Document Creation Apparatus Shadow Analysis for Double-Page Division
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image forming apparatuses face difficulties in accurately determining whether a double-page spread document should be divided, as shadows from folded portions can mislead the system into incorrectly identifying the document type, leading to improper division or non-division of images.
Innovation Solution
A document creation apparatus that includes an image reading unit, a printing unit, an extraction unit, a generation unit, a division determination unit, and an image division processing unit, which extracts data from planned division regions, generates reference data, and compares it with document image data to determine if division is possible, effectively ignoring shadow data from folded portions to make precise determinations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the image forming apparatus uses conventional shadow detection to determine document type, then it can identify folded portions, but it cannot reliably distinguish between two-page documents and one-page documents
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the document image into multiple regions (first region, second region, third region) and analyzes shadow characteristics in each segment separately. By comparing shadow widths across different segments and against stored reference data, the system can distinguish between genuine document folds and artifacts, thereby reliably determining whether division is appropriate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter being analyzed from simple shadow presence to shadow width comparison. It measures and compares shadow widths in different regions, and compares these measurements against stored reference data with predetermined widths. This parameter transformation enables reliable distinction between document types that conventional methods cannot differentiate.
2Productivity
If the apparatus divides documents based on shadow detection, then it can separate two-page spreads, but it incorrectly divides one-page documents that have folded portions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by storing reference data representing shadow characteristics of truly divided two-page documents before processing new documents. This pre-stored reference data serves as a benchmark for comparison, allowing the system to make accurate division decisions without mistakenly dividing one-page documents that happen to have folds.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback by comparing shadow characteristics of the current document against stored reference data and adjusting the division determination accordingly. The comparison of shadow widths in multiple regions provides feedback that confirms whether the document type matches the reference pattern, preventing erroneous division of one-page documents.
3Ease of operation
If the apparatus processes all double-page spread documents uniformly, then it simplifies the processing workflow, but it cannot handle mixed document types (two-page and one-page spreads) correctly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamics by making the processing path adaptive rather than fixed. The system dynamically determines whether to divide or not divide based on real-time analysis of shadow characteristics in multiple regions and comparison with reference data. This dynamic approach allows the workflow to automatically adapt to different document types while maintaining overall simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by analyzing shadow characteristics in specific local regions (first, second, and third regions) rather than treating the entire document uniformly. By examining shadow widths in these localized segments and comparing them against reference data, the system can correctly handle mixed document types while keeping the overall processing approach straightforward.
Data Source
AI summary
The document creation apparatus includes a planned division region data extraction unit that extracts data of a planned division region from document image data for each of all pages of a double-page spread document; a reference data generation unit that generates reference data for the planned division regions based on the extracted data of the planned division regions of all pages; a division determination unit that, if a difference between the reference data and the data of the planned division region is larger than or equal to a preset determination threshold, determines that division is impossible, and if the difference is smaller than the determination threshold, determines that division is possible; and an image division processing unit that, if the determination result is that division is impossible, prints the document image data without dividing the document image data, and if the determination result is that division is possible, divides and prints the document image data.