JP4612895B2 - Image processing apparatus and control method thereof - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and a control method therefor, and more particularly to an image processing apparatus that converts electronic data while faithfully maintaining the state of a paper document and a control method therefor.

  The e-Document Act (common name), which is a law (draft) that allows the storage and viewing of financial and tax-related documents and forms that have conventionally been required to be stored in paper as electronic data, is about to be enacted. Yes. By legally allowing a paper manuscript to be stored as computerized data, it is assumed that a large number of paper documents are converted into electronic data and the opportunity for storage is increased. For this reason, there is an increasing need for more faithfully converting a paper document into electronic data.

  However, in a conventional image reading apparatus, when a correction mark or a falsified document by a correction liquid or the like is read, whether or not it is a corrected document from the digitized data (before being digitized). It was difficult to distinguish (for example, Patent Document 1). Therefore, there has been a problem that the reliability of digitized data is not high.

  Therefore, as a method for improving the reliability of the digitized data as the evidence document using the conventional image reading apparatus, the following method can be considered.

  First, there is a method of converting to electronic data while leaving a correction mark on a paper document. For example, a method of combining two pieces of electronic data acquired by a normal image reading process and an image reading process capable of detecting a correction mark can be considered.

Next, there is a method of preventing various image processing (under color removal, show-through removal, etc.) from being executed on the read image. According to this method, that is, although the image quality is inferior to the image read by the normal image reading process, the state of the paper document can be stored more clearly, and the evidence ability of the electronic data can be improved.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-312118

  However, the method of combining the two electronic data read as described above has a problem that it is not efficient because the image reading process needs to be performed twice. Further, in the method of limiting the image processing for the read image, when the read electronic data is output again as a paper document, the image quality is inferior, so that the paper document obtained as a print result is output. There was a problem that the image quality deteriorated.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and it is possible to determine from electronic data generated by reading a document whether or not correction has been performed at the stage of the document as a paper document. An object is to provide an image processing apparatus and a control method thereof. It is another object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus capable of outputting high-quality electronic data and a control method thereof.

  As a means for achieving the above object, an image processing apparatus of the present invention comprises the following arrangement.

  That is, an image processing apparatus that reads a document image and generates electronic data, and a specifying unit that specifies a processing stage to be executed among a plurality of stages of image processing that can be executed when generating the electronic data; A reading unit that reads the document image to obtain document image data; and a first unit that executes image processing up to the processing stage specified by the specifying unit among the plurality of stages of image processing for the document image data. Processed by the image processing means, the parameter acquisition means for acquiring processing parameters for the image processing subsequent to the processing stage specified by the specifying means, and the first image processing means among the plurality of stages of image processing. The processing step specified by the specifying unit and the processing parameter acquired by the parameter acquiring unit are added to the original image data, and the electronic image data It characterized in that it has holding means for holding as over data, the.

  Furthermore, the detection step for detecting the processing step and the parameter from the electronic data held in the holding unit, and the processing step detected by the detection unit among the plurality of steps of image processing for the electronic data. Second image processing means for executing the image processing subsequent to the parameter, and image output means for outputting a visible image based on the electronic data processed by the second image processing means. It is characterized by.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to determine from electronic data generated by reading a document whether or not correction has been performed at the stage of the document as a paper document. Furthermore, the electronic data can be output with high image quality.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. The configurations shown in the following embodiments are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to the illustrated configurations.

<First Embodiment>
Conventional Image Processing Device Prior to the description of the image processing device in this embodiment, a conventional image processing device that performs image reading and image output will be described.

  FIG. 1 shows a block configuration of a conventional image processing apparatus 100. As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional image processing apparatus 100 includes an image reading apparatus 200 and an image output apparatus 300. Further, the image reading device 200 and the image output device 300 are connected to a display device 400 such as a PC or a display via an interface.

  FIG. 2 shows a block configuration of the conventional image reading apparatus 200. As shown in FIG. 2, the conventional image reading apparatus 200 includes an imaging unit 201, an operation unit 202, a read image processing unit 203, and an interface unit 204.

  The imaging unit 201 has a function of converting a document image (hereinafter referred to as an original image) into an electrical signal, and for example, a CCD sensor is used. In the case of a CCD sensor, an input original image can be divided into minute pixels, separated into three primary colors of RGB, and converted into electrical signals.

