Image processing apparatus and image forming apparatus

Abstract

To enable changing the font of characters included in a document image to a desired font.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus 1 comprises: a document reading unit that reads an image of a document D1; an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium; a detection unit 101 that, on the basis of a document image obtained through the reading of the document D1 performed by the document reading unit, detects a surrounding line L1 for designating a font changing area that is written on the document D1; and an image processing unit 102 that performs image processing on the document image to change the font of characters, which are in a closed area R1 as the font changing area surrounded by the surrounding line L1 detected by the detection unit, into a specific font, and erases the surrounding line L1 from the document D1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] An image forming apparatus, which is an example of an image processing apparatus, includes a document reading unit that reads an image of a document, such as a copying machine or a multifunction machine. Various proposals have been made regarding image processing of a document image obtained by reading the document with the document reading unit. For example, the following Patent Document 1 describes extracting handwritten portions contained in a document image and making them into a list. Also, the following Patent Document 2 describes making it possible to freely change the arrangement of character strings and the like contained in a document image. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] US Patent Application Publication No. 2012 / 0189202 [Patent Document 2] JP 2018-098678 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2006-252430 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] It would be convenient if the font of characters included in the document image obtained by scanning the document with the document scanning unit could be changed to a font desired by the user, but such a technology is not proposed in either of the above Patent Documents 1 and 2. The above Patent Document 3 describes a technology for creating a font from handwritten characters and making it available for use, but does not go so far as to describe changing the font of characters in a specific portion of a scanned document to a specific font.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has an object to make it possible to change the font of characters included in an original image to a desired font. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An image processing device according to one aspect of the present invention includes an image acquisition unit that acquires an original image, a detection unit that detects an encircling line for specifying a font change area from the original image acquired by the image acquisition unit, and an image processing unit that performs image processing to change the font of characters within the font change area in the original image that is surrounded by the encircling line detected by the detection unit to a specific font and to erase the encircling line from the original image.

[0007] An image forming apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes an image forming apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention, an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium, and a control unit that causes the image forming unit to form an image of the original image after the image processing by the image processing unit onto the recording medium. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, the font of characters included in an original image can be changed to a desired font. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a part of an operation unit. [Diagram 3] 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a schematic internal configuration of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a document; [Diagram 5] 5 is a diagram showing an example of an original in which an encircling line is drawn on the original shown in FIG. 4. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a processed image generated by changing the font. [Figure 7] 5 is a flowchart showing a first embodiment of a font conversion process in the image forming apparatus 1. [Figure 8] 5 is a diagram showing an example of a document in which an encirclement and keywords are written on the printed matter shown in FIG. 4. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a processed image obtained by image processing performed by an image processing unit. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a functional block diagram illustrating an outline of the main internal configuration of an image forming apparatus that executes font conversion processing according to a third embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a functional block diagram illustrating an outline of the main internal configuration of an image forming apparatus that executes font conversion processing according to a fourth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] An image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of an image forming apparatus which is an example of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] The image forming device 1 is a multifunction device that combines multiple functions, such as a copy function, a printer function, a scanner function, and a facsimile function, and is configured to include a document feeding unit 6, a document reading unit 5, an image forming unit 12, a paper feeding unit 14, and an operation unit 47.

[0012] The document reading unit 5 has a scanner that optically reads an image of a document, and generates image data representing the document image. The document reading unit 5 is an example of an image acquisition unit in the claims.

[0013] The document feeder 6 is configured to be openable and closable by a hinge or the like (not shown) on the upper surface of the document reading unit 5, and functions as a document pressing cover when reading a document placed on a platen glass (not shown). The document feeder 6 is also called an ADF (Auto Document Feeder), and includes a document placement tray 61 on which documents are placed, and a document discharge tray 62 provided below the document placement tray 61. The document feeder 6 supplies documents placed on the document placement tray 61 to the document reading unit 5 one by one, and discharges the documents to the document discharge tray 62.

