JP2001169089A - Image editing apparatus, image editing method, and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To output a high-quality edited image without color omission by preventing color shift that may occur on a boundary line. SOLUTION: An area signal generation circuit 212 extracts area designation data for designating an image editing area and boundary information indicating a boundary between the image processing area and the image editing area from original image information read by a reader unit. Then, an image area to be edited is extended from the extracted area designation data and the boundary information in a direction to cancel the color shift, and a specific image processing is executed on the extended image area to be edited. It is characterized by a configuration for outputting an image.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image editing apparatus, an image editing method, and a storage medium for performing a predetermined image editing process by specifying an image editing area obtained by analyzing original image information to be read. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image editing apparatus having an image editing function, such as a digital color copier, has an area memory as a memory for area editing, and an area signal developed in the area memory in advance is used to generate an image when an image is generated. A process of outputting the data in synchronization with the function and switching each function using the output signal is widely used. As a means for specifying an area, there are a method of directly specifying an area with a pen or a marker using a pen input with a digitizer or a color marker, and a method of specifying a closed loop area surrounded by a document image.

The information for specifying the editing area by the marker is read as an electric signal by an image reading device having an image reading element such as a CCD, and is subjected to a process such as A / D conversion together with the image information of the document and then stored in a memory. Written.

On the other hand, an editing area is designated by a pointing device by reading image information of an original into a memory by a CCD and then writing data to a memory address corresponding to a predetermined position on the original by a CPU or the like. The information is stored in the memory.

After that, an editing area is set by performing an operation in a memory using an area generating IC or the like, and editing processing is performed on the area designated as the editing area.

FIGS. 11 to 14 are diagrams for explaining the area designation and the editing processing state in this type of image editing apparatus. In each figure, the left side of the figure shows the original, and the right side shows the print result. Corresponding.

FIG. 11 shows an indication of an editing area by indicating one point using a marker, and corresponds to a print result after editing based on the instruction. In particular, an area surrounded by a black line including a portion designated by a marker is set as an editing area. The editing area indicated by one point with a marker is stored once in memory,
Therefore, the editing region is set by extending the editing region to the inside of the figure shown in black using an IC for region generation. After that, the editing process is performed on the editing area. FIG. 11 corresponds to a case where an editing process for printing a shaded portion is being performed.

FIG. 12 shows an example in which an editing area is designated by a closed curve by a marker. In this example, the editing area is an inner area surrounded by a closed curve drawn by a marker, and a hatched portion is printed inside the closed curve. Is being performed. FIG.
In 2, the closed curve specified by the marker is not printed.

FIG. 13 shows an example of a one-point instruction by a digitizer, and the print result is the same as in FIG. When the editing area is specified by the digitizer, unlike the marker, the information for specifying the editing area cannot be obtained from the CCD. Therefore, data for specifying the editing area at a predetermined position is later stored in the memory from which the image information is read by the CPU or the like. Specify the editing area by writing. FIG. 14 shows an example of specifying a rectangular area having two points set by the digitizer as diagonals.

As described above, when the editing process as shown in FIGS. 11 to 14 is performed, before the printing operation is performed, the editing region specified by the marker and the digitizer is edited using the region expanding IC using the region expanding IC. Needs to be extended.

Specifically, in FIGS. 11 and 13, it is necessary to perform a process of extending the editing area on the original specified by a point by a marker or a digitizer to the entire area inside a closed curve indicated by black as a boundary line. In FIGS. 12 and 14, it is necessary to specify the closed curve indicated by the marker and the rectangle inside the two points specified by the digitizer as diagonals as the editing area.

Therefore, when an editing area is designated as shown in FIGS. 11 to 14, the change is read by a CCD in order to set the editing area and stored in a memory (hereinafter, referred to as a memory).
The original reading operation for this is called pre-scan),
The above-described work of expanding the editing area is performed on the data in the memory using the area expanding IC. When the expansion of the editing area is completed, the original data is read again from the CCD for printing (hereinafter, the original reading operation for this is called a main scan), and the editing area is read from the memory in synchronization with the read image data. Output the data of
An editing process is performed on a portion corresponding to the editing region on the image data according to the editing region data.

[0013]

In the above conventional example,
Considering a case where the generated area signal is used as an editing area and an editing process is performed by an area designating method in which an entire area inside a closed loop of a boundary line is painted, for example, a photosensitive drum is set to have magenta, cyan, yellow, and black color components. 4
In the case of an image forming apparatus in which a full-color image is formed by superimposing four color images by rotating four times for each color, there is unevenness in the rotational speed of the photosensitive drum in the image forming sequence of each color due to mechanical vibration. For this reason, a color shift in which the leading end position of each color image is shifted often occurs.