  The operation unit 202 is an interface for the user to operate the imaging function and the transmission destination setting of the read image.

  The read image processing unit 203 receives image data picked up by the image pickup unit 201, performs predetermined image processing (hereinafter, read image processing) on the input image data, and outputs the processed image data To do. Details of the read image processing will be described later.

  The interface unit 204 has a function of transmitting image data to the display device 400. Further, the interface unit 204 can also transmit image data directly to the image output device without using the display device 400.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a series of image reading processes in the conventional image reading apparatus 200. As shown in FIG. 3, in a conventional image reading process, when a user inputs a color original image that the user wants to digitize, the original image is converted into an electrical signal separated into three primary colors of RGB by the imaging unit 201 ( S101).

  Subsequently, the read image processing unit 203 performs read image processing as described later on the image converted into the electrical signal (S102). When the read image processing ends, the image reading device 200 outputs image data to the image output device 300 or the display device 400 via the interface unit 204, and the image reading processing ends.

  Here, the read image processing (S102) performed by the read image processing unit 203 will be described in detail. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a specific example of conventional read image processing. The read image processing shown here is only an example, and other read image processing can be performed.

  In the read image processing unit 203, first, an original image that has been color-separated into three primary colors of RGB by the imaging unit 201 and converted into an electrical signal is converted into digital data by an AD conversion unit (not shown) (S201). . Here, the continuous analog value signal read by the imaging unit 201 is converted into a digital code signal value represented by 1/0.

  Next, the read image processing unit 203 performs image processing in the order of shading correction (S202), background removal (S203), and show-through removal (S204). The shading correction is a process for correcting the brightness of each pixel when reading the original image having the same brightness, and outputting the brightness of each pixel at the same level. Background skipping is a process of creating a histogram of the color of a read image, determining the level of the background that occupies most of the document, and removing the background portion. The show-through removal is to calculate a show-through correction amount (RGB color component correction amount) for each pixel and prevent the back-side image from being seen through when the original image printed on both sides is read. This is a process for removing show-through.

  When these processes are completed, the read image processing unit 203 performs color space conversion (S205). Here, the color space conversion is a process of converting the color space of the input image into an arbitrary color space or performing a correction process related to the color of the input system.

  Then, the read image processing unit 203 finally performs γ correction (S206). Here, the γ correction means that the overall γ value from image input to final output becomes 1 with respect to the inherent γ value of the image reading apparatus 200 or the image output apparatus 300 in order to faithfully reproduce the image. It is the process which correct | amends as follows.

  FIG. 5 shows a block configuration of the conventional image output apparatus 300. As shown in FIG. 5, the conventional image output apparatus 300 includes an interface unit 301, an output image processing unit 302, and a printer unit 303.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a series of image output processes in the conventional image output apparatus 300. As shown in FIG. 6, in the conventional image output processing, first, the image output device 300 receives image data transmitted from the image reading device 200 or the display device 400 via the interface unit 301. When the image data is received, the output image processing unit 302 performs output image processing (S301). Details of this output image processing will be described later. When the output image processing ends, the printer unit 303 outputs the image data subjected to the image processing by the output image processing unit 302 as a paper document (S302), and ends the image output processing.

  Here, the output image processing (S301) performed by the output image processing unit 302 will be described in detail. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a specific example of conventional output image processing. Note that the output image processing shown here is merely an example, and other output image processing can be performed.

  The output image processing unit 302 performs general image processing such as logarithmic conversion (S401), black extraction (S402), color correction (S403), filter processing (S404), γ correction (S405), and halftone correction (S406). I do. Since the logarithmic conversion, black extraction, color correction, filter processing, γ correction, and halftone correction as the output image processing described above are well known, detailed description thereof is omitted here.

  The image reading device 200 and the image output device 300 constituting the conventional image processing device 100 have the functions as described above.

● Image Processing Apparatus According to this Embodiment Next, the image processing apparatus according to this embodiment will be described. The image processing apparatus according to this embodiment includes an image reading apparatus 500 and an image output apparatus 600 as in the configuration of the conventional image input / output apparatus 100 shown in FIG. Different from the image output apparatus 300.

