Image processing device

Abstract

To obtain an image processing device that outputs document images with image characteristics desired by the user. [Solution] The document image acquisition unit 21 acquires a document image. The image characteristic determination unit 22 determines specific image characteristics of the document image. The image list print unit 23 generates an image list image showing the output settings along with the document image with output settings corresponding to the determined image characteristics of the document image, and prints the image list image with the print device 12 to generate an image list sheet. The user instruction identification unit 24 reads the image of the image list sheet with the image reading device 11, identifies user instructions additionally written on the image list sheet based on the image of the image list sheet, and changes the output settings according to the identified user instructions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] A certain image forming apparatus reads an image of a document to acquire image data, and based on color information of the image data, determines whether the color type of the document is a full-color document, a black document, or a two-color document, and switches image processing and printing operation according to the determined color type (for example, see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the above-described image forming apparatus, when the color type is erroneously determined, or when the user wishes to specify a color type regardless of the color type of the document, the document image is not output with the color type desired by the user.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to obtain an image processing apparatus that outputs a document image with image characteristics desired by a user.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The image processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a document image acquisition unit that acquires a document image; an image characteristic determination unit that determines specific image characteristics of the document image; an image list printing unit that generates an image list image showing the output settings along with the document image with output settings corresponding to the image characteristics determined for the document image, and prints the image list image with a printing device to generate an image list sheet; and a user instruction identification unit that reads the image of the image list sheet with an image reading device, identifies user instructions additionally written on the image list sheet based on the image of the image list sheet, and changes the output settings according to the identified user instructions. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, an image processing apparatus is obtained that outputs a document image with image characteristics desired by the user.

[0008] The above or other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become even more apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows an example of an image list sheet when the output setting is set to color. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows an example of images read from the image list sheet shown in Figure 2, with additional user instructions added. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows another example of images read from the image list sheet shown in Figure 2, with additional user instructions. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows an example of an image list sheet when the output setting is resolution setting. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows an example of images read from the image list sheet shown in Figure 5, with additional user instructions added. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the image processing device shown in Figure 1. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the figures.

[0011] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The image processing apparatus shown in Figure 1 is an image forming apparatus, such as a multifunction printer. The image forming apparatus shown in Figure 1 includes an image reading device 11, a printing device 12, an operation panel 13, a communication device 14, a storage device 15, a controller 16, and the like.

[0012] The image reading device 11 is an internal device that optically reads images of documents placed on a platen glass or documents fed by an automatic document feeder, and generates image data of the read images. In this case, the image reading device 11 generates color image data (such as RGB data) of the document image.

[0013] The printing device 12 is an internal device that prints documents, images, and the like. The printing device 12 prints using electrophotographic or inkjet methods with predetermined multiple colors of colorants (ink, toner, etc.) and with specified output settings (color settings, resolution settings, etc.).

[0014] The operation panel 13 is an internal device located on the top surface of the housing of the image forming apparatus, and includes a display device 13a that displays an operation screen to the user and an input device 13b that receives user input. The display device 13a is a liquid crystal display or the like. The input device 13b is a hard key, a touch panel that works with the display device 13a to provide soft keys, or the like.

[0015] The communication device 14 is an internal device that performs data communication with terminal devices and servers (not shown), such as a network interface or a short-range communication interface.

[0016] The storage device 15 is a non-volatile storage device such as a flash memory, and stores data and programs.

[0017] The controller 16 includes a computer having a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc., an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), etc., and operates as various processing units. The controller 16 loads a program stored in the ROM or the storage device 15 into the RAM and executes the program with the CPU to operate as various processing units by software, or operates as various processing units by hardware with an ASIC or the like. In addition, the controller 16 controls internal devices to execute various processes.

[0018] Here, the controller 16 operates as a document image acquisition unit 21, an image characteristic determination unit 22, an image list print unit 23, a user instruction identification unit 24, an image processing unit 25, and an output processing unit 26.

