JPH10164351A - Image processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simultaneously recognize the contents of each image information and to easily recognize the hierarchical relation of each image information by performing display as synthetic images vertically piled up based on a set display order. SOLUTION: The image information read in an image read part 2 is stored in an image memory 23 and displayed at a display part 29, an image processing is performed further and images are formed in a printing part 3. A hierarchy which is the display order of the image information read in the image read part 2 is set in a layer setting part 22 and stored in the image memory 23 along with the display order. An image selection area control part 30 for controlling the image information displayed at the display part 29 controls the setting of the display order, gradation at the time of performing display, display range and display magnification, etc., of the image information stored inside the image memory 23. In an image selection area specifying part 31 for receiving an instruction by a cursor on the screen of the display part 29, the setting values are specified by using an operation part 32 composed of the operation means of a mouse and a keyboard, etc.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, and more particularly to an image processing apparatus that reads a plurality of image information and superimposes and displays the plurality of images.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There have been proposed various image processing apparatuses for reading a plurality of image information and superimposing and displaying the plurality of images. For example, there is an image processing apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 5-30338. . In this device, a plurality of pieces of image information read from a scanner are stored in an image buffer memory, and the pieces of image information are superimposed on each other in a transmission mode or an overwrite mode, and displayed on a CRT display. For each piece of image information, it is possible to specify an area to be actually output on the display screen of the CRT display. The specified area is stored in a memory for each piece of image information, and a CR is used as a composite image.
It is displayed on the T display.

[0003]

In such an image processing apparatus, when image information is combined in the overwrite mode, the image information displayed on the uppermost layer is easy to recognize, but is displayed on the lower layer. There is a problem that it is difficult to recognize the image information that has been overwritten because the upper image information is overwritten. In particular, when the superimposed area is large, the lower image information may hardly be seen.

[0004] When displayed in the equivalent mode,
Since the display method of each image information is the same, it is difficult to determine which image information is located on the uppermost layer. Further, since the lower image information overlaps with the same gradation, there is a problem that it is difficult to recognize the uppermost image information. further,
It is difficult to recognize that each piece of image information is synthesized in a hierarchical structure in the vertical direction, and it is difficult for a beginner to understand such a concept of a layer.

An object of the present invention is to read a plurality of image information and display the same on a display means, and when processing a display image to create a composite image, the contents of each image information can be simultaneously recognized. Another object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus capable of easily grasping the hierarchical relationship of each piece of image information.

[0006]

An image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes an image reading unit, an image storage unit, a display order setting unit, an image processing unit, a display unit, and a receiving unit. . The image reading means reads image information. The image storage means stores image information read by the image reading means. The display order setting means sets, for each image information, a display order indicating a hierarchy when a plurality of pieces of image information are vertically overlapped and synthesized. The image processing means changes the gradation at which each image information is displayed according to the display order, and forms a composite image by superimposing the image information so that the image information having the lower display order can be recognized. The display means displays the composite image superimposed by the image processing means. The receiving means receives the instruction to change the display order and causes the image processing means to update the composite image.

[0007] In the image processing apparatus according to the present invention, a plurality of pieces of image information read by the image reading means are stored in the image storage means. Each image information is displayed on the display means as a composite image superimposed on the top and bottom based on the display order set by the display order setting means. The display order can be set, for example, according to the order in which the image reading unit has performed the reading operation, and can be changed by receiving an instruction to change the display order from the receiving unit. Based on the display order, each image information is superimposed so that lower-level image information can be recognized while changing the gradation, thereby forming a composite image. When constructing the composite image, it is conceivable that the lower the display order, the higher the brightness and the lower the saturation of the image information, and the composite image is formed by superimposing. In this case, the lower the image information in the display order, the lower the gradation and the closer to an achromatic image, so that the image information in the uppermost layer can be clearly recognized and the lower image information can be discriminated. It is possible to provide an image processing apparatus capable of easily and easily grasping the hierarchical relationship of each image information at a glance.

For example, the values of the display order k _i are set to 0, 1, 2,... From the highest position, the color of the image information located at the highest position (k _i = 0) is all gradations, and the other image information is all gradation * can be configured to set the gray level of _{(1 / (k i +1)} ). Further, each image information can be reduced and displayed as an icon on the display means. In this case, the display order of the image information can be changed by operating the icon displayed on the display means. For example, if the operated icon corresponds to image information other than the topmost one, this image information is located on the topmost layer, and the image information located between the topmost layer and this image information is displayed. The display order is sequentially shifted one by one. This change in the display order is also reflected in the display gradation of each image information, and the image information selected by the icon is displayed as the uppermost layer image in all gradations. In addition, an icon corresponding to the image information currently located on the uppermost layer may be configured to be displayed in reverse video. Further, it is possible to provide output means for outputting the composite image displayed on the display means to a storage medium.