Image Reading Process FIG. 8 shows a block configuration of the image reading apparatus 500 in the present embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the image reading apparatus 500 according to the present embodiment includes an image processing stage specifying unit 501, an imaging unit 502, an operation unit 503, a read image processing unit 504, an imaging parameter acquisition unit 505, a storage unit 506, and an interface unit. 507. Hereinafter, description of components having the same functions as those of the conventional image reading apparatus 200 will be omitted, and different functions will be described.

  The image processing stage specifying unit 501 specifies an image processing stage desired by the user. Here, the image processing stage is information for specifying an executed process and an unexecuted process at the time of image reading by the image reading apparatus 500, that is, up to which stage (in which stage of the series of image processes at the time of image reading) Up to) to decide what to do. (Additional explanation about “image processing stage” (after “ie”)). In the present embodiment, it is assumed that a user of the image input apparatus 500 designates a desired image processing mode and an image processing stage is specified according to the designated image processing mode.

  Here, the image processing mode will be described. As the image processing mode of the present embodiment, first, there is a “normal read image processing mode” for executing image processing such as background removal and show-through removal as shown in FIG. In addition, there is an “all non-executed read image processing mode” in which all image processing such as background removal and removal of show-through is not performed after AD conversion. In addition, image processing that is executed on captured image data from multiple image processing such as “reading image processing mode with only background removal” that does not execute other image processing by executing only background removal. There is something to specify. The image processing modes classified in this way are referred to as “first image processing mode”, “second image processing mode”, and “third image processing mode”, respectively.

  Differences between the image processing modes exemplified here will be described with reference to FIG. When the user designates a “first image processing mode” in which normal read image processing is executed, the image reading apparatus 500 executes image processing exactly the same as the conventional read image processing shown in FIG. When the user designates a “second image processing mode” in which various image processing such as background removal and show-through removal is not executed, the image reading apparatus 500 executes only AD conversion (S201) shown in FIG. . For the remaining shading correction, background removal, show-through removal, color space conversion, and γ correction (S202 to S206), processing for acquiring imaging parameters is performed so that the image output apparatus 600 can execute it later. Details of this imaging parameter acquisition process will be described later. Further, when the user designates “third image processing mode” in which only AD conversion and background removal image processing are performed and no other image processing is performed, the image reading apparatus 500 performs each image processing shown in FIG. Only AD conversion (S201) and background removal (S203) are performed. The remaining shading correction (S 202), show-through removal, color space conversion, and γ correction (S 204 to S 206) can also be acquired so that the image processing apparatus 600 can execute the imaging parameters later.

  In this embodiment, it is also possible to prepare image processing modes other than those described above. For example, read image processing that performs only AD conversion, shading correction, and show-through removal, but does not perform other image processing can be set as the “fourth image processing mode”. Also, it is possible to set the read image processing that executes only AD conversion and show-through removal and does not execute other image processing as the “fifth image processing mode”. That is, the image processing mode in the present embodiment can be applied as a selection and combination of various image processes from among a plurality of image processes constituting the conventional read image process as shown in FIG.

  Hereinafter, the “first image processing mode” for designating the above-described conventional image reading process and the “second image processing mode” for non-execution of image processing other than AD conversion will be described as examples.

  In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the image processing stage specifying unit 501 specifies either “first image processing mode” or “second image processing mode”. As a method for specifying the image processing mode, a switch for selecting the image processing mode may be provided, and the user may select the mode by switching the switch.

  In addition to the function of the operation unit 202 in the conventional image reading apparatus 200, the operation unit 503 has a function of selecting the above-described image processing mode.

  The read image processing unit 504 performs read image processing corresponding to the image processing stage specified by the image processing stage specifying unit 501 on the input image data, and outputs the processed image data. For this reason, the read image processing in the present embodiment is different from the conventional one, and there are two different types of read image processing for the selected “first image processing mode” and “second image processing mode”. Details of these read image processes will be described later.

  When the user selects the “second image processing mode”, the imaging parameter acquisition unit 505 performs image processing that has not been performed by the read image processing unit 504 in the image output apparatus 600 so that the image output apparatus 600 can execute the image processing. It has a function to acquire imaging parameters.

  The storage unit 506 adds the image processing stage specified by the image processing stage specifying unit 501 and the imaging parameters acquired by the imaging parameter acquisition unit 505 to the image data output from the read image processing unit 504 and stores them. It has a function. As a method for adding to image data, it may be stored in the header portion of the image data as shown in FIG. 9, or may be embedded in the image using a digital watermark.

