JP2010041296A - Image processor using handwritten original sheet and image processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: In a handwritten composite printing, there is a discrepancy between a photograph designated on a handwritten manuscript sheet and a photograph to be actually composite-printed, and if printing cannot be performed, a recording paper may be output as a blank sheet. When the recording paper is output as a blank sheet, there is a problem that the user takes time and effort to reset the recording paper, or the risk that the recording paper deteriorates due to the user resetting the recording paper is increased.
According to the present invention, when a photo number to be combined and a printing condition are acquired by analyzing a handwritten document sheet, detailed information on image data to be combined and printed is immediately acquired to determine whether or not combined printing is possible. Make a decision. If composite printing is impossible, the process immediately ends with an error.
[Selection] Figure 9

Description

  The present invention relates to an image composition apparatus, and more particularly to an image composition apparatus that inputs a photographic image, reads an original, records image data on a recording sheet, and synthesizes the input photographic image data and the read original image data. The present invention also relates to a method for controlling an image composition apparatus.

  In recent years, multifunctional machines (hereinafter referred to as “MFPs”) having a scanner unit and a print unit have become multifunctional, and in addition to basic functions such as copying, PC printing, and PC scanning, functions intended for photo printing Many have been proposed. One of them is a function for combining and printing a photograph with a handwritten illustration or character (hereinafter referred to as “handwritten composite printing”).

For example, a method of performing handwritten synthesis printing in the following order is known (see Patent Document 1). First, a user marks a print setting with a pencil, a pen, or the like, and further prints a sheet (hereinafter referred to as “handwritten manuscript sheet”) for entering an illustration or a character to be combined with a photograph. Next, the user fills in the printed handwritten document sheet and scans it with the MFP. The MFP analyzes the printing conditions described on the handwritten manuscript sheet and the drawing area for illustrations and characters to be combined with the photograph, and performs handwritten combined printing.
JP 2007-124617 A

  The information of the photo to be handwritten and combined printed is described on the handwritten document sheet, for example, by a barcode method. When the MFP analyzes the handwritten document sheet, the MFP identifies the photograph to be handwritten and combined printed by reading the bar code. Therefore, if the barcode information is incorrect, the photograph to be handwritten and combined is selected incorrectly. At this time, for example, when trying to print a photograph that does not exist, the image file itself is not found, and the process ends with an error before starting the printing process. In some cases, an inconsistency may occur due to a mistake in the photograph after the printing process is started. For example, if photo trimming and resolution are specified in the print settings of the handwritten document sheet, depending on the resolution of the wrong photo, it may not be possible to print at the specified resolution after developing the image data. Prove. Here, if the recording paper is already fed (feeding the set recording paper), the paper is discharged without performing any printing (hereinafter, “blank paper output”). Called). By outputting blank paper, there is a problem that the user takes time and effort to reset the recording paper, and the risk of deterioration of the recording paper increases due to blank paper output and user's recording paper resetting.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a control method that does not cause a blank page to be output even if there is a discrepancy between a photo specified on a handwritten original sheet and a photo that is actually combined and printed in handwritten composite printing.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a recording unit that prints recording paper, a memory that stores image data, a print instruction area that instructs printing conditions to the recording unit, and the recording unit from the memory. An image designation area for designating image data to be printed; a drawing area for writing a drawing to be combined with the image data; a handwritten manuscript sheet printing means for printing a handwritten manuscript sheet; Analysis means for analyzing the print instruction area, the image designation area, and the drawing area, and the image data designated in the image designation area and the writing area written according to the result obtained by the analysis means. Handwritten composite printing means for performing composite printing on the drawing data in accordance with the printing conditions specified in the print instruction area, The analysis unit acquires image information of the image data designated in the image designation area, and is instructed in the print instruction area from the image data information acquisition unit and the image data information acquired from the image data information acquisition unit. A printability determination unit that determines whether or not the composite printing can be performed under a print condition, and the printability determination unit is performed after acquiring the print condition and the image data information; If it is determined by the print permission / inhibition determining means that composite printing cannot be performed, an error is ended before the handwritten composite printing is performed.

