WO2019159546A1

WO2019159546A1 - Image processing device, image forming device, and image processing method

Info

Publication number: WO2019159546A1
Application number: PCT/JP2018/047726
Authority: WO
Inventors: 真司中塚
Original assignee: 京セラドキュメントソリューションズ株式会社
Priority date: 2018-02-19
Filing date: 2018-12-26
Publication date: 2019-08-22

Abstract

The present invention causes information indicated by a two-dimensional code to be easily checked, when the two-dimensional code is included in document data. The present invention is provided with: a document draft reading unit (12) which scans a document draft composed of a plurality of pages, and generates image data for each page; a two-dimensional code detection unit (171) which detects a two-dimensional code from the generated image data for each page; a content acquisition unit (172) which reads the detected two-dimensional code and acquires the content; a document data management unit (173) which generates document data (131) on the basis of the image data for each page, and manages the document data (131) by using, as meta data (132), the content for each two-dimensional code included in the document data (131); a supplementary setting receiving unit (174) which receives, with respect to the document data (131), a supplementary setting for supplementing content for each two-dimensional code in the document data (131); and a document data output unit (175) which supplements, on the basis of the supplementary setting, the document data (131) with the content of the two-dimensional code from the meta data (132), and outputs the content-supplemented document data.

Description

Image processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, and image processing method

The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus having a scanner function, an image forming apparatus, and an image processing method.

In recent years, document originals are scanned and stored as document data using an image forming apparatus equipped with a scanner function. When the stored document data is printed, if the URL is included in the document data, it is necessary to input the address character by character to access the information indicated by the URL, and the accessibility is poor. Therefore, a technique is known in which a URL is detected from a scanned document original and output after the URL is replaced with a two-dimensional code (see, for example, Patent Document 1). According to this, the printed document data can be easily accessed by reading the two-dimensional code using a mobile terminal such as a smartphone.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2017-017641

However, the conventional technique has a problem that the two-dimensional code cannot be read without a mobile terminal, and the information indicated by the two-dimensional code cannot be confirmed at all.

This invention is made in view of the said subject, and when a two-dimensional code is contained in document data, it aims at providing the technique which makes it easy to confirm the information which a two-dimensional code shows.

An image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a document reading unit that scans a document including a plurality of pages and generates image data of each page, and a two-dimensional code detection unit that detects a two-dimensional code from the generated image data of each page A content acquisition unit that reads the detected two-dimensional code and acquires the content; generates document data based on the image data of each page; and the content for each two-dimensional code included in the document data A document data management unit for managing the document data as metadata, and an addition for adding the contents for each two-dimensional code in the document data to the document data managed by the document data management unit An additional setting receiving unit for receiving settings, and adding the contents of the two-dimensional code from the metadata to the document data based on the additional settings Characterized by comprising a document data output unit for outputting Te.
The image processing method of the present invention scans a document composed of a plurality of pages to generate image data of each page, detects a two-dimensional code from the generated image data of each page, and detects the detected two-dimensional code. Read and acquire the contents, generate document data based on the image data of each page, manage the document data using the contents as metadata for each two-dimensional code included in the document data, and manage Receiving an additional setting for adding the content for each two-dimensional code in the document data with respect to the document data, and based on the additional setting, the metadata of the two-dimensional code from the metadata to the document data It is characterized by adding contents and outputting.

According to the present invention, when the two-dimensional code is included in the document data, it is possible to easily confirm the information indicated by the two-dimensional code.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is an example of registration of metadata shown in FIG. It is an example of an additional setting screen for receiving additional settings. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of document data registration processing of the image forming apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of document data output processing of the image forming apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1. It is an example of the output of the document data by which hyperlink conversion was carried out. It is an example of output of the document data in which the contents are replaced. It is an example of output of document data with an appendix.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that, in the following embodiments, the same reference numerals are given to configurations showing similar functions.

