JP2012213055A - Image processing device, image processing method, and image processing program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing device, an image processing method, and an image processing program which is, when vector data items overlap, capable of identifying the overlapping vector data while minimizing change of color information in the vector data.SOLUTION: The image processing device comprises overlapping detection means which detects overlapping of a first element image based on first drawing element data and a second element image based on second drawing element data. If the overlapping detection means detects overlapping and the area of the first element image is entirely included in the area of the second element image, the first element image is drawn after the drawing of the second element image.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and an image processing program.

  In general, image data such as CAD (Computer Aided Design) has a lot of vector data such as line drawings and text. Therefore, overlapping of drawing images between vector data in image data frequently occurs. In such a print image of image data such as CAD, for example, when drawing images of vector data of the same color overlap, it is difficult to identify which vector data is used to draw each part of the overlapping image. It is.

  Specifically, for example, when a drawing image based on vector data of black lines and a drawing image based on vector data such as a black character string “123” are overlapped, black lines and black characters are printed from the printed image. It is difficult to accurately distinguish and interpret the column information. As described above, when a plurality of drawing images of vector data of the same color overlap, the readability of information in the printed image is insufficient and inconvenient.

  Therefore, in Patent Document 1, in image forming processing, raster data and vector data (for example, a character string such as “ABCDEFGHIJ”) overlap, and the color information of the vector data is changed when the colors are the same or approximate. It is described.

JP 2009-302966 A

  However, the image forming apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 does not describe processing when vector data overlap. In addition, in the conventional image forming apparatus, if all vector data is included in the other vector data and is duplicated, it is included if overwriting is performed on the included vector data. The vector data of the other person may be hidden and invisible.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to solve at least a part of the problems described above, and the invention can be implemented as the following forms or application examples.

  Application Example 1 An image processing apparatus that performs image processing on drawing element data having drawing start coordinate information, drawing end coordinate information, and line width information, and includes a first element image based on first drawing element data, The duplication detection means for detecting duplication with the second element image based on the second drawing element data, wherein the duplication detection means detects the duplication, and all the regions of the first element image are An image processing apparatus, wherein when included in a region of a second element image, the first element image is drawn after the drawing of the second element image.

  According to the above-described image processing apparatus, the overlap detection unit detects the overlap between the first element image and the second element image, and the entire area of the first element image is included in the area of the second element image. When drawing, the first element image is drawn after drawing the second element image. After the second element image is drawn, the first element image that is entirely included in the area of the second element image is drawn, so that the first element image is made invisible because the second element image is overwritten. Can be avoided.

  Application Example 2 The drawing element data further includes color information, and the color information of the first drawing element data is compared with the color information of the second drawing element data so that a color difference is obtained. A color determination unit that determines whether or not the amount is within a fixed amount; and a color information change unit that changes the color information, wherein the entire region of the first element image is the region of the second element image. And when the color determining means determines that the color difference is within a predetermined amount, the color information of the first drawing element data and the color information of the second drawing element data. The image processing apparatus described above, wherein at least one of the color information is changed.

  According to the above-described image processing apparatus, when the entire area of the first element image is included in the area of the second element image and the color difference is determined by the color determination means to be within the predetermined amount, the color The information changing unit changes one or both of the color information of the drawing element data in which the duplication is detected. Thereby, it is possible to identify the first element image included in the entire area of the second element image.

  Application Example 3 In the image processing apparatus, the predetermined amount is 0.

  According to the above-described image processing apparatus, it is possible to reduce the pixel area whose color information is to be changed while making it possible to identify overlapping drawing images of the same color.

  Application Example 4 The image processing apparatus, wherein the predetermined amount is less than 3% of a maximum color difference in a color space that can be represented by the image processing apparatus.

  According to the above-described image processing apparatus, it is possible to reduce the pixel area whose color information is to be changed while making it possible to identify overlapping drawn images with colors that are difficult to identify.

  Application Example 5 An image processing method for performing image processing of drawing element data having drawing start coordinate information, drawing end coordinate information, and line width information, the first element image based on the first drawing element data, A duplication detection step of detecting duplication with the second element image based on the second drawing element data, wherein the duplication is detected in the duplication detection step, and all the regions of the first element image are An image processing method, wherein when included in a region of a second element image, the first element image is drawn after the drawing of the second element image.

