JP3207631B2 - Image processing method and apparatus - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing method and an image processing apparatus for displaying a document read by a scanner on an image monitor and performing an editing process using editing data input and stored in advance. It is.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A manuscript is read by a scanner, and based on the read image, an image is colored, a part of the image is cut out and edited, combined with other images, and various image processing is performed. An image processing apparatus that outputs the data to a printer has been considered. In this case, it is necessary to specify an area to be edited by an area input means such as a digitizer, and to specify processing contents such as color and patterning in this area.

The editing of the entire area is completed by repeating the specification of the processing area and the processing content. In this case, however, only a part of the image is changed and the editing of the color / pattern is changed. Some do not need. For example, date,
Other images are printed on the same advertising brochure or the like by simply changing the location.

[0004] In this case, in the conventional apparatus, it is necessary to repeat the same editing work by designating a color or a pattern again even for a document in which only a part of the date or place is changed. Was. For this reason, there has been a problem that editing work is troublesome and the efficiency is reduced.

Therefore, the editing data such as the editing area and the editing contents are stored in an external memory such as a floppy disk, and when the same or almost the same original is edited, the editing data is read from the external memory and used. (For example, see Japanese Patent Application No. 3-183278).

[0006]

However, since the editing area stored in the external memory is input at the coordinates on the image monitor, if the position of the document read by the scanner is shifted, the image position on the monitor and the editing area are not changed. The coordinates do not match.

For example, if the position of a document inserted into the scanner is shifted in the width direction of the scanner, or if the leading position of the document to be read by the scanner is shifted, the image position on the image monitor is shifted. For this reason, the coordinates of the edit data stored in the external memory correspond to different positions in the image on the image monitor, and there arises a problem that the editing process cannot be performed as expected.

[0008]

Accordingly, the present invention makes it possible to use the same editing data when processing an image with the same or almost the same original by designating almost the same editing area and editing contents, thereby making the processing area It is a first object of the present invention to provide an image processing method capable of easily and efficiently editing the contents and enabling easy confirmation and correction even if there is a positional shift of a document read by a scanner. It is a second object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus directly used for implementing the method.

[0009]

According to the present invention, a first object is to preliminarily input an editing area and editing contents for editing a document read by a scanner and to store the edited content in an external memory, while simultaneously storing the document or substantially the same document. An image processing method for reading an original with a scanner and performing an editing process based on the editing data read from the external memory, wherein the editing area is an image
The coordinates of the discrimination point on the original and the black and white of this discrimination point are stored in the external memory as the discrimination point using the input point used to specify the editing area as the discrimination point. In addition, the present invention is attained by an image processing method in which the position deviation of a document is determined by comparing the black and white of the discrimination point on the read document with the content stored in the external memory.

Here, the editing area is defined as one point within the closed area of the image.
And the input point is used as a determination point as it is.
Becomes easier .

A second object is to provide a scanner for reading an original, a memory means for storing the read image, an edit content input means for inputting the content of an edit process to be performed on the image, and an area for performing the edit process. The edit area is the closed area of the image
Edit area input means for inputting by designating at one point, edit processing means for performing edit processing corresponding to these edit contents and edit areas, and superimposing edit contents and edit areas on the image read by the scanner. an image monitor for displaying, meet the image processing apparatus and a printer for printing out an image editing process input used to specify the editing area and edits data including the edits and editing area
The coordinates of this discrimination point and this discrimination point using the force point as the discrimination point.
An edit data memory for storing the black and white of the data, an external memory drive means for transferring data between the edit data memory and the external memory, and black and white of the discrimination point in the edit data memory and the image monitor. This is achieved by an image processing apparatus comprising: a black-and-white comparison unit; and a correction instruction unit that instructs correction of an image position on an image monitor when a result of the black-and-white comparison does not match.

