JP3020264B2 - Image editing device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image editing apparatus suitable for a digital copying machine, an image processor, and the like having an image synthesis processing function.

[Conventional technology]

Various image editing apparatuses have been proposed which perform an inset and combining process by designating an arbitrary region of a plurality of images. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 57-61372 discloses that an arbitrary area of the first document is deleted, and the remaining area is combined with an image portion corresponding to the size of the first document of the second document. A technique for performing this is disclosed.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in the above-described conventional technique, an appropriate area is not always obtained as a synthesis area when the inlay synthesis is performed, and there is a problem in the image quality of a synthesized image.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an image editing apparatus having an image synthesizing function to obtain an appropriate area as a synthesizing area when performing inlay synthesizing.

[Means for solving the problem]

In the image editing apparatus having the image synthesizing function and the scaling function in the main scanning direction, the above object is achieved by an area designating unit that specifies a synthesized image area and a to-be-synthesized image area, and that the magnification in the main scanning direction is the same. Determining means for determining the larger of the range of the combined image area in the main scanning direction and the range of the combined image area in the main scanning direction as the erase range in the main scanning direction of the combined image; and the combined image in the erase area of the combined image. And output means for synthesizing and outputting the result.

Further, the object is to provide an image editing apparatus having an image synthesizing function and a scaling function in the sub-scanning direction, wherein the area specifying means for specifying the synthesized image area and the to-be-synthesized image area has a magnification of 1 in the sub-scanning direction. Determining means for determining the larger of the range in the sub-scanning direction of the combined image area and the range in the sub-scanning direction of the combined image area as the erase range in the sub-scanning direction of the combined image; This is also achieved by the second means including output means for synthesizing and outputting an image.

[Action]

According to the first means, when the magnification in the main scanning direction is the same magnification, image composition is performed with the larger of the range of the combined image area and the combined image area in the main scanning direction being the erase range.

According to the second means, when the magnification in the sub-scanning direction is the same magnification, image synthesis is performed with the larger of the range in the sub-scanning direction of the combined image area and the to-be-combined image area as the release range.

〔Example〕

 Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing an internal mechanism of the digital copying machine to which the present invention is applied, and FIG. 3 is a plan view of the same.

In the figure, the digital copying machine according to the embodiment is read by a scanner unit and an operation unit A for image input, a printer unit B for visualizing image data after image processing on paper, and a scanner unit. It basically comprises an image processor unit for performing image processing and image editing on image data and a system controller unit C. 102 is a fluorescent lamp for illuminating the original, 103 is a photoelectric conversion device (CCD) that converts reflected light from the original into a read charge amount, moves integrally in the carriage 101 in the sub-scanning direction, and two-dimensionally images. Read. Reference numeral 104 denotes an image leading edge sensor for notifying that the carriage 101 has reached the leading end of the image area.

This is the traveling direction of the arrow carriage 101 in the scanner 109 constituted by the above units, and indicates the sub-scanning direction. Reference numeral 105 denotes a platen cover for holding a document.

Reference numeral 106 shown in FIG. 3 is an editor for inputting editing contents such as area designation set on the platen cover 105.
Reference numeral 107 denotes an operation unit (panel) for setting other editing contents and copy conditions. The external input terminal 108 is a terminal for inputting image data from the outside.

Returning to FIG. 1 again, the system controller 303 calculates and creates image processing and image editing data according to the editing content input from the operation unit 107, and
Send to 302. These data are also captured and held by a latch signal transmitted from the system controller 303 to the image processors 301 and 302. Scanner 10
The image data obtained in step 9 is processed by the image processors 301 and 302 in accordance with these image processing and image editing data, and is passed to the printer 222. Image processor 30
A laser and a laser driver (not shown) are controlled according to the image data from 1,302. The direction of the laser light is changed by the polygon mirror 208 and the mirror 206, and the laser light is irradiated on the photoconductor 211. Prior to this, main charger 218
As a result, the photoconductor 211 is charged, so that a latent image (an image based on the distribution of potential) is formed. Reference numeral 207 denotes a lens for condensing and correcting the laser light at this time. The formed latent image is visualized (image visualized by toner) by the developing device 205 and is transferred onto paper. Then, the photoconductor 21
1 is initialized by the cleaning device 217 and charged again by the main charger 218. On the other hand, the paper is fed from paper cassettes 201 and 202 by paper feed rollers 203 and 204 and reaches registration rollers 209. The registration roller 209 is the scanner 109
It is started at a timing corresponding to the amount of movement in the sub-scanning direction based on the image leading end signal from. The sheet that has passed through the registration unit is electrostatically attracted and conveyed to the transfer belt 212 charged by the transfer belt charger 213. Transfer charger 2
Numeral 10 gives a potential opposite to that of the toner in order to transfer a visible image on the photoconductor 211 onto paper. The transferred paper is separated from the transfer belt 212 by the separation charger 216,
It reaches the fixing roller 219 and the pressure roller 220. After separation,
The transfer belt 212 is initialized by the belt neutralization charger 215. The image on the transfer paper is fixed by a fixing unit composed of a fixing roller 219 and a pressure roller 220, and the paper is then discharged.
221 and one copy cycle ends.

