JP3450891B2 - Digital copier - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital copying machine for producing presentation materials, and more particularly to a full color digital copying machine for outputting presentation materials in full color.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the visual work called presentation has been attracting attention in the field of business, as the environment surrounding companies has changed drastically due to internationalization, computerization, serviceization, softwareization, and the like. For example, the staff in charge of business planning and product planning must persuade the other party toward the realization of the proposal by clearly communicating it to upper-level departments and related departments. In addition, the staff in charge of the sales department will move to a stable growth period, which is far from the high growth period, to survive the intensifying market competition, and to facilitate smooth communication with customers. A visual work called presentation is performed when a lecture or seminar is held to provide specialized knowledge. In addition, by utilizing a part of the material used for the presentation to the customer, the person in charge may be used as a material for persuading the upper layer of the company or related departments or as a material for approval.

Conventionally, such presentation materials have been created by operating presentation-oriented application software on a workstation or a personal computer.

[0004]

However, the functions of the presentation-oriented tools that operate on workstations and personal computers have become more and more complicated in recent years, and therefore the operation of workstations and personal computers and presentation-oriented tools have become more complex. Only a person who understands the operation of other tools can create presentation materials, and it takes a lot of time to understand the operation of workstations, personal computers, and presentation-oriented tools. There is a point.

In addition, a lot of special training, design sense and experience are required to create expressive presentation materials.
A person who simply understands the operation of the personal computer itself and the operation of presentation-oriented tools cannot create good presentation materials.
Those who create presentation materials are required to have the experience of handling miscellaneous information and the ability and experience to create the final flow of information from the materials of the presentation and to transmit the information to the recipient quickly and accurately. To be done.

Therefore, conventionally, when creating presentation materials, a person operating a workstation or a personal computer creates a final information expression from the materials of the presentation and transmits the information to the recipient quickly and accurately. However, there is a problem that the time and cost for developing this ability cannot be ignored when devising the above.

In view of the above conventional problems, the present invention provides a digital copying machine capable of creating visual materials such as presentation materials by a simple operation without understanding the operation of a workstation or a personal computer. The purpose is to do.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, a first means is an input means for reading document image information,
Area dividing means for dividing the area of the document image information read by the input means, and whether the area divided by the area dividing means is a character area, a ruled line area, a graphic area, or a photograph area. and identifying areas identification means, the area and character line extracting means for extracting a character line from the identified character area by the identification means, before Symbol character line extracting means character image cutting means for cutting out a character image from the character line extracted by A character feature extracting means for extracting characteristics of the character image cut out by the character image cutting means; a character recognizing means for recognizing a character based on the characteristics of the character image extracted by the character feature extracting means; A character information conversion means for converting a character recognized by the character recognition means into character code information, and a character code converted by the character information conversion means A graphic display means for displaying a graphic which is synthesized by overwriting the distribution, and the figure selecting means for selecting a graphic displayed by the graphic display unit, equally divided or proportional dividing a print area based on the selection of the operator Printing area dividing means, graphic layout means for laying out the graphic selected by the graphic selecting means in the print areas divided by the print area dividing means, and character code information converted by the character information converting means. A character layout means for overwriting and laying out the above-mentioned character font in the figure laid out by the figure layout means; and an image output means for outputting the character font and figure laid out by the character layout means. Characterize.

The second means further comprises a character size conversion means for converting the character size in proportion to the layout size of the graphic when the character font is laid out in the graphic by the character layout means in the first means. It is characterized by

[0010]

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[0012]

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[0018]

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[0020]

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[0025]

[0026]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing an embodiment of a full-color digital copying machine according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an input document image and a title node table, a character line node table and a character code buffer. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a horizontal line coordinate table, FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a vertical line coordinate table, FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an intersection point coordinate table, FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a frame data table, and FIG. 7 is an area division table. 10 is an explanatory view showing a print sheet, FIG. 9 is an explanatory view showing a maximum print area table, and FIG.
11 and 12 are explanatory diagrams showing an example of dividing the print area, FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing a print attribute table, FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a format setting table, and FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing a print color setting table. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing a font table, FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing an information storage table, and FIGS. 17 and 18 are schematic diagrams for explaining update management of the information storage table shown in FIG. 16 and various synthetic editing processing procedures. 2 is a flow chart, FIG. 19 is an explanatory view showing an example of an operation screen, and FIG.
0 is an explanatory view showing various sample figures, FIG. 21 is an explanatory view showing an input image of the presentation material, and FIG. 22 is FIG.
It is explanatory drawing which shows the output image of the presentation material of No. 1.

The bus 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes an address bus and a data bus. The bus 100 includes a scanner device 101,
An operation panel 102, a mass storage device 103, an SCU device 104 that controls the entire device as described later, a ROM device 105, a RAM device 106, and a printing device 107 are connected. The scanner device 101 is used to read image information, and the operation panel 102 is composed of a large-sized liquid crystal panel and a touch panel and is used to display the state of the device and to give an operation instruction.

The mass storage device 103 stores a character dictionary, a graphic sample pattern, a layout, a coloring rule, and a recognition dictionary, etc., which is composed of information on the structural characteristics of characters for collating the characteristics of the extracted character image. A database is stored, and the SCU device 1 is stored in the ROM device 105.
04 programs, particularly programs for configuring various processing means described later are stored. RAM device 10
6 is used as a work area by storing various management information described later. The printing device 107 includes a full-color printer engine unit (not shown) and a print control device that controls this engine unit.

The input document image 600 shown in FIG. 2 shows, as an example, a presentation material for marketing this apparatus, and includes a character line 601 of a title block “background of a presentation copier” and a plurality of blocks following the title block. (Character lines 602, 602a-),
(Character lines 603, 603a-), (character lines 604, 60)
4a, 604b-) are shown. The details of the input document image 600 shown in FIG. 2 are shown in FIG. 21, and the output image thereof is shown in FIG.

