JP6565740B2 - Information processing apparatus and program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and program capable of creating a hole-filling problem using a marked character string as an answer from a document image including markings superimposed on the character string.

  Read the image of the manuscript with the character string that is the answer to the problem specified by handwritten marking, extract the marking image from the image data of the read manuscript, extract the character string at the marking position, and at the marking position A technique for creating a hole filling problem in which a character string is erased and an answer column is set in the erased portion of the character string is known (Patent Document 1, Abstract). As a specific example, a technique for setting two or more worm-eater portions as one worm-eater group and creating one worm-eaten problem for the worm-eater group is also known (Patent Document 2, Abstract).

JP 2007-4523 A JP 2010-101970 A

  In an information processing apparatus capable of creating a hole filling problem, it is desired that both the problem creator and the respondent are more user-friendly.

  In view of the circumstances as described above, an object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus and program capable of creating a hole-filling problem using a marked character string as an answer from a document image including a marking superimposed on the character string. Therefore, it is to improve user convenience.

In order to achieve the above object, an information processing apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention provides:
A marking extraction unit for extracting the marking from the original image including the marking superimposed on the character string;
A character extraction unit that extracts one or more characters included in the character string on which the marking is superimposed;
A superimposition determination unit that determines one or more characters whose ratio of the marking to be superimposed is a threshold value or more among the extracted one or more characters.

  In this way, by determining one or more characters whose markings are superimposed at a threshold value or more, it is possible to accurately extract a character string to be left blank (a character string to be an answer).

Information processing device
A blank creation unit that creates one blank image to be superimposed on one or more characters determined by the superimposition determination unit;
And an image composition unit for creating a composite image by combining the original image and the blank image.

The character extraction unit extracts an edge of one or more characters included in the character string on which the marking is superimposed by edge detection;
The blank creation unit creates one blank image to be superimposed on a character string obtained by combining one or more character edges determined by the superimposition determination unit.

  Thus, instead of using marking as a reference for creating a blank image, by creating one blank image that is superimposed on a character string obtained by combining the edges of one or more characters, a character string that should be blank (An answer character string) can be exactly blank without excess or deficiency.

Information processing device
A marking determination unit that determines the position and shape of the marking extracted by the marking extraction unit in the document image;
The character extraction unit extracts one or more characters included in the character string on which the marking is superimposed based on the position and shape of the marking.

In order to achieve the above object, a program according to an aspect of the present invention is provided.
Information processing device
A marking extraction unit for extracting the marking from the original image including the marking superimposed on the character string;
A character extraction unit that extracts one or more characters included in the character string on which the marking is superimposed;
Among the extracted one or more characters, the superimposition determination unit that determines one or more characters whose ratio of the marking to be superimposed is a threshold value or more is made to function.

  Advantageous Effects of Invention According to the present invention, in an information processing apparatus and program capable of creating a hole-filling problem using a marked character string as an answer from a manuscript image including markings superimposed on the character string, user convenience is improved. To do.

2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the image forming apparatus. It is a figure for demonstrating operation | movement of an image forming apparatus.

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

(1. Hardware configuration of image forming apparatus)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  An information processing apparatus according to each embodiment of the present invention is an image forming apparatus (for example, MFP, Multifunction Peripheral), and is hereinafter referred to as an MFP.

  The MFP 1 includes a control unit 11. The control unit 11 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a dedicated hardware circuit, and the like, and controls overall operation of the MFP 1. A computer program that causes the MFP 1 to function as each functional unit (described later) is stored in a non-transitory storage medium such as a ROM.

  The control unit 11 is connected to an image reading unit 12, an image processing unit 14, an image memory 15, an image forming unit 16, an operation unit 17, a storage unit 18, a network communication unit 13, and the like. The control unit 11 performs operation control of each of the above connected units and transmission / reception of signals or data to / from each unit.

  The control unit 11 operates for each function such as a scanner function, a print function, and a copy function function in accordance with a job execution instruction input from the user through the operation unit 17 or a personal computer (not shown) connected via a network. Controls the drive and processing of the mechanisms necessary to perform the control.

  The image reading unit 12 reads an image from a document.

  The image processing unit 14 performs image processing on the image data of the image read by the image reading unit 12 as necessary. For example, the image processing unit 14 performs image processing such as shading correction in order to improve the quality after the image read by the image reading unit 12 is formed.

  The image memory 15 is an area for temporarily storing document image data obtained by reading by the image reading unit 12 and temporarily storing data to be printed by the image forming unit 16.

  The image forming unit 16 forms an image of the image data read by the image reading unit 12.

  The operation unit 17 includes a touch panel unit and operation key units that receive instructions from the user regarding various operations and processes that can be executed by the MFP 1. The touch panel unit includes a display unit 17a such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) provided with a touch panel.

  The network communication unit 13 is an interface for connecting to a network.

  The storage unit 18 is a large-capacity storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) that stores a document image read by the image reading unit 12.