When a process of filling the entire area inside a closed area surrounded by a black boundary line with magenta as editing content is performed, the above-described color shift occurs and the image forming positions of the magenta image and the black image are changed. If the image is misaligned, the printed image may have a gap between the black border line and the image filled with magenta depending on the degree of the misalignment, and the quality of the formed color image may be impaired. There was a point.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide area designating data for designating an image editing area from document image information to be read and document image information. Boundary information indicating a boundary line with the image editing area is extracted, and an image area to be edited is extended from the extracted area designation data and the boundary information in a direction to cancel the color shift, and the extended editing is performed. An image editing apparatus and an image processing apparatus capable of executing a specific image processing on an image area to be output and outputting an image, thereby preventing a color shift that may occur on a boundary line and outputting a high-quality edited image without color omission. An editing method and a storage medium are provided.

[0016]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a reading means (corresponding to, for example, a reader unit shown in FIG. 1) for reading a document image, area designation data for designating an image editing area, and Extraction means (corresponding to, for example, the RGB editing circuit 203 and the area signal generation circuit 212 shown in FIG. 2) for extracting the boundary information indicating the boundary line between the document image information and the image editing area; Expansion means for expanding an image area to be edited based on the specified area specifying data and the boundary information in a direction for canceling the color shift (for example, corresponds to the RGB editing circuit 203, the area signal generation circuit 212, etc. shown in FIG. 2) ) And image editing means for performing predetermined image editing on image information read from the reading means based on the image area to be edited expanded by the expansion means (for example, RGB editing circuit 203 shown in FIG. 2,
(Corresponding to the area signal generation circuit 212 and the like).

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an instruction means (for example, corresponding to a pointing device such as a digitizer connectable to a reader unit shown in FIG. 1) for instructing the predetermined image editing, and The means cancels a color shift of an image area to be edited based on the area designation data extracted by the extraction means and the boundary information when the predetermined image editing is instructed by the instruction means. It expands in the direction.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a determining means for determining whether or not there is marker data of a specific color in the document image information (for example, the area signal generating circuit 21 shown in FIG. 2).
2 etc.), and the extension unit, when the determination unit determines that there is marker data of a specific color,
An image area to be edited is extended in a direction to cancel a color shift based on the area designation data extracted by the extraction means and the boundary information.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the instructing means is a one-point instruction for an edited image area by a digitizer.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the extracting means analyzes the compressed image data of the document image information read by the reading means, and designates an area for designating an image editing area and the document image. It extracts information and boundary information indicating a boundary between the image editing area.

A sixth invention according to the present invention has control means for controlling the execution state of the area expanding process by the expanding means based on the instruction state by the instruction means.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the document image information includes a black line image forming a closed loop and a color image of a specific color instructing image editing.

An eighth invention according to the present invention has a detecting means for detecting the color shift, and the expanding means expands the image area based on the color shift detected by the detecting means. is there.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image editing method in an image editing apparatus having reading means for reading an original image, wherein the area specifying data for specifying an image editing area, the original image information, and An extraction step (for example, step (2) shown in FIG. 9) for extracting boundary information indicating a boundary line with the image editing area, and editing based on the area designation data and the boundary information extracted in the extraction step. An extension step of extending an image region to be extended in a direction to cancel the color shift (for example, steps (4) and (5) shown in FIG. 9)
And an image editing step of performing predetermined image editing on image information read from the reading unit based on the image area to be edited expanded by the expansion step (for example, FIG.
(7)) shown in FIG.

A tenth invention according to the present invention has an instruction step (for example, not shown) for instructing the predetermined image editing, and the expanding step includes a step for instructing the predetermined image editing by the instruction step. If there is, the image area to be edited is extended in a direction to cancel the color shift based on the area designation data extracted in the extraction step and the boundary information.

An eleventh invention according to the present invention has a determining step (for example, step (3) shown in FIG. 9) for determining whether or not there is marker data of a specific color in the document image information. In the step, when it is determined in the determining step that there is marker data of a specific color, a color shift of an image area to be edited is canceled based on the area specifying data extracted in the extracting step and the boundary information. It expands in the direction.

In a twelfth aspect according to the present invention, the instruction step is a one-point instruction for an edited image area by a digitizer.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, in the extracting step, the area specifying data for designating an image editing area by analyzing compressed image data of the original image information read by the reading means and the original image It extracts information and boundary information indicating a boundary between the image editing area.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control step (for example, step (3) shown in FIG. 9) for controlling the execution state of the area expansion processing in the expansion step based on the instruction state in the instruction step. Have

In a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, the document image information includes a black line image forming a closed loop and a color image of a specific color for instructing image editing.