The title node table 200 shown in FIG.
Is the input image 60 read by the scanner device 101.
The adjacency relation of 0 black areas is analyzed and divided into rectangles, and the areas of the characters, photographs, figures, and charts of the input image 600 are identified based on the size of the rectangles and the distribution density of the black areas (area recognition means). ), A character line is extracted from a region identified as a character region (character line extraction means), and vertically adjacent character lines are integrated (character line integration means), or the structure of the character area image is analyzed to extract the character It is created by the first node which is blocked by integrating line determines a title node (document image structure analyzing means).

Each entry of the title node table 200 is composed of, for example, two items 200a and 200b. In the item 200a, the pointer of the entry of the stage node table 300 in which the management information of the first block following the title block is stored is registered. The item 200b stores a character line node table 4 in which management information of character line nodes existing in the title node is stored.
The pointer of entry 00 is registered.

The column node table 300 shown in FIG. 2 is also one of the management tables similarly to the title node table 200, and like the title node table 200, blocks after the title block are discriminated as column nodes (document image). Structural analysis means). Each entry of the stage node table 300 is an item 300a1 to 300a3.
00an, 300b1 to 300bn. The input document image 6 is included in the items 300a1 to 300an.
00, the pointer of the entry of the stage node table 300 in which the management information of the next stage node is stored.

There are as many entries in the stage node table 300 as there are stage nodes on the input document image 600. In the input document image 600 shown in FIG. 2, three stage nodes (602, 602a), (603, 603a, 603
b) and (604, 604a, 604b) exist, "0" is registered in the item 300a3 to indicate the end of the stage node table 300. Stage node table 3
In the items 00b1 to 300bn of 00, the pointers of the character line node table 400 storing the management information of the character lines existing in this column node are registered.

The character line node table 400 shown in FIG. 2 is a title node table 200 and a column node table 30.
0 is created by the document image structure analysis means in the same manner as 0, and items 400a1 to 400an and 400b1 to 400 are created.
It is composed of bn. Items 400a1-400a
In n, if the next character line exists in the block being processed on the input document image 600, the next item 400a1
The pointer of the 400an entry is registered. Also,
When "0" is registered in the items 400a1 to 400an, it indicates that there is no character line after this column node.

In each of the items 400b1 to 400bn, a pointer of the character code buffer 500 in which the character code existing in this character line is stored is registered, and a character image is cut out from the character line indicated by this pointer and cut out. It is set up when the characteristics of the character image are extracted and recognized by the character recognizing means, the recognized character image is converted into code information by the character information converting means, and all the character images in the character line are converted.

The character code buffer 500 is created by cutting out a character image, extracting character features of the cut out character image and recognizing it, and character information conversion means for converting the recognized character image into code information. To be done.
The entry of this buffer 500 is the item 500a1.
.About.500an, 500b11 to 500bnm. The total number of characters existing in the character line is registered in the items 500a1 to 500an, and each item 500b11 is registered.
Character code information recognized from each character image is stored in ~ 500bnm.

The horizontal line coordinate table 700 shown in FIG. 3 is created by the frame ruled line extracting means.
The adjacency relationship of the black areas of the input document image 600 is analyzed and divided into rectangles, and the area, recognizing means identifies the character, the photograph, the figure, and the figure area according to the size of the rectangle and the distribution density of the black areas. The image of the selected area is scanned in the horizontal direction, the black pixels other than the continuous length in which the length of continuous black pixels exceeds the threshold are erased to extract the horizontal line, and the start of the horizontal line x
Find the y coordinate and the end xy coordinate.

The total number of horizontal lines extracted in the area is registered in the item 700a, and items 700b1 to 700b are registered.
In n, the x-axis coordinate of the starting point of each horizontal line is the item 700c1.
The y-axis coordinates of the starting point of each horizontal line are registered in the columns 700d to 700cn, the x-axis coordinates of the ending point of each horizontal line are registered in the items 700d1 to 700dn, and the y-axis coordinates of the ending point of each horizontal line are registered in the items 700e1 to 700en. It

The vertical line coordinate table 800 shown in FIG. 4 is also created by the frame ruled line extraction means, and this frame ruled line extraction means analyzes the adjacency relationship of the black regions of the input document image 600 and separates them into rectangles. The image of the area identified as the graphic area by the area recognition means for identifying the character, photograph, figure, and graphic area according to the size of the image and the distribution density of the black area is vertically scanned, and the length of continuous black pixels is the threshold value. The vertical lines are extracted by erasing the black pixels other than the continuous length exceeding .vertline., And the start xy coordinates and the end xy coordinates of the vertical lines are obtained.

The total number of vertical lines extracted in the area is registered in the item 800a, and items 800b1 to 800b are registered.
In n, the x-axis coordinate of the starting point of each vertical line is the item 800c1.
To 800cn, the y-axis coordinate of the start point of each vertical line, items 800d1 to 800dn the x-axis coordinate of the end point of each vertical line, and items 800e1 to 800en the y-axis coordinate of the end point of each vertical line. Is registered.

The intersection coordinate table 900 shown in FIG. 5 is created by the frame ruled line extracting means at the time when the extraction of the horizontal lines and the vertical lines in the area is completed, and the intersection coordinates are arranged in the columns 900b11 to 900cnb in the matrix form in the horizontal direction. be registered. In the item 900a, the total number of horizontal lines in the item 700a of the horizontal line coordinate table 700 and the total number of intersections, which is a product of the total number of vertical lines in the item 800a of the vertical line coordinate table 800, are registered.

Items 900b11 to 900bn1, 900
The x coordinate of each intersection is registered in b12 to 900bn2, ..., 900b1m to bnm. In this case, in order to register the intersection coordinates in the horizontal direction, the item 900b11 includes the item 700b1 of the x axis start coordinate of the horizontal line coordinate table 700. And the item 800b of the x-axis start coordinate of the vertical line coordinate table 800
The added value of 1 is registered. If the total number of vertical lines is m, 700b1 + 800b2 → 900b12, 700
b1 + 800b3 → 900b13, ..., 700b1 + 8
It is registered as 00bm → 900b1m.

