JPS6174453A - Picture display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain ease to see picture display by detecting an information content area displayed in an input picture from a change in the picture data of accumulated value in each direction so as to suppress the picture display output for unnecessary information of a peripheral section. CONSTITUTION:Original picture information inputted to a picture display device while being scanned by one line each to a color image sensor 1 is subject to A/D conversion 2, the result is fed to a matrix circuit 3, and its picture element signal is separated into a luminance signal component I and color difference signal components C1, C2. The signal components I, C1, C2 are processed by a color conversion circuit 4 and a binary-coding circuit 5 and the binary coding information of the picture element of the information content area to be outputted and displayed in the input picture is written in a frame memory 6. Further, the signal component I is inputted to an area detection circuit 8, and the signal component I is processed in an X direction memory 11, a Y direction memory 12 and adders 13-15, 19 and a CPU 17. Then output information of the memory 6 is controlled at the information content area detected by the circuit 8 to suppress the display output of unnecessary information and an easy to see picture is inputted to a color printer 7.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to an image display device that can effectively organize useless information other than the information content area to be displayed in an input image and display the image.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

BACKGROUND ART In recent years, the development of multi-color copying machines has been remarkable, and many color copying machines have also been developed.

However, when copying a three-dimensional object such as a book using this type of copying machine, there is a problem in that the peripheral edges and outer parts of the three-dimensional object are generally displayed in black. In particular, in the case of a color copying machine, the peripheral edges and outer parts of the three-dimensional objects are colored in extremely unnatural hues such as reddish-purple or bluish-purple due to the subtle hues of the light source, resulting in an extremely unsightly image. Become.

Conventionally, in order to solve this problem, a white outer frame is prepared and the peripheral edge of the three-dimensional object is masked, and then the three-dimensional object is copied. However, preparing such outer frames to suit various sizes of the three-dimensional objects is extremely difficult and requires considerable effort.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been made in consideration of these circumstances.
The purpose of this is to automatically detect areas other than areas indicating information content in the input image, such as when copying a three-dimensional object, and to automatically detect the unnecessary areas. The object of the present invention is to provide a highly practical image display device that can easily display images that are easy to view by organizing image information.

[Summary of the invention]

In order to copy image information of a three-dimensional object such as a book, the present invention calculates the cumulative values of pixel information forming the input image captured and input in two mutually orthogonal directions, and calculates the cumulative values in each of these directions. The information content area to be displayed in the input image is detected from the data, specifically, from the change in data obtained by averaging the distribution data in each direction of the cumulative value, and according to the detection result, the information content area other than the above information content area is detected. The pixel information of the area is converted into predetermined information, for example white pixel information, and the image is displayed.

〔Effect of the invention〕

Thus, according to the present invention, even when copying a three-dimensional object such as a book, the peripheral edges and outer portions of the object will not be unnaturally colored and displayed as an image. Therefore, there is no need to prepare various outer frames to match the size of the three-dimensional object, as in the past, and it becomes possible to obtain a display image that is very easy to see. Moreover, it is possible to perform processing on such a display image relatively easily. Furthermore, it becomes possible to simplify the handling of the device, which has a great practical effect.

(Example of the invention) Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of an apparatus in which the present invention is applied to a color copying machine.

The color sensor 1 reads and inputs document information such as a book illuminated by a light source as an image, and for example, C0D1.
It is composed of a dimensional color image sensor. The color sensor 1 scans and inputs the document image information line by line. The A/D converter 2 sequentially converts the time series information of each pixel of the image information inputted by the color sensor 1 into a digital signal, and the matrix circuit 3 inputs this signal and converts each pixel signal into a digital signal. The luminance signal component I and the color difference signal components CI and C2 are extracted separately.

The color conversion circuit 4 inputs each color-separated signal as described above, and executes color signal conversion according to the output characteristics of the color printer, which will be described later, in accordance with, for example, the Neukebauer equation or the masking equation. The signal obtained via the color conversion circuit 4 is converted via the binarization circuit 5 into binary data having gradation expression such as a systematic dither method, and then sequentially stored in the frame memory 6. It has become so. The image information stored in the frame memory 6 is read out to a color printer 7 and output as a color image.