A document correction key for instructing reading of edit data from an external memory is provided. Based on an operation of the document correction key, the edit data and an image of a document read from a scanner are displayed on an image monitor in an overlapping manner. The correction instructing means may cause the correction instruction portion to blink on the image monitor, for example. As the external memory, various storage media such as a floppy disk, an optical disk, a semiconductor memory card, a magnetic tape, and a magnetic card can be used.

[0013]

When a document is read by the scanner, the image is displayed on the image monitor. An editing area is designated according to the content of the editing process to be performed. The editing area thus input is displayed on the monitor so as to overlap the image of the document. The operator checks the editing area by looking at the monitor. The operator repeats the input of the editing content and the editing area a plurality of times, and the input result is stored in the editing data memory as editing data.

At this time, the input point used for designating the editing area is determined.
As another point, the coordinates of this discrimination point and the black and white of this discrimination point are simultaneously input to the edit data memory.

The contents of the edit data memory are copied to an external memory such as a floppy disk (hereinafter, FD). Then, for another document which differs from this document only in part of the date and place, etc., and is otherwise almost the same, a document correction key is pressed to select this document correction mode. In this mode, the image of the new document is read by the scanner, and further, the edit data corresponding to the image and the coordinates of the discrimination point / black and white are read from the external memory. Then, after correcting the edited data as necessary, printing is performed.

At this time, if the black and white of the point on the image monitor corresponding to the coordinates of the determination point read from the external memory matches the one stored in the external memory, the position of the image of the original read by the scanner It is determined that the deviation is small and there is no problem.
If they do not match, it is determined that there is a displacement, for example, the corresponding coordinate position on the image monitor is flickered and correction is instructed. Based on this instruction, the operator may correct the editing area and print it.

[0017]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
Is a perspective view showing the internal structure, FIG. 3 is a side view, FIG. 4 is a front view, FIG. 5 is a top view of a scanner cover, FIG. 6 is a block diagram, and FIG. FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the coloring process, FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the operation in the document correction mode according to the present invention, FIG. 9 is a functional block diagram of the CPU, and FIG.

First, an arrangement structure of each part will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a horizontally long housing,
The housing 10 is kept horizontal by a pair of left and right feet 12. The upper surface of the housing 10 has a lid 1 that can be opened and closed upward.
It is 4. The lower part of the legs 12 and 12 is the member 1
The member 16 is connected to a rack 18 for receiving printed paper.

A printer 20 is accommodated in the housing 10 as shown in FIGS. The printer 20 has a paper feed roll 22 and a platen 24 arranged in parallel in the horizontal direction. The platen 24 is located on the front side of the paper feed roll 22, and the paper 26 pulled out from the lower edge of the paper feed roll 22 is wrapped around the platen 24 and guided downward from the front edge of the platen 24. The platen 24 is belt-driven by a feed motor 28.

The printer 20 includes a print head 30 that runs left and right along the front surface of the platen 24. The print head 30 is guided by a guide rod 32 and is sent right and left by a belt 36 wound around a carriage motor 34. The print head 30 is of an ink jet type in this embodiment, and its return position (home position)
In this case, the ink ejection nozzle is closed by the capping portion 38, so that the ink ejection nozzle is prevented from drying and is cleaned.

Reference numeral 40 denotes the capping section 3 for cleaning.
8 is a waste liquid tank for collecting the waste liquid (waste ink) ejected to 8. The print head 30 is provided with four color ink tanks of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black and nozzles. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 42 denotes the print head 30.
Indicates a print area.

A cutter 44 cuts the print paper 26 below the platen 24. That is, the fixed blade and the movable blade are opposed to each other with the print paper 26 interposed therebetween.
Is to cut.

A scanner 50 is located on the right side of the upper surface of the lid 14. The scanner 50 includes a pressing lid 52 placed on the lid 14 from above, a transport mechanism for feeding the document 53 between the pressing lid 52 and the lid 14 of the housing 10 from right to left, CCD line sensor 54 housed inside
And an optical system for guiding an image on a main scanning line orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the document 53 to the line sensor 54.