[0014] The image forming unit 12 includes a photosensitive drum, a charging device that uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive drum, an exposure device that exposes the surface of the photosensitive drum to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum, a developing device that develops the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum into a toner image, and a transfer device that transfers the toner image (image) on the surface of the photosensitive drum to recording paper, and forms the above-mentioned original image on the recording paper.

[0015] A description will be given of a case where a document reading operation is performed by the image forming apparatus 1. The document reading unit 5 optically reads an image of a document supplied to the document reading unit 5 by the document feeding unit 6 or a document placed on the platen glass, and generates image data as a document image. The document image generated by the document reading unit 5 is stored in an image memory or the like (not shown).

[0016] A description will be given of an image forming operation performed by the image forming apparatus 1. Based on an original image generated by an original reading operation or image data received from a computer serving as an external device (e.g., a personal computer) connected via a network, the image forming unit 12 forms an image on a recording paper serving as a recording medium fed from a paper feed unit 14.

[0017] The recording paper on which the image has been formed by the image forming unit 12 is subjected to a fixing process in a fixing unit 13 (FIG. 3) described later, and the recording paper after the fixing process is discharged to a discharge tray 151. The paper supply unit 14 includes a plurality of paper supply cassettes 141.

[0018] The operation unit 47 receives instructions, such as an instruction to execute an image forming operation, from an operator regarding various operations and processes that can be executed by the image forming apparatus 1. The operation unit 47 includes a display unit 473 that displays operation guides and the like for the operator. The operation unit 47 also receives input of instructions from the user via a touch panel included in the display unit 473, based on the user's operation (touch operation) on an operation screen displayed on the display unit 473 or the user's operation on physical keys.

[0019] The operation unit 47 includes physical keys K1 to K3. The physical keys K1 to K3 are function keys, and as shown in FIG. 2, the physical keys K1 to K3 are function keys "F1" to "F3", respectively. A copy function, a transmission function, and a fax function are assigned to the function keys "F1" to "F3" indicated by the physical keys K1 to K3, respectively. For example, when the operation unit 47 accepts a user operation on the physical key K1, the control unit 100 (FIG. 3), which will be described later, controls the display of the display unit 473, and transitions the operation screen displayed on the display unit 473 to a "copy screen" for performing various settings for the copy function.

[0020] The display unit 473 is composed of an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or the like. The display unit 473 has a touch panel. The touch panel is equipped with a pen pressure sensor (not shown) that detects pen pressure. When the operator touches a button or key displayed on the screen, the touch panel accepts an instruction associated with the touched position.

[0021] In addition, based on an operation of an operator writing characters on the screen of the display unit 473 using a stylus pen, the pen pressure sensor detects the pen pressure of the operator on the display unit 473 and detects a trajectory of input by the operation. The operation unit 47 accepts the detected trajectory as a character input by the operator.

[0022] 3 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic diagram of a main internal configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment. The image forming apparatus 1 includes a control unit 10, an original feeding section 6, an original reading section 5, an image forming section 12, a fixing section 13, a paper feeding section 14, an operation section 47, a network interface section 91, and a storage device 8. The image forming apparatus 1 is provided with a detachable connector 7 to which an external storage medium such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory is connected. The connector 7 is an example of an image acquiring section in the claims.

[0023] The fixing unit 13 heats and pressurizes the recording paper on which the toner image has been formed by the image forming unit 12, thereby fixing the toner image to the recording paper. The recording paper that has undergone the fixing process is discharged onto the discharge tray 151 (Figure 1).

[0024] The network interface unit 91 is a communication interface for transmitting and receiving various data to and from external devices (for example, personal computers and servers) within a local area or on the Internet.

[0025] The storage device 8 is a large-capacity storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD), and stores various control programs, etc. The storage device 8 also includes a font data storage unit 81 in which font data is registered.

[0026] The control unit 10 includes a processor, a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a dedicated hardware circuit. The processor is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), or an MPU (Micro Processing Unit). The control unit 10 includes a control unit 100, a detection unit 101, and an image processing unit 102.