As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 1 of the present invention is a copying machine or a multifunction machine, and includes an operation unit 11, a document reading unit 12, a storage unit 13, an image processing unit 14, and a printing unit 15. The communication unit 16 and the control unit 17 are provided.

The operation unit 11 includes a display unit provided with a transparent pressure-sensitive sensor on the surface of the liquid crystal display panel, a touch panel that functions as an input unit, a numeric keypad for inputting numerical values such as the number of prints, and an instruction to initialize setting information. A user interface including various operation keys such as a reset key for inputting, a stop key for stopping a copying operation, and a start key for inputting an output instruction for starting a printing operation.

The document reading unit 12 emits light to a document fed by a document feeder (not shown) or a document placed on a platen glass by a user, and receives reflected light or the like to form a document image. This is an optical scanner.

The storage unit 13 is a storage unit such as a semiconductor memory or an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and stores the image data read by the document reading unit 12, the document data 131, and the metadata 132 of the document data 131. It is.

The image processing unit 14 is a unit that performs predetermined image processing on the image data. In the image processing unit 14, for example, image processing such as enlargement / reduction processing, density adjustment, and gradation adjustment is performed.

The printing unit 15 is a printing unit that prints image data and document data 131 stored in the storage unit 13. For example, the printing unit 15 forms a latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum based on the image data read from the storage unit 13, performs image formation using the latent image as a toner image with toner, and records from the photosensitive drum. The toner image is transferred onto the paper, and the toner image is fixed onto the recording paper and discharged.

The communication unit 16 is connected to a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet and has a function of transmitting / receiving various data to / from an external terminal (not shown).

The control unit 17 is connected to the operation unit 11, the document reading unit 12, the storage unit 13, the image processing unit 14, the printing unit 15, and the communication unit 16. The control unit 17 is a device according to predetermined instruction information input from the operation unit 11. Perform overall motion control. The control unit 17 is an information processing unit such as a microcomputer including a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like. The ROM stores a control program for controlling the operation of the image forming apparatus 1. The control unit 17 reads out a control program stored in the ROM, expands the control program in the RAM, and executes the control program, thereby controlling the entire apparatus according to predetermined instruction information input from the operation unit 11.

Also, the control unit 17 functions as a two-dimensional code detection unit 171, a content acquisition unit 172, a document data management unit 173, an additional setting reception unit 174, and a document data output unit 175.

When the user sets a document to be registered as the document data 131 in the document reading unit 12 and performs an operation for registering the document data 131 via the operation unit 11, the control unit 17 controls the document reading unit 12, Each page of the set original is scanned one by one by the original reading unit 12 to generate image data of each page.

The two-dimensional code detection unit 171 has a function of detecting the two-dimensional code 21 (see FIG. 2) from the image data of each page generated by the document reading unit 12. For example, the two-dimensional code detection unit 171 performs character recognition by OCR (Optical Character Reader) on the image data of each page, and specifies a character area and an image area in the image data. Subsequently, the two-dimensional code detection unit 171 divides the identified image region into a plurality of blocks, determines whether the two-dimensional code 21 is included for each block, and detects the two-dimensional code 21. good. The two-dimensional code 21 may be a QR code (registered trademark), for example.

The content acquisition unit 172 has a function of reading (decoding) the two-dimensional code 21 detected by the two-dimensional code detection unit 171 and acquiring the content indicated by the two-dimensional code 21. The content acquisition unit 172 determines whether or not the content indicated by the read two-dimensional code 21 is a URL. If the content is a URL, the URL is accessed via the communication unit 16 to determine whether or not access is possible. . If it is accessible, the content acquisition unit 172 acquires the page title of the web page stored in the URL.

The document data management unit 173 generates document data 131 based on the image data of each page generated by the document reading unit 12 and accumulates and manages the document data 131 in the storage unit 13. For example, the document data management unit 173 may combine the image data of each page into one and convert it into document data 131 such as PDF (Portable Document Format), Word (registered trademark), Excel (registered trademark), or the like. . In addition, the document data management unit 173 stores and manages information related to the two-dimensional code 21 in the storage unit 13 as metadata 132 of the document data 131 for each two-dimensional code 21 detected by the two-dimensional code detection unit 171. To do.