  According to the present invention, when the photo number to be combined and the printing conditions are acquired by analyzing the handwritten document sheet, the detailed information of the image data to be combined and printed is immediately acquired to determine whether or not the combined printing is possible. . If composite printing is not possible, the process immediately ends with an error to prevent the recording paper from being output blank, increasing the user's trouble of resetting the recording paper and the risk of deterioration of the recording paper. There is an effect to prevent.

  The best mode for carrying out the invention is the following embodiment.

  1 and 2 are an external view 1 and an external view 2 showing an overview of an image processing apparatus (hereinafter referred to as “MFP”) 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The MFP 100 includes an operation unit 101, a card interface 102, a reading unit 103, and a recording unit 104. Normally, as shown in FIG. 1, the reading unit 103 and the recording unit 104 are installed in a closed state. Then, when executing copying or executing handwritten synthesis printing according to the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the reading unit 103 and the recording unit 104 are opened, and a function desired by the user is executed.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of MFP 100.

  Here, the operation unit 101, the card interface 102, the reading unit 103, and the recording unit 104 in FIG. 3 are equivalent to the operation unit 101, the card interface 102, the reading unit 103, and the recording unit 104 described in FIG. The MFP 100 includes an operation unit 101, a card interface 102, a reading unit 103, and a recording unit 104. In addition, a CPU 300, a ROM 301, a RAM 302, a nonvolatile RAM 303, an image processing unit 304, a driving unit 305, a sensor unit 306, and a display unit 307 are provided.

  CPU 300 controls various functions provided in MFP 100 and executes an image processing program stored in ROM 301 in accordance with a predetermined operation in operation unit 101. The ROM 301 stores a control command program for the MFP 100 and the like. The reading unit 103 includes a CCD, which reads an original image and outputs analog luminance data of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) colors. Note that the reading unit 103 may use a contact image sensor (CIS) instead of the CCD. The reading unit 103 is also used for reading a handwritten document sheet described later. The card interface 102 reads image data captured by, for example, a digital still camera and recorded on a memory card or the like in accordance with a predetermined operation of the operation unit 101. Note that the color space of the image data read via the card interface 102 is converted from a digital still camera color space (for example, YCbCr) into a standard RGB color space (for example, NTSC-RGB or sRGB) if necessary. Is done. Also, based on the header information included in the image file including the image data, the read image data is subjected to various processes necessary for the application such as resolution conversion to the effective number of pixels as necessary. .

  The image processing unit 304 performs image processing such as image analysis, thumbnail creation, thumbnail correction, and output image correction, and print data obtained by these image processing is stored in the RAM 302. When the print data stored in the RAM 302 reaches a predetermined amount necessary for recording by the recording unit 104, a recording operation by the recording unit 104 is executed. In the image processing described above, different print data is created depending on various print settings such as recording paper size and recording paper type, date addition / non-printing, and borderless printing.

  Nonvolatile RAM 303 is a battery-backed SRAM or the like, and stores data unique to MFP 100 and the like. The operation unit 101 has a direct photo print start key, a monochrome copy start key at the time of monochrome copy or color copy, and a color copy start key to select image data stored in the storage medium and start recording.

  The operation unit 101 includes a color copy start key, a mode key for specifying a mode such as copy resolution and image quality, a stop key for stopping a copy operation, a numeric keypad and a registration key for inputting the number of copies, and an image file selection unit for printing. Cursor keys etc. for designating. The CPU 300 detects the pressed state of these keys and controls each unit according to the pressed state. The recording unit 104 is configured by an ink jet type ink jet head, a general-purpose IC, and the like, reads out the recording data stored in the RAM 302 under the control of the CPU 300, and prints it out as a hard copy. The driving unit 305 includes a stepping motor for driving the paper supply / discharge roller, a gear for transmitting the driving force of the stepping motor, a driver circuit for controlling the stepping motor, and the like in each operation of the reading unit 103 and the recording unit 104. It is constituted by. The sensor unit 306 includes a recording sheet width sensor, a recording sheet presence sensor, a document width sensor, a document presence sensor, a recording medium detection sensor, and the like. CPU 300 detects the state of the original and the recording paper based on the information obtained from these sensors. The display unit 307 displays contents according to the key press state of the operation unit 101. In addition, the contents of processing performed by MFP 100 are displayed.