  According to the above-described image processing method, the overlap between the first element image and the second element image is detected in the overlap detection step, and the entire area of the first element image is included in the area of the second element image. When drawing, the first element image is drawn after drawing the second element image. After the second element image is drawn, the first element image that is entirely included in the area of the second element image is drawn, so that the first element image is made invisible because the second element image is overwritten. Can be avoided.

  Application Example 6 An image processing program for performing image processing of drawing element data having drawing start coordinate information, drawing end coordinate information, and line width information, the first element image based on the first drawing element data, , Having a duplication detection function for detecting duplication with the second element image based on the second drawing element data, the duplication detection is detected by the duplication detection function, and all the regions of the first element image are An image processing program for causing a computer to execute drawing of the first element image after drawing of the second element image when included in the region of the second element image.

  According to the image processing program described above, the overlap between the first element image and the second element image is detected by the overlap detection function, and the entire area of the first element image is included in the area of the second element image. When drawing, the first element image is drawn after drawing the second element image. After the second element image is drawn, the first element image that is entirely included in the area of the second element image is drawn, so that the first element image is made invisible because the second element image is overwritten. Can be avoided.

1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a printing system having an image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment. The figure which shows the example of the image which shows a drawing example, and a drawing command list. The figure which shows the example which added drawing further. 6 is a flowchart for explaining an example of the flow of printing processing. The figure which shows the example which replaced the drawing order with respect to the drawing command list. The figure which shows the example in which the color information of the overlapping line segment and a line segment is the same. The figure which shows the example which changed one color information, when the color information of an overlapping line segment and a line segment is the same.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, but extends to the matters described in the claims and equivalents thereof.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a printing system having an image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment. The printing system shown in FIG. 1 includes a host computer 40 and a printer 10.
The host computer 40 includes a CPU 41, an application program 42, a RAM 43, a printer driver 44 as an image processing apparatus, an external interface (I / F) 45, and the like.
The application program 42 functions by cooperating with the CPU 41. The printer driver 44 includes a duplication detection unit 51, a color determination unit 52, a color information change unit 53, and the like. Each unit functions as a unit of the image processing apparatus by cooperating with the CPU 41. Details of the processing of each unit will be described later.

  In FIG. 1, when an application program 42 instructs the start of image data printing processing, it calls a GDI (Graphics Device Interface) drawing command and passes it to the printer driver 44. Although not shown, the host computer 40 has a GDI module. The GDI module provides the application program 42 with a common graphics interface that does not depend on an output device such as the printer 10 or the display of the host computer 40. Then, the printer driver 44 performs rendering processing based on the drawing command. As a result, image data 11 having 256 gradation color information of the RGB color system is generated for each pixel of resolution that can be printed by the printer 10, and transmitted to the printer 10 via the external I / F 45.

  On the other hand, the printer 10 includes a controller 20 and a print engine 30. The controller 20 includes, for example, an external I / F 22, an image forming program 23, a RAM 24, a CPU 21, a color conversion unit 27, a binarization unit 28, and the like. When the printer 10 receives the image data 11 via the external I / F 22 of the controller 20, the printer 10 executes the image forming program 23 to generate the image data 11 having 256 gradation color information of the RGB color system and the print engine 30. Are converted into image data in a printable format (for example, CMYK binary image data).

  Specifically, the color conversion unit 27 of the controller 20 converts the 256-color image data 11 of the RGB color system into an image of 256 colors of the CMYK color system corresponding to, for example, the color of the toner or ink of the printer 10. Convert to data. Further, the binarization unit 28 converts the gradation of the image data after the color conversion process (in this example, 256 gradations) into a binary value that indicates the presence / absence of a dot for each pixel. For the binarization processing, for example, a method such as an error diffusion method or a dither method is used. The print engine 30 forms an image on the print medium based on the binary image data of the CMYK color system.