For example, FIG. 2 is an example of registration of metadata 132 of document data (document 001) 131. The metadata 132 includes a page (which may be a chapter number) 132a in which the two-dimensional code 21 is detected, the detected two-dimensional code 21 (132b), and whether the content of the two-dimensional code 21 is a URL or text (TXT). , A content 132e that is a decoding result of the two-dimensional code 21, a title 132d of the content 132e indicated by the two-dimensional code 21, and a URL access permission 132f. The title 132d of the content 132e indicated by the two-dimensional code 21 may be the page title of the web page when the classification 132c is a URL, and may be the number of specific characters at the beginning of the content 132e when the classification 132c is text.

The document data management unit 173 displays a list of the document data 131 stored in the storage unit 13 on the operation unit 11 when the operation unit 11 receives an instruction to output the document data 131. Then, the operation unit 11 receives selection of document data 131 to be output.

When the document data 131 to be output is selected from the plurality of document data 131 stored in the storage unit 13 via the operation unit 11, the additional setting reception unit 174 displays the additional setting screen illustrated in FIG. It has a function of accepting an additional setting g31 for adding the content 132e of the two-dimensional code 21 to the two-dimensional code 21 included in the document data 131 to be output based on the metadata 132 via G30.

On the additional setting screen G30, four additional settings g31 of “1. hyperlink conversion”, “2. content replacement”, “3. appendix addition”, “4. do nothing”, and preview area g32 of the document data 131 are displayed. A cancel button g34, an OK button G35, and a return button g36 are provided. The user selects one of the additional settings g31 and selects the two-dimensional code 21 from the document data 131 previewed in the preview area g32. Thus, the selected additional setting g31 is applied to the selected two-dimensional code 21. can do. A plurality of two-dimensional codes 21 can be selected.

For example, when “1. Hyperlink conversion” is selected, the content 132e of the two-dimensional code 21 is added as a hyperlink g33 to the selected two-dimensional code 21. In the figure, a state in which a hyperlink g33 is added by a balloon is shown. If the document data 131 is set to be used as data instead of printing, the content 132e indicated by the two-dimensional code 21 can be accessed by the hyperlink g33.

When “2. Content replacement” is selected, the selected two-dimensional code 21 is replaced with the content 132e indicated by the two-dimensional code 21. For example, when the content 132e is a URL, the image of the selected two-dimensional code 21 in the document data 131 is replaced with the URL, and when the content 132e is text, the image of the two-dimensional code 21 is replaced with text. If the document data 131 is set to be printed, the content 132e indicated by the two-dimensional code 21 can be printed.

When “3. appendix addition” is selected, a page in which information on the selected two-dimensional code 21 is described is generated, and the generated page is combined with the document data 131 as an appendix page (see FIG. 8). Added. According to this, the contents 132e indicated by the two-dimensional code 21 can be collectively referred to on the appendix page 22.

When “4. Do nothing” is selected, the content 132e of the two-dimensional code 21 is not added to the selected two-dimensional code 21. When the two-dimensional code 21 to which any one of “1. hyperlink conversion”, “2. content replacement”, and “3. appendix addition” is selected, the applied additional setting g31 is canceled. That is, the selected two-dimensional code 21 can be returned to the document data 131 to which the content 132e indicated by the two-dimensional code 21 is not added.

When the cancel button g34 is pressed, the additional setting reception unit 174 cancels reception of the additional setting g31 and closes the additional setting screen G30. When the OK button G35 is pressed, the additional setting receiving unit 174 receives the additional setting g31 for the two-dimensional code 21 set via the additional setting screen G30. When the restore button g <b> 36 is pressed, the additional setting reception unit 174 cancels all the additional settings g <b> 31 set for the two-dimensional code 21 in the document data 131 and returns to the original document data 131.

