JP2012151560A - Device for determining original document size, control method of the same, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve such a problem that, when determining a document size based on an image edge, there are cases where only a part of a sheet has an image depending on an image, and if an image size is determined based on a read image edge, an original document size may not be correctly detected.SOLUTION: The device for determining an original document size scans the document whole area, detects a QR code from a reference point, measures a main-scanning distance and a sub-scanning distance of the detected QR code from the reference point of an original platen, collates the measured values with a size table kept beforehand, and determines a document size based on the collation result.

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus for determining a document size, a control method therefor, and a program.

  In an image processing apparatus, when an image is read by an image reading apparatus and converted into digital image data for image processing, it is necessary to know the physical size of the document image. For example, when a document image drawn on a certain size of paper is scaled and output to another paper, it is necessary to know the scaling factor that can be accommodated on the output paper. It was necessary to explicitly input the manuscript size or scaling ratio. Since such processing is complicated for the user, a document size sensor capable of detecting the document size is provided in many image reading apparatuses.

  However, in an inexpensive image processing apparatus having a configuration specialized for an output of A4 or smaller size, the document size detection sensor may be removed from the configuration of the image reading apparatus from the viewpoint of cost reduction. As a result, since the image processing apparatus does not have a means for detecting the document size, it is necessary for the user to explicitly input the document size every time when the image reading apparatus reads the document. Forced operation.

  Also, in recent years, as information security has been raised, given information is given to images output on paper, and the information is read at the time of scanning. A technique that does not allow easy copying is proposed. For example, a technique has been proposed in which a QR code storing predetermined information is printed at any of the four corners of the output paper, and the QR code is read during scanning to determine whether or not copying is permitted. Since this technology is a known technology as part of the BMLinkS project, a detailed description thereof will be omitted. Due to the recent increase in awareness of information security, it is expected that many output products will be output with some security information embedded in the future, and it is expected that QR codes will be output as standard on BMLinkS compatible machines.

  As means for detecting the document size set in the image reading device without the document size detection sensor, an image read by the image reading device such as Patent Document 1 or Patent Document 2 is analyzed to determine the document size. Technology has been proposed.

  According to Patent Document 1, the image reading apparatus analyzes the read image and detects an edge portion having a data amount equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold existing in the image. When only one edge portion can be detected, the origin and the rectangle including the edge are determined as the edge of the document. When two or more edge portions are detected, the edge that is farthest from the reference position and the rectangle that includes the reference position are determined as the edges of the document. If the edge is larger than a predetermined size, the rectangle that includes all the detected edges is determined. Judged as the edge of the document.

  According to Patent Document 2, the image reading apparatus first performs a pre-scan in order to detect the document size. Then, the read image is analyzed, an edge point group is extracted and straight line approximation is performed, and whether or not the straight line is appropriate as an edge of the document is determined based on a predetermined determination criterion. If it is determined to be appropriate, the original image size is determined using the straight line, and then the original size area is scanned again.

JP 2008-35173 A JP 2009-164805 A

  However, when the document size is determined based on the edge of the image, depending on the image, there may be an image on only a part of the paper. If the image size is determined based on the edge of the read image, the original document size is determined. There was a problem that it could not be detected correctly.

Reading means for reading an original;
Detecting means for detecting the position of the code from the image obtained by the reading;
An apparatus comprising: a determination unit that determines the size of the document based on the detected position and a reading reference point.

According to the present invention, in an original on which a code such as a QR code is drawn, an image reading apparatus having a configuration in which an original size detection sensor is omitted can detect the original size without requiring a complicated operation from the user. Become.

1 is a system block diagram of an MFP 100 used as an image processing apparatus in the present invention. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating a document set on MFP 100 and a state set on scanner 130 according to the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a document reading flow in the present invention. 4 is an example of a UI screen displayed on the operation unit 150. It is an example of the table | surface which linked | related image size and the paper size equivalent to it. It is an example of a document size determination flow in step S310. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a flow of determining a document size from image data developed on a memory. It shows the flow for collating the measured values and determining the document size.