  In the present embodiment, the printer 10 performs color conversion processing and binarization processing. However, the host computer 40 may perform these processing. In the present embodiment, the host computer 40 performs the duplication detection process, the color determination process, and the color information change process. However, the printer 10 may perform these processes.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image Pc showing a drawing example and a drawing command list CL1 of the image Pc in the present embodiment. An image Pc shown in FIG. 5A is an image drawn based on the drawing element data. The drawing element data includes drawing start coordinate information, drawing end coordinate information, line width information, and color information that define an element image to be drawn. Hereinafter, drawing element data will be described as vector data.

  The vector data for drawing the image Pc shown in FIG. 2A includes vector data B1 for drawing the line segment L1, vector data B2 for drawing the line segment L2, vector data B3 for drawing the line segment L3, and lines. It has vector data B4 for drawing the minute L4.

A drawing command list CL1 shown in FIG. 2B is an example of a drawing command passed to the printer driver 44 when the image Pc shown in FIG. Specifically, the drawing command C1 is a drawing command of the vector data B1 for drawing the line segment L1, and the start point coordinates (drawing start coordinates) P1-1 (12, 12) and end point coordinates (end of drawing) of the line segment L1. Coordinates) P1-2 (42, 12), line width information W1, and color information RGB1 are designated. Here, the color information RGB1 indicates black RGB1 = (0, 0, 0).
Similarly, drawing commands C2, C3, and C4 are drawing commands for vector data B2, B3, and B4 for drawing line segments L2, L3, and L4, respectively. The start point coordinates of the line segments L2, L3, and L4 are P2-1 (12, 20), P3-1 (12, 28), and P4-1 (12, 36), respectively, and the end point coordinates are P2-2. (42, 20), P3-2 (42, 28), P4-2 (42, 36). The line width information and the color information of the drawing commands C2, C3, and C4 are both the same as the drawing command C1, and the line width information W1 and the color information RGB1 = (0, 0, 0).

  The printer driver 44 performs rendering processing based on the rendering commands C1 to C4 in the rendering command list CL1 shown in FIG. 2B, and generates image data having 256 gradations of the RGB color system for each pixel.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example in which drawing is further added to the image Pc in FIG. 2. In FIG. 3A, the line segment L10 is overwritten on the area of the line segment L4 in FIG. The line segment L10 is drawn by the drawing command C10 added to the drawing command list CL1 in FIG. This drawing command C10 is a drawing command for vector data B10 for drawing the line segment L10. The start point coordinates P10-1 (12, 36) and end point coordinates P10-2 (42, 36) of the line segment L10, and line width information W2 and color information RGB2 are designated.

  Here, the line width information W2 of the drawing command C10 indicates a wider line width than the line width information W1 of the drawing commands C1 to C4. The color information RGB2 indicates gray RGB2 = (35, 35, 35). Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3A, the line segment L4 confirmed in FIG. 2 is overwritten by the line segment L10 having a line width wider than the line segment L4, and the line segment L4 is hidden and cannot be seen. It has become.

  Next, details of processing of the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining an example of the flow of printing processing in the present embodiment. The flowchart shown in the figure shows an operation corresponding to the problem that the line segment L4 is overwritten by the line segment L10 and cannot be seen in FIG.

First, when the printer driver 44 receives the drawing command list CL1 (see FIG. 3B), the duplication detection unit 51 (see FIG. 1) sets the drawing area of the vector data based on the drawing area indicated by the drawing command. It is detected whether or not they overlap (step S10). Specifically, the printer driver 44 determines that the drawing target pixel area indicated by the drawing command parameter overlaps the pixel area of another vector data that has already been drawn, or the pixel area indicated by the drawing command of another vector data. It is determined whether or not to do.
In the example of FIG. 3, the area of the line segment L4 by the drawing command C4 and the area of the line segment L10 by the drawing command C10 overlap.

  In the present embodiment, the first element image based on the first drawing element data is defined as a line segment L4 based on the vector data B4, and the second element image based on the second drawing element data is based on the vector data B10. Let it be line segment L10.

When the overlap of the drawing area of the vector data is detected (step S10: YES), the printer driver 44 determines whether or not the drawing area (small) is an overlap included in the drawing area (large) (step S10). S20).
In the example of FIG. 3, the area of the line segment L4 by the drawing command C4 is the drawing area (small), and the area of the line segment L10 by the drawing command C10 is the drawing area (large). The area of the line segment L4 is all included in the area of the line segment L10.

