characters, figures, and images according to the designated layout). However, the database manager 330 first reads the image data IG from the data disk 311, performs the plate collection operation by the plate collection module 360, and then stores the processed data in the data disk 311 via the database manager 330. Store. And further data disk 3
Image data IG is read out from 11, and large paste module 3
40, the imposition instruction and work are performed, the imposition data is stored in the data disk 311 via the database manager 330, and the imposition is performed (step S
5) Next, the data is extracted from the data disk 311 to the database manager 330, and the recorder server 310
The output process is performed in step S6.

FIG. 7 shows the target of input data (binary data,
The relation between layout information, bitmap data, continuous tone image) and process (input, plate collection / editing, output) is shown as data and flow of functions that the operator is aware of. The data is read by the mount input device 40 or the color scanner 50 to remove dust, retouch, rotate,
Enlargement / reduction processing is performed to obtain image editing data, and P
The ostScript information is RIP (Raster Im
image processor; data expressed in a page description language such as PostScript is developed and converted into bitmap data or the like) to be image editing data. Also, the bitmap data is format-converted by a filter to become image editing data, and the continuous tone image is read by the color scanner 50 or directly input to be retouched, cut out, and subjected to image processing to become image editing data. . The keyword, image name, and job name as the data management information are also incorporated in the image editing data. Image editing data is processed such as mount processing (closed area automatic recognition), drawing, object editing, composition, transformation, rotation, shading / attribute change, layout, photo embedding, etc., history image display change, distributed editing , Data saving is executed. After each of the above processes, color separation, spot color plate, and trapping are performed, and then imposition is performed page by page, and plate collection / editing is completed. The "special color plate" is a plate for printing with an ink other than ordinary CMYK, and for example, (1) black and gold red "gold red" in two-color printing, (2) gold, silver, (3) When expressing the color of a woman's lipstick in a photograph in a colorful way, use it as a separate plate for the lipstick, adding it to normal CMYK, and stacking ink on it. or,
“Trapping” specifically means stacking little by little in order to prevent blank areas due to misalignment of printing when they are arranged by removing hair. Server workstation 30
The data that has undergone the plate-making / editing process is processed by the galley printer 20 for galley output and PDL (Page Description).
n Language; eg PostScript)
The output is made, or the film is outputted by the film printer 60.

With such a configuration, the method of disconnecting and connecting binary image data according to the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Here, an original binary image G as shown in FIG. 9 is displayed on the CRT 303 of the editing workstation 10, and a case where the original image G1 is disconnected and connected will be described below as an example. The process relating to the present invention is performed by the plate-collecting module 360 shown in FIG.

The user (operator) uses a mouse or the like to instruct the processing range of the original binary image to be processed. As an instruction method, as shown in FIG. 9, "area instruction" for instructing an area of the original image G to be disconnected and connected.
Then, as shown in FIG. 7B, there is a "one-point designation" for designating one point of the original image G. Here, a case where "area designation" is performed will be described as an example. Note that the disconnection connection process in the case of "one-point instruction" will be described later in the closed region recognition process, but the process related to the disconnection connection is the same. “Area designation”
In this case, the operator designates the start point with, for example, a mouse, and designates the area A with a rectangle displayed by moving the cursor (step S11). In the disconnection connection processing in the closed area recognition processing unit in the plate-collecting module 360, a thinned image (reduction ratio 1 / n) is obtained from the information (start point s (x, y), width w, height h) of the specified area A. Area B (starting point s '(x',
y '), width w', height h ': However, x' = (1 / n) * x, y '= (1 / n) *
y, w '= (1 / n) * w, h' = (1 / n) * h) is calculated (step S1)
2).

Then, as shown in FIG. 10A, the thinned image Ga1 (reduction ratio 1 / n) for the original image G is read in the area B (step S13). Then, as shown in FIG.
As shown in (C), the read thinned-out image Ga1 is thinned to create a thinned image Ga2. The thinning here is a known thinning algorithm (Hilditch's iterative algorithm, Tsuruoka's iterative algorithm, Deutsch's parallel algorithm 1, Tamura's parallel algorithm, Pavl.
This is performed using the idis boundary tracking thinning algorithm) (step S14). Then, as shown in FIGS. 11D and 11E, the thinned image Ga2 is expanded by n times and the original image G2 is expanded.
The resolution is converted into the resolution of and the decompressed thin line image GA is created (step S15). On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4F, the original image GB is read in the designated area A (step S1).
6). Then, the decompressed thinned image GA (Fig. (E)) and the clipped original image GB (Fig. (F)) are logically ORed to combine the images, as shown in (G). Thus, the composite image GC is created, and the disconnection connection process ends (step S17). The image data of the image GC created in this way is stored in the database manager 330.
The data is stored in the data disk 311 via the, and the subsequent editing process is performed on the image GC for which the disconnection connection process has been performed.