The document data output unit 175 has a function of adding the content 132e of the two-dimensional code 21 from the metadata 132 to the document data 131 to be output based on the additional setting g31 received by the additional setting receiving unit 174 and outputting it. . The document data 131 to which the content 132e of the two-dimensional code 21 is added by the document data output unit 175 may be printed by the printing unit 15, or may be stored in an external terminal via the storage unit 13 or the communication unit 16. .

Next, the flow of registration processing of the document data 131 will be described with reference to FIG.

When the registration operation of the document data 131 is performed by the operation unit 11, the document reading unit 12 scans each page of the set document (s11). Subsequently, the document data management unit 173 generates document data 131 based on the image data of each page generated by the document reading unit 12, and stores the document data 131 in the storage unit 13 (s12).

Subsequently, the two-dimensional code detection unit 171 specifies an image area in the document data 131 by performing OCR processing on the image data of each page (s13). Subsequently, the two-dimensional code detection unit 171 divides the identified image region into a plurality of blocks, cuts out the image (s14), and selects one determination target image (s15).

Subsequently, the two-dimensional code detection unit 171 determines whether the determination target image is the two-dimensional code 21 (s16). For example, the two-dimensional code detection unit 171 can determine whether the two-dimensional code 21 is based on the cut-out symbol of the two-dimensional code 21. If it is not the two-dimensional code 21 (s16: No), the process proceeds to s22.

When it is the two-dimensional code 21 (s16: Yes), the content acquisition unit 172 decodes the two-dimensional code 21 (s17), acquires the content 132e indicated by the two-dimensional code 21, and whether or not the content 132e is a URL. Is determined (s18). For example, the content acquisition unit 172 may determine that the URL is a URL when the decoding result includes a character string starting from “http”. When the character string of the decoding result is not a URL (s18: No), the content acquisition unit 172 acquires the specific number of characters from the top of the character string as the title 132d (s20), and proceeds to s21.

When the content 132e of the two-dimensional code 21 is a URL (s18: Yes), the content acquisition unit 172 accesses the URL via the communication unit 16 and checks whether it can be accessed (s19). If it is accessible, the content acquisition unit 172 acquires the page title of the web page stored in the URL (s20).

Subsequently, the document data management unit 173 determines whether the page (may be a chapter number) 132a in which the two-dimensional code 21 is detected, the detected two-dimensional code 21 (132b), and whether the content 132e of the two-dimensional code 21 is a URL. The classification 132c indicating text (TXT), the content 132e that is the decoding result of the two-dimensional code 21, the title 132d of the content 132e indicated by the two-dimensional code 21, and the accessibility / non-accessibility 132f for the URL are represented in the meta data. The data 132 is registered (s21).

Subsequently, the two-dimensional code detection unit 171 determines whether or not the determination target image remains (s22). If the determination target image remains (s22: Yes), the process returns to s15. When there are no more determination target images (s22: No), this process ends.

Thereby, when a document including the two-dimensional code 21 is scanned, information regarding the two-dimensional code 21 in the document data 131 is managed as the metadata 132 of the document data 131 together with the document data 131.

Next, the flow of the output process of the document data 131 managed by the document data management unit 173 will be described with reference to FIG.

When the control unit 17 displays a list of a plurality of document data 131 stored in the storage unit 13 via the operation unit 11 (s41) and accepts selection of the document data 131 to be output (s42), the addition is performed. The setting reception unit 174 displays the additional setting screen G30 on the operation unit 11 (s43). In the preview area g32 of the additional setting screen G30, the document data 131 selected as the output target by the user is previewed.