As shown in FIG. 4, the transport mechanism is composed of four feed rollers 56 which feed the original 53 from right to left while sandwiching the original 53 from above and below, and the two rollers 56 on the housing 10 side are motors (not shown). Is driven to rotate. The optical system includes an appropriate number of mirrors 58 and lenses 60. Reference numeral 62 denotes a light source.

Reference numeral 64 denotes a digitizer as an editing area input means, which is provided on the upper surface of the lid 14 adjacent to the discharge side of the original 50 of the scanner 50, that is, adjacent to the left side. The digitizer 64 includes a coordinate detection plate 66 and a stylus pen 6.
8 is provided. The detection plate 66 has a resistor that spreads over the entire surface, and detects coordinates from a change in resistance value when the detection plate 66 is pressed with the tip of the stylus pen 68. For example, the upper right corner of the detection plate 66 is determined as a reference position, and the upper right corner of the document 53 is aligned with the reference position and fixed.

Reference numeral 70 denotes an image monitor formed of a liquid crystal plate; and 72, a keyboard as editing content input means for instructing image processing content. These keyboards are mounted on the upper surface of the presser lid 52 of the scanner 50. That is, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, a monitor 70 is arranged on the back side of the upper surface of the holding plate 52, and a keyboard 72 is arranged on the near side thereof. The operation of the keyboard 72 will be described later. The scanner 50
1, a confirmation key 74, a start key 76, a print number input key 78, and the like are arranged as shown in FIG.

The printer 20, the scanner 50, the digitizer 64, the monitor 70, the keyboard 72, and the keys 74, 76, 78, etc. are connected to the bus 82 via interfaces 80a to 80e, respectively (FIG. 1). 6). The ROM 86 stores an operation program of the CPU 84 and various constants. Bus 82 also has C
PU84, ROM86, RAM8 as memory means
8, an edit data memory 90, a frame memory 92 as another memory means, and the like. The CPU 82 may be connected to another CPU or the like via the bus 82 to mutually transmit and receive image information.

In FIG. 5, 94 is all clear (AC).
This key is used to delete all edited data during editing. For example, the processing area and contents were input sequentially,
It is used when all of these input processing areas and contents are deleted and input is started again from the beginning.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 96 denotes a floppy disk drive (FDD) as external memory drive means, which is provided in front of the digitizer 64, and from which a floppy disk (FD) 98 as an external memory is detachable. .

Reference numeral 100 denotes a document correction key, and 102 denotes an FD.
A D select key 104 is an execution key. An original correction key 100 is used to select a later-described original correction mode. The FDD select key 102 is for starting the FDD in the original correction mode and reading necessary editing data from the FD 98. The execution key 104 is for designating editing data to be used and executing reading.

The CPU 84 has a function as shown in FIG. 9 constituted by software stored in the ROM 86. 84A indicates the image data read by the scanner 50 as 2
An image processing unit that performs image processing as a value image, and the processing results are sequentially stored in the RAM 80. Reference numeral 84B denotes a discrimination point black / white discrimination unit that discriminates whether a pixel at one or a plurality of discrimination points is white or black.

Here, the discrimination point can be an input point indicating the editing area input by the digitizer 60 as the editing area input means .

Reference numeral 84C denotes an edit data reading unit which reads data from the external memory 98, reads data from the edit data 90, and reads coordinates such as an edit area and a discrimination point input from the digitizer 64. The keyboard 72
Reads the edited contents etc. For the discrimination point, the density of the pixel on the coordinates is read and stored. Here, data processed by the image processing unit 84A is used as the pixel density.

Reference numeral 84D denotes a discrimination point black and white reading unit which discriminates the black and white of the pixel at the discrimination point. Reference numeral 84E denotes a black-and-white comparison unit which determines whether the black and white of the pixel corresponding to the coordinates of the discrimination point on the image read by the scanner 50 matches the black and white obtained from the edited data reading unit 84C. If they match, the editing processing unit 84F performs processing based on the editing data, and causes the printer 20 to print out. If they do not match, the correction instructing section 84G causes the mismatching portion to blink on the image monitor 70 (flashing). The operator can correct the editing area using the keyboard 72 and the digitizer 64 while seeing this blinking.