[0009]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an image processing apparatus to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied.
In FIG. 1, an image processing apparatus 1 has an image reading unit 2 located at an upper part and a printing unit 3 located at a lower part.
The image reading unit 2 has a document table 4 fixed on the upper surface, and a document holder 5 is provided on the upper surface of the document table 4 so as to be freely opened and closed. An exposure device 6 for reading a document image placed on a document table 4 is provided inside the image reading unit 2. The exposure device 6 includes a light source, a mirror, a lens unit, and the like. A CCD image sensor 7 is provided at a position where a document image is formed by the exposure device 6. CC
The D image sensor 7 is connected to an image memory (not shown), and is configured to store read image information in the image memory. On the upper surface of the image reading unit 2,
A numeric keypad and a print key for instructing a copying operation, key switches for mode selection, and a display device such as a CRT display or a liquid crystal display device are provided.

The print section 3 is provided with paper feed cassettes 8a and 8b and a bypass tray 9 located on the right side of the drawing, and a discharge tray 10 on the left side of the drawing for discharging sheets on which images have been formed. Is provided. Also, the print unit 3
The photosensitive drum 11 on the surface of which an electrostatic latent image is formed is disposed at the center. Around the photosensitive drum 11, a charging device 12, a laser unit 13, a developing device 14, a transfer device 15, a paper separating device 16, and a cleaning device 17 are arranged. A paper feed path 18 for feeding paper from the paper feed cassettes 8 a and 8 b and the bypass tray 9 toward the photosensitive drum 11 is provided. Further, between the photosensitive drum 11 and the paper discharge tray 10, a paper discharge transport path 19, a fixing device 20 for fixing a transferred image on the paper, and a discharge roller 21 are arranged.

The image information read by the image reading unit 2 is:
The image data is stored in an image memory, displayed on a display unit such as a CRT display or a liquid crystal display device, and further subjected to various types of image processing in an image processing unit.
As a result, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum 11. FIG. 2 shows a control block diagram of the image processing unit.

The image reading section 2 is connected to a layer setting section 22 for setting a hierarchy which is a display order of image information read by the CCD image sensor 7. Layer setting unit 2
2 is connected to an image memory 23 for storing the image information read by the image reading unit 2 together with the display order set by the layer setting unit 22. The image memory 23
A gradation setting unit 24 for setting a gradation when each image information is displayed, and a display range setting unit 2 for setting a display range
5, connected to a display memory 28 via an enlargement / reduction setting unit 26 for setting a magnification and an image combination setting unit 27 for combining respective image information. The display memory 28 is connected to the display unit 29 which is a CRT display, a liquid crystal display device or other display means, and the printing unit 3 which forms a composite image set by the image combination setting unit 27 on paper.

An image memory 23, a gradation setting section 24, a display range setting section 25, an enlargement / reduction setting section 26, and an image synthesis setting section 2.
7 are connected to an image selection area control unit 30 for controlling image information displayed on the display unit 29, respectively. The image selection area control unit 30 displays the display order of the image information stored in the image memory 23, the gradation when displaying, the display range,
It performs setting control such as display magnification. The image selection area control unit 30 is connected to an image selection area specification unit 31 that receives an instruction from a cursor on the screen of the display unit 29, for example, to specify each set value. The image selection area designation unit 31 is connected to an operation unit 32 including a mouse, a keyboard, a touch panel, and other operation means.

The image processing apparatus according to this embodiment is configured to function also as a normal copying machine, and operates according to a flowchart shown in FIG.
When the power is turned on, various parameters are initialized in step S1. In step S2, the image reading unit 2
It is determined whether or not a key provided on the upper surface of is operated. When it is determined that a key operation has been performed, the process proceeds to step S3, and when it is determined that no key operation has been performed, the process proceeds to step S5. In step S3, it is determined whether or not the copy mode is set. This copy mode can be set by a mode selection key provided on the upper surface of the image reading unit 2. If the frequency of use as a copying machine is high, step S is executed.
The copy mode may be set by default at the initial setting of 1.

If it is determined in step S3 that the copy mode has been set, the process proceeds to step S4. In step S4, a normal copying operation is performed according to the key operation, and the process proceeds to step S5. If it is determined in step S3 that the copy mode has not been set, the process proceeds to step S3.
Move to 6. In step S6, it is determined whether or not the mode is the combining mode. In this combination mode, as in the copy mode,
The setting can be made by a mode selection key provided on the upper surface of the image reading unit 2, and when the frequency of the image synthesizing process is high, the synthesizing mode may be set by default at the initial setting in step S1.

If it is determined in step S6 that the combination mode has been set, the process proceeds to step S7. In step S7, a combination mode process is performed according to the key operation, and the process proceeds to step S5. If it is determined in step S6 that the combination mode has not been set, the process proceeds to step S8. In step S8, another mode process is performed. In step S5, other processing is performed.