Subsequently, the additional setting receiving unit 174 determines whether “1. hyperlink conversion” is selected as the additional setting g31 (s44). When “1. Hyperlink conversion” is selected (s44: Yes), the additional setting reception unit 174 receives selection of the two-dimensional code 21 to be subjected to hyperlink conversion (s45). Subsequently, based on the metadata 132, the document data output unit 175 adds the content 132e indicated by the two-dimensional code 21 as a hyperlink g33 to the selected two-dimensional code 21 (s46). As a result, the document data 131 in which the content 132e is added to the two-dimensional code 21 selected by the user by the hyperlink g33 is displayed as a preview in the preview area g32.

On the other hand, when “1. Hyperlink conversion” is not selected (s44: No), the additional setting reception unit 174 determines whether or not “2. Content replacement” is selected (s47). When “2. Content replacement” is selected (s47: Yes), the additional setting reception unit 174 receives selection of the two-dimensional code 21 that is the target of content replacement (s48). Subsequently, the document data output unit 175 replaces the selected two-dimensional code 21 with the content 132e of the two-dimensional code 21 based on the metadata 132 (s49). As a result, the document data 131 in which the two-dimensional code 21 is replaced with the content 132e is displayed as a preview in the preview area g32.

On the other hand, when “2. Content replacement” is not selected (s47: No), the additional setting receiving unit 174 determines whether “3. Addition of appendix” is selected (s50). When “3. appendix addition” is selected (s50: Yes), the additional setting reception unit 174 receives selection of the two-dimensional code 21 that is the target of appendix addition (s51). Subsequently, the document data output unit 175 generates an appendix page 22 in which information related to the selected two-dimensional code 21 is written based on the metadata 132 (s52). Join (s53). As a result, the document data 131 having the appendix page 22 in which information related to the two-dimensional code 21 is described is previewed in the preview area g32. The appendix page 22 may be combined as the last page of the document data 131, for example.

When the two-dimensional code 21 to which the appendix addition setting is applied is selected after the appendix page 22 is generated, the document data output unit 175 adds the appendix page 22 if there is room in the generated appendix page 22. Information regarding the selected two-dimensional code 21 may be additionally written. If there is no room in the generated appendix page 22, a new appendix page 22 may be generated and combined with the document data 131.

On the other hand, when “3. appendix addition” is not selected (s50: No), the additional setting reception unit 174 determines whether “4. do nothing” is selected (s54). When “4. Do nothing” is selected (s54: Yes), the additional setting reception unit 174 receives selection of the target two-dimensional code 21 (s55). Subsequently, the document data output unit 175 cancels the additional setting g31 of the selected two-dimensional code 21 (s56). As a result, when the additional setting g31 is set in the selected two-dimensional code 21, the setting is canceled, and the document is displayed with no additional setting g31 applied to the selected two-dimensional code 21. Data 131 is previewed in the preview area g32.

On the other hand, if “4. Do nothing” is not selected (s54: No), the process proceeds to s57.

Subsequently, the additional setting receiving unit 174 determines whether or not the OK button G35 is pressed (s57). If the OK button G35 is not pressed (s57: No), the process returns to s44. When the OK button G35 is pressed (s57: Yes), the document data output unit 175 adds document data 132e indicated by the two-dimensional code 21 based on the additional setting g31 set via the additional setting screen G30. The output process 131 is executed (s58), and this process ends.

As a result, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, by scanning the document original 20, it is converted into document data 131 to which the content 132e of the two-dimensional code 21 included in the document original 20 is added and output. it can. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, when “1. Hyperlink conversion” is set, the document data 131 in which the content 132e indicated by the two-dimensional code 21 is added to the two-dimensional code 21 as the hyperlink g33 is output. Can do. As shown in FIG. 7, when “2. Content replacement” is set, document data 131 in which the two-dimensional code 21 is replaced with the content 132e indicated by the two-dimensional code 21 can be output. As shown in FIG. 8, when “3. Addition of appendix” is set, the document data 131 to which the appendix page 22 describing the content 132e indicated by the two-dimensional code 21 is added can be output.