[0027] The control unit 10 functions as a control unit 100, a detection unit 101, and an image processing unit 102 by the operation of the processor in accordance with a control program stored in the storage device 8. However, the control unit 100 and the like can also be configured by hardware circuits, regardless of the operation in accordance with the control program by the control unit 10. The same applies to each embodiment below unless otherwise stated.

[0028] The control unit 100 is responsible for controlling the overall operation of the image forming apparatus 1. The control unit 100 is connected to the document feeding unit 6, the document reading unit 5, the image forming unit 12, the fixing unit 13, the paper feeding unit 14, the operation unit 47, the network interface unit 91, the storage device 8, and the connector 7, and performs drive control of each of these units. For example, the control unit 100 executes various processes necessary for image formation by the image forming apparatus 1.

[0029] The detection unit 101 detects an encircling line that is present in the original image and is used to specify the font change area from an original image obtained by reading the original using the original reading unit 5, or from an original image read out under the control of the control unit 100 from a USB memory connected to the connector 7.

[0030] Here, Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a document on which no encircling line has been drawn. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a document on which an encircling line has been drawn. Document D1 shown in Fig. 5 is document M1 shown in Fig. 4 on which a user has drawn an encircling line L1 using a writing implement.

[0031] When the user wishes to change the character font in a portion of the document M1, the user draws an encircling line L1 on the document M1 to designate that portion (the font change area). The shape of the encircling line L1 is not important as long as it is an uninterrupted encircling line that identifies the closed area R1 that will be the font change area. In addition, the encircling line L1 may be drawn multiple times on the document M1.

[0032] It is believed that there will be a large difference in density between handwritten and printed parts. Generally, handwritten parts will have a lower density than printed parts. Also, in most cases, the printed parts of objects (e.g., characters and figures) in a manuscript will be greater than the handwritten parts. In manuscript D1 shown as an example in FIG. 5, the only handwritten object is the encircling line L1, and the other objects (characters) are printed parts.

[0033] Therefore, the detection unit 101, for example, analyzes the original image of the original D1, calculates the density of each object contained in the original image, divides the objects into two groups (a high-density group and a low-density group) based on their shade, detects the objects in the group with the smallest number of objects (objects with a predetermined low density) as objects in the handwritten portion, and further detects the encircling line L1 contained in the original D1 by detecting an image showing a closed line segment (an uninterrupted encircling line) from among the objects in the handwritten portion.

[0034] The image processing unit 102 changes the font of the characters within a font change area surrounded by the encircling line detected by the detection unit 101 in the original image obtained by reading the original by the original reading unit 5 to a specific font, and erases the encircling line from the original image.

[0035] For example, the image processing unit 102 extracts a character image from an image present in the closed region R1 surrounded by the encircling line L1, using an existing OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology or a machine learning algorithm for character recognition. Then, the image processing unit 102 changes the font of the character indicated by the extracted character image to a specific font (described later) using font data registered in the font data storage unit 81, that is, changes the extracted character image to a character image made of the specific font, and further erases the encircling line L1 from the document image to generate a processed image.

[0036] For example, when the specific font is set to "Gothic", the image processing unit 102 generates a processed image G1 as shown in Fig. 6 from the original image of the original D1 shown in Fig. 5. In the processed image G1, each character image that existed within the font change area (closed area R1) in the original image of the original D1 is changed to "Gothic", and further the encircling line L1 is erased. In Fig. 6, the part where the encircling line L1 was written is shown by a dashed line. The setting of the specific font will be explained in detail later.

[0037] The control unit 100 causes the image forming unit 12 to form the processed image on a recording medium. Alternatively, the control unit 100 transmits the processed image from the network interface unit 91 to an external device, or stores the processed image in the storage device 8. For example, the control unit 100 causes the image forming unit 12 to form a processed image G1 such as the example shown in FIG. 6 on a recording medium.