When the drawing area (small) is all included in the drawing area (large) (step S20: YES), the process proceeds to step S30, and the drawing order of the drawing command list CL1 is verified.
On the other hand, when the overlapping of the drawing area of the vector data is not detected (step S10: NO), or when the overlapping is detected (step S10: YES), one of the drawing areas (small) is drawn. If it is not included in the area (large) (step S20: NO), the printer driver 44 proceeds directly to step S70.

In step S30, the printer driver 44 determines whether or not the drawing command in the drawing command list CL1 has a format for drawing the drawing region (large) after the drawing region (small).
In the example of FIG. 3, as shown in the drawing command list CL1 of FIG. 3B, the drawing command C10 is positioned after the drawing command C4, and the drawing region (large) is drawn after the drawing region (small). It is a form to do.

When the drawing area (large) is drawn after the drawing area (small) (step S30: YES), the printer driver 44 uses the drawing command for the drawing area (small) and the drawing area (large) in the drawing command list CL1. The drawing order with the drawing command is switched (step S40).
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example in which the drawing order is changed with respect to the drawing command list CL1 shown in FIG. In the drawing command list CL2 shown in FIG. 5B, the drawing order of the drawing command C4 and the drawing command C10 is switched. That is, after the line segment L10 (drawing area (large)) is drawn, the line segment L4 (drawing area (small)) is drawn. By changing the drawing order, as shown in FIG. 5A, the line segment L4 is overwritten on the line segment L10 so that the line segment L4 hidden and invisible in FIG. 3A can be seen. It has become.

  On the other hand, when the drawing area (large) is not drawn after the drawing area (small) (step S30: NO), the printer driver 44 proceeds to the next step S50 without changing the drawing order.

In step S50, the printer driver 44 determines whether or not the color difference in the color information of the vector data in which the overlap is detected is within a predetermined amount by the color determination unit 52 (see FIG. 1) (step S50). .
When it is determined that the color difference is within the predetermined amount (step S50: YES), the printer driver 44 uses the color information change unit 53 (see FIG. 1) to determine the color information of the vector data as the color difference. It changes so that fixed quantity may be exceeded (step S60). Then, the process proceeds to the next step S70.
On the other hand, if the color difference in the color information of the vector data is not within the predetermined amount (step S50: NO), the printer driver 44 proceeds to step S70 without changing the color information.

  In the example of FIG. 5, the color difference between the color information RGB1 of the drawing command C4 and the color information RGB2 of the drawing command C10 is not within a predetermined amount (step S50: NO), that is, the overlapping line segment L4 and line segment L10. The color information is not changed.

  On the other hand, FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example in which the color information of the drawing command C4 and the drawing command C10 is the same. In the drawing command list CL3 shown in FIG. 6B, the drawing command C4 for the line segment L4 and the drawing command C10 for the line segment L10 are both color information RGB1 of the same color. For this reason, the color difference between the color information RGB1 of the overlapping line segment L4 and the color information RGB1 of the line segment L10 is within a predetermined amount (= 0) (step S50: YES). In this case, the color information is changed because it is difficult to distinguish the overlapping line segment L4 and line segment L10.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example in which one color information is changed when the color information of the drawing command C4 and the drawing command C10 is the same. In the drawing command list CL4 shown in FIG. 5B, the color information of the drawing command C4 for the line segment L4 is changed from RGB1 to RGB2. Due to this change in color information, it is difficult to distinguish between the line segment L4 and the line segment L10 in FIG. 6A, but in FIG.
In this embodiment, the color information of the drawing command C4 for the line segment L4 is changed from RGB1 to RGB2, but the color information of the drawing command C4 for the line segment L4 remains RGB1, and the drawing command for the line segment L10 is used. The color information of C10 may be changed from RGB1 to RGB2.