By the way, the writing of binary data into the frame memory 6 is controlled by the area detection circuit 8. The area detection circuit 8 detects an information content area to be output and displayed in the input image from the information of the color-separated luminance signal I, as shown in FIG. 2, for example. Then, in accordance with this detection result, for pixels in the input image area other than the information content area, the pixel information obtained by the binarization circuit 5 is replaced with pixel information indicating white, for example, and written in the frame memory 6. is under control. That is, only the binarized information obtained for the input pixels of the information content area to be output and displayed in the input image is stored in the frame memory 6.
white pixel information that is not directly related to image display is written to pixel positions in other areas. By controlling the writing of pixel information into the frame memory 6 in this manner, the color printer 7 displays and outputs only the information in the information content area.

Now, the area detection circuit 8 shown in FIG. 2 is configured as follows. The area detection circuit 8 detects two directions perpendicular to each other of the input image, for example, the line sensor 1.
Line memories 11 and 12 are provided for cumulatively adding and storing the luminance signals I in the main scanning direction X of the image and the sub-scanning direction Y perpendicular to the main scanning direction X. Each of these line memories 11 and 12 has a data area of 16 pits for one pixel (line), and a memory area corresponding to the number of pixels arranged in the X direction, and a memory area corresponding to the number of pixels arranged in the Y direction.
It is configured with a memory area corresponding to the number of scanning lines in the direction. Data indicated by, for example, the upper four bits of the luminance signal I are inputted through adders 13 and 14 separately. By this, for example, 12 (
The processing to be described later can be carried out with sufficient margin for image information of approximately A4 size, which is scanned at 4,096 pixels (lines) with a roughness of 4,096 pixels (line/m).

The adder 13 adds the data of the luminance signal I input as described above and the data read from the address corresponding to the pixel position of the line scan of the X direction line memory 11, and uses the added data as the X direction line memory 11
is written to the address of the corresponding scan pixel position. By the line memory 11 and the adder 13, the luminance signals I between pixels having the same pixel position in the X direction in each scanning line of the input image are cumulatively added and stored in the X direction line memory 11. ing. In other words, X
The direction line memory 11 stores Y-direction projection information regarding the luminance signal I of the input image in correspondence with the X-direction pixel position.

The upper 8 bits of accumulated information sequentially read out from the X-direction line memory 11 are transferred to the adder 15 and the buffer 16 which delays the output of the adder 15 by one timing and returns it to the adder 15. After being subjected to sequential moving averaging processing, the signals are input to the CPU 17. By this moving averaging process, the X-direction distribution pattern of the Y-direction projection information stored in the X-direction line memory 11 is filtered.

On the other hand, an adder 14 provided before the Y-direction line memory 12 sequentially adds the data of the input luminance signal I and the output of the adder 14 which is delayed by one timing and fed back via the buffer 18. There is. The adder 14 and the buffer 18 determine the cumulative value of the luminance signal I over one line in the X direction. Then, this cumulative value is sequentially stored in the corresponding address of the Y-direction line memory 12 corresponding to the scanning line. Through this processing, the Y-direction line memory 12 stores the cumulative value of the luminance signal in each scanning line of the input image, that is, the X-direction projection information, as a distribution pattern in the Y-direction. Information on the Y-direction distribution pattern of this luminance signal is input to the CPU 17 after being filtered by the adder 19 and a buffer '20 that returns its output with a one-timing delay. There is.

FIG. 3 shows the operation of the CPU 17, and 21
is input image information from the color sensor 1, and 22
indicates an information content area to be copied in the input image information 21. This information content area 22 shows information about a double-page spread of a book, which is a three-dimensional object to be copied.

In FIG. 3, a indicates the X-direction distribution pattern of the Y-direction projection information obtained for the input image 21 and stored in the X-direction line memory 11, and b indicates the X-direction distribution pattern. CP IJ by filtering
17 shows an averaged distribution pattern in the X direction that is inputted to 17. Similarly, C indicates the Y-direction distribution pattern of the X-direction projection information obtained for the input image 21 and stored in the Y-direction line memory 12, and d represents the filtering of the Y-direction distribution pattern. TeCP IJ
17 shows an averaged distribution pattern in the Y direction that is inputted to FIG.

In the figure, B indicates the luminance signal level for a white background, and W
indicates the luminance signal level for a black background.