The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a system block diagram of an MFP 100 used as an image processing apparatus according to the present invention. The control unit 110 is connected to a scanner 130 as an image input device and a printer 140 as an image output device, and controls input / output of image information. On the other hand, the control unit 110 can be connected to a LAN or PSTN (public line), and controls input / output of image information including moving image data or still image data, device information, and the like. CPU 111 controls the operation of MFP 100, and operates based on a program stored in RAM 112. The RAM 112 is also an image memory for temporarily storing image data. A ROM 113 is a boot ROM, and stores a system boot program. An HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 114 stores system software, image data, a program for controlling the operation of the MFP 100, and the like. A program stored in the HDD 114 is loaded into the RAM 112, and the CPU 111 controls the operation of the MFP 100 based on the program. The operation unit I / F 115 is an interface that connects the operation unit 150 and the control unit 110, and outputs image data to be displayed on the operation unit 150 to the operation unit 150. In addition, information input by the user from the operation unit 150 is transmitted to the CPU 111. A LAN I / F 116 and a Modem 117 are connected to a LAN and a PSTN (public line) and control input / output of various information. The memory 118 stores still image data and other data similarly to the HDD 114. The ImageBus I / F 119 is an interface for controlling high-speed input / output of image data via the ImageBus. The code processing unit 120 processes a code having various security information including a QR code. The QR code detection process and analysis process in the present invention are performed by the code processing unit 120. The device I / F 121 connects the scanner 130 and the printer 140, which are image input / output devices, and the control unit 110, and performs synchronous / asynchronous conversion of image data. The scanner image processing unit 122 performs image correction on image data read from an original by the scanner 130. The printer image processing unit 123 performs image correction on the image data output to the printer 140. The image conversion processing unit 124 performs image conversion on the image data stored in the RAM 112. Specifically, processing such as rotation processing and resolution conversion processing is performed on the image. The image conversion processing unit 124 also performs processing of converting a binary image into a multi-valued image, or conversely converting a multi-valued image into a binary image. The scanner 130 optically reads a set original and inputs image data to the control unit 110. In the present invention, a sensor mechanism for detecting the document size is not provided.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a document set on MFP 100 and a state set on scanner 130 according to the present invention. In FIG. 2A, an original 201 is an image drawn on a predetermined sheet, and a QR code 202 is drawn. The QR code 202 is drawn at any one of the four corners of the document 201, and the document 201 is drawn at the lower left. FIGS. 2B and 2C are diagrams schematically illustrating a state in which the document 201 is set on the document table 210 and the document table 220 of the scanner 130. At this time, the document 201 is set with the surface on which the image is drawn facing down. A reader (not shown) is installed below the document table 210 and the document table 220, and scanning is performed by the reader moving at a constant speed together with a scan start instruction. The reference point 211 and the reference point 221 are positions handled as reference points at the time of image processing. For convenience of explanation, a symbol is shown at the position of the reference point in the figure, but it cannot be visually recognized by an actual scanner. The reference point 211 is at the center position of the main scanning width of the document table 210, and a case where the reference point is at this position is referred to as “center reference”. Further, the reference point 221 is located at the corner position of the document table 220, on the left rear side when viewed from the user, and a case where the reference point is located at this position is referred to as “abutting reference”. 2D and 2E are diagrams schematically illustrating a state in which the document 201 is set on an ADF (Auto Document Feeder) 230 and an ADF 240 of the scanner 130. FIG. At this time, the document 201 is set with the drawn side up. The ADF 230 and the ADF 240 draw the set original 201 into the reader 231 or the reader 241 together with a scan start instruction, and perform scanning. A document having an arbitrary paper size can be set in the ADF 230 and the ADF 240, and the size can be physically adjusted by the movable adjuster 233 and the movable adjuster 243, thereby assisting in drawing straight into the reader 231 or the reader 241. Is done. The reference point 232 and the reference point 242 are positions handled as reference points at the time of image processing. For convenience of explanation, symbols are shown at the positions of the reference points in the figure, but they cannot be visually recognized by an actual scanner. The reference point 232 is at the center position of the main scanning width of the ADF 230 and is a center reference. The reference point 242 is located at the corner of the ADF 240, on the far left side when viewed from the user, and is an abutting reference.