  Hereinafter, an image reading process in the image reading apparatus 500 of the present embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing image reading processing in the image reading apparatus 500. As shown in FIG. 10, the user first specifies an image processing stage to be executed in the image processing stage specifying unit 501 (S501). That is, in this embodiment, the user selects whether to perform reading in the first or second image processing mode.

  After the user specifies the image processing stage, when the user inputs a color original image to be digitized to the image reading apparatus 500, the imaging unit 502 converts the original image into an electrical signal (S502).

  Next, the image reading apparatus 500 determines whether the image processing stage specified by the image processing stage specifying unit 501 is the “first image processing mode” or the “second image processing mode” (S503). ).

  When the image processing stage is specified, the read image processing unit 504 executes read image processing. The read image processing here is classified into two types according to the specified image processing stage: read image processing in the “first image processing mode” and read image processing in the “second image processing mode”. The

  Hereinafter, the image reading processing according to the first and second image processing modes will be described.

● Image reading in “first image processing mode” When the image processing stage determined in step S503 is “first image processing mode”, the read image processing unit 504 reads in “first image processing mode”. Image processing is executed (S504).

  Since the read image processing in the “first image processing mode” is the same as the conventional read image processing shown in FIG. 4, detailed description thereof is omitted.

  When the read image processing in the “first image processing mode” is completed, the storage unit 506 adds the image processing stage specified by the image processing stage specifying unit 501 to the image after the image processing and stores it (S507). ). For example, the image processing stage is added to the image data as the “first image processing mode”. In this way, when the image processing stage is the “first image processing mode”, the imaging parameters are not acquired, and thus it is not necessary to save the imaging parameters. As a method for adding to image data, as shown in FIG. 9, the image data may be stored in the header portion of the image data, or may be embedded using a digital watermark.

  Finally, the image reading device 500 transmits the image data from the interface unit 507 to the image output device 600 or the display device 400, and the image reading process ends (S508).

● Image reading in “second image processing mode” When the image processing stage determined in step S503 is “second image processing mode”, the read image processing unit 504 reads in “second image processing mode”. Image processing is executed (S505). Subsequently, the imaging parameter acquisition unit 505 executes imaging parameter acquisition processing (S506). Taking the conventional read image processing shown in FIG. 4 as an example, the read image processing in the “second image processing mode” is only AD conversion (S201). Accordingly, the imaging parameters are acquired so that the image output apparatus 600 can process the shading correction, background removal, show-through removal, color space conversion, and γ correction (S202 to S206) later.

  FIG. 11 shows a processed image in which the read image processing and the output image processing in the “first image processing mode” and the “second image processing mode” are compared.

  As shown in FIG. 11, in the “first image processing mode”, that is, in the conventional image input / output device, processing from AD conversion to γ correction is performed by the image reading device 200, and processing from logarithmic conversion to halftone correction is performed. The image output apparatus 300 was used. However, when the user selects the “second image processing mode”, only AD conversion is performed by the image reading device 500, and processing from shading correction to γ correction is performed by the image output device 600. In this case, the image reading apparatus 500 performs an imaging parameter acquisition process such as a luminance level, a histogram, a show-through correction amount, a color space, and a γ value so that the image output apparatus 600 can perform image processing such as shading correction later. Yes.

  As described above, when the “second image processing mode” is selected in the present embodiment, most of the processing conventionally performed by the image reading apparatus is performed by the image output apparatus. The details of the read image processing and the imaging parameter acquisition processing in the “second image processing mode” will be described later.

  When the imaging parameter acquisition processing in step S506 ends, the storage unit 506 stores the image data generated by the read image processing in the “second image processing mode”. At this time, the image processing stage specified by the image processing stage specifying unit 501 and the imaging parameter acquired by the imaging parameter acquisition unit 505 are added to the image data (S507). For example, the image processing stage is added as the “second image processing mode”, and the brightness level of shading correction described later is added as the imaging parameter. As a method of adding to image data, as described above, it may be stored in the header portion of the image data as shown in FIG. 9, or may be embedded using a digital watermark.

  Finally, the image reading device 500 transmits the image data from the interface unit 507 to the image output device 600 or the display device 400, and the image reading process ends (S508).