A sixteenth invention according to the present invention has a detecting step of detecting the color shift, and the expanding step expands the image area based on the color shift detected in the detecting step. is there.

According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image editing apparatus having reading means for reading an original image, comprising: area designation data for designating an image editing area; and a boundary between the original image information and the image editing area. An extraction step of extracting boundary information indicating a line (for example, step (2) shown in FIG. 9)
And an extension step of extending an image area to be edited based on the area designation data extracted in the extraction step and the boundary information in a direction to cancel color misregistration (for example, steps (4), ( 5)) and an image editing step of performing predetermined image editing on image information read from the reading unit based on the image area to be edited expanded by the expansion step (for example, step (7) shown in FIG. 9). ) Is recorded on a computer-readable storage medium.

An eighteenth invention according to the present invention has an instruction step (for example, not shown) for instructing the predetermined image editing, and the expanding step includes the step of instructing the predetermined image editing by the instruction step. If there is, the image area to be edited is extended in a direction to cancel the color shift based on the area designation data extracted in the extraction step and the boundary information.

A nineteenth invention according to the present invention has a determining step (for example, step (3) shown in FIG. 9) for determining whether or not there is marker data of a specific color in the document image information. In the step, when it is determined in the determining step that there is marker data of a specific color, a color shift of an image area to be edited is canceled based on the area specifying data extracted in the extracting step and the boundary information. It expands in the direction.

In a twentieth aspect according to the present invention, the instruction step is a one-point instruction for an edit image area by a digitizer.

According to a twenty-first aspect of the present invention, in the extracting step, the area specifying data for specifying an image editing area by analyzing compressed image data of the original image information read by the reading means and the original image It extracts information and boundary information indicating a boundary between the image editing area.

According to a twenty-second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control step (for example, step (3) shown in FIG. 9) for controlling the execution state of the area expansion processing in the expansion step based on the instruction state in the instruction step. A program to be executed is recorded on a computer-readable storage medium.

According to a twenty-third aspect of the present invention, the document image information includes a black line image forming a closed loop and a color image of a specific color instructing image editing.

According to a twenty-fourth aspect of the present invention, a program for causing an image editing apparatus having reading means for reading a document image to execute a detection step of detecting the color misregistration is recorded on a computer-readable storage medium. The extension step extends the image area based on the color shift detected in the detection step.

[0040]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A digital color copying machine will be described below in detail with reference to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a color image forming apparatus to which an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention can be applied. In this embodiment, a digital color image reader section is provided at an upper portion, and a lower portion is provided at a lower portion. It has a digital image printer unit.

In the reader section, the original 30 is placed on the original platen glass 31, and a known original scanning unit including the exposure lamp 32 is driven by the optical system reading drive mode 35 at a speed determined according to a preset copy magnification. Exposure is scanned. The reflected light image from the original 30 is condensed by a lens 33 onto a full-color sensor (CCD) 34,
A color separation image signal is obtained. This full color sensor 3
4, R (red) arranged adjacent to each other,
A three-line CCD with G (green) and B (blue) filters is used. The color separation image signal is
Image processing is performed by the image processing unit 36 and the controller unit 37, and is sent to the printer unit.

An operation section is provided around the platen glass 31, and switches for setting various modes relating to a copy sequence, a display for display, and a display are arranged.

In the printer section, a photosensitive drum 1 as an image carrier is rotatably supported in the direction of an arrow. Around the photosensitive drum 1, a pre-exposure lamp 11, a corona charger, a laser exposure optical system 3, a potential sensor 12, Four developing units 4y, 4c, 4m, 4Bk of different colors, and a drum light amount detecting unit 1
3, a transfer device 5, and a cleaning device 6 are arranged.

In the laser exposure optical system 3, an image signal from the reader unit is converted into an optical signal by a laser output unit (not shown), and the converted laser light is
The light is reflected by a, passes through the lens 3b and the mirror 3c, and is projected on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1.

When an image is formed by the printer unit, the photosensitive drum 1 is rotated in the direction of the arrow, and the photosensitive drum 1 after having been neutralized by the pre-exposure lamp 11 is uniformly charged by the charger 2 so that an optical image is formed for each separation color. Irradiate E to form a latent image.

Next, by operating a predetermined developing device, the latent image on the photosensitive drum 1 is developed to form a toner image on the photosensitive drum 1 using a resin as a base. The developing device has an eccentric cam 24.
By the operations of y, 24m, 24c, and 24Bk, the photosensitive drum 1 is selectively approached in accordance with each of the separated colors.