[0038] Next, a description will be given of a first embodiment of font conversion processing in the image forming apparatus 1. Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing a first embodiment of font conversion processing in the image forming apparatus 1. This processing is performed when the operation unit 47 receives an instruction from a user to change the font of characters in a scanned document and to print the scanned document (perform a copy operation).

[0039] The control unit 100 controls the operations of the document feed unit 6 and the document reading unit 5, etc., and causes the document reading unit 5 to read the document placed on the document placement tray 61 of the document feed unit 6 or the platen glass (S1).

[0040] Next, the control unit 100 causes the display unit 473 to display a font list showing fonts of various font data preregistered in the font data storage unit 81 (S2). This provides the user with an opportunity to select a specific font. Then, when a font type designation instruction is input to the operation unit 47 to select a desired font from the font list as a specific font, the control unit 100 sets the font selected by the instruction as a specific font in accordance with the font type designation instruction (S3).

[0041] The detection unit 101 executes a process of detecting an encircling line included in the document image obtained by the document reading unit 5 in S1 (S4).

[0042] The image processing unit 102 judges whether the detection unit 101 has detected an encircling line (S5). When the image processing unit 102 judges that the detection unit 101 has detected an encircling line (YES in S5), the image processing unit 102 extracts a character image from the image present in the closed area surrounded by the encircling line (S6). Then, the image processing unit 102 changes the extracted character image to a character image made of a specific font using the font data of the font set as the specific font in S3 from among the font data registered in the font data storage unit 81 (S7), and further erases the encircling line from the document image (S8), thereby generating a processed image.

[0043] On the other hand, if the image processing unit 102 determines that the detection unit 101 has not detected an encircling line (NO in S5), it extracts all character images in the original image as targets for font change (S9), performs image processing to change the extracted character images into character images consisting of a specific font (S10), and generates a processed image.

[0044] After S8 and S10, the control unit 100 causes the image forming unit 12 to form the processed image on a recording medium (S11), after which the process ends.

[0045] According to the first embodiment, when a user writes on a document D1 specifying a font change area by an encircling line L1, a document image is output in which the character images existing within the closed region R1 as the font change area are changed to images consisting of a specific font. Therefore, by performing the simple task of writing an encircling line L1 around the specific part where the user wants to change the font, the font of the characters existing in that part can be changed to a desired font.

[0046] Next, a second embodiment of the font conversion process in the image forming apparatus 1 will be described. In the first embodiment, the character image in the closed region is changed to a character image made of a specific font according to a font type designation instruction input by the user to the operation unit 47 to select a desired font as a specific font from the font list. In contrast, in the second embodiment, the detection unit 101 detects a predetermined keyword as a font type designation instruction from the document image, and the image processing unit 102 changes the character image in the closed region to a character image made of a specific font by using font data corresponding to the font (i.e., the specific font) indicated by the keyword detected by the detection unit 101 from among the font data stored in the font data storage unit 81.

[0047] The above keywords are, for example, "F1", "F2", "F3", etc., which are combinations of the initial letter "F" of Format and any one of the numbers "1" to "3". "Bold" is assigned to the keyword "F1", "underlined" to the keyword "F2", and "italic" to the keyword "F3", and these are stored in the image processing unit 102. The user can specify "bold", "underlined", or "italic" as a specific font by using the keyword. The keyword is also written on the manuscript.

[0048] Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a document in which the above keyword has been written. Document D2 shown in Fig. 8 is a document in which a user has written an encircling line L1 with a writing implement on document M1 shown in Fig. 4, and further written the character "F1" as the keyword W1. That is, Fig. 8 shows an example in which "F1" has been written as the keyword W1 on document D2, and the user wishes to change the font of the character image within the encircling line L1 to a "bold" font.

[0049] In addition, the user may be able to specify two or more formatting changes; for example, the user may be able to specify a formatting change to "bold" and "underlined" by entering the keyword "F12" into the manuscript.