  Next, an outline of the operation of the embodiment will be described.

  4 and 5 are diagrams showing an outline of the operation of the embodiment. The MFP 100, the operation unit 101, the reading unit 103, and the recording unit 104 in FIGS. 4 and 5 are the same as those described in FIG.

  The handwritten composite printing using the handwritten document sheet is written on the user's desired photograph and handwritten document sheet by printing the handwritten document sheet 400 shown in FIG. 4 and analyzing the handwritten document sheet 400 shown in FIG. The illustrations and characters are combined and printed.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating printing of a handwritten document sheet. One image data selected by the operation unit 101 from among the image data recorded on the memory card connected to the MFP 100 is printed as a handwritten document sheet 400 by the recording unit 104 according to a predetermined layout. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining reading of a handwritten document sheet. When the user sets the handwritten document sheet 400 in the reading unit 103 of the MFP 100 and starts reading the handwritten document sheet with the operation unit 101, the user analyzes the contents of the handwritten document sheet 400 and obtains the print result 501 from the recording unit 104. .

  Next, the handwritten document sheet will be described. FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically showing a handwritten document sheet 400 printed by the MFP 100.

  The handwritten document sheet 400 is a printed material laid out on, for example, A4 size recording paper. The handwritten document sheet is used to execute settings necessary for direct photo printing by the sheet scanning method. The contents designated by the handwritten document sheet 400 of the embodiment are roughly classified into the following three. That is, the first instruction is a print control instruction for instructing the content of print control necessary for the recording unit 104 to print the print data. The second instruction is an image selection instruction that instructs which image data recorded in the memory is to be printed. The third instruction is a handwriting drawing instruction for describing a handwritten illustration or character to be combined with the photograph. The first instruction and the second instruction are designated by the user's marking for the print setting mark area 601, but for the information that the user does not change on the handwritten document sheet, the barcode format is designated for the barcode area 602. It is written on the handwritten manuscript sheet. The third instruction describes handwritten illustrations and characters in the handwriting area 604 while the user compares it with the composite photo printed in the composite photo area 603.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart 1 showing an overall flow from printing of a handwritten document sheet to handwritten composite printing in the embodiment.

  Handwritten composite printing using a handwritten document sheet is roughly divided into four steps. That is, handwritten document sheet printing (S701), handwritten document sheet entry (S702), handwritten document sheet analysis (S703), and handwritten composite printing (S704).

  FIG. 8 is a detailed flowchart of the S703 (STEP 3) handwritten document sheet analysis of FIG. A handwritten document sheet 400 entered by the user is set in the reading unit 103 of the MFP (100), and is operated by the operation unit 101 to perform reading analysis.

  First, pre-scan 1 is performed in S801. In step S802, a mark and a barcode are analyzed on the scanned image scanned in step S801. As a result, the print setting is acquired in S803, and the composite photo number is acquired in S804. Subsequently, in order to read the handwritten drawing, prescan 2 is performed in S805. The image read in step S805 is analyzed in step S806, and the user's handwritten drawing is acquired. Now that the setting values and data necessary for handwriting synthesis printing have been prepared, handwriting synthesis printing is started in S807. When handwritten composite printing is started in S807, the recording paper is fed in S808, and the image data recorded on the memory card is acquired according to the composite photo number acquired in S804. Subsequently, the image is combined with the handwritten drawing image acquired in S806, and printing is executed in S809 according to the print settings acquired in S803. If printing is possible in S809, handwritten composite printing is completed in S810, but if printing is not possible in S809, printing is stopped in S811, and the recording sheet fed in S808 is discharged.