Further, the toner image on the photosensitive drum 1 is
The image is transferred from one of the preselected recording material cassettes 7b and 7c to the recording material supplied to a position facing the photosensitive drum 1 via the conveyance system and the conveyance device 5. The selection of the recording material cassette is performed by driving any one of the big-up rollers 27a, 27b, and 27c according to a control signal from the controller unit 37 in advance according to the size of the recording image.

In this embodiment, the transfer device 5 includes a transfer drum 5a, a transfer charger 5b, a suction roller 5g opposed to a suction charger 5c for electrostatically sucking a recording material, an inner charger 5d, and an outer charger 5e. A recording material carrying sheet 5f made of a dielectric material is integrally stretched in a cylindrical shape in the peripheral opening area of the transfer drum 5a which is rotatably supported. The recording material supporting sheet 5f uses a dielectric sheet such as a polycarbonate film.

As the drum-shaped transfer device, that is, the transfer drum 5a is rotated, the toner image on the photosensitive drum 1 is transferred onto a recording material carried on a recording material carrying sheet 5f by a transfer charger 5b.

A desired number of color images are transferred to the recording material sucked and conveyed to the recording material carrying sheet 5f to form a full color image. In the case of forming a full-color image, when the transfer of the four color toner images is completed in this way, the recording material is separated from the transfer drum 5a by the separation claw 8a and the separation pushing roller 8b.
The sheet is separated by the action of the separation charger 5h, and is discharged to the tray 10 via the heat roller fixing device 9. On the other hand, after the transfer, the photosensitive drum 1 is subjected to the image forming process again after the residual toner on the surface is cleaned by the cleaning device 6.

When images are formed on both sides of a recording material,
Immediately after the fixing device 9 is ejected, the transport path switching guide 19
, And once guided to the reversing path 21 a via the transport vertical path 20, the reversing of the reversing roller 21 b causes the rear end of the fed sheet to return to the head in a direction opposite to the direction in which the sheet was fed. Absorb in tray 22. Thereafter, an image is formed on the other surface again by the above-described image forming step.

Further, in order to prevent scattering of powder on the recording material carrying sheet 5f of the transfer drum 5a and adhesion of oil on the recording material, the fur brush 14 and the recording carrying sheet 5f are used.
The cleaning is performed by the action of a backup brush 15 facing the fur brush 14 via f, and a backup brush 17 facing the oil removal roller 16 via the oil removing roller 16 and the recording material carrying sheet 5f. Such cleaning is performed before or after image formation. It is performed whenever a jam (paper jam) occurs.

Further, in the present embodiment, the eccentric cam 25 is operated at a desired timing, and the cam follower 5i integrated with the transfer drum 5a is operated to reduce the gap between the recording sheet 5f and the photosensitive drum 1. The configuration can be set arbitrarily. For example, during standby or when the power is off, the interval between the transfer drum and the photosensitive drum is increased.

FIG. 2 shows the controller unit 37 shown in FIG.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processing unit in FIG.

In the figure, 201 is a shading correction circuit, 202 is an input masking circuit, 203 is an RGB editing circuit, 204 is a color space compression circuit, and 205 is a light quantity-density conversion (hereinafter, LOG conversion) circuit. 206 is an output masking circuit, 207 is a CYMK editing circuit, and 208 is a density correction table. 209 is a scaling circuit, 210 is a spatial filter circuit, 211 is a black character processing circuit, and 212 is a region signal generation circuit.

The image read by the full-color sensor 34 and converted into the digital image signal RGB by the amplifying device (not shown) is corrected by the shading correction circuit 201 for the inclination of the light distribution of the exposure lamp 32 and the variation of the sensor. Thereafter, the input masking circuit 202 converts the signals into three signals representing a standard color space, and inputs the signals to an RGB editing circuit 203, which performs some editing processing such as color conversion, image synthesis with an external device, and generation of a character processing signal. You.

The black character processing circuit 211 includes a bold character determination circuit 213, an edge detection circuit 214, and a tint detection circuit 21.
Five.

Next, the color space compression circuit 204 compresses the color space so that the color of the original is not crushed and falls within the color reproduction range of the printer unit. Further, the LOG conversion circuit 20
In step 5, the image signal RGB represented by the light amount is converted into three color signals of density signals C (cyan), M (magenta), and Y (yellow) of the corresponding developer (for example, toner).

The output masking circuit 206 at the next stage outputs one color signal for forming an image among the CMYBk converted in accordance with the toner spectral characteristics in a frame sequential manner. After adding functions such as painting and coloring in the CMYK editing circuit 207,
The image signal that has passed through the density correction circuit 208, the scaling circuit 209, and the spatial filter circuit 210 is output to the laser drive circuit.