[0019] The document image acquisition unit 21 acquires image data of a document image of one or a plurality of pages from the image reading device 11, the communication device 14, the storage device 15, or the like. The image data of the document image is generated by the image reading device 11, stored in the storage device 15, or received by the communication device 14.

[0020] The image characteristic determination unit 22 determines a specific image characteristic of the document image. The specific image characteristic is selected corresponding to an output setting to be described later.

[0021] Here, output characteristics include color settings, resolution settings, and density, or a combination of two or three of these. For example, if the output settings include color settings, then the specific image characteristics include color characteristics (color or monochrome). For example, if the output settings include resolution settings, then the specific image characteristics include the distribution of object sizes in the document image, the distribution of font sizes in the document image, the spatial frequency distribution of the document image, etc. For example, if the output settings include density, then the specific image characteristics include the density of objects in the document image.

[0022] The image list printing unit 23 generates an image list image showing the output settings along with the document image with output settings corresponding to the image characteristics determined for the document image described above, and prints the image list image onto a print sheet using the printing device 12 to generate an image list sheet.

[0023] The user instruction identification unit 24 reads the image of the image list sheet with the image reading device 11, identifies user instructions additionally written on the image list sheet based on the image of the image list sheet, and changes the output settings according to the identified user instructions.

[0024] For example, if the document image is a multi-page image (i.e., if the document image is generated by continuously reading multiple documents using the automatic document transport device of the image reader 11, or if the document image is a multi-page PDF file), the image characteristic determination unit 22 individually determines the specific image characteristics of each of the multiple page images, and the image list print unit 23 generates an image list image that shows the output settings for each of the multiple page images along with the document image with the output settings corresponding to the determined image characteristics, and prints the image list image with the print device 12 to generate an image list sheet. The user instruction identification unit 24 then reads the image of the image list sheet with the image reader 11, identifies the user instructions additionally written on the image list sheet based on the image of the image list sheet, (a) identifies the page image selected by the user from among the multiple page images on the image list sheet based on the identified user instructions, and (b) changes the output settings of the selected page image according to the identified user instructions.

[0025] Figure 2 shows an example of an image list sheet when the output setting is set to color. Figure 3 shows an example of a read image from the image list sheet shown in Figure 2, with additional user instructions added.

[0026] For example, the image list sheet 101 shown in Figure 2 includes eight page images 111-1 to 111-8 and image characteristic marks (images indicating image characteristics, in Figure 2 the letter "C" indicating color or the letter "M" indicating monochrome) 112-1 to 112-8 attached to each of the page images 111-1 to 111-8.

[0027] Note that, as shown in Figure 2 for example, each page image 111-i is a reduced image or thumbnail image scaled down according to the number of pages in the document image. In Figure 2, page images 111-1 to 111-6 and 111-8 are color images, while page image 111-7 is a monochrome image.

[0028] For example, the read image 201 shown in Figure 3 includes, in addition to the page images 111-1 to 111-8 and image characteristic marks 112-1 to 112-8 mentioned above, user instructions 211-1 and 211-2 for selecting page image 111-j (j=1,···,8) and user instructions 212-1 and 212-2 for changing the output settings for the selected page image 111-j. These user instructions 211-1, 211-2, 212-1, and 212-2 indicate a change in the color setting from color to monochrome for page images 111-3 and 111-5.

[0029] Here, the user instructions mentioned above are additionally written by hand on the image list sheet, and the user instruction identification unit 24 identifies the user instructions in object detection using a machine learning learner trained in an existing method.