Similarly, in order to register the intersection coordinates of the horizontal line, item 9 is used based on the starting coordinate (700b2) of the horizontal line.
In 00b21, the added value of the x-axis start coordinate (700b2) of the horizontal line coordinate table 700 and the x-axis start coordinate (800b1) of the vertical line coordinate table 800 is registered. Also, 7
00b2 + 800b2 → 900b22, 700b2 + 8
00b3 → 900b23, ..., 700b2 + 800bm
→ As in 900b2m, each addition result is registered up to the total number of horizontal lines.

The y coordinates of the intersections are registered in the items 900c11 to 900cnb. For example, item 900c11
Is the y-axis start coordinate (700
c1) y-axis start coordinate of vertical line coordinate table 800 (80
The added value of 0c1) is registered, and the y coordinate is registered in the same manner as the x coordinate.

The frame data table 1000 shown in FIG.
The coordinates of the four corners of the frame are obtained from the intersection coordinate table 900 shown in FIG. 5, the image in the frame is transferred to the recognition buffer area,
The characters are sequentially cut out by the character recognition means, the characteristics of the cut out character image are extracted by the character feature extraction means, the character information is recognized from the extracted characteristics by the character recognition means, and the recognized image is converted into code information. It is created every time information is registered in the character code buffer 500.

Item 1000 of frame data table 1000
The total number of extracted frames is registered in a. Also, item 1
A frame number is registered in 000b (br, bc), and the frame number is item 100 with the upper left corner as the reference frame (row 1, column A).
A row number is registered in 0br, and a column number is registered in the item 1000bc. A numeric value or an attribute of frame data other than a numeric value is registered in the item 1000c, and an entry pointer of the character code buffer 500 storing code information is registered in the item 1000d.

The area division table 1100 shown in FIG. 7 has items 1100, 1100a1 to 1100an, 1100b.
1 to 1100bn, ..., 1100f to 1100fn. In this table 1100, the structure of the language information in the image area is formed by the document image structure analysis means.
(Structure) is analyzed, and the title node table 200 and the stage node table 30 are created based on the result.
0, the character line node table 400 and the character code buffer 500 are searched, and the number of blocks on the document image, the number of character lines declared on each block, and the maximum number of character strings are stored.

Item 1101 of area division table 1100
The number of blocks on the input image 600 is registered in
The number of character lines declared in each block is registered in 100a1 to 1100an, and items 1100b1 to 1100b are registered.
The number of maximum character strings declared in each block is registered in n. In addition, according to the print paper size and the division direction of the print area selected by the operator, items 1100c1 to 1100c1
In 100cn, the start x coordinate of the printable area divided by the print area dividing process is the items 1100d1 to 1100.
The start y coordinate of the printable area is registered in dn. Further, the end x coordinate of the printable area is registered in the items 1100e1 to 1100en, and the end y coordinate of the printable area is registered in the items 1100f1 to 1100fn.

Item 160 of print sheet 1600 shown in FIG.
0a indicates the vertical width (vertical length and number of lines) of the printing paper, and item 1600a1 indicates the line interval (vertical pitch) for one line of the vertical width indicated by item 1600a. Also,
Item 1600b shows the horizontal width (horizontal length and number of columns) of the printing paper, and item 1600b1 shows the character spacing (horizontal pitch) of the horizontal width shown in item 1600b.

Paper sizes are stored in the items 150a1 to 150an of the maximum print area table 150 shown in FIG. 9, and items 150a1 to 150bn are stored in the items 150b1 to 150bn.
The direction of the sheet indicated by 150an is stored. The items 150a1 to 150cn are included in the items 150c1 to 150cn.
The vertical width 1600a (see FIG. 8) of the sheet indicated by an is stored, and the item 150a1 is stored in the items 150d1 to 150dn.
The vertical pitch 1600a1 of the sheet indicated by ˜150an is stored. In addition, items 150e1 to 150en, 150
The horizontal width of the paper is 1600 for f1 to 150fn, respectively.
b, the horizontal pitch 1600b1 is stored. This table 150 is referred to by the print area division processing means for dividing the print area of the character line of each block declared in the image area, and this registration is performed when the apparatus is manufactured.

As a method of dividing the printing paper 1600 shown in FIG. 8, vertical division into vertical divisions, horizontal division into horizontal divisions, equal division into equal print areas, and equal division into blocks. There are proportional divisions that divide proportionally to the number of declared character lines or character strings, and combinations of these.

FIG. 10 shows an example of vertical equal division. In this case, the maximum print area table 150 storing the management information about the print area is searched, and the vertical width 1 of the print paper size (item 150a) selected by the operator is searched.
600a (item 150c) is acquired and this vertical width 16
00a is item 1 of the area division table 1100 shown in FIG.
10 is divided by the number of blocks stored in FIG.
Vertical width 1700 divided into blocks as shown in
a, 1700b, and 1700c are calculated.

Next, item 1 of the area division table 1100 storing the number of character lines declared in each block.
100a is searched, and the number of this character line and the above vertical width 17
00a, 1700b, 1700c are compared, and the number of character lines declared in each block is the above-described vertical width 1700a, 1700.
It is checked whether or not layout is possible within 700b and 1700c.

When the layout is possible, the horizontal width 1600b stored in the item 150e of the maximum print area table 150 shown in FIG. 9 is divided by the horizontal pitch stored in the item 150f, so that one line The maximum number of character strings is calculated, and then the area division table 11
00 is searched and compared with the maximum number of character strings stored in the item 1100b to check whether the character strings declared in each block can be laid out in one divided line. If the layout is possible, the start xy coordinates and the end xy coordinates of the print area of each block are calculated, and each item 1100 of the area division table 1100 is calculated.
c, 1100d, 1100e, and 1100f, and the print area dividing process ends.

Next, the vertical proportional division processing will be described.
First, items 1101a1 to 1101a1 of the area division table 1100
The ratio is calculated by adding the number of character lines of each block stored in 1101an and dividing the total number of character lines declared in the document image area by the added value. next,
The maximum print area table 150 that stores management information about print areas is searched to obtain the vertical width 1600a of the item 150c selected by the operator.
The vertical widths 1700a to 1700c of each block shown in FIG. 10 are calculated by multiplying 600a by the above ratio.