The scanner 109, image processors 301 and 302, printer 222, control unit (system controller) 303, operation unit (panel) 107, editor 106, and external input device 401
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the flow of data between them.

The thick white arrows in FIG. 1 represent the flow of image data, and the thin solid arrows represent the exchange of commands and signals. Image data from the external input device 401 or the scanner 109 is processed by the image processors 301 and 302 and reproduced by the printer 222. When a combination process is instructed from panel 107 and a combination area and a combination area are input, the information is transmitted to system controller 303. When the setting of the composite original is instructed to the user from the panel 107 and a start button (not shown) is pressed by the user, the system controller 3
03 is sent a start signal and the system controller 303
Sends a start signal to the scanner 109, the printer 222, and the image processors 301 and 302. At the same time, the image processors 301 and 302 are instructed to store the combined area in the memory. Subsequently, the user is instructed from panel 107 to set the document to be combined, and the start button is pressed. The system controller 303 instructs the image processors 301 and 302 to output the stored image data of the combined area and to process the input image data of the combined original. At this time, an image output in which the combined image is fitted in the combined area of the combined original can be obtained by erasing (outlining or the like) the portion overlapping the combined area of the image data of the combined original.

At this time, the combined area and the combined area do not always match. Rather, they often do not match. The editor 106 is used for designating a normal region or the like, and is performed by picking a vertex or a diagonal point of the region with a touch pen or the like.

To specify the combination area shown in FIG. 4A, a combination original is placed on the editor 106, and a diagonal point of the area to be combined is picked. Subsequently, the original to be combined shown in FIG. 9B is placed on the editor 106, and a point on the diagonal line of the area to be combined is picked. In such a specification method, the synthesis area (x,
y) does not always coincide with the to-be-combined area (X, Y). At this time, if the composition area is automatically scaled to the composition area and the composition is performed, the designated area is respected. In that case, no matter which of the combined area and the to-be-combined area is prioritized, the prioritized area is missing and a good combined image cannot be said.

Here, if the editing method adopts the larger one of the combined area and the combined area independently for each of the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction in the image after the combination, the missing area in the designated area as shown in FIG. No good synthetic copy is obtained (x> X, y> Y
And). The fact that there is no missing in the to-be-combined area means that there is no missing in the area to be erased.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention,
When the same size is specified in the combining process,
By synthesizing at least the image of the synthesis area and erasing the area to be synthesized, a more faithful synthesis process can be performed according to the user's specification.

According to the second aspect of the invention, when the same magnification is specified in the synthesis processing, at least the image of the synthesis area is synthesized and the area to be synthesized is erased in the sub-scanning direction, so that the synthesis more faithful to the user's specification is performed. Processing can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a control block diagram of an image editing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view showing an internal mechanism of a digital copying machine to which the present invention is applied, FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a state of image composition. 106... Editor (area designation means), 222... Printer (output means), 303... System controller (judgment means).

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 1/387 G06T 1/00 G09G 5/00 G09G 5/36

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An image editing apparatus having an image synthesizing function and a scaling function in a main scanning direction, an area designating means for designating a synthesized image area and a to-be-synthesized image area, and a variable magnification in the main scanning direction. Determining means for determining the larger of the range of the combined image area in the main scanning direction and the range of the combined image area in the main scanning direction as the erase range in the main scanning direction of the combined image; An image editing apparatus comprising: output means for synthesizing and outputting an image. 2. An image editing apparatus having an image synthesizing function and a zooming function in a main scanning direction, an area specifying means for specifying a synthesized image area and an image to be synthesized, and Determining means for determining the larger of the range in the sub-scanning direction of the combined image area and the range in the sub-scanning direction of the combined image area as the erase range in the sub-scanning direction of the combined image; An image editing apparatus comprising: output means for synthesizing and outputting an image.