Imaging Parameter Acquisition Processing Hereinafter, read image processing and imaging parameter acquisition processing in the image reading apparatus 500, which are executed when the “second image processing mode” of the present embodiment is selected, will be described. The processing image when the “second image processing mode” is selected is as shown in FIG. 11, which will be described in more detail with reference to FIG.

  The read image process and the imaging parameter acquisition process in the “second image processing mode” are processes executed when the image processing mode is the “second image processing mode”. Is different. As read image processing in the “second image processing mode”, only partial image processing (AD conversion in the present embodiment) is performed. Further, as the imaging parameter acquisition processing, processing for extracting (detecting) necessary information by the image reading device 500 is performed so that various image processing can be executed later in the image output device 600. As the imaging parameter acquisition processing in this embodiment, the imaging parameter acquisition unit 505 performs luminance level extraction, histogram creation, show-through correction amount extraction, color space extraction, and γ value detection. Note that, similarly to the read image processing in the “first image processing mode” described above, the processing illustrated here is merely an example, and other processing can be applied as necessary.

  In FIG. 12, first, as in the above-described read image processing in the “first image processing mode”, an original image that has been color-separated into three primary colors of RGB by the imaging unit 502 and converted into an electrical signal is digitally converted by the AD conversion unit. Data is converted (S601).

  In the present embodiment, only the AD conversion in step S601 is performed as the read image processing in the “second image processing mode”. As described above, by limiting the image processing to be performed on the read image, the state of the original image can be stored more clearly.

  When the AD conversion in step S601 ends, the imaging parameter unit 505 starts extracting information necessary for subsequent image processing. First, a luminance level necessary for shading correction processing is extracted (S602). That is, information that the brightness level is different for each pixel is extracted when the original image having the same brightness is read. Next, a histogram necessary for the background removal process is created (S603), and a show-through correction amount required for the show-through removal process is calculated (S604). Further, a color space necessary for color space conversion processing is acquired from the CCD (S605). Then, in order to perform γ correction processing, a unique γ value possessed by the image reading apparatus 500 is detected (S606).

  As described above, in the read image processing in the “second image processing mode”, the image processing for the read original image data is only AD conversion, and the other image processing is not performed, thereby further improving the state of the paper document. It becomes possible to keep it clear. Therefore, for example, it is possible to determine from the read image data whether or not correction has been performed with a correction liquid or the like at the stage of the paper document.

  In the case of the read image processing in the “second image processing mode” of the present embodiment, the imaging parameter acquisition processing is also performed, so that high-quality image output that has been subjected to optimal image processing in the image output processing described later is performed. Is possible.

Image Output Processing Hereinafter, image output processing in the image output device 600 will be described. FIG. 13 shows a block configuration of the image output apparatus 600. As shown in FIG. 13, the image output apparatus 600 according to this embodiment includes an interface unit 601, an image processing stage detection unit 602, an output image processing unit 603, and a printer unit 604. Hereinafter, description of components having the same functions as those of the conventional image output apparatus 300 will be omitted, and different functions will be described.

  The image processing stage detection unit 602 detects an image processing stage added to the image data received by the interface unit 601.

  The image data received by the interface unit 601 is input to the output image processing unit 603, and output image processing corresponding to the image processing stage detected by the image processing stage detection unit 602 is performed on the input image data. . Therefore, the output image processing in the present embodiment is different from the conventional one, and there are two types of output image processing that are different for the detected “first image processing mode” and “second image processing mode”. When the image processing stage detection unit 602 detects the “second image processing mode”, the output image processing unit 603 performs image processing using the imaging parameter added to the image data. Details of this output image processing will be described later.

  FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing image output processing in the image output apparatus 600. As shown in FIG. 14, the image output apparatus 600 first receives image data via the interface unit 601 (S701). Then, the image processing stage detection unit 602 detects the image processing stage added to the received image data (S702).

  Next, the image output apparatus 600 determines whether the image processing stage detected by the image processing stage detection unit 602 is the “first image processing mode” or the “second image processing mode” (S703). .

  When the image processing stage is determined, the output image processing unit 603 executes output image processing. The output image processing here is classified into two types according to the determined image processing stage: output image processing in the “first image processing mode” and output image processing in the “second image processing mode”. The

  Hereinafter, image output processing corresponding to the first and second image processing modes will be described.

● Image output in “first image processing mode” When the image processing stage detected in step S703 is “first image processing mode”, the output image processing unit 603 is in “first image processing mode”. Output image processing is executed (S704).