[0035]

[Coloring / Editing Operation] Next, as one example of the basic image processing of this embodiment, the operation of the coloring / editing process will be described with reference to FIGS.

First, the original 53 is set in the right insertion slot of the scanner 50 with its front side (image side) facing down and its back side facing up (FIG. 7, step 200). Then, when the start key 76 is pressed, the scanner 50 starts, and while reading the original 53 to the left, an image on the lower surface (front surface) is read by the line sensor 54 (step 202). The read image data is image-processed by the CPU 84 and stored in the RAM 88, and is also sent to the monitor 70 where the image is displayed. FIG. 10A shows an image 70 </ b> A displayed on the monitor 70.

The document 53 that has passed through the scanner 50 and has been discharged to the left of the presser lid 52 is placed face up on the detection plate 66 of the digitizer 64 adjacent to this discharge port, and is positioned at the reference position (upper right corner). The upper right corner of the document 53 is set (step 204).

Next, a color editing operation is performed using the keyboard 72 or the like (step 206). First monitor 7
The image processing content for the image represented by 0 is mode 20
8, 210, or 212.

The mode 208 is selected when the area surrounded by the lines of the image is filled with a predetermined color. When selecting the filling mode 208, select a method of specifying an area.
If the point designation key 214A is pressed (step 214) and one point in the region to be filled is designated with the stylus pen 68 of the digitizer 64, the region to be filled is input (step 216). The designated point is displayed as a mark on the monitor 70 shown in FIG. FIG.
Points a and b indicated by marks indicate input points designated by one point.

The mode 210 is for selecting an operation for converting a black background portion of a desired area into a desired color, and the area can be designated by two points or multiple points. The two-point designation designates the coordinates of the diagonal position of the area, and is designated by the two-point designation key 218A (step 218). The multipoint designation is to sequentially designate the corners of the area, and is designated by the multipoint designation key 220A (step 220). Points c and d indicated by crosses in FIG. 10A indicate input points by designating two points.

In this manner, the key 218A is used to specify the area.
Alternatively, if the coordinates are input from the digitizer 64 after the selection at 220A (step 216), the coordinates are displayed on the monitor 7.
Displayed as 0. That is, when the two-point designation key 218A is pressed, the first designated point by the digitizer 64 is displayed on the monitor 70 as a mark, and when the second point is designated, another mark is displayed. A rectangular area is displayed by a frame line. This frame line may be a solid line, a dotted line, or a blinking line. Multi-point designation key 22
When 0A is selected, the designated point is displayed by a mark, and each coordinate is connected by a frame in the designated order.

The mode 212 is for selecting a background painting operation for coloring the background in a region including an image or a character, that is, a white background portion. The region designation method for this operation is a two-point designation key 222A or a multi-point designation key 224A. (Steps 222 and 224), coordinates are input from the digitizer 64 (Step 216). Also in this case, the coordinates of the corners of the area are displayed as marks and the frame lines are displayed as in the case of the designation in the mode 210.

After the work area is input as described above, a pattern is designated as necessary (step 226). This designation is performed by pressing one of the standard pattern designation key group 226A or the registered pattern designation key group 226B.
After the design of the pattern is completed, the color is designated next (step 22).
8). This color designation is performed by pressing one of the standard color key group 228A and the registered color key group 228B. When the color density is designated, the color designation key is pressed after designating the density key group 226C.

As described above, when the work contents and the work area are input as appropriate times, the contents are stored in the edit data memory 90 (steps 230 and 232). To confirm the input contents, the user presses the confirmation key 74 (FIG. 1) (step 2).
34). As a result, the input result is reduced to, for example, A7 size and printed. If there is further correction after seeing the confirmation print, the color editing operation is performed again on the corrected portion, and the result is stored again in the edited data memory 90 (steps 236 and 238).