On the other hand, the black character processing circuit 211 detects the boldness, edge and color of the image from the RGB image signal, and according to the result, the coefficients of the output masking circuit 206 and the spatial filter circuit 210, and further, the laser drive. Switch the number of lines. The area signal generation circuit 212 generates an area signal according to designation by a digitizer or a marker.

Next, the black character / black line drawing detection processing will be described.

For the edge detection circuit 214 shown in FIG. 2, the signals R, G, B
Is input to the edge detection circuit 214, and the luminance signal Y (Y = 0.25R + 0.5G + 0.25) is input according to the following equation.
B) is calculated.

FIG. 3 shows the edge detection circuit 21 shown in FIG.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of No. 4.

In the figure, reference numeral 701 denotes a luminance calculating circuit which calculates a luminance signal Y based on the input color signals R, G, B according to the above equation and outputs it to the edge minimum direction detecting circuit 702. The edge minimum direction detection circuit 702 obtains the direction in which the absolute value of the edge amount, which is the output value of a filter described later, takes the minimum value, and sets the direction as the edge minimum direction.

A minimum edge direction smoothing circuit 703 performs a smoothing process on the minimum edge direction obtained by the minimum edge direction detection circuit 702. Reference numeral 704 denotes an edge detection circuit, which generates an output signal edge by removing a signal whose absolute value of the edge amount is equal to or less than a predetermined value through a known Laptian filter.

FIG. 4 shows the luminance calculation circuit 701 shown in FIG.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of FIG.

In the figure, reference numerals 801 to 803 denote multipliers.
Each coefficient 0.25 for the input color signals R, G, B
Multiply by 0.5, 0.25. Adders 804 and 805 add the color signals multiplied by the multipliers 801 to 803 to generate a luminance signal Y, and the luminance signal Y is input to the edge detection filter unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 shows the edge detection circuit 70 shown in FIG.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of No. 4.

In the figure, reference numerals 901 and 902 denote FIFO memories which extend the luminance signal Y to three lines each of which is delayed by one line, and which are well-known Laplacian filters 903 to 903.
The direction in which the absolute value a of the edge amount, which is the output value of the filter, takes the minimum value among the four directions is determined, and that direction is defined as the edge minimum direction.

Here, the edge detection processing will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

Edge minimum direction smoothing circuit 703
Then, a smoothing process is performed on the minimum edge direction obtained by the edge minimum direction detection unit 702. By this processing, only the method having the largest edge component can be stored, and the other directions can be smoothed. That is, a halftone dot component having a large edge component in a plurality of directions has its features reduced by smoothing the edge components, while the characteristics of a character / thin line having an edge component only in one direction are preserved. The effect is to increase. By repeating this processing as necessary, the line component and the halftone dot component are more effectively separated, and the character component existing in the halftone dot, which cannot be detected by the conventional edge detection method, is also detected. It becomes possible. Thereafter, the signal is subjected to the above-described Laptian filters 903 to 906 shown in FIG. Then, the output signal edge from the edge detection circuit 704 is output to the spatial filter circuit 210 shown in FIG. Hereinafter, the detailed configuration of the spatial filter circuit 210 shown in FIG. 2 will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 6 shows the spatial filter circuit 2 shown in FIG.
FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of a ten, for example, 5
It corresponds to a × 5 spatial filter circuit.

In the figure, 601 to 604 are FIFO memories, and 605 is a shift register group.

The output signal edge from the edge detection circuit 704 is input to the spatial filter circuit 210, and the filter coefficient can be switched according to the content of the output signal edge. In addition, a coefficient for normal operation (through setting when no filter is used) and a coefficient for a well-known edge enhancement filter are prepared in advance in the bank as filter coefficients, and an output signal edg as an edge determination signal is prepared.
When e is "1", a filter is set with an emphasis coefficient,
When the output signal edge is "0", by setting the coefficient in the normal operation to the filter, only the black line image can be edge-emphasized.

FIG. 7 shows the area signal generation circuit 2 shown in FIG.
FIG. 12 is a detailed block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of a twelfth embodiment. The marker signal, which is input data of the area signal generation circuit 212, is a signal generated inside the RGB editing circuit 203, and includes black data (K), which is original image data, and R,
It is assumed that the signal is composed of four bits of a signal representing each of the G and B marker colors.

In the figure, reference numeral 1002 denotes a thinning-out processing unit, which performs thinning-out processing (data compression processing) on black data and RGB marker signals. The thinning processing performed by the thinning processing unit 1002 in the present embodiment is performed by 4 pixels ×
The marker signals of 16 pixels for four lines are thinned out to data of one pixel and output.