(2. Functional configuration of image forming apparatus)
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the image forming apparatus.

  The MFP 1 functions as a marking extraction unit 101, a marking determination unit 102, a character extraction unit 103, a superimposition determination unit 104, a blank creation unit 105, and an image composition unit 106 by executing an information processing program.

  The marking extraction unit 101 extracts the marking superimposed on the character string from the document image read by the image reading unit 12. In the present embodiment, the “character string” means a unit composed of one character or a unit composed of a plurality of consecutive characters.

  The marking determination unit 102 determines the position and shape of the marking extracted by the marking extraction unit 101 in the document image.

  The character extraction unit 103 extracts one or more characters included in the character string on which the marking is superimposed based on the marking position and shape determined by the marking determination unit 102.

  The superimposition determination unit 104 determines one or more consecutive characters each having a ratio of superposition with respect to the marking among the one or more characters extracted by the character extraction unit 103.

  The blank creation unit 105 creates one blank image to be superimposed on one or more characters whose ratio of the marking determined by the overlay determination unit 104 is greater than or equal to a threshold value.

  The image composition unit 106 creates a composite image by combining the document image read by the image reading unit 12 and the blank image created by the blank creation unit 105.

(3. Operation of image forming apparatus)
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the image forming apparatus. In FIG. 4, the hatched portion indicates the marking.

  As a premise, a character string as text data is printed on an original (typically, paper). Alternatively, a character string image as image data is formed on the document (a document on which the character string is printed is copied). A plurality of partial character strings (jukugo, phrases, numerical values, etc.) of the entire character string are marked by hand using a fluorescent marker pen or the like by a problem creator as a user. The marked character string is a character string that becomes an answer in the hole filling problem.

  The image reading unit 12 optically scans a document and reads a document image (step S101). The “document image” is image data of a document document including a large number of character strings as a whole, and includes a plurality of markings superimposed on a plurality of character strings. The “character string” is a phrase (word, phrase, sentence, etc.), a numerical value, and the like, strictly speaking, an image thereof.

  The marking extraction unit 101 extracts the marking superimposed on the character string from the document image read by the image reading unit 12 (step S102). Specifically, the marking extraction unit 101 extracts a region having a specific shape and size (such as a strip-shaped rectangle having a specific width) that is different from the background (white or the like) in brightness and / or saturation and the like as a marking. .

  The marking determination unit 102 determines the position and shape of the marking extracted by the marking extraction unit 101 in the document image (step S103). Specifically, the marking determination unit 102 calculates the entire document image as the entire coordinate system and the marking position and shape as coordinates.

  Based on the marking position and shape (coordinates) determined by the marking determination unit 102, the character extraction unit 103 extracts one or more characters included in the character string on which the marking is superimposed (YES in step S104, S105). ). Specifically, the character extraction unit 103 extracts edges of one or more characters on which the marking defined by the position and shape (coordinates) determined by the marking determination unit 102 is superimposed by edge detection. Note that the character extraction unit 103 does not extract the entire character string on which one marking is superimposed as one character string, but extracts the edge of each character included in the character string.

  The superimposition determination unit 104 includes one or more characters (one character or a plurality of consecutive characters; the same applies hereinafter) of the one or more characters extracted by the character extraction unit 103, each of which has a ratio of superimposition to the marking that is equal to or greater than a threshold value. Is determined (step S106). Specifically, the superimposition determination unit 104 calculates a ratio of markings superimposed on each character (one character per character) extracted by edge detection, and determines whether the ratio is equal to or greater than a threshold ( The case where the marking is completely superimposed on one character is 100% (A) in FIG. The superimposition determination unit 104 determines that the marking is superimposed on the one or more characters when there is one or more characters whose markings are superimposed at the threshold or higher (YES in step S106, B in FIG. 4). (Step S107). The threshold is 30%, for example, and may be arbitrarily set by the user.

  As shown in FIG. 4C, the one or more characters “ABC” extracted by the character extraction unit 103 are equal to one or more characters “AB” whose overlapping ratio with respect to the marking is equal to or more than a threshold, respectively. It is also conceivable that the ratio of superimposing each includes one or more characters “C” each having a threshold value or more. In this case, the superimposition determination unit 104 has one or more characters “AB” whose ratio of the marking to be superimposed is equal to or greater than the threshold (YES in step S106), and thus the one or more characters “AB” are superimposed with the marking. (Step S107).

  The blank creation unit 105 creates one blank image to be superimposed on one or more characters whose ratio of the marking determined by the superimposition determination unit 104 is superposed (step S108). Specifically, the blank creation unit 105 superimposes one or more characters determined by the superimposition determination unit 104 on a character string obtained by combining the edges extracted by the character extraction unit 103 by edge detection. Create The blank creation unit 105 creates a blank image having a shape and position (coordinates) that erases the marking edge that protrudes from the character string. More specifically, the blank creation unit 105 creates a blank image including all the extracted edges for one or more characters determined by the superimposition determination unit 104. At this time, the blank image may be at least partially in contact with the edge. The blank image may be a simple blank or may include a predetermined style (underline, rectangular frame, parentheses, etc.). The blank image may be a rectangle. When the blank image is rectangular, at least part of the four sides of the blank image may be in contact with the edge.