  An example in which printing cannot be executed in S809 is a case where the image resolution of the memory card is small and the image resolution request in the print settings acquired in S803 is not satisfied. The image resolution request is specified, for example, when the composite photograph is trimmed. Originally, the composite photograph designated in the barcode area 602 of the handwritten document sheet 400 should match the image data acquired from the memory card when actually performing handwritten composite printing. However, for example, the barcode area 602 of the handwritten document sheet 400 is contaminated, and a mismatch occurs when an incorrect value is acquired in the mark / barcode analysis (S802) of the handwritten document sheet 400.

  If the recording paper fed in step S811 is discharged without being printed (hereinafter referred to as blank paper output), the user needs to re-set the recording paper, or wasteful or the recording paper is reset. This increases the risk of paper deterioration. Therefore, FIG. 9 shows a flow for preventing the phenomenon of outputting blank paper in S811.

  FIG. 9 is a main part of the present invention, and is a flowchart for preventing the recording paper discharge in S811 based on the flow of FIG.

  First, pre-scan 1 is performed in S901. In step S902, a mark and a barcode are analyzed on the scanned image scanned in step S901. As a result, the print setting is acquired in S903, and the composite photo number is acquired in S904. Subsequently, in S905, the memory card is accessed according to the composite photo number acquired in S904, and detailed information of the composite photo image data is acquired. Subsequently, the composite photograph information acquired in step S905 is compared with the print settings acquired in step S903, and it is determined in step S906 whether composite printing is possible. If it is determined in S906 that composite printing is possible, prescan 2 is performed in S907, and the handwritten drawing area is analyzed in S908. Subsequently, the handwriting synthesis printing process is started in S909, the recording paper is fed in S910, the printing is executed in S911, and the handwriting synthesis printing is completed in S912.

  If it is determined in S906 that printing cannot be performed, analysis error processing is subsequently performed in S913. For example, the user is notified by displaying a warning that printing cannot be performed on the display unit 307. Thus, by detecting an error before performing the printing process, recording paper feed (S910) and pre-scan 2 (S907) for acquiring handwritten drawing are not performed. Expected to save labor and speed up error notification.

1 is an external view 1 showing an external appearance of an MFP 100. FIG. FIG. 3 is an external view 2 showing an external appearance of the MFP 100. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of MFP 100. FIG. It is the schematic diagram 1 which shows the outline | summary of the function of an Example. It is the schematic diagram 2 which shows the outline | summary of the function of an Example. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the content of a handwritten document sheet printed by the MFP 100 in the embodiment. It is the flowchart 1 which shows the whole processing flow of an Example. It is a flowchart 2 which shows the flow which prints a handwritten original sheet in an Example. It is a flowchart 3 which shows the flow which analyzes a handwritten original sheet in an Example.

Explanation of symbols

100 MFP
101 Operation Unit 102 Card Interface 103 Reading Unit 104 Recording Unit 301 ROM
302 RAM
303 Nonvolatile RAM
304 Image processing unit 305 Drive unit 306 Sensor unit 307 Display unit

Claims (1)

A recording unit for printing recording paper, a memory for storing image data,
A printing instruction area for instructing printing conditions to the recording unit; an image designation area for designating image data to be printed by the recording unit from the memory; and a drawing area for writing a drawing to be combined with the image data. A handwritten manuscript sheet printing means for printing a handwritten manuscript sheet;
Analysis means for reading the handwritten document sheet and analyzing the print instruction area, the image designation area, and the drawing area;
Based on the result obtained by the analysis means, the handwritten composition for combining and printing the image data designated in the image designation area and the drawing data written in the drawing area according to the printing conditions designated in the print instruction area Printing means;
Feed means for feeding recording paper to the recording unit for performing the composite printing,
The analysis means is designated in the print instruction area from the image data information obtaining means for obtaining image information of the image data designated in the image designation area and the image data information obtained from the image data information obtaining means. Printability determination means for determining whether or not the above-described composite printing is possible under the printing conditions,
By performing the print propriety determination unit after acquiring the printing conditions and the image data information and before feeding the recording paper by the feed unit, the print propriety determination unit has determined that composite printing cannot be performed. In some cases, the image processing apparatus ends with an error without feeding the recording paper.

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