The combination mode processing in step S7 in FIG. 3 will be described with reference to FIGS. In step S11,
The variable k used to set the display order is set to 0. In step S12, image information is read. Here, the image reading unit 2 is operated to read the document image placed on the document table 4 from the CCD image sensor 7. In step S13, the read image information A _i (i = 0,
1,2, by substituting the value of the current variable k in hierarchy variable k _i indicating the display order of ...), stores the image information A _i with hierarchy variable k _i in the image memory 23. The image information A _i stored in the image memory 23 is stored in a target image setting process in step S14, a gradation setting process in step S15, and a step S16.
Are stored in the display memory 28 through the display position setting process of step S17, the enlargement / reduction setting process of step S17, and the combination setting process of step S18, and are displayed on the display unit 29 in step S19. For example, the first read image information A ₀
The value of the hierarchical variable k ₀ is set to 0, and this image information A ₀ is displayed as an image located at the uppermost layer as shown in FIG.

In step S20, it is determined whether there is image information to be read next. If it is determined that there is next image information, the process proceeds to step S21. Step S2
At 1, the value of the variable k is set to the maximum value of the hierarchical variable k _i of each image information A _i +1. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S12,
The next image information is read. For example, image information A
_The image information A ₁ read after ₀ is stored in the image memory 23 together with the hierarchy variable k ₁ , and is displayed in step S 19 through each process. The image information A ₀ , A ₁ , A _2, ... Read in this way are sequentially hierarchized and displayed according to the respective hierarchical variables k ₀ , k ₁ , k ₂ ,.

FIG. 6 shows the target image setting process in step S14. First, in step S31, the operation unit 32
Then, it is determined whether or not the change of the target image to be edited is specified by the operation from. The change designation of the target image can be configured to accept an input by a key operation, or can be configured to be accepted by a mouse operation. If it is determined that there is a change specification to the image information A _a for editing, the process proceeds to step S32. In step S32, the hierarchy variable k _a of the designated image information A _a are decision zero. Hierarchy variable k of the image information _{A a}
If it is determined that _a is not 0, the process moves to step S33. In step S33, the image information having a smaller hierarchy variable than hierarchy variable k _a of the designated image are decision exists. If it is determined that there is image information having a smaller hierarchy variable than hierarchy variable k _a process proceeds to step S34.

In step S34, the designated image information
A_aHierarchical variable k_aImage information with smaller hierarchical variables
Report A_iFor each hierarchical variable k_iOne by one
Increment. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S35.
And the designated image information A_aHierarchical variable k_aIs 0 and
I do. For example, as shown in FIG.₀,
A₁, A_TwoHierarchical variable k₀, K₁, K_TwoAre 0,
1 and 2, and it is assumed that the display
Set. The image information A is displayed by a mouse instruction or the like.₁Against
If the target image is specified, the image information A₁Hierarchy variable
k₁Information A having a smaller value than₀Hierarchical variable k₀
Is incremented by k₀= 1 and image information A₁Floor
Layer variable k₁= 0, as shown in FIG.
Image information A ₁Is displayed on the top layer.

The gradation setting process in step S15 is as follows.
As shown in FIG. 7, in step S41, based on the hierarchy variable k _i of each image information A _i, is set to 1 / (k _i +1) of all gradations of the gradation of each image. For example, as shown in FIG. 15, image information A _i with k _i = 0 is output as it is with respect to the input R, G, B signals, and k i
_The image information A _i with _i = 1 is output with a half gradation, and the image information A _i with k _i = 2 is output with ３.
And the output of the gradation, the output gradation of sequential 1 / (k _i +1) later. As a result, the lower the hierarchical image information, the higher the brightness, the lower the saturation, and the respective image information can be superimposed and displayed in a recognizable state.

Display position setting processing in step S16
Is shown in FIG. Image information A as shown in FIG._iHierarchy
Variable k_iIs 0 and specified as the target image
Consider the case where In step S51, this image
Information A _iWhether the cut operation was specified for
Determine. This includes, for example, key operation of the operation unit 32 and
Depending on whether or not there was a cut designation operation by mouse operation
You can judge. If there is a cut specification operation,
Move to step S52. In step S52, the operation
The start point is recognized based on the operation from the unit 32. Step
In step S53, similarly, based on the operation from the operation unit 32,
To recognize the end point. For example, as shown in FIG.
And image information A_iCut out part A_{I c}When cutting out
With a pointing device such as a mouse, (x01,
y0), (xn2, yn)
Can be set as the start point and the end point, respectively. Cut
Taking part A_{I c}Is not limited to such a rectangle.
It is possible to cut into any shape as shown in FIG.
You.