As described above, the image forming apparatus 1 functions as an image processing apparatus, scans the document original 20 including a plurality of pages, and generates image data of each page, and the generated image of each page. A two-dimensional code detection unit 171 that detects the two-dimensional code 21 from the data, a content acquisition unit 172 that reads the detected two-dimensional code 21 and acquires the content 132e, and the document data 131 based on the image data of each page. A document data management unit 173 that manages the document data 131 using the content 132e as metadata 132 for each two-dimensional code 21 that is generated and included in the document data 131, and the document data 131 that is managed by the document data management unit 173. The additional setting g31 for adding the content 132e for each two-dimensional code 21 in the document data 131 is received. An additional setting reception unit 174, based on the additional set g31, characterized by comprising a document data output unit 175 for outputting the document data 131 from the meta data 132 by adding the contents 132e of the two-dimensional code 21.

Thus, the user can set whether to add the hyperlink g33, replace with the content 132e, or add as an appendix for each two-dimensional code 21 included in the document data 131. Therefore, in the same document data 131, for example, it is possible to replace the two-dimensional code A with the content 132e and to add the two-dimensional code B as an appendix. Therefore, the information indicated by the two-dimensional code 21 can be easily confirmed according to the output purpose of the document data 131 and the document content.

Based on the additional setting g31, the document data output unit 175 indicates that the URL is inaccessible when the content 132e of the two-dimensional code 21 added to the document data 131 is an inaccessible URL. The two-dimensional code 21 may be added. According to this, it can be notified that the two-dimensional code 21 of the URL is not accessible to the user.

Further, when the output target document data 131 is searched and selected based on the content 132 e of the two-dimensional code 21 based on the metadata 132, the additional setting reception unit 174 determines whether the output target document data 131 is to be searched. The preview may be displayed in the preview area g32 in a state where the content 132e is displayed on the two-dimensional code 21 that has become. According to this, it becomes easy for the user to select the additional setting of the two-dimensional code 21 to be searched.

Note that the document data 131 and the metadata 132 may be stored not in the storage unit 13 but in an external server (not shown) via the communication unit 16.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it goes without saying that various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

An original reading unit that scans a multi-page original and generates image data of each page;
A two-dimensional code detector for detecting a two-dimensional code from the generated image data of each page;
A content acquisition unit that acquires the content by reading the detected two-dimensional code;
A document data management unit that generates document data based on the image data of each page, and manages the document data using the contents as metadata for each of the two-dimensional codes included in the document data;
An additional setting receiving unit that receives an additional setting for adding the content for each two-dimensional code in the document data to the document data managed by the document data managing unit;
An image processing apparatus comprising: a document data output unit configured to add the content of the two-dimensional code from the metadata to the document data based on the addition setting.
The document data output unit
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the content is added to the two-dimensional code in the document data by a hyperlink based on the addition setting.
The document data output unit
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional code in the document data is replaced with the content based on the additional setting.
The document data output unit
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an appendix page describing the content of the two-dimensional code is added to the document data based on the addition setting.
The content acquisition unit
If the content of the read two-dimensional code is a URL, determine whether the URL is accessible;
The document data management unit
When the content of the two-dimensional code is the URL, the access result of the URL by the content acquisition unit is included in the metadata,
The document data output unit
The fact that the URL is inaccessible is added when the content of the two-dimensional code added to the document data is the inaccessible URL based on the addition setting. Item 8. The image processing apparatus according to Item 1.
An image forming apparatus comprising the image processing apparatus according to claim 1.
Scan a multi-page document to generate image data for each page,
Detect the 2D code from the generated image data of each page,
Read the detected two-dimensional code to obtain the content,
Generating document data based on the image data of each page, managing the document data as metadata for each of the two-dimensional codes included in the document data,
Accepting an additional setting for adding the content for each two-dimensional code in the document data for the document data being managed,
An image processing method, comprising: adding the content of the two-dimensional code from the metadata to the document data based on the additional setting.