[0030] Specifically, user instructions 211-1 and 211-2, which select page image 111-j, are handwritten shapes with a specific form (in this case, a border), and the user instruction identification unit 24 uses a machine learning model trained on that specific shape to detect user instructions 211-1 and 211-2 through object detection. In addition, user instructions 212-1 and 212-2, which indicate a change in output settings, are handwritten text, and the user instruction identification unit 24 uses a machine learning model trained on that handwritten text to detect user instructions 211-1 and 211-2 through object detection, converts the text into text data using character recognition processing, and identifies the converted output settings based on the obtained text data. Furthermore, the locations of user instructions 211-1, 211-2, 212-1, and 212-2 are identified by object detection, and based on these locations and the locations of each page image 111-j, the page image 111-j to which user instructions 211-1, 211-2, 212-1, and 212-2 are attached is identified.

[0031] Figure 4 shows another example of images read from the image list sheet shown in Figure 2, with additional user instructions. For example, in the case shown in Figure 4, text data for user instruction 212-3 is obtained, and among page images 111-1 to 111-7 other than page image 111-8 selected by user instruction 211-3, page images 111-1 to 111-6 that do not have a monochrome color setting are selected as targets for changing the output settings (color settings).

[0032] Figure 5 shows an example of an image list sheet when the output setting is a resolution setting. Figure 6 shows an example of a read image from the image list sheet shown in Figure 5, with additional user instructions written on it.

[0033] For example, the image list sheet 101 shown in Figure 5 contains eight page images 111-1 to 111-8 and image characteristic marks (images indicating image characteristics, in Figure 5 the character "6" indicating 600 dpi or the character "3" indicating 300 dpi) 112-112-8 attached to each of the page images 111-1 to 111-8.

[0034] For example, the read image 201 shown in Figure 6 includes the page images 111-1 to 111-8 and image characteristic marks 112-1 to 112-8 mentioned above, as well as user instructions 211-1 and 211-2 for selecting page image 111-j, and user instructions 212-1 and 212-2 for changing the output settings for the selected page image 111-j. These user instructions 211-1, 211-2, 212-1, and 212-2 indicate a change in the resolution setting from 300 dpi to 600 dpi for page images 111-3 and 111-5.

[0035] Returning to Figure 1, the image processing unit 25, when the output settings are changed, converts the document image (page image) according to the changes in the output settings. For example, it may perform resolution conversion, color conversion, density conversion, etc. of the document image.

[0036] The document image acquisition unit 21 stores the image data of the document image in the memory of the storage device 14 or the controller 16. The image list printing unit 23 generates a document image with the modified output settings based on that image data, generates an image list image showing the modified output settings along with the document image with the modified output settings, and prints the image list image with the printing device 12 to generate an image list sheet. In other words, because the image data of the original document image is stored, the document image acquisition unit 21 does not need to acquire the document image again from the image reading device 11 or the communication device 14 after the output settings have been changed based on user instructions.

[0037] Furthermore, the output processing unit 26 outputs the document image using the modified output settings (printing by the printing device 12, data transmission by the communication device 14, data storage in the storage device 15, etc.).

[0038] Next, the operation of the image processing device described above will be explained. Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the image processing device shown in Figure 1.

[0039] First, the document image acquisition unit 21 acquires image data of a document consisting of one or more pages (step S1).

[0040] Next, the image characteristic determination unit 22 determines specific image characteristics of the document image (each page image) (step S2).

[0041] The image list printing unit 23 identifies an output setting corresponding to the image characteristics determined for the document image described above (step S3), generates an image list image with that output setting, and prints the image list image onto a print sheet using the printing device 12 to generate an image list sheet 101 (step S4).

[0042] The user views the image list sheet 101 and decides whether or not to approve the output settings for the page images shown on the image list sheet 101. If the user does not approve the output settings, they add user instructions to the image list sheet 101 as described above, set the modified image list sheet 101 in the image reading device 11, and perform user operations on the input device 13b to start image reading. The user then performs user operations on the input device 13b indicating whether or not to approve the output settings for the page images shown on the image list sheet 101.

[0043] The output processing unit 26 determines whether a user operation approving the output settings has been detected by the input device 13b (step S5). If a user operation approving the output settings has been detected by the input device 13b, the unit outputs the document image with the current output settings (step S6).