The CPU 84 displays an image on the monitor 70 by combining the contents of the RAM 88 and the editing data memory 90. Here, the data stored in the RAM 88 is in a state where the coordinates of the changing point of the image and the like on the scanning line of the scanner 50 and the information such as the color and the pattern after the changing point are compressed as one group.

Although the above description has been given of the coloring and editing work, the present invention performs various works such as enlargement / reduction of an image, cut and paste of an image, and synthesis of a photo original and a text original. Of course, there may be.

After the work content and the work area are input, the number of prints is input from the number input key 78, and the start key 76 is pressed again to start the printer 20 (step 2).
40). Then, the print paper 26 is sent, and the print head 30 moves left and right to perform color printing.
The printed paper 26 is collected on the rack 18 below the housing 10 (step 242).

The contents of the edit data memory 90 are stored in the external memory FD 98 with an appropriate file name by operating the start key 76 or another key operation (not shown) (step 244).

Here, the printer 20 expands the coordinates of the change point compressed and stored in the RAM 88 and the processing area and contents stored in the edit data memory 90 to generate a bit image of data for each pixel. Print while restoring the state. The bit image data may be stored in a frame memory 92, a page memory (not shown), or a part of the RAM 88 and then printed.

[0050]

[Original Correction Mode] Next, an original correction mode for editing a plurality of substantially identical originals will be described. In this mode, the editing data stored in the FD 98 is used. That is, as shown in FIG. 8, when editing another document which is substantially the same as the previously edited document, another document to be edited is set on the scanner 50 (step 30).
0), the document correction key 100 is pressed. Then, this mode is entered (step 302), the scanner 50 is started and the image of the document is read (step 304). This image is displayed on a liquid crystal (LCD) image monitor (step 30).
6).

If the edited data of the previously edited original is stored in the FD 98, the FDD select key 102 is pressed (step 308). Then this FD9
8, the file names of all the edit data stored in the display unit 8 are numbered, and the lower display unit 70A of the display monitor 70 (FIG. 5)
Listed in

If the number of the file name to be used is designated from, for example, the standard color key group 228A, the edit data of this file name is read into the edit data memory 90 (step 3).
10). The edited data is displayed together with the image on the image monitor 70 (step 306). Each time the FDD select key 102 is pressed, the file name is sequentially displayed on the display unit 70A of the display monitor 70, and the file may be selected by displaying the file name to be used.

If the edited data read by looking at the monitor 70 is incorrect (step 312), the file name is specified again. If it is confirmed that the edit data is correct, the execution key 104 is pressed (step 314). Then, the CPU 84 causes the black-and-white comparison section 84E to
Using the input point used to designate the editing area as a discrimination point, the black and white of the image on the image monitor 70 at the coordinates of this discrimination point is compared with the black and white of the point having the same coordinates as the discrimination point on the edit data. Assuming that there is no document displacement (step 31
5A), an editing process is executed (step 316).

If they do not match, the correction instruction unit 84 of the CPU 84
G blinks the mismatched portion on the image monitor 70 (step 315B). For example, as shown in FIG. 10B, an image 70C read from the scanner 50 is input to the coordinate system 70B of the area input points a, b, c, and d by the edit data.
If there is a shift, some input points d may overlap the image. Accordingly, if the input point d is set as a discrimination point, the edit data is white on the image 70, but black on the image 70C, which is not the same.

The operator sets the blinking area to the digitizer 6.
4 and the keyboard 72 to re-enter (step 314C). Instead of re-inputting the area, the position of the document input to the scanner 50 may be changed and input again. Further, an image moving operation knob for moving the image position read by the scanner 50 on the image monitor 70 may be provided, and the knob may be moved up and down, left and right on the image monitor 70 to an appropriate position.

After correcting the image position or the editing area on the image monitor 70 in this manner, the execution key 104 is again
Is pressed (step 315D). Then, the CPU 84 executes editing of the image (step 316).

If a reduced confirmation print is required (step 318), the confirmation key 74 is pressed to print (steps 320 and 322), and the result is confirmed after confirmation (step 324). Perform addition (step 326). Start key 7 when editing is completed
Press 6 to print (step 328) and obtain a print (step 330).