  FIG. 3 shows a document reading flow in the present invention. In step S301, in response to pressing of the copy button, the MFP 100 starts scanning processing of the document 201 set on the scanner 130 as shown in FIGS. 2 (b) to 2 (e). In step S302, if the paper size has not been input in advance by the user (NO), the MFP 100 proceeds to step S303. On the other hand, if the paper size has already been input in step S302 (YES), the MFP 100 proceeds to the process of step S304, and scans for the size based on the input paper size. In step S <b> 303, the MFP 100 determines whether the document size automatic detection function separately designated by the user or service person is ON. In addition, if the document size automatic detection function is ON (step S303 YES), the entire document is scanned in step S305. If the automatic detection mode is OFF in step S303 (NO), the paper size input screen is displayed in step S306, and after receiving the paper size input, the process proceeds to step S304. In step S307, the MFP 100 analyzes the image data scanned in step S304 or step S305, and performs a QR code detection process. At this time, when the entire document is scanned, the QR code detection process is performed on the entire scanned image, and when the document size is input in advance, the detection process is performed on the four corners of the input document size. You may do it. Further, the QR code detection process may be performed on the entire image regardless of the scan size. In step S308, the MFP 100 determines whether a QR code is detected based on the image analysis result in step S307. Further, in step S309, it is determined whether or not the QR code is data whose content is permitted to be copied. If YES in steps S308 and YES in step S309, the MFP 100 performs document size determination processing in step S310, confirms the determination of document size in step S311 (YES), and ends the scan processing. If no QR code is detected in the scanned image in step S308 (NO), the process proceeds to step S312, and a copy operation screen is displayed and the copy operation is canceled. Similarly, if the QR code data detected in step S309 indicates that copying is not possible (NO), the process proceeds to step S312 to cancel the copying operation. In step S311, it is determined whether or not the document size has been determined. If it has not been determined (NO), the process returns to step S306, and after receiving the input of the paper size, the scanning process is performed again.

  FIG. 4 is an example of a UI screen displayed on the operation unit 150. A screen 401 illustrated in FIG. 4A is an initial screen in the copy mode. The document size display unit 402 displays a document size that the scanner 130 scans when a copy start button (not shown) on the operation unit 150 is pressed with the setting. When the automatic detection mode in step S303 in the present invention is ON, the document size display unit 402 displays “automatic” characters indicating that the document size is automatically detected. When the paper selection button 403 is pressed, the operation unit 150 displays a list of paper stored in each paper feed stage of the MFP 100 (not shown), and accepts selection of paper to be fed. When the paper is selected by the user, the original size display unit 402 displays the size of the selected paper. If the copy start button is pressed after the paper to be fed is selected from the paper selection button 403, the determination in step S302 is YES. A screen 411 shown in FIG. 4B is an example of a paper size input screen displayed in step S306. A list of paper sizes supported by MFP 100 is displayed on screen 411, and the user can select an arbitrary paper size from this screen. A screen 421 shown in FIG. 4C is an example of a copy impossible screen displayed in step S312. If it is determined in either step S308 or step S309 that the scanned document is copy-prohibited, the screen 421 is displayed and the scanning process is terminated. A screen 431 shown in FIG. 4D is an example of an automatic detection mode setting screen as a basis for determination in step S303. This screen is an example of a service mode screen that can be accessed only by service personnel. The button 432 displays the current ON / OFF state of the automatic detection mode. When the button 432 is pressed, the setting of the automatic document size detection mode is changed. Although this screen is illustrated as a screen for a service person, a similar screen may be prepared on the user setting screen and the user may perform the setting.

  FIG. 5 is an example of a table in which image sizes are associated with paper sizes corresponding to the image sizes. Based on the analysis result in step S307, the MFP 100 refers to the table 501 in the process in step S310 and determines the document size. Table 501 is an example of the detection size based on the center standard, and a different table is used (not shown) at the time of the abutting standard. This table is actually stored as electronic data in the HDD 114 together with the program, for example, as array data on the program, and the data is called when the determination process is performed.