The CPU 17 calculates the input image information 011 from the projective distribution pattern information c and d of the input image input in this way.
The information content area 22 to be displayed and output in 21 is detected. In this area detection process, for example, in the X direction, the maximum value X max and minimum value X min are determined from the information of the averaged distribution pattern C, and a threshold value of (Xa+ax +Xm1n) 15 is determined from these multivalues. This is done by first checking the position in the distribution pattern C where the value exceeds the threshold value and shows a sudden change in value from the periphery of the input image area (XO or x1 position). Through this process, the boundary position><a of the information content area 22 in the X direction is detected. Note that if the boundary position Xa is not detected even if the central part of the image area is examined, it is assumed that the entire area in the X direction in the input image 21 forms the information content area 22, and the detection process is stopped. .

Similarly, the position of the boundary line of the information content area 22 in the input image 21 in the Y direction is detected.

In this case, from the information of the averaged distribution pattern d in the Y direction, find its maximum value Y max and minimum value "y' min, and set a threshold value of (Ymax + Ymin) /2 from these multivalues. , is performed by first checking the position in the distribution pattern d where the value exceeds the threshold value and shows a sudden change in value from the peripheral part of the input image area (position of Yo or Yl).

Through this detection process, the boundary positions Ya and Y in the Y direction are
b are respectively detected. In this case as well, if the boundary positions Ya and Yb are not detected even if the center of the image area is searched, it is assumed that the boundary of the information content area 22 does not exist in the Y direction in the input image 21, and the detection process is performed. cancel.

In addition, in the X direction and Y direction, the boundary detection ff
The reason why fl and 1ffl are different is that when the input image is book information, depending on the page opening and the thickness of the book,
This is because the edge of the page is oblique to the imaging surface, and as a result, the border of the information content area 22 of the input image does not appear clearly.

As described above, the information content area 22 in the input image &21
Boundary position information regarding (Xa, Ya, Yb)
The obtained c p u 'u calculates the position information of the information content area 22 with respect to the input image @21 according to this information,
Four coordinate points (Xo, Ya), (Xa, Ya).

(Xo, Yb), (Xa, Yb). In this example, the book as the object to be copied has only one boundary in the X direction, as shown in FIG. Therefore, one of the boundaries in the X direction is detected as the end (XO) of the input image as described above. Address control of the frame memory 6 is then performed to write the pixel information obtained through the binarization circuit 5 into the frame memory 6 only for the area 14 (information content class [22)] surrounded by these coordinate points. conduct. As a result, the input pixel information will not be written to any area other than the above-specified area of the frame memory 6.

Thus, when the input image information is read out from the frame memory 6 whose writing is controlled in this way and outputted as an image by the color printer 7, the output and displayed image will only be affected by the information in the information content area 22. It is expressed as follows. For areas other than the information content area 22, information is not written to the frame memory 6, so that, for example, a blank state is maintained. Therefore, it is possible to produce a so-called beautiful output image in which noise and the like in the periphery of the information content area 22 are removed and information is organized.

Note that if predetermined color information is given as pixel information occupying the peripheral area of the information content area 22 of the frame memory 6, it is possible to output an image with a predetermined color attached to the peripheral area. becomes. Further, such display image control can also be applied to each monochrome copy. FIG. 4 shows an example of this, in which image information input via the sensor 1a is digitally converted by the A/D converter 2a, and then this signal is converted into a predetermined dither pattern by the 2fii conversion circuit 5a. The image is binarized in accordance with the above, and the image is output and displayed on the printer 7a. Even in this case, if the output signal of the A/D converter 2a, which is the image information, is input to the area detection circuit 8 and subjected to the same processing as in the above-described embodiment, information other than the information content area 22 can be output. It is possible to prevent this and organize the displayed output image. In this case, the printer 7 uses the detection result of the area detection circuit 8.
The printing operation of a can be directly controlled, and there is almost no risk of complicating the device configuration.

However, there is no guarantee that a three-dimensional object to be copied, such as a double-page spread of a book, will always be set parallel to the image input scanning direction X of the apparatus. For example, as shown in Figure 5,
For the input image area 21 by the color sensor 1,
The information content area 22 may be set diagonally. In this case, it is not possible to specify the information content area 22 by simply detecting information at a position that crosses the threshold set as described above from the distribution pattern in the X direction and Y direction of the projection information of the input image information. is insufficient.