Next, the flow of processing when the method of the present invention is applied to closed area recognition processing will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. Conventionally, in the closed area recognition process, when there is a cut portion in the image, the operator responded by drawing a closed line using a mouse or the like, but if the present invention is applied, the cut portion It is possible to perform automatic recognition processing of a closed region even for an image that the user has. The closed area recognition process is performed by the plate-collecting module 360 shown in FIG. In the closed area recognition processing, a method of activating the recognition processing by designating one point in the trace area, a method of setting a rectangular recognition range on a binary image and activating the recognition processing,
There are three types of methods in which the free-form recognition range is set on a binary image and the recognition process is activated.

In the case of "area instruction", the operator operates the mouse or the like to instruct an area on the screen so that the image to be processed is included (steps S21 to S23), and "1".
In the case of “point designation”, as shown in FIG. 9B, an arbitrary point P on the binary image to be processed is designated (step S
24). Here, when setting the rectangular recognition range, the rectangular recognition range is set by the method shown in FIG. 9A. When setting the free-form recognition range, for example, each point of the outer frame of the target image is set. By setting, the line shape is set. When the instruction of the processing target is completed, the operator issues a closed region recognition start instruction and activates the closed region recognition process (step S30). Hereinafter, the process of step S30 will be described with reference to FIG.
It will be described according to the flowchart of

In the closed area recognition processing section in the plate-collecting module 360, the closed area recognition processing for thinned image data is performed in the foreground, and the closed area recognition processing for high resolution data is performed in the background. First, the respective processes are activated at the same time (step S3).
1). In the background process, the high resolution data is read from the data disk 311 via the database manager 330 (step S32), and the disconnection connection process (see FIG. 8) is performed on the set target area (step S33). Then, the closed region boundary is extracted using the image data combined in the disconnection connection process (step S34), and the background closed region recognition process is ended.

On the other hand, in the foreground processing, the data disk 31 is passed through the database manager 330.
The thinned image data is read from 1 (step S35),
The closed region boundary is extracted using the thinned image data (step S36), and the foreground closed region recognition process is terminated. The operator can perform another editing operation until the background closed area recognition processing is completed, and the operator is notified when the foreground closed area recognition processing is completed. And then continue with the next edit operation.

[0022]

As described above, according to the disconnection / connection method of binary image data of the present invention, the disconnection of the original image is eliminated and the connection status of the thinned image is the same. Therefore, the area recognition result of the thinned image and the area recognition result of the original image can be made the same. Further, since the disconnection connection process is automated, the closed region automatic recognition process can be performed even for an image having a disconnected part.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of an image processing system which is a premise of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram showing another example of the hardware configuration of the image processing system on which the present invention is based.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of an editing / server workstation.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the entire system of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of a detailed software configuration of a server workstation.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of the entire editing work.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a relationship between input target data and a software process.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a disconnection connection method for binary image data according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a first diagram for explaining the method of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a second diagram for explaining the method of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a third diagram for explaining the method of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a first flowchart showing the flow of processing when the method of the present invention is applied to closed region recognition processing.

FIG. 13 is a second flowchart showing the flow of processing when the method of the present invention is applied to closed area recognition processing.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10,30,30A Workstation 302 Hard Disk 303 CRT 305 Mouse 311 Data Disk 330 Database Manager 360 Version Collection Module A First Processing Area B Second Processing Area G Original Image Binary Image Ga1 Thinned Image Ga2 Thin Line Image GB Original image cut out GC composite image

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An area setting step in which a user sets a processing range of an original image binary image, and a step of acquiring a thinned image thinned from an original image binary image corresponding to the user set area by a preset reduction ratio. A thinned image obtaining step, a thinning step of thinning the thinned image, an image expanding step of expanding the thinned image thinned in the thinning step to the magnification of the original binary image, and the image expanding step 2. A disconnection / connection method for binary image data, which comprises a disconnection / connection step of performing a logical sum operation of the thinned image and the original binary image expanded in step 1 to synthesize.