  FIG. 6 is an example of a document size determination flow in step S310. Based on the result of the image analysis performed in step S307, the position of the QR code is detected in step S601. In step S602, the distance between the reference position 211 or the reference position 221 and the QR code is measured. In step S603, the measurement result in step S602 is collated with the table 501, and the document size is determined in step S604 based on the collation result.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the flow of determining the document size from the image data developed on the memory. FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 7C show the flow of determining the document size from the image data scanned by the center reference scanner as shown in FIGS. 2B and 2D. It is. A memory image 700 in FIG. 7A is an image diagram of an image developed on the memory when the document is scanned on the entire surface in step S305 by the center reference scanner. Although the reference position 211 is illustrated for convenience of explanation, it does not exist on the actual memory. For the main scanning size 701 and the sub scanning size 702, the maximum value that can be processed by the MFP 100 is scanned and developed on the memory. FIG. 7B is a diagram in which QR code detection and distance measurement from the reference position are performed in steps S601 and S602. The main scanning size 711 represents the distance between the reference position 211 and the QR code 202 in the main scanning direction, and the sub scanning size 712 represents the distance between the reference position 211 and the QR code 202 in the sub scanning direction. In step S603, the MFP 100 compares the main scanning size 711 and the sub-scanning size 712 with the table 501, and determines the most suitable paper size. FIG. 7C is an image diagram showing that the document size is determined in step S604. An image frame 721 is a frame of a document image set based on the determined document size, and the MFP 100 processes an image cut out from the memory image 700 with the image frame 721 as a document image. Similarly, in FIGS. 7D, 7E, and 7F, the document size is determined from the image data scanned by the abutting reference scanner as shown in FIGS. 2C and 2E. It is a figure showing a flow. A memory image 730 in FIG. 7D is an image diagram of an image developed on the memory when the entire surface of the document is scanned in step S305 by the abutting reference scanner. Although the reference position 221 is shown for convenience of explanation, it does not exist on the actual memory. For the main scanning size 731 and the sub-scanning size 732, the maximum value that can be processed by the MFP 100 is scanned and developed on the memory. FIG. 7E is a diagram in which QR code detection and distance measurement from the reference position are performed in steps S601 and S602. The main scanning size 741 represents the distance between the reference position 221 and the QR code 202 in the main scanning direction, and the sub scanning size 742 represents the distance between the reference position 221 and the QR code 202 in the sub scanning direction. The MFP 100 compares the main scanning size 741 and the sub-scanning size 742 with the table 501 to determine the most suitable paper size. FIG. 7F is an image diagram showing that the document size is determined in step S604. An image frame 751 is a frame of a document image set based on the determined document size, and the MFP 100 processes an image cut out from the memory image 700 with the image frame 751 as a document image. Since the process for determining the document size for the images read by the ADF 230 and the ADF 240 shown in FIGS. 2D and 2E is the same as described above, the description thereof is omitted.

  FIG. 8 shows a flow for determining the document size by collating the measurement values. FIG. 8A is an example of a flow for collating measured values in step S603. First, in step S801, the MFP 100 sets a default size (for example, A4 size) of the collation result. Next, a measured value is called in step S802. In this flow, the main scanning measurement value is expressed as X and the sub-scanning measurement value is expressed as Y. In step S803, first, the main scanning measurement value X is compared with data corresponding to the table 501, and it is determined in step S804 whether or not they match. If the result of the determination is a match (YES), in step S805, the default size set in step S801 is updated to a size that matches the collation result, and the process ends. If the result of determination in step S804 is that there is no match (NO), Y is checked in step S806, and it is determined whether or not there is a match in step S807. If the result of the determination is a match (YES), in step S805, the default size set in step S801 is updated to a size that matches the collation result, and the process ends. If there is no match as a result of the determination (NO), the processing is terminated as it is. At this time, the default size set in step S801 is the determination result. That is, the determination in step S311 is always YES. However, since the size set in step S801 may not be the size desired by the user, the default size may not be set in advance as follows. FIG. 8B is an example of the measurement value collation flow in step S603 when the default size is not set. First, in step S811, the measured value is called up. In this flow, the main scanning measurement value is expressed as X and the sub-scanning measurement value is expressed as Y. In step S812, first, the main scanning measurement value X is collated with data corresponding to the table 501, and it is determined in step S813 whether or not they match. If the result of the determination is a match (YES), in step S814, the matching size is set according to the collation result, and the process ends. If the result of determination in step S813 is that there is no match (NO), Y is checked in step S815, and it is determined whether or not there is a match in step S816. If the result of the determination is a match (YES), in step S814, the matching size is set according to the collation result, and the process ends. At this time, the determination in step S311 is YES. In step S816, if the result of determination is that there is no match (NO), an error screen is displayed in step S817, and the process ends. At this time, since the determination in step S311 is NO, the MFP 100 returns the process to step S306, and performs the scan process again after accepting the input of the paper size. FIG. 8C is an example of a screen displayed in step S817. After the screen 821 is displayed, the screen 411 is displayed in step S306.

  The present invention can also be realized by executing the following processing. That is, software (program) that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or apparatus via a network or various storage media, and a computer (or CPU, MPU, or the like) of the system or apparatus reads the program. It is a process to be executed.

100 MFP
130 Scanner 201 Document 202 QR Code

Claims (4)

Reading means for reading an original;
Detecting means for detecting the position of the code from the image obtained by the reading;
An apparatus comprising: a determination unit that determines the size of the document based on the detected position and a reading reference point of the document. If the paper size is entered by the user,
The document size is determined based on the input paper size without determining the size of the document based on the detected position and the reading reference point by the determination unit. The apparatus according to 1. A reading process for reading a document;
A detection step of detecting the position of the code from the image obtained by the reading;
An apparatus control method comprising: a determination step of determining the size of the document based on the detected position and a document reading reference point.   A computer-readable program for causing a computer to execute the apparatus control method according to claim 3.

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