[0050] The process of detecting a keyword written on a document by the detection unit 101 will be described below. The detection unit 101 detects the above-mentioned keyword written on a document from a document image obtained by reading the document by the document reading unit 5. For example, the detection unit 101 detects a handwritten object included in the document D2 by the process based on the density of the object described above, and further detects a character indicated by the handwritten object using an existing OCR technology or the like, thereby detecting the keyword W1 included in the document image.

[0051] The image processing unit 102 changes the format of the characters in the closed region by performing font conversion processing associated with the characters indicated by the keyword detected by the detection unit 101, and further erases the image indicating the keyword from the document image.

[0052] For example, as shown in Fig. 8, when "F1" is written in document D2 as a character indicating keyword W1, when detection unit 101 detects "F1" as a character indicating the keyword, image processing unit 102 specifies "bold" as a specific font associated with "F1", and changes the character image in the closed area surrounded by encircling line L1 to a character image consisting of "bold" using font data corresponding to "bold" from among the font data stored in font data storage unit 81, generating processed image G2 as shown in Fig. 9. In processed image G2, the characters in the part specified as the font change area (closed area R1) in document D2 are changed to "bold", and encircling line L1 and keyword W1 are erased.

[0053] According to the second embodiment described above, a user can change the font of the characters within the enclosed area to the desired font (here, "bold") by performing the simple task of writing a keyword and an enclosed line into the manuscript.

[0054] In the second embodiment, the control unit 100 may display on the display unit 473 an original image obtained by reading the original by the original reading unit 5, not only by characters indicating a keyword written on the original, and during this display, the operation unit 47 may accept as keywords characters input to the operation unit 47 by a user's operation or characters input by writing characters on the screen of the display unit 473 using a stylus pen, and the image processing unit 102 may perform conversion processing into a font corresponding to the keyword thus accepted.

[0055] For example, after the document D1 to be subjected to font change is read by the document reading unit 5, a waiting time is set, and during that waiting time, if the operation unit 47 accepts input of the keyword "F1" onto the screen of the display unit 473, or accepts operation on the physical key K1 indicating the function key "F1", the image processing unit 102 performs font conversion processing to the "bold" font associated with "F1".

[0056] Next, a third embodiment of the font conversion process in the image forming apparatus 1 will be described. Fig. 10 is a functional block diagram showing an outline of the main internal configuration of the image forming apparatus that executes the font conversion process according to the third embodiment. In the third embodiment, the control unit 10 of the image forming apparatus 1 functions as a first search unit 103 in addition to the control unit 100, detection unit 101, and image processing unit 102, by the operation of the processor in accordance with the control program stored in the storage device 8.

[0057] The first search unit 103 detects the font of characters included in a search target image, which is a document image obtained by document reading by the document reading unit 5 or a document image read out from a USB memory connected to the connector 7 under the control of the control unit 100, and sets the detected font as a specific font. The first search unit 103 searches the font data corresponding to the font of characters included in the search target image from the font data storage unit 81. For example, the first search unit 103 searches for the font of characters included in the search target image by pattern matching between a character image showing a character included in the search target image and a character image of the same character as the character included in the search target image, which is included in the font data registered in the font data storage unit 81. The image processing unit 102 sets the font obtained by the search by the first search unit 103 as a specific font.

[0058] The search target image, which is an original image obtained by reading an original by the original reading unit 5, may be an image formed on a paper medium such as a magazine, or the search target image, which is an original image read out under the control of the control unit 100 from a USB memory connected to the connector 7, may be an image showing a web page, etc.

[0059] For example, when a user finds characters in a font that the user likes in a magazine, the user has the document reading unit 5 read the page on which the characters are printed. When the user finds characters in a font that the user likes on a webpage, the user saves the image data of the webpage as a file in the external storage medium 71. The user then attaches the external storage medium 71 to the connector 7 and has the control unit 100 retrieve the file from the external storage medium 71. This makes it possible for the user to use a font that the user found in a magazine, webpage, or the like as a specific font.