Then, similarly to the vertical equal division, the number of character lines in the vertical widths 1700a to 1700c is checked and the layout of character strings is checked. If the conditions are satisfied, the start xy coordinates of the print area of each block are checked. And end x
Each item 1100c, 1100d, 1100e and 11 of the area division table 1100 is calculated by calculating the y coordinate.
00f, and the print area dividing process is terminated.

FIG. 11 shows horizontal equal division processing. Here, the horizontal division does not divide all the declared blocks in the horizontal direction.
The vertical width block indicated by a is divided in the vertical direction of the printing paper as a title block, and the remaining lower area is item 1
It is divided in the horizontal direction like 800b and 1800c. When the operator selects horizontal equal division, the maximum print area table 15 in which management information regarding print areas is stored
By searching for 0, the vertical width 1600a of the item 150c selected by the operator is obtained, and the number of character lines of the title block stored in the item 1100a of the region division table 1100 is subtracted from this vertical width 1600a. , The vertical width 1800a of the title block and the vertical width 1800d of the remaining lower area are calculated.

Then, the vertical width 1800d of the remaining area is compared with the number of character lines of each remaining block stored in the item 1100a of the area division table 1100, and the remaining printing area is compared with each remaining block. Check if the number of character lines can be laid out. If the layout is possible, the layout check for the number of character strings of the title block is performed as in the vertical division. If the layout is possible, the start xy coordinates and the end x of the print area of each block are checked.
Each item 1100c, 1100d, 1100e and 11 of the area division table 1100 is calculated by calculating the y coordinate.
Register with 00f.

Next, the horizontal width 1600 stored in the item 150e of the maximum print area table 150 shown in FIG.
b (FIG. 8) is divided by the horizontal pitch stored in the item 150f to calculate the number of character strings in one line, and the number of character strings in one line and the number of blocks stored in the item 1101a of the area division table 1100 − By multiplying by 1,
The horizontal widths 1800b and 1800c of each block shown in 1 are calculated. And this horizontal width 1800b, 1800c
By comparing the maximum number of character strings of each block stored in the item 1100b of the area division table 1100, it is checked whether the character strings declared with the horizontal widths 1800b and 1800c of each block can be laid out.

If the layout is possible, items 1100c, 1100d, 1 of the area division table 1100 are displayed.
The start xy coordinates and the end xy coordinates of the print area of the remaining block are calculated from the start xy coordinates and the end xy coordinates of the print area of the title block stored in 100e and 1100f, and the horizontal widths 1800b and 1800c of the remaining block. Then, each item 1 of the area division table 1100
Register to 100c, 1100d, 1100e and 1100f.

Finally, the horizontal proportional division processing will be described. When the operator selects the horizontal proportional division processing, first, the title block division processing is performed in the same manner as the horizontal equal division processing. When the division of the title block and the check of the number of character lines are completed, the maximum print area table 150 is searched and the horizontal width 1600b stored in the item 150e is searched.
Is obtained, and the area division table 1100 is searched to calculate the total number of maximum character strings of each block stored in the items 1100b1 to 1100bn.

Next, the horizontal width 1600b is compared with the total number of maximum character strings in each block, and the horizontal width 1600b is calculated.
b)> (total number of maximum character strings in each block), the horizontal width 1600b is divided by the maximum number of character strings in each block to obtain the total number of maximum character strings declared in the document image area, Calculate the ratio of the maximum number of character strings declared in each block. Next, the maximum print area table 15
The horizontal width 1600b stored in the 0 item 150e is acquired, and the horizontal width 1600b and the area division table 11 are acquired.
00 is compared and the maximum number of character strings in each block stored in the items 1100b1 to 1100bn is compared, and it is checked whether the number of character strings declared in the divided horizontal width can be laid out.

When the layout is possible, the items 1100c and 110 of the area division table 1100 are similarly set.
0d, 1100e, and 1100f respectively, the starting xy coordinates and the ending xy coordinates of the print area of the title block, and the horizontal widths 1800b and 1800b of the remaining blocks.
The start xy coordinates and the end xy coordinates of the print areas of the remaining blocks are calculated from 800c, and are registered in the items 1100c, 1100d, 1100e, and 1100f of the area division table 1100, respectively.

In each of the above division processes,
When the layout of the number of lines or the layout of columns declared in the document image cannot be performed for the divided print areas, an error message is displayed on the large liquid crystal panel of the operation panel device 102 shown in FIG. The process ends.

Each entry of the print attribute table 3000 shown in FIG. 12 is an item 3000a1-30 storing code information for designating a character string for which the print attribute is set.
00an and the item 3000b in which the print attribute is stored
1 to 3000 bn and is set by the operator via the operation panel device 102.

Examples of print attributes that can be set include a font,
It is the modification of characters such as the size of the characters and italics.
When the character string “background of the presentation copier” on the input image 600 shown in FIG.
Declaration like “● Presentation Copier Background” on page 00 and “Italic” is item 300.
Code information “●” is set in 0a1 to 3000an, and the print attribute “italic” is stored in the items 3000b1 to 3000bn. And when printing, item 30
A character string after the code specified in 00b1 to 3000bn is printed with the print attribute specified in items 3000b1 to 3000bn.

Each entry of the format setting table 4000 shown in FIG. 13 is an item 4000a1 to 4000 in which code information for specifying a character string to be set is stored.
an and items 4000b1-40 in which the format is stored
00bn, and is set by the operator via the operation panel device 102.

Examples of formats that can be set include centering, right justification, left justification, indentation, line feed, even allocation, and close allocation. For example, the input image 6 shown in FIG.
When the character string “Presentation Copier Background” on 00 is printed by centering, the item 40 is declared by declaring “● Presentation Copier Background” on the input image 600 and declaring “Centering”.
The code information of "●" is set in 00a1 to 4000an, and the format of "centering" is stored in the items 4000b1 to 4000bn. When printing, the character string after the code specified in the items 4000b1 to 4000bn is printed in the format specified in the items 4000b1 to 4000bn.