In such a case, since the information content area 22 is oblique with respect to the scanning directions X and Y of the input image 21, the distribution pattern of the cumulative values in the will exhibit a gradual level change at each edge. Therefore, for each distribution pattern, a threshold on the upper limit side and a threshold on the lower limit side are set, and the points (Xa, Xb, Xc, Xd) that cross these thresholds, and (Ya
, Yb, "y'c, Yd). Then, each of these positional information (Xa, Xb, Xc, Xd, Y
a, Yb, Yc, Yd) Color information content area 22
to be detected.

However, 16 coordinate points on the input image @21 specified by each of these positional information appear as a combination thereof, as shown in FIG. Therefore, the information content area 22 cannot be accurately specified only from these 16 coordinate points.

Therefore, input image information is once written into the frame memory, etc., and then pixel information in the vicinity of each of the coordinate points is examined. In this case, in areas other than the information content area 22, pixel information near the coordinate point is detected as having almost the same black level.
can be excluded from the coordinate point information that can be used for detection.

Specifically, the information content class IJ! is determined by counting the number of black levels in the frame memory 6 and determining whether the number is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. What is necessary is to identify the coordinate point information that defines 22. Furthermore, regarding the coordinate points existing within the information content area 22, the information of the neighboring pixels is mostly at the white level, or the pixel information changes greatly depending on the information content, so the detection target is similarly can be excluded from Using the information of the coordinate points selected in this way, the characteristics of the detection points constituting the coordinate points (whether the points were detected with the threshold on the upper limit side or the points detected with the threshold on the lower limit side) The information content area 22 is
It becomes possible to detect the coordinate point that specifies the . Then, a line segment connecting each of these boundary coordinate points may be used as a boundary line defining the information content area 22.

Therefore, according to this detection result, the frame memory 6
Among the image information written in the image information, pixel information written in an area other than the information content area 22 indicated by the boundary line is
For example, by replacing the white pixel information with white pixel information, it becomes possible to store only the information in the information content area 22 in the input image information in the frame memory 6, similar to the embodiment described above.

As described above, according to the present invention, when copying image information from a thick three-dimensional object such as a book, the image display output of unnecessary information in the peripheral area other than the information content area 22 that occurs due to the thickness is suppressed. can be effectively suppressed. Therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent unsightly coloring and so-called black staining in the peripheral area. Then, it becomes possible to easily obtain a beautiful display output image in which the display image is organized.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. For example, the apparatus may be configured to perform averaging processing of the distribution patterns in the X direction and the Y direction at c p U 17. Furthermore, the processing algorithm for area detection can also be changed as appropriate. In short, the present invention can be implemented with various modifications without departing from the gist thereof.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an area detection circuit of the device according to the embodiment, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the operation of the device according to the embodiment, and FIG. 5 and 6 are diagrams showing other examples of area detection. 1... Color sensor, 1a... Sensor, 2.2a.
... A/D converter, 3... Matrix circuit, 4...
・Color conversion circuit, 5.5a... Binary circuit, 6... Frame memory, 7... Color printer, 7a... Printer, 8... Area detection circuit, 11, 12... Line Memory, 13.14.15.19... Adder, 16,
18.20...buffer, 17...cpu. Applicant's agent Patent attorney Takehiko Suzue Figure 1 Figure 3

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) Means for calculating the cumulative value of each pixel information constituting the input image in two mutually orthogonal directions, and information to be displayed as an image in the input image from data of the cumulative value of the pixel information in each direction. An image display device comprising: means for detecting a content area; and means for converting pixel information in an area other than the information content area in the input image into predetermined information and displaying the image. (2) The means for detecting the information content area to be displayed in the input image from cumulative value data in two mutually orthogonal directions of pixel information is the average value in each direction obtained by averaging the cumulative value data. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein the information content area is determined from the distribution of data. (3) The means for determining the information content area from the distribution of average value data obtained by averaging cumulative value data in two directions perpendicular to each other is based on the maximum and minimum values in the distribution pattern of average value data in each direction. 2. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein the image display device detects the position of the average value data in the distribution pattern, which changes across a threshold value determined by the distribution pattern. (4) The means for detecting the information content area to be displayed in the input image from cumulative value data in two mutually orthogonal directions of pixel information is based on the maximum and minimum values in the distribution pattern of the average value data in each direction. detecting the average value data position in the distribution pattern that changes across a threshold value determined according to the above, and determining information on surrounding pixels of the detected position coordinates represented as a combination of the average value data positions to define an information content area. 2. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein the image display device is configured to perform the image display by specifying a boundary coordinate point.