[0060] The search destination for font data is not limited to the font data storage unit 81 included in the image forming apparatus 1, and may be an external font data storage unit. For example, the first search unit 103 acquires font data by accessing a website that provides font data via the network interface unit 91. The font data acquired from outside may be registered in the font data storage unit 81.

[0061] Next, a fourth embodiment of the font conversion process in the image forming apparatus 1 will be described. Fig. 11 is a functional block diagram showing an outline of the main internal configuration of the image forming apparatus that executes the font conversion process according to the fourth embodiment. In the fourth embodiment, the control unit 10 of the image forming apparatus 1 functions as a second search unit 104 in addition to the control unit 100, detection unit 101, and image processing unit 102, by the operation of the processor in accordance with the control program stored in the storage device 8.

[0062] The second search unit 104 detects a font having a similarity to the outline of a character input by the character input receiving unit that is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (e.g., 80%), and sets the detected font as a specific font. The second search unit 104 searches the font data storage unit 81 for font data associated with a font having a similarity to the outline of a character input by writing the character on the screen of the display unit 473 using a stylus pen that is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. For example, the second search unit 104 uses a touch panel equipped with a stylus pen and a writing pressure sensor as the character input receiving unit, and searches for the font of a character included in the search target image by pattern matching between a character image showing a character input by the touch panel and a character image of the same character as the received character included in the font data registered in the font data storage unit 81. The image processing unit 102 sets the font obtained by the search by the second search unit 104 as a specific font.

[0063] This makes it possible to use the font indicated by the handwritten characters as the specific font. When logging in to the image forming device 1, for example, a user signs his / her signature by handwriting using a touch panel equipped with a stylus pen and a pen pressure sensor as the character input acceptance unit, the characters entered by the user signature may be used to search for the above font. This eliminates the need for the user to enter characters just for font search, improving convenience.

[0064] As described in the third embodiment, the search destination for font data is not limited to the font data storage unit 81 included in the image forming apparatus 1, but may be an external font data storage unit such as a website.

[0065] The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible. In addition, in the above embodiment, the configuration and processing shown in the above embodiment using Figures 1 to 11 are merely one embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the configuration and processing. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 1. Image forming device 5 Document reading section 47 Control section 81 Font data storage unit 100 Control section 101 Detection unit 102 Image processing section 103 First Search Section 104 Second Search Section

Claims

1. an image acquisition unit for acquiring an original image; a detection unit that detects an encircling line for designating a font change area from the document image acquired by the image acquisition unit; an image processing unit that performs image processing to change the font of characters within a font change area in the original image that is surrounded by the encircling line detected by the detection unit to a specific font and to erase the encircling line from the original image.

2. Further comprising a storage unit for storing font data of a plurality of predetermined types of fonts, 2. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein the image processing unit changes the font of the characters in the font change area using font data corresponding to the font indicated by a font type designation instruction by a user as the specific font, the font data being stored in the memory unit.

3. The detection unit detects a predetermined keyword as the font type designation instruction from the document image, 3 . The image processing device according to claim 2 , wherein the image processing unit changes a font of characters in the font change area by using font data stored in the storage unit and corresponding to a font indicated by the keyword detected by the detection unit.

4. a first detection unit that detects a font of a character included in the search target image acquired by the image acquisition unit and sets the detected font as the specific font; 2. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein the image processing unit changes the font of the characters in the font change area using font data stored in the memory unit or provided by a website and corresponding to the specific font set by the first detection unit.

5. a character input receiving unit that receives handwritten character input; a second detection unit that detects a font having a similarity to an outline of a character input received by the character input receiving unit equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and sets the detected font as the specific font; The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the image processing unit changes the font of the characters in the font change area by using font data stored in the storage unit and corresponding to the specific font set by the second detection unit.

6. An image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium; a control unit that causes the image forming unit to form an image of the document image after the image processing by the image processing unit on the recording medium.

Images