The data output from the thinning processing unit 1002 is converted by the data conversion unit 1003 into data to be stored in the memory, and is stored in the memory 1004. When the data compressed signal for one document is stored in the memory 1004 by the printer scan operation, the area expansion IC 1006 reads the data in the memory, and performs processing for expanding the editing area using the data of the boundary line. In the present embodiment, an area is extended using AGDCII (trade name) which is a drawing IC manufactured by NEC Corporation as an area extension IC. It is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned AGDCII, and other ICs for area expansion may be used.

The above AGDCII has various drawing commands. Here, the area is expanded by using the “painting” function therein.

When the area expanding operation by the area expanding IC 1006 is completed, a main scanning operation for printing is started. As a result, the data conversion unit 1007
04, the data conversion unit 10 starts reading data.
03 is performed.

Reference numeral 1008 denotes an interpolation processing unit.
For example, an interpolation process described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-224612 is performed on a signal indicating that the region is an editing region output from.

Reference numeral 1009 denotes a boundary removal control unit. When black data as a boundary line is input from the marker signal input to the area signal generation circuit 212 at the time of the main scan, the edit signal output from the interpolation processing unit 1008 is input. Is masked. As a result, the black portion on the original is excluded from the editing region, and therefore, in the editing region signal output from the interpolation processing unit 1008, the region signal is output for the region other than the portion where the black data exists on the boundary line. Is done.

Reference numeral 1010 denotes an area signal extension unit which, when performing editing to fill the entire area indicated by the area signal, prints an image in which the entire area is filled due to color shift and a black boundary. In order to prevent a gap from being generated by shifting the position where the line is printed, the area signal is expanded in advance in the direction in which the color shift occurs.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the area signal extension unit 10 shown in FIG.
FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of the tenth embodiment.

In the figure, reference numerals 8801 to 8804 denote FIFs.
The O memory performs delay processing on the edit area signal from the boundary removal control unit 1009. Reference numerals 8805 to 8808 denote AND gates, which are FIFO memories 8801 corresponding to the extended control signals.
The logical operation result of ８８ 8804 is output to the OR gate 8809.

In the present embodiment, the FIFO memory group is the FIFO memory 880 in case that the color misregistration is expected to occur up to two lines in the sub-scanning direction.
It is composed of four FIFO memories 1 to 8804.

In this case, the line of interest becomes the output of the FIFO memory after a delay of two lines, and the area signal delayed for each line is the AND gate 8805 except for the line of interest.
The signal is input to the 5to1 OR gate 8809 via the 8808. An extended control signal is input to one input of each of the AND gates 8805 to 8808. The extension control signal is controlled by a register (not shown), and can vary the width of the extension to the sub-scan depending on the degree of color misregistration.

The OR gate 8809 extends the area signal in the sub-scanning direction. The OR gate 8809 can extend at most two lines in the sub-scanning direction back and forth with respect to the line of interest.

In the example shown in FIG. 8, the register is composed of 4 bits, and when using the entire area of the closed loop specified by the digitizer for marker processing or the like as the editing area, the CPU (not shown) normally sets "1111" in the register. (Binary) "
Is set to extend the edit area signal, and color shift of the edit area is prevented. When performing other editing processing, "0000" is set in the register, and the editing area signal is output as it is without expansion. The area signal expanded by the area signal expansion unit 1010 is output from the area signal generation circuit 212 as an edit area signal.

As described above, when the editing area is designated by the marker processing or the like and the area surrounded by the boundary line is filled, the editing area signal is expanded in advance in a direction in which a color shift occurs. By doing so, the gap between the black line image and the filled image at the boundary caused by the color shift can be narrowed, and the white spot near the boundary can be hardly recognized.

In the present embodiment, a case has been described where a marker is designated at one point on a document, but when a designation is made with a digitizer, the area signal generation circuit 212 outputs an image as a marker signal as a marker signal. Only the black data (boundary line), which is the data, is stored in the memory, and the position on the document designated by the digitizer is then indicated by C in FIG.
The same effect can be obtained by writing data to the corresponding position in the memory 1004 by the PU 1005 and thereafter performing the operations after the data storage in the memory described above. Also, the black data (boundary line)
Specify the position on the document by using the digitizer
The data may be written to the corresponding position in the memory 1004 by 1005.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of a data processing procedure in the image editing apparatus according to the present invention.
Note that (1) to (10) indicate each step.