A print color setting table 6000 shown in FIG.
Each of the entries is an item 6000a1-60 in which code information for specifying the character string for which the print color is set is stored.
00an and the item 6000b1-6 in which the color is stored
000bn, and is set by the operator via the operation panel device 102.

For example, when the character string "background of the presentation copier" on the input image 600 shown in FIG. 2 is printed in blue, it is declared on the input image 600 as "● background of the presentation copier" and "blue". Is declared, the code information of “●” is set in the items 6000a1 to 6000an, and the items 6000b1 to 6
The print color of "blue" is stored in 000bn. When printing, the character string after the code specified in the items 6000b1 to 6000bn is the item 6000b.
Printed in the specified color in the range of 1 to 6000 bn.

A print attribute table 3000, a format setting table 4000 and a print color setting table 6000.
Each item of 3000a, 4000a, 6000a
When the same code information is set in, the functions of the set print attribute, format, and print color operate redundantly.

The above tables 3000, 4000, 600
The setting operation and processing of 0 will be described. For example, when the table setting switch of the operation panel device 102 is pressed, the table name is displayed on the large liquid crystal panel of the operation panel device 102, and the table name is selectively touched. Special characters (&, *, @, §, ☆, ★, ○, on the large LCD panel
●, ◇, etc.) and the function corresponding to the table are displayed.

In this display state, when the "special character" is selectively touched, the "function" is touched for the special character, and the "confirmation icon" is touched, the table 3 above is displayed.
The setting for one character string of 000, 4000, and 6000 is completed. Hereinafter, each time the operation and processing are repeated, the setting for each character string ends, and when the “end icon” is touched, the setting ends. The above special characters are examples, and other special characters or characters other than special characters, symbols, etc. may be used.

The font table 5000 shown in FIG.
Are the items 5000a1 to 5000an in which the font names stored in advance in this device are stored, and the items 5000a
Items 5000b1 to 5000bn that store the character pitches of the fonts indicated by 1 to 5000an, and items 5000c1 to 5000cn that store the line pitches of the fonts indicated by items 5000a1 to 5000an, respectively.
It is composed by. This font table 5000
Is laid out by the means for converting the character size in proportion to the print area size in the graphic when laying out the language information converted into the code information in the print area of the graphic selected by the operator.

The information storage table 13000 shown in FIG.
Each entry is composed of items 13000a to 13000h. The page numbers in which the input document image information exists are registered in the items 13000a1 to 13000an.
The numbers of the image areas divided by the area dividing means are registered in 0b1 to 13000bn. Also, item 1300
The attributes of the divided image areas (character areas, ruled line areas, etc.) are registered in 0c1 to 13000cn.
The actual storage position information (address) on the mass storage device 103 in which the information is stored is registered in 0d1 to 13000dn.

The items 13000e1 to 13000en and 13000f1 of the information storage table 13000 are also included.
The x-coordinate and the y-coordinate of the start position of the print area in which the image indicated by this entry is combined are registered in the fields 13000g to 13000gn.
00h1 to 13000hn are the x coordinate and the y coordinate of the end position of the print area in which the image indicated by this entry is combined.
The coordinates are registered.

This information storage table 13000 is searched and updated by the edit / combine means, the selective edit / combine means, and the separate page edit / combine means. Update management of the information storage table 13000 and various synthetic editing processing procedures will be schematically described with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18. First, when an operator sets up a document on the scanner device 102 and presses the start key, reading of image information on the scanner device 102 is started (step s100), and the read image information is stored on the RAM device 106. It is stored in the area.

The area of this image information is divided, the attribute of each divided area is identified (step s101), and the attribute of each divided area is checked (steps s102, s103, s1).
05). The process is started according to the identified attribute, the process of writing the process information on the mass storage device 103 is started,
When the writing is completed, the actual storage position information (address) stored in the mass storage device 103 is converted into items 13000d1 to 13000dn in the information storage table 13000.
The page numbers of the information existing in the mass storage device 103 are registered in the items 13000a1 to 13000an, and the numbers of the divided image areas are registered in the items 13000b1 to 130.
00bn, the image attribute items 13000c1 to 1300
0 cn (steps s104, s105a, s)
106).

When the processing according to each attribute is completed, it is checked in step s102 whether or not the processing of the image area on the read page is completed, and when the processing is completed, the process proceeds to step s107 and thereafter to set the composite edit operation instruction. It is checked whether or not the combination editing operation instruction is not set, and the process branches to step s111. On the other hand, when the composite edit operation instruction is set, the information storage table 13
000 (step s108), and the table 130
If the entry of 00 is not registered, the process branches to step s111.

On the other hand, when the entry of the table 13000 is registered in step s108, the process proceeds to step s109 shown in detail in FIG. Item 1300 of information storage table 13000 as shown in FIG.
The start and end positions of the print area of 0e to 13000h are cleared (step s109a), the contents of the table 13000 are edited, and the operation screen 1400 as shown in FIG. 19 is displayed on the large liquid crystal panel of the operation panel device 102 ( Step s109b).

In FIG. 19, the item 140 on the operation screen 1400 for the operator to select the image information to be combined and edited.
When one of 0a is touched, the page number, area number and attribute touched in the item 1400a are highlighted and the image information to be combined and edited is selected (step s
109c). Then, based on the address of the mass storage device 103 stored in the item 13000d of the selected entry in the table 13000, the mass storage device 1
The image information stored in 03 is read into the work area of the RAM device 106 (step s109d), and then this image information is displayed in the area 1500 of the operation screen 1400 (step s109e).

In this state, when the operator touches the area icon 1402 to combine this image information, the process proceeds from step s109f to step s109h, the area icon 1402 is highlighted, the image in the area 1500 is cleared, and the image is displayed. A start arrow icon 1405 and an end arrow icon 1406 for designating a print area to be combined are displayed in the area 1500. Then, the operator touches the start arrow icon 1405 to move it to the desired start position in the print area, and touches the end arrow icon 1406 to move it to the desired end start position in the print area, and
When the execution icon 1401 is touched, the print area is designated (step s109h).