  On the other hand, the superimposition determination unit 104 determines that the marking is not superimposed on the character to be determined when there is no character whose marking overlap ratio is greater than or equal to the threshold (NO in step S106, D in FIG. 4) ( In step S109, it is determined that the marking is invalid (step S110). Note that the character extraction unit 103 does not extract one or more characters included in the character string on which the marking is superimposed (there is no character on which the marking is superimposed) (NO in step S104, E in FIG. 4). Similarly, the marking is invalid.

  When the MFP 1 performs the processing of steps S104 to S110 for all markings included in the document image (step S111, YES), the image composition unit 106 reads the document image read by the image reading unit 12 (step S101), A composite image is created by combining the blank image created by the blank creation unit 105 (step S108) (step S112). Specifically, the image composition unit 106 arranges a blank image whose shape and position are defined by coordinates in the coordinate system of the document image.

  The image forming unit 16 forms (prints out) the composite image created by the image composition unit 106 on a sheet (step S113).

(4. Modifications)
In each embodiment, the image reading unit 12 reads a document image (step S101). Instead, the MFP 1 may receive a document image from an information processing apparatus (not shown) connected to the network through the network communication unit 13.

(5. Summary)
When creating a hole-filling problem by manually marking a character string (an answer character string) that should be left blank in the original manuscript, it is not always possible to mark the top of the character string accurately, and the marking is not applied to the character string. Misalignment may occur. For this reason, characters may protrude from the marking, or a part of the marking may extend to unrelated characters. In such a case, if a blank is created based on the marking position and shape, etc., since the marking is misaligned with respect to the character string, the answer character string can be accurately blank without excess or deficiency. It may not be possible.

  On the other hand, according to the present embodiment, the superimposition determination unit 104 determines one or more characters each having a marking superimposition ratio that is equal to or greater than a threshold (step S106). Thereby, the character string (character string used as an answer) which should be made into a blank can be extracted correctly.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, the blank creating unit 105 superimposes one or more characters determined by the superimposition determination unit 104 on a character string obtained by combining the edges extracted by the character extraction unit 103 by edge detection. Two blank images are created (step S108). In this way, instead of using marking as a standard for creating blank images, creating blank images that are superimposed on the edges of the character strings that are the answers, so that the character strings that are the answers can be accurately blank without excess or deficiency. Can do.

1 ... MFP
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 12 ... Image reading part 16 ... Image formation part 101 ... Marking extraction part 102 ... Marking determination part 103 ... Character extraction part 104 ... Superimposition determination part 105 ... Blank creation part 106 ... Image composition part

Claims (3)

A marking extraction unit for extracting the marking from the original image including the marking superimposed on the character string;
A character extraction unit that extracts one or more characters included in the character string on which the marking is superimposed by extracting edges of the one or more characters included in the character string on which the marking is superimposed by edge detection. When,
A superimposition determination unit that determines one or more characters each having a ratio of the markings that are not less than a threshold among the extracted one or more characters ;
One blank image to be superimposed on a character string obtained by combining the edges of one or more characters determined by the superimposition determination unit, the edges extracted from the one or more characters determined by the superimposition determination unit One blank that is superimposed on one or more characters determined by the superimposition determination unit by creating a blank image that includes all of the four sides and is a rectangle that touches at least part of the edges extracted from the one or more characters A blank creation section for creating an image;
An information processing apparatus comprising: an image composition unit that creates a composite image obtained by combining the document image and the blank image . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
A marking determination unit that determines the position and shape of the marking extracted by the marking extraction unit in the document image;
The character extraction unit extracts one or more characters included in the character string on which the marking is superimposed based on a position and a shape of the marking. Information processing device
A marking extraction unit for extracting the marking from the original image including the marking superimposed on the character string;
A character extraction unit that extracts one or more characters included in the character string on which the marking is superimposed by extracting edges of the one or more characters included in the character string on which the marking is superimposed by edge detection. When,
A superimposition determination unit that determines one or more characters each having a ratio of the markings that are not less than a threshold among the extracted one or more characters ;
One blank image to be superimposed on a character string obtained by combining the edges of one or more characters determined by the superimposition determination unit, the edges extracted from the one or more characters determined by the superimposition determination unit One blank that is superimposed on one or more characters determined by the superimposition determination unit by creating a blank image that includes all of the four sides and is a rectangle that touches at least part of the edges extracted from the one or more characters A blank creation section for creating an image;
A program that functions as an image composition unit that creates a composite image by combining the original image and the blank image .