  The output image processing in the “first image processing mode” is the same as the conventional image output processing shown in FIG. 7 because no image capturing parameter is added to the image data in the image reading apparatus 500. Therefore, detailed description is omitted.

  Finally, the printer unit 604 outputs the image data subjected to the output image processing by the output image processing unit 603 as a paper document (S706), and the image output processing is ended.

● Image output in “second image processing mode” When the image processing stage detected in step S703 is “second image processing mode”, the output image processing unit 603 is in the “second image processing mode”. Output image processing is executed (S705). Details of the output image processing in the “second image processing mode” will be described later.

  Finally, the printer unit 604 outputs the image data subjected to the output image processing by the output image processing unit 603 as a paper document (S706), and the image output processing is ended.

  Hereinafter, output image processing (S705) in the “second image processing mode” will be described with reference to FIG.

  The output image processing in the “second image processing mode” is performed by the image output device 600 using the imaging parameters added to the image data in the image reading device 500 and image processing that was not executed by the image reading device 500. It is characterized by. Note that the image output device 600 performs image processing executed by the conventional image output device 300 in addition to image processing not executed by the image reading device 500.

  In FIG. 15, the output image processing unit 603 first performs shading correction processing using the information on the luminance level added to the image (S801). Similarly to the shading correction process, the information added to the image, such as the histogram, the show-through correction amount, the color space, and the γ value, is used to remove the background (S802), show-through removal (S803), and color space conversion. Image processing such as (S804) and γ correction (S805) is performed. The background removal, show-through removal, color space conversion, and γ correction are the same processes as the background removal, show-through removal, color space conversion, and γ correction executed by the read image processing unit 504 described above. Therefore, detailed description is omitted. The processing so far is the part of the image processing that has not been executed by the image reading apparatus 500.

  The output image processing unit 603 further performs general conversion such as logarithmic conversion (S806), black extraction (S807), color correction (S808), filter processing (S809), γ correction (S810), and halftone correction (S811). Perform image output processing. Since logarithmic conversion, black extraction, color correction, filter processing, γ correction, and halftone correction are well known, detailed description thereof is omitted.

  As described above, in the output image processing in the “second image processing mode”, image processing that has not been performed at the time of reading can be appropriately performed based on the imaging parameter, so that the image quality of the output image can be improved.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the user selects “second image processing mode” to determine whether or not correction has been performed at the stage of the paper document from the read image data. It becomes possible to do.

  Furthermore, when printing the image data read in the “second image processing mode”, it is possible to improve the image quality of the paper document as a printing result.

  In the present embodiment, the example in which the user selects either the “first image processing mode” or the “second image processing mode” has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this example. Absent. The above-described “third image processing mode”, “fourth image processing mode”, and the like can also be realized with the same idea as the “second image processing mode”. In other words, the image processing stage to be specified, in other words, only the degree of restriction of the image processing (type of image processing) executed in the image reading processing is different, and the imaging parameters for the image processing not performed at the time of reading are set as image data. Just embed.

<Other embodiments>
Although the embodiment has been described in detail above, the present invention can take an embodiment as a system, apparatus, method, program, storage medium (recording medium), or the like. Specifically, the present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices (for example, a host computer, an interface device, an imaging device, a web application, etc.), or may be applied to a device composed of a single device. good.

  In the present invention, a software program for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied directly or remotely to a system or apparatus, and the computer of the system or apparatus reads and executes the supplied program code. Is also achieved. The program in this case is a program corresponding to the flowchart shown in the drawing in the embodiment.

  Accordingly, since the functions of the present invention are implemented by computer, the program code installed in the computer also implements the present invention. In other words, the present invention includes a computer program itself for realizing the functional processing of the present invention.

  In that case, as long as it has the function of a program, it may be in the form of object code, a program executed by an interpreter, script data supplied to the OS, or the like.

  Recording media for supplying the program include the following media. For example, floppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, MO, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM, DVD (DVD-ROM, DVD- R).

  As a program supply method, the following method is also possible. That is, the browser of the client computer is connected to a homepage on the Internet, and the computer program itself (or a compressed file including an automatic installation function) of the present invention is downloaded to a recording medium such as a hard disk. It can also be realized by dividing the program code constituting the program of the present invention into a plurality of files and downloading each file from a different homepage. That is, a WWW server that allows a plurality of users to download a program file for realizing the functional processing of the present invention on a computer is also included in the present invention.