Then, the start x coordinate and the start y coordinate indicated by the start arrow icon 1405 are set in the table 13000, respectively.
Items 13000e and 13000f of Table 13000, and the end x-coordinate and the end y-coordinate indicated by the end arrow icon 1406 are registered in the items 13000g and 13000g of the table 13000, respectively.
It is registered in 3000h (step s109i), and the process returns to step s109c. If the operator touches the cancel icon 1403 in step s109f because the image information is not combined, the image in the area 1500 is cleared (step s109g), and step s109.
Return to c.

Next, when the operator touches the end icon 1407 in step s109f, the process proceeds to step s109j, and this image selection process is ended. Then, the items 13000e to 130 of the table 13000.
It is checked by searching for 00h whether or not the image to be combined and edited is selected (step s109j), and if it is selected, it is combined by the start coordinates of the items 13000e and 13000f and the end coordinates of the items 13000g and 13000h. Calculate the print area size of the image
Mass storage device 103 based on the address of 3000d
The image is read out from the RAM and stored in the work area of the RAM device 106, and the image information is scaled to the print area size and R
It is developed in the work area of the AM device 106.

When all the selected images have been combined (step s109k), the combined image is displayed in the area 1500 of the operation screen 1400. When the operator touches the print icon 1408 to print out the composite image, the data expanded in the work area of the RAM device 106 is sent to the printing device 107, and the composite image is output (shown in FIG. 17). Step s110).

When the output of the composite image is completed, it is checked whether all the images have been input (step s11).
1) When the image input is completed, the table 13000
Is cleared (step s112), and this processing ends. If the input has not been completed, the process returns to step s100 to continue this process. Although the area image and the result thereof are stored in the mass storage device 103 in this embodiment, they may be stored in another RAM device 106, for example.

Here, as a known means for distinguishing a document image by dividing it into regions having different properties, for example, the spatial structure and format of a general document are systematized, and the top-down according to the result is systematized. Hierarchical region segmentation method of expressions and method of classification using statistical features ("General-purpose hierarchical region segmentation and identification method of document images", IEICE D (D) D-11, Vol.J74-D -
11, No. pp246-256) and general document formatting rules, and extracts the document components such as characters, character lines, sentences and charts from the document image, and their layout relationships in a tree structure. Document structure analysis method (“Document image structure by split detection method”, Theological theory (D) D-11, Vol.J74-D-11, No. 4, pp4
91-499) has been tried.

Further, a method of extracting a frame ruled line that defines each block of the chart image and interpreting the frame ruled line information in correspondence with knowledge about the format structure (“recognition of structure of form document using frame ruled line information”, Probability theory D-11, Vol.J75-D-11, No. 8,
pp1372-1385) has been tried.

On the other hand, as a known character recognition technique, the character is cut out by detecting the contour of the character string by utilizing the continuity, repeatability and squareness of the character string, and the cut out character is Character recognition method that selects the dictionary character that is most similar to the input character information by dividing it into overall structural information and segment information (“Reading System for Japanese Printed Documents”, IEICE (D) D-11, Vol.J75-D-11,
No. 2, pp257-266) has been tried. Further, as a known document image structure analysis method, a method using the structural property of a document, a method using a knowledge processing method, a method using an interactive processing method, and various methods using both the property of an image element and knowledge are proposed. It is now in a situation where it can be used for various applications.

In one embodiment of the present invention, first, the document image structure analysis is performed, and when the conversion from image information to code information is completed, the following processing is performed. Generation of design sample from language information in document image area and operation panel device 102
In order to display the above, the structure of the language information in the image area is analyzed by the document image structure analysis means, and various management tables 200, 300, 400, 500 as shown in FIG. 2 are created.

First, in order to divide the printing area of each declared block, the processing of the number of character lines and the maximum number of character strings on the title block of the input image 600 as shown in FIG. 2 is started. The title node table 200 is searched, the character line node table 400 of the character line 601 declared in the title block is searched from the value of the item 200b in which the entry pointer of the character line node table 400 is stored, and the entry of the character data buffer 500 is searched. The character data buffer 500 storing the character code of the character line 601 declared in the title block (see FIGS. 2 and 21) is searched from the value of the item 400b1 in which the pointer is stored, and the character in the declared language information is searched. Check for special codes that have a varying number of columns and rows.

As the check, the vertical double angle in the language information on the first line 601 declared in the title block,
It is checked whether or not a special code for instructing horizontal double angle, double angle, and indent setting is declared. When the double-height is designated, the number of lines stored in the item 1100a1 of the area division table 1100 shown in FIG. 7 is incremented by "1" and the result is stored in the item 1100a1. Increase the number by one. When a double width character is designated, the number of character strings stored in the item 500a1 of the character data buffer 500 shown in FIG. 2 is doubled and stored in the item 500a1. Is doubled.

Similarly, when the quadruple size is designated, "1" is added to the number of rows stored in the item 1100a1 of the area division table 1100 and the item 1100a1 is added.
The number of lines in the title block is increased by one by storing the
Item 50 by doubling the number of character strings stored in 0a1
By storing it in 0a1, the number of character strings in the title block is doubled. When the indent is specified, the following code information is converted into a numerical value, and this numerical value is added to the number of character strings in the item 500a1 of the character data buffer 500 and stored in the item 500a1, thereby making the characters of the title block Increase the number of columns by the number specified by the indent.

When such a special code check is completed, the number of character strings from the item 500a1 of the character data buffer 500 is registered in order to register the maximum number of character strings and the number of character lines declared in the title block in the area division table 1100. The number of columns is acquired, and this number of character strings and area division table 1
The number of character strings stored in 100 items 1100b1 is compared, and the larger number of character strings is registered in the item 1100b1. Also, the number of lines of the title block is increased by 1 by adding "1" to the number of lines of the item 1100a1.

Then, the item 400a1 of the character line node table 400 is checked to check whether or not the next declaration character line exists in the title block, and the entry pointer of the next character line node table 400 is not registered. In the case of (= 0), it is determined that no character line is declared in the title block, and the number of blocks declared in the image area is updated by adding 1 to the number of blocks in item 1101 of the area division table 1100. And the processing of the title block ends.