  Further, the predetermined amount of color difference in the present embodiment is, for example, less than about 3% of the maximum color difference in the color space that can be represented by the printing apparatus to be printed. For example, when the color difference based on the CIE2000 color difference formula is less than about 3% of the maximum color difference in the color space, it is difficult to distinguish both colors by human eyes based on actual measurements. It has been confirmed. However, the predetermined amount of the color difference varies depending on the model of the printing apparatus, aging deterioration, the type of color material to be used, and the like.

  Next, in step S70, the printer driver 44 performs a rendering process based on a vector data drawing command.

  In step S80, the printer driver 44 determines whether or not the processing has been completed for all the vector data drawing commands. If there is an unprocessed drawing command (step S80: NO), the process returns to step S10. The processes after S10 are repeated.

  On the other hand, when the processing for all the vector data drawing commands is completed (step S80: YES), the generated image data 11 is transmitted to the printer 10 (step S100).

When the image data 11 is input to the printer 10, the color conversion unit 27 of the printer 10 converts pixel data having RGB color system gradation values for each pixel into CMYK gradations that are toner color systems. Color conversion into pixel data having a value is performed (step S110).
Next, the image data is converted into image data having gradation that can be printed by the print engine 30 for each pixel by the binarization unit 28 (step S120), and is printed on a print medium such as paper by the print engine 30. (Step S130).

  As described above, in the present embodiment, as shown in the example of FIG. 3, as shown in the example of FIG. 5, the problem that the entire line segment L <b> 4 is hidden by the line segment L <b> 10 and cannot be seen is shown. This is done by changing the drawing order of the overlapping vector data. Further, as shown in the example of FIG. 6, when all of the line segment L4 is included in the area of the line segment L10 and the difference between the colors is within a predetermined amount, it is difficult to identify the line segment L4. , By changing the color of the line segment L4 or the line segment L10. As described above, the above-described correspondence is performed only when the vector data overlap each other and one vector data is all included in the other vector data area and is difficult to identify. Thereby, when vector data overlaps, it becomes possible to identify the overlapping vector data while minimizing the change of the color information of the vector data.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Printer, 11 ... Image data, 20 ... Controller, 21 ... CPU, 22 ... External I / F, 23 ... Image formation program, 24 ... RAM, 27 ... Color conversion unit, 28 ... Binarization unit, 30 ... Printing Engine, 40 ... Host computer, 41 ... CPU, 42 ... Application program, 43 ... RAM, 51 ... Duplicate detection unit, 52 ... Color judgment unit, 53 ... Color information change unit.

Claims (6)

An image processing apparatus that performs image processing of drawing element data having drawing start coordinate information, drawing end coordinate information, and line width information,
A duplication detecting means for detecting duplication of the first element image based on the first drawing element data and the second element image based on the second drawing element data;
When the duplication detection unit detects the duplication, and the entire area of the first element image is included in the area of the second element image, the first element image is drawn after the drawing of the second element image. An image processing apparatus for drawing an element image. The drawing element data further includes color information;
Color determination means for comparing the color information of the first drawing element data with the color information of the second drawing element data to determine whether a color difference is within a predetermined amount;
Color information changing means for changing the color information;
When the entire area of the first element image is included in the area of the second element image and the color determination unit determines that the color difference is within a predetermined amount, the first drawing element An image processing apparatus that changes at least one of the color information of the data and the color information of the second drawing element data.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined amount is zero.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined amount is less than 3% of a maximum color difference in a color space that can be represented by the image processing apparatus. An image processing method for performing image processing of drawing element data having drawing start coordinate information, drawing end coordinate information, and line width information,
A duplication detection step of detecting duplication of the first element image based on the first drawing element data and the second element image based on the second drawing element data;
When the duplication is detected in the duplication detection step, and the entire area of the first element image is included in the area of the second element image, the first element image is drawn after the drawing of the second element image. An image processing method characterized by drawing an element image. An image processing program for performing image processing of drawing element data having drawing start coordinate information, drawing end coordinate information, and line width information,
A duplication detection function for detecting duplication between the first element image based on the first drawing element data and the second element image based on the second drawing element data;
When the overlap is detected by the overlap detection function, and the entire area of the first element image is included in the area of the second element image, the first element image is drawn after the drawing of the second element image. An image processing program for causing a computer to draw an element image.

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