  In addition, the program of the present invention is encrypted, stored in a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, distributed to users, and key information for decryption is downloaded from a homepage via the Internet to users who have cleared predetermined conditions. It is also possible to make it. That is, the user can execute the encrypted program by using the key information and install it on the computer.

  Further, the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the computer executing the read program. Furthermore, based on the instructions of the program, an OS or the like running on the computer performs part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments can also be realized by the processing.

  Further, the program read from the recording medium is written in a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, and then executed, so that the program of the above-described embodiment can be obtained. Function is realized. That is, based on the instructions of the program, the CPU provided in the function expansion board or function expansion unit can perform part or all of the actual processing.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a general image processing apparatus. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a general image reading apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows the process in a general image reading apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows a general image reading process. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a general image output apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows the process in a general image output device. It is a flowchart which shows a general image output process. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image reading device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the image file in this embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the process in the image reading apparatus of this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the concept of the process at the time of "2nd image processing mode" selection in this embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the read image process in "the 2nd image processing mode" of this embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the image output device in this embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the process in the image output device of this embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the output image process in the "2nd image processing mode" of this embodiment.

Claims (11)

An image processing apparatus that reads a document image and generates electronic data,
A specifying means for specifying a processing stage to be executed among a plurality of stages of image processing that can be performed when generating the electronic data;
Reading means for reading the document image and obtaining document image data;
First image processing means for executing image processing up to the processing stage specified by the specifying means among the plurality of stages of image processing on the document image data;
Parameter acquisition means for acquiring processing parameters for image processing subsequent to the processing stage specified by the specifying means among the plurality of stages of image processing;
Holding means for adding the processing stage specified by the specifying means and the processing parameter acquired by the parameter acquiring means to the original image data processed by the first image processing means and holding the electronic image data; ,
An image processing apparatus comprising: And detecting means for detecting the processing stage and the parameter from the electronic data held in the holding means;
Second image processing means for performing image processing subsequent to the processing stage detected by the detection means among the plurality of stages of image processing on the electronic data based on the parameters;
Image output means for outputting a visible image based on the electronic data processed by the second image processing means;
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: An image output device that outputs a visible image based on electronic data generated by reading a document image,
The electronic data is subjected to image processing up to a specific processing step among a plurality of predetermined image processing steps, and processing parameters for the processing step and image processing subsequent to the processing step are added. And
Detecting means for detecting the processing stage and the parameter from the electronic data;
Image processing means for executing image processing subsequent to the processing stage detected by the detection means among the plurality of stages of image processing based on the parameters for the electronic data;
Image output means for outputting a visible image based on the electronic data processed by the image processing means;
An image processing apparatus comprising:   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the specifying unit specifies the processing stage based on an operator instruction.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the operator instruction is an instruction to select one of a plurality of processing modes.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image output unit forms the visible image on a recording medium. The first stage of the multi-stage image processing is AD conversion processing,
The specifying unit, an image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the identifying the AD conversion processing as the processing stage. A method of controlling an image processing apparatus that reads a document image and generates electronic data,
A specifying step for specifying a processing stage to be executed among a plurality of stages of image processing that can be executed when generating the electronic data;
A reading step of reading the document image to obtain document image data;
A first image processing step for executing image processing up to the processing stage specified in the specifying step among the plurality of stages of image processing on the document image data;
A parameter acquisition step for acquiring a processing parameter for image processing subsequent to the processing step specified in the specifying step among the plurality of steps of image processing;
The processing parameter specified in the specifying step and the processing parameter acquired in the parameter acquiring step are added to the document image data processed in the first image processing step, and the electronic data is stored in the holding unit. Holding step;
A control method for an image processing apparatus, comprising: Further, a detection step of detecting the processing stage and the parameter from the electronic data held in the holding means,
A second image processing step for executing, based on the parameters, image processing subsequent to the processing step detected in the detection step among the plurality of steps of image processing for the electronic data;
An image output step of outputting a visible image based on the electronic data processed in the second image processing step;
9. The method of controlling an image processing apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising: By running on a computer, programs and controls to operate as an image processing apparatus according to the computer in any one of claims 1 to 7.   A recording medium on which the program according to claim 10 is recorded.

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