Next, to check whether or not a column block is declared on the input image 600, the item 200a of the title node table 200 in which the entry pointer of the column node table 300 is stored is checked. In the case of the input image 600 shown in FIG. 2, the entry pointer of the stage node table 300 is the title node table 2
Since it is stored in the item 200a of 00, the input image 6
It is determined that a column block has been declared above 00, and the processing of the number of character lines and the maximum number of character strings declared in the column block of the input image 600 is started.

First, the item 300b1 of the character line 602 is searched from the column node table 300 by the entry pointer of the column node table 300 stored in the item 200a of the title node table 200. Then, by the entry pointer of the character line node table 400 stored in the item 300b1 of the column node table 300, the item 400 of the character line 602 declared in the column block.
b2 is searched from the character line node table 400, and then item 400b2 of this character line node table 400 is searched.
Items 500a2 and 500b of the character code buffer 500 in which the character code of the character line 602 declared in the column block is stored by the entry pointer stored in
Search 21 to 500b2m.

Thereafter, similar to the title block, it is checked whether or not a special code is declared in the language of the character line 602, the processing corresponding to the special code is performed, and the character declared in the column block is checked. With respect to the number of lines, the same processing as in the title block is performed. When the processing is completed for all the character lines declared in the column block, the block number declared in the image area is updated by adding 1 to the number of blocks 1101 in the area division table 1100 to process the column block. finish.

Further, in order to check whether or not the next stage block is declared on the input image 600, the item 300a1 in which the entry pointer of the next stage node table 300 is stored is checked and the above processing is performed. , The number of character lines of all column blocks declared on the input image 600,
The area division table 1100 is created by performing the acquisition processing of the maximum number of character strings.

When the process of registering the number of character lines and the maximum number of character strings declared in each block in the area division table 1100 in this way is completed, printing is performed on each block according to the print size and the division method selected by the operator. The area division processing is started. When various conditions for the divided print areas are satisfied, various sample graphics as shown in FIG. 20 are displayed on the large-sized liquid crystal panel of the operation panel device 102. When the operator selects this sample graphic, the data of the selected sample graphic is read from the database built in advance on the mass storage device 103, and the graphic pattern is RA based on the area division table 1100.
It is expanded to the work area on the M device 106.

Also, the number of lines of the item 1100a1 of the area division table 1100 regarding the title block, item 11
00b1 maximum number of character strings, xy coordinates of print start positions of item 1100c1 and item 1100d1, item 1100
The line spacing and the character spacing are calculated from the xy coordinates of the print end positions of e1 and the item 1100f1, and font data according to the line spacing and the character spacing are searched from the font table 5000 shown in FIG. 15 to determine the optimum font. .

Again, the title node table 200 is searched, the code information of the language information declared in the title block is obtained from the character data buffer 500, and FIG. 12 is used to check whether this code information is a special code. Item 3000an of the print attribute table 3000 shown,
Item 4000 of format setting table 4000 shown in FIG.
an and the character string designation code of the item 6000an of the printing color setting table 6000 shown in FIG. 14 are searched, and if this code is a special code, various functions in which the code information that follows is specified by the special code information is processed. By doing so, the character code is laid out in the graphic pattern developed in the work area on the RAM device 106.

Next, when a stage block is declared, the stage node table 300 is similarly searched, and the language information declared in each stage block is laid out in the work area on the RAM device 106. When the layout of all the column blocks is completed, the chart diagram in which the character font and the graphic corresponding to the created code information are superimposed and combined is displayed on the large-sized liquid crystal panel of the operation panel device 102. When the print icon 1408 shown in FIG. 19 is touched in this display state, the data expanded in the work area on the RAM device 106 is sent to the printing device 107, and the chart diagram is printed out.

Therefore, an output image as shown in FIG. 22 is obtained for an input image of the presentation material as shown in FIG. 21, for example. When this output ends, the created information is stored in the mass storage device 103, and the information shown in FIG.
The information storage table 13000 shown in is updated. Next, it is checked whether or not the processing of the area image on the page is completed, and if completed, the composition processing with the image information of other attributes is continued. If it is not finished, the combining process with the next image information is continued.

Next, the process of creating a graph for the chart 600b shown in the upper part of FIG. 6 will be described. First, the adjacency relationship of the black area of the input document image is analyzed and divided into rectangles, and characters, photographs, and
The chart area 600b is identified by an area recognizing means for identifying the figure and the chart area, and the image in the chart area 600b is scanned in the horizontal direction to erase the black pixels other than the length of the continuous black pixels exceeding the threshold value. Then, the horizontal line is extracted. And
The start xy coordinates and the end xy coordinates of this horizontal line are obtained, and
700b-70 of the horizontal line coordinate table 700 shown in FIG.
0e is registered for each horizontal line, and "1" is added to the total number of horizontal lines of the item 700a every time a horizontal line is extracted in the area 600b.

When the extraction of all the horizontal lines in the area 600b is completed, the image in the chart area 600b is scanned in the vertical direction, and the black pixels other than the length in which the length of continuous black pixels exceeds the threshold value are erased to make the vertical lines. Extract line and start xy of this vertical line
The coordinates and the end xy coordinates are obtained, the start xy coordinates and the end xy coordinates of the vertical line are obtained, and the vertical line coordinate table 80 shown in FIG.
Items 800b to 800e of 0 are registered for each horizontal line, and an item 800 is registered each time a vertical line is extracted in the area 600b.
"1" is added to the total number of vertical lines of a.

When the extraction of all the horizontal and vertical lines in the area 600b is completed, the intersection coordinate table 9 shown in FIG.
The process of creating 00 is started. First, the total number of horizontal lines of the item 700a of the horizontal line coordinate table 700 is multiplied by the total number of vertical lines of the item 800a of the vertical line coordinate table 800 to obtain the total number of intersections of the frame ruled lines.
Item 900a.