[0044] On the other hand, if no user operation approving the output settings is detected by the input device 13b (i.e., if a user operation for changing the output settings is detected by the input device 13b), the user instruction identification unit 24 reads the image of the image list sheet 101 with the image reading device 11 according to the user operation described above (step S7), identifies any additional user instructions written on the image list sheet 101 based on the read image 201 of the image list sheet 101, identifies the page images for which the output settings should be changed (step S8), and changes the output settings for the identified page images according to the user instructions (step S9).

[0045] Then, returning to step S4, the image list printing unit 23 generates an image list image with the changed output settings, and the printing device 12 prints the image list image onto a print sheet to generate the image list sheet 101 (step S4). Subsequently, the processing from step S5 onward is carried out similarly. In this way, the output settings are changed repeatedly as needed until the user approves, and the image list sheet 101 with the changed output settings is generated. Once the user approves, the document images are output with the output settings for each page image at that time.

[0046] As described above, according to the above embodiment, the document image acquisition unit 21 acquires a document image. The image characteristic determination unit 22 determines specific image characteristics of the document image. The image list print unit 23 generates an image list image showing the output settings along with the document image of the output settings corresponding to the determined image characteristics of the document image, and prints the image list image with the print device 12 to generate an image list sheet. The user instruction identification unit 24 reads the image of the image list sheet with the image reading device 11, identifies user instructions additionally written on the image list sheet based on the image of the image list sheet, and changes the output settings according to the identified user instructions.

[0047] This allows users to check the output settings on the image list sheet 101 and change the output settings for each page, ensuring that document images are output with the image characteristics desired by the user.

[0048] Furthermore, various changes and modifications to the embodiments described above will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the subject matter and without diminishing the intended advantages. In other words, such changes and modifications are intended to be included in the claims.

[0049] For example, in the above embodiment, the image processing apparatus is an image forming apparatus, but it may also be a personal computer or a server. In that case, an external printing device or image reading device may be used as needed. [Industrial applicability]

[0050] The present invention is applicable, for example, to an image processing apparatus. [Explanation of symbols]

[0051] 11 Image reading device 12 Printing device 21 Document Image Acquisition Unit 22 Image characteristic determination unit 23 Image List Print Section 24 User Instruction Identification Unit

Claims

1. A document image acquisition unit that acquires document images, An image characteristic determination unit that determines specific image characteristics of the document image, An image list printing unit generates an image list image showing the output settings along with the document image with output settings corresponding to the image characteristics determined for the document image, and prints the image list image with a printing device to generate an image list sheet. A user instruction identification unit reads the images on the image list sheet using an image reading device, identifies user instructions additionally written on the image list sheet based on the images on the image list sheet, and changes the output settings according to the identified user instructions. An image processing apparatus characterized by comprising:

2. The document image acquisition unit acquires the document image as multiple page images, The image characteristic determination unit determines specific image characteristics of the plurality of page images, The image list printing unit generates an image list image that shows the output settings for each of the multiple page images, along with the document image with output settings corresponding to the image characteristics determined for each of the multiple page images, and prints the image list image with a printing device to generate an image list sheet. The user instruction identification unit reads the image of the image list sheet with the image reading device, identifies user instructions additionally written on the image list sheet based on the image of the image list sheet, (a) identifies the page image selected by the user from among the multiple page images in the image list sheet based on the identified user instructions, and (b) changes the output settings of the selected page image in accordance with the identified user instructions. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that

3. The device further comprises a storage device for storing image data of the aforementioned document image, The image list printing unit generates the document image of the modified output settings based on the image data, generates an image list image showing the modified output settings together with the document image of the modified output settings, and prints the image list image with a printing device to generate an image list sheet. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that

4. The user instructions are additionally written by hand on the image list sheet. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user instruction identification unit identifies the user instruction by object detection using a machine learning-trained learner.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the output characteristics include any of color setting, resolution setting, and density.

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