First, in step (1), when a pre-scan instruction is issued from the operation unit of the reader unit shown in FIG. 1, in step (2), the document image information to be read is analyzed, and Extract information.

Next, in step (3), an extended area is determined by arithmetic processing from the area designation data and the boundary information, and in step (4), the specific editing is an editing instruction in which the entire area within the boundary is set as the editing area. It is determined whether or not
If so, the process proceeds to step (10) to execute image editing processing other than specific editing (editing in which the entire area within the boundary is set as the editing area), and then proceeds to step (6).

On the other hand, if it is determined in step (4) that the specific editing is instructed to edit the entire area within the boundary line as an editing area, then in step (5), it is determined that a gap is generated in advance due to color misregistration. The extension area is extended by the area signal extension unit 1010 in the expected direction.

Then, in step (6), the determined extended area is set as an edit area. Next, step (7)
When a document scanning instruction is issued from the operation unit of the reader unit, a specific image editing process set for the extended area is executed in step (8). And step (9)
Then, the printer unit executes a color image forming process based on the edited image data to perform image forming output, and ends the processing.

Hereinafter, the configuration of a data processing program that can be read by an image processing system to which the image editing apparatus according to the present invention can be applied will be described with reference to a memory map shown in FIG.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a memory map of a storage medium for storing various data processing programs readable by an image processing system to which the image editing apparatus according to the present invention can be applied.

Although not shown, information for managing a group of programs stored in the storage medium, such as version information and creator, is also stored, and information dependent on the OS or the like on the program reading side, such as a program, is stored. An icon or the like for identification display may also be stored.

Further, data dependent on various programs is also managed in the directory. In addition, a program for installing various programs on a computer or a program for decompressing a program to be installed when the program to be installed is compressed may be stored.

The functions shown in FIG. 9 in this embodiment may be performed by a host computer by a program installed from the outside. In this case, the present invention is applied even when a group of information including a program is supplied to the output device from a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, a flash memory, or an FD, or from an external storage medium via a network. Things.

As described above, the storage medium storing the program codes of the software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiment is supplied to the system or the apparatus, and the computer (or CPU or MP) of the system or the apparatus is supplied.
It goes without saying that the object of the present invention is also achieved when U) reads and executes the program code stored in the storage medium.

In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the novel function of the present invention, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, C
DR, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, RO
M, EEPROM and the like can be used.

When the computer executes the readout program code, not only the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized, but also the OS (Operating System) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. ) And the like perform part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, based on the instruction of the program code, The CPU provided in the function expansion board or function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing,
It goes without saying that a case where the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by the processing is also included.

[0107]

As described above, the first embodiment according to the present invention is described.
According to the twenty-first aspect, area designation data for designating an image editing area and boundary information indicating a boundary between the document image information and the image editing area are extracted from the read original image information, and the extraction is performed. Since the image area to be edited is extended in the direction to cancel the color misregistration from the specified area designation data and the boundary information, the specific image processing is performed on the extended image area to be edited, and the image is output. In addition, it is possible to prevent a color shift that may occur on a boundary line and to output a high-quality edited image without color omission.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a color image forming apparatus to which an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processing unit in a controller unit illustrated in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of an edge detection unit illustrated in FIG. 2;

4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a luminance calculation circuit illustrated in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of an edge detection circuit illustrated in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of a spatial filter circuit illustrated in FIG. 2;

7 is a detailed block diagram illustrating a configuration of a region signal generation circuit illustrated in FIG. 2 in detail.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of an area signal extension unit illustrated in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a data processing procedure in the image editing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a memory map of a storage medium that stores various data processing programs that can be read by an image processing system to which the image editing apparatus according to the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining an area designation and its editing processing state in this type of image editing apparatus.

FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining an area designation in this type of image editing apparatus and its editing processing state.

FIG. 13 is a view for explaining an area designation and its editing processing state in this type of image editing apparatus.

FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining an area designation and its editing processing state in this type of image editing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 203 RGB editing circuit 204 Color space compression circuit 205 LOG conversion circuit 207 CMYBK editing circuit 212 Area signal generation circuit

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Claims (24)