Next, in order to register each intersection coordinate in the item 900b in the horizontal direction, the addition value of the starting x coordinate of the item 700b1 of the horizontal line coordinate table 700 and the item 800b1 of the vertical line coordinate table 800 is obtained in the item 900b11. Registered, and then 700b if the total number of vertical lines is m
1 + 800b2 → 900b12, 700b1 + 800b
3 → 900b13, ..., 700b1 + 800bm → 90
Register as 0b1m. Similarly, based on the starting x-coordinates of the horizontal line items 700b2 to 700bn, the x-coordinates of the intersections are obtained and registered.

Next, in order to register each intersection coordinate in the vertical direction in the item 900c, the addition value of the starting y coordinate of the item 700c1 of the horizontal line coordinate table 700 and the item 800c1 of the vertical line coordinate table 800 is obtained in the item 900c11. The intersection point coordinate table 900 is created by registering and then registering the y coordinate similarly to the x coordinate.

When the creation of the intersection coordinate table 900 is completed, the creation of the frame data table 1000 shown in FIG. 6 is started. First, from the intersection coordinate table 900, each x in the four corners of the frame
The y-coordinate is obtained, the image in the frame is cut out based on the coordinates of the four corners, transferred to the recognition buffer area, and the character image is cut out from the transferred image. The characteristics of the cut-out character image are extracted, the character information is recognized from the extracted characteristics and converted into code information, and this code information is stored in the character code buffer 500 shown in FIG. When the conversion is completed, the pointer of the entry of the character code buffer 500 in which the code information is stored is registered in the item 1000d of the frame data table 1000.

Next, the frame number with the upper left corner as the reference frame (row 1, column A) is item 1000br, and the column number is item 10.
00bc, and whether or not the attribute of the frame data converted from the image to the code information is a numerical value is checked, and the attribute is registered in the item 1000c, and the value of the total number of frames in the item 1000a is set to "1". to add. Then, the process of creating the frame data table 1000 is continued until the coordinates of the four corners of the frame exist.

When the creation of the frame data table 1000 is completed, the type of graph to be converted from the ruled line area image 600b is displayed on the large liquid crystal panel of the operation panel device 102. When the operator selects this graph type, the graph conversion means creates a graph of the selected type based on the frame data table 1000, and the operation panel device 1
No. 02 large liquid crystal panel. When the print icon 1408 shown in FIG. 19 is touched in this display state, the created graph data is sent to the printing device 107 and the graph diagram is printed out.

Upon completion of this output, the created information is stored in the mass storage device 103 and the information storage table 13000 shown in FIG. 16 is updated. Next, it is checked whether or not the processing of the area image on the page is completed, and if completed, the composition processing with the image information of other attributes is continued. Also,
If it is not finished, the combining process with the next image information is continued.

As described above, according to the full-color digital copying machine of the present invention, the user creates and inputs the document image of the material information of the presentation according to the purpose of utilizing the presentation material, and the colorized effective image is obtained. Therefore, it is possible to create a visual material such as a presentation material with a simple operation without requiring the user to understand the operation of the workstation or the personal computer.

[0115]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the document image information is read, the character area is identified, and the character is displayed and selected together with the figure to be overwritten and combined. Figures and characters are laid out and output as an image. Therefore, it is possible to realize a digital copying machine capable of creating visual materials such as presentation materials by a simple operation without understanding the operations of the workstation and the personal computer.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the character size is converted so as to match the layout size of the graphic, so that a visually effective material can be created.

[0117]

[0118]

[0119]

[0120]

[0121]

[0122]

[0123]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing an embodiment of a full-color digital copying machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an input document image, a title node table, a character line node table, and a character code buffer.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a horizontal line coordinate table of a management table.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a vertical line coordinate table of a management table.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an intersection coordinate table of a management table.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a frame data table of a management table.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an area division table of a management table.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a print sheet.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a maximum print area table of a management table.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a case where a print area is equally divided vertically.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a case where a print area is equally divided horizontally.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing a print attribute table of a management table.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a format setting table of a management table.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing a print color setting table of a management table.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing a font table of a management table.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing an information storage table of a management table.

17 is a flow chart for schematically explaining update management of the information storage table shown in FIG. 16 and various synthetic edit processing procedures.

FIG. 18 is a flow chart for schematically explaining update management of the information storage table shown in FIG. 16 and various synthetic editing processing procedures.

FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an operation screen.

FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram showing various sample graphics.

FIG. 21 is an explanatory diagram showing an input image of presentation material.

22 is an explanatory diagram showing an output image of the presentation material of FIG. 21. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

101 scanner device 102 Operation panel 103 mass storage device 104 SCU device 105 ROM device 106 RAM device 107 printing device

Front page continuation (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 1/38-1/393 G06T 11/60 100

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. Input means for reading document image information, The area of the document image information read by the input means
Area dividing means for dividing, The area divided by the area dividing means is a character area or a ruled area.
Whether it is a line area, graphic area, or photo area
Area identifying means for identifying, Character lines from the character area identified by the area identification means
And a character line extraction means for extracting, A character image from the character line extracted by the character line extracting means.
A character image cutting means for cutting out an image, Character image cut out by the character image cutting means
Character feature extraction means for extracting features of Features of the character image extracted by the character feature extraction means
Character recognition means for recognizing characters based on Characters recognized by the character recognition means are converted into character code information.
Character information conversion means for converting into information, Character code information converted by the character information conversion means
Graphic display means for displaying a graphic to be overwritten on the screen
When, A figure for selecting the figure displayed by the figure display means
Selection means,For operator selection Print area based onEqual division or proportional
Print area dividing means for dividing, The graphic selected by the graphic selecting means is displayed in the print area.
Diagram of layout in print area divided by dividing means
Shape layout means, Character code information converted by the character information conversion means
The character font corresponding to the
Layout by overwriting on the laid out figure
Character layout means, The character layout laid out by the character layout means.
Image output means for outputting fonts and graphics, Digital copier equipped with. 2. The character size conversion means for converting the character size so as to match the layout size of the graphic when the character layout means lays out the character font in the graphic. Digital copier.