In the above embodiment, the floppy disk (FD) 98 is used as the external memory for storing the editing data. However, various types such as an optical disk, a magnetic tape, and a semiconductor memory can be used.

[0059]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the editing data used for a certain image is stored in an external memory, and the editing data is used for another original having the same or a different part. Is read from an external memory and used, and the black and white of the discrimination point on the external memory is compared with the black and white of the discrimination point on the document read by the scanner. Therefore, even if the document read by the scanner has a misalignment, it can be easily corrected, the image can be easily edited, and the work efficiency is improved.

Here, the discrimination point is used to specify the editing area.
Whether to use the input point for specifying one point of the closed region to
Operation does not need to be input separately,
You. According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus used for performing the method of the first aspect. The edited data read out is displayed on the image monitor together with the image read by the scanner, and the correction instruction means can be easily displayed on this image monitor to easily confirm whether the edited data is correct, thereby facilitating the operation. (Claim 3 ). It is convenient to use a floppy disk as the external memory (claim 4 ).

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an internal structure.

FIG. 3 is a side perspective view.

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an upper surface of a presser lid of the scanner.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a typical operation.

FIG. 8 is an operation flowchart of a document correction mode according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a functional block diagram of a CPU.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of an operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 20 printer 50 scanner 64 digitizer 70 as edit area input means 70 image monitor 72 keyboard as edit content input means 84 CPU as edit processing means 88 RAM as memory means 90 edit data memory 96 external memory drive means 98 external memory Floppy disk 100 Original correction key 104 Execution key

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Hiroto Nagashima 2-26-30 Nishiazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo Inside Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hisaichi Fujisawa 1-7 Yukitani Otsukacho, Ota-ku, Tokyo Alps Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Koichi Sugiyama 1-7 Yukitani Otsukacho, Ota-ku, Tokyo Alps Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Shuichi Aratsu 1-7 Yukitani Otsukacho, Ota-ku, Tokyo Alps (56) References JP-A-1-229559 (JP, A) JP-A-64-82277 (JP, A) JP-A-62-160580 (JP, A) JP-A-5-122501 (JP, A) , A) JP-A-4-178071 (JP, A) JP-A-4-273764 (JP, A) JP-A-5-6415 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB G06T 11/60 100 G06T 1/00 430 H04N 1/3 87

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] An editing area for editing a document read by a scanner and an editing content are input in advance and stored in an external memory, while the document or almost the same document is read by the scanner and read from the external memory. An image processing method for performing an editing process based on the editing data, wherein the editing region can be designated by one point in a closed region of the image.
However, the external memory has an input used to specify the editing area.
The coordinates of the discrimination point on this document and the black and white of this discrimination point are stored in memory using the force point as the discrimination point, and the black and white of the discrimination point on the read document is compared with the content stored in the external memory to thereby determine the document. An image processing method for determining a position shift. 2. A scanner for reading a document, memory means for storing the read image, editing content input means for inputting the content of an editing process to be performed on the image, and an editing area for performing the editing process on the image. Specify at one point in the closed area of
An editing area inputting means for inputting by an image monitor for displaying overlapping and editing means for performing editing processing corresponding to these edits and editing area, the editing content and editing area in an image read by the scanner, edit Image processing apparatus having a printer for printing out a processed image
The input data used for designating the edit data and the edit area including the edit content and the edit area as a determination point
And editing data memory for storing the black-and-white coordinates and the determination point of the determination point, and the external memory drive means for performing out data with the editing data memory and the external memory, the editing data memory and the image monitor An image processing apparatus, comprising: a black-and-white comparing means for comparing the black and white of the discrimination point in (1); 3. The editing processing means displays editing data read from an external memory based on an operation of a document correction key, superimposing the editing data on an image read by the scanner and displayed on an image monitor. 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the instruction means displays a portion to be instructed to be corrected on the image monitor. 4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said external memory is a floppy disk.