[Claims] Reading means for reading an original image; extracting means for extracting area designation data for designating an image editing area and boundary information indicating a boundary between the original image information and the image editing area; Expansion means for expanding an image area to be edited based on the area designation data extracted by the extraction means and the boundary information in a direction to cancel color shift; image area to be edited expanded by the expansion means Image editing means for performing a predetermined image editing on the image information read from the reading means based on the image editing apparatus. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an instruction unit for instructing the predetermined image editing, wherein the extension unit extracts the area extracted by the extracting unit when the predetermined image editing is instructed by the instruction unit. 2. The image editing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an image area to be edited is extended in a direction to cancel a color shift based on the designated data and the boundary information. 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: a determination unit configured to determine whether there is marker data of a specific color in the document image information. 2. The image editing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an image area to be edited is extended in a direction to cancel a color shift based on the area designation data extracted by the extraction unit and the boundary information. 4. The image editing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said instruction means is a one-point instruction for an edit image area by a digitizer. 5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the extracting unit analyzes compressed image data of the document image information read by the reading unit, and designates area designation data for designating an image editing area. 2. The image editing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein boundary information indicating a boundary line is extracted. 6. The image editing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising control means for controlling an execution state of the area expansion processing by said expansion means based on an instruction state by said instruction means. 7. The image editing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the document image information includes a black line image forming a closed loop and a color image of a specific color instructing image editing. 8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a detecting unit configured to detect the color shift, wherein the expanding unit expands the image area based on the color shift detected by the detecting unit. Image editing device. 9. An image editing method in an image editing apparatus including a reading unit for reading a document image, comprising: area designation data for designating an image editing region; and a boundary line between the document image information and the image editing region. An extraction step of extracting boundary information to be shown, and an expansion step of expanding an image area to be edited based on the area designation data and the boundary information extracted in the extraction step in a direction to offset color shift; An image editing step of performing predetermined image editing on image information read from the reading unit based on the image area to be edited expanded by the expansion step. 10. An instruction step for instructing the predetermined image editing, wherein the expanding step includes the step of extracting the area extracted by the extracting step when the predetermined image editing is instructed by the instruction step. 10. The image editing method according to claim 9, wherein an image area to be edited is extended based on the designated data and the boundary information in a direction to cancel the color shift. 11. A determining step of determining whether or not there is marker data of a specific color in the document image information, wherein the expanding step includes a step of determining that there is marker data of a specific color in the determining step. 10. The image editing method according to claim 9, wherein an image area to be edited is extended in a direction to cancel a color shift based on the area specifying data extracted in the extraction step and the boundary information. 12. The image editing method according to claim 10, wherein the instruction step is a one-point instruction for an edited image area by a digitizer. 13. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the extracting step includes: analyzing compressed image data of the document image information read by the reading unit to specify an image editing region; 10. The image editing method according to claim 9, wherein boundary information indicating a boundary line is extracted. 14. The image editing method according to claim 10, further comprising a control step of controlling an execution state of an area expansion process in said expansion step based on an instruction state in said instruction step. 15. The image editing method according to claim 9, wherein the document image information includes a black line image forming a closed loop and a color image of a specific color instructing image editing. 16. The image processing method according to claim 9, further comprising a detecting step of detecting the color shift, wherein the expanding step expands the image area based on the color shift detected by the detecting step. Image editing method. 17. An image editing apparatus comprising a reading means for reading an original image, extracting area designation data for designating an image editing area and boundary information indicating a boundary between the original image information and the image editing area. An expanding step of expanding an image area to be edited based on the area specifying data and the boundary information extracted in the extracting step in a direction to cancel color misregistration; A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for executing an image editing step of performing predetermined image editing on image information read from the reading unit based on an image area to be edited. 18. An instruction step for instructing the predetermined image editing, wherein the expanding step includes the step of extracting the area extracted by the extracting step when the predetermined image editing is instructed by the instruction step. 18. The storage medium according to claim 17, wherein an image area to be edited is extended in a direction to cancel a color shift based on the designated data and the boundary information. 19. A method for determining whether there is marker data of a specific color in the document image information, wherein the expanding step includes a step of determining that there is marker data of a specific color in the determining step. 18. The storage medium according to claim 17, wherein an image area to be edited is extended in a direction to cancel a color shift based on the area designation data extracted in the extraction step and the boundary information. 20. The storage medium according to claim 18, wherein said instruction step is a one-point instruction for an edited image area by a digitizer. 21. The extracting step includes: area designating data for designating an image editing area by analyzing compressed image data of the original image information read by the reading means; 18. The storage medium according to claim 17, wherein boundary information indicating a boundary line is extracted. 22. The storage medium according to claim 18, further comprising a control step of controlling an execution state of an area expansion process by said expansion step based on an instruction state by said instruction step. 23. The storage medium according to claim 17, wherein the document image information includes a black line image forming a closed loop and a color image of a specific color instructing image editing. 24. An image editing apparatus comprising reading means for reading a document image, further comprising: a detecting step for detecting the color shift, wherein the expanding step includes setting the image area based on the color shift detected by the detecting step. 18. The storage medium according to claim 17, wherein is expanded.