In step S54, FIG. 16 or FIG.
It _is set according to the operation from the operation unit 32 to display either the image _Aic or Ais cut out in. For example, when leaving the cut portion A _ics of the image, as shown in Table 1, it sets the display reference point (x0, y0), reading the beginning of the x-coordinate corresponding to each read line y0, y1 ... yn The points (x01, x11,... Xn1) and the reading end points (x02, x12,... Xn2) are stored.

[0024]

[Table 1]

[0025] At step S55, it is determined whether or not there is movement designated image information A _i is a target image. In this case, similarly, if there is an instruction from the pointing device of the operation unit 32, it is determined that the movement has been designated, and the process proceeds to step S56. In step S56, the starting point of the movement is recognized. In step S57, the end point of the movement is recognized. The starting point and the ending point of this movement can be recognized by, for example, two points on the screen designated by the pointing device, and the coordinates can be directly input by numerical input.

In step S58, the amount of movement is calculated from the start and end points of the movement recognized in steps S56 and S57. In step S59, the display reference point is changed by adding the movement amount to the display reference point (x0, y0) of the currently displayed image information, and the display image is updated. FIG. 9 shows the enlargement / reduction setting process in step S17.

As shown in FIG. 18, in the image information A _i, consider the case to reduce the cut portion A _ics currently displayed image A _ir or expanded image A _ie by the display position setting process. In step S61, it is determined whether or not enlargement / reduction has been designated for the target image by an instruction from the operation unit 32. Enlarged by key operation or mouse operation /
If there is an operation of designating reduction, the process moves to step S62.
In step S62, the end point of the display range A _ics of the image information (x01, y0), (xn2 , yn) is displayed, and accepts an enlargement / reduction instruction by the pointing device.
For example, as shown in FIG.
If it reduced image A _ir the _ic, end points of the display range A _ics (x
Move the mouse cursor to (n2, yn) and set the coordinates (xn
By dragging to the position 2 ', yn'), a reduction instruction can be issued. It is also possible to directly input numerical values of the coordinates by key operation.

In step S63, the end point of the magnification change by the enlargement / reduction instruction from the operation unit 32 is recognized. Here, for example, the end point (xn1 ′, yn ′) of the reduced image A _ir is recognized as the scaling end point. In step S64, the image _Aic is enlarged / reduced based on the scaling end point recognized in step S63.
Perform reduction processing. For example, the read line (y0 ... y
The reduction processing can be performed by performing the thinning-out of n) and the image data from the reading start point (xj1) to the reading end point (xj2). In addition, the read line (y
0 ... yn) and the read start point (xj
An enlarged image can be obtained by overlapping reading of image data from 1) to the reading end point (xj2).

FIG. 9 shows the composition setting process in step S18.
It is shown in FIG. In step S71, each image information A_iIf
Performing For example, each image information A _iDisplay range A
_{I c}Select only the display range A_{I c}Display according to the display position of
The data corresponding to each coordinate on the display unit 29 is determined. S
In step S72, is there any overlap in the display range of each image?
It is determined whether or not. If the display range of each image overlaps
If not, the process moves to step S73. In step S73
Determines whether the mode is the overwrite mode. Stay
In step S73, it is determined that the
If so, the process moves to step S74. In step S74,
The display in the overlapping area is represented by the hierarchical variable k._iThe value of
Set to display only small image information
Create composite image data. Up in step S73
If it is determined that the writing mode is not set,
The process moves to S75. In step S75, there is an overlap.
For the range, each image information A_iComposite image data
Create

In step S20 of FIG.
If it is determined that there is no image information to be embedded,
Move to S22. In step S22, the preview
It is determined whether or not there is an instruction to perform. Again, the operation unit
Preview by operating 32 pointing devices
When the instruction has been made, the process proceeds to step S23. Stay
In step S23, the gradation setting of each image information is canceled.
For example, the hierarchy variable k _iRegardless of the value of
A_iBy displaying all gradations for all of
As shown in FIG.₀, A₁, A_TwoAre all the best
Layer so that the final processed image
You can check.

In step S24, it is determined whether or not to reset each image information. When a reset instruction is received by an input from the operation unit 32, as shown in FIG.
The display is switched to a display based on the value of the hierarchical variable k _i of each piece of image information A _i , and the process proceeds to step S14 to further perform each setting process. If it is determined in step S24 that the reset instruction has not been issued, the process proceeds to step S25.
In step S25, it is determined whether or not an instruction to print out the completed image has been given. If there is a print-out instruction according to the instruction of the operation unit 32, step S
Move to 26. In step S26, image data is output to the laser unit 13 of the printing unit 3, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum 11, and this is visualized into a toner image by the developing device 14. The paper is conveyed from the paper feed cassettes 8 a and 8 b or the bypass tray 9 between the photosensitive drum 11 and the transfer device 15 to transfer the toner image on the photosensitive drum 11, and the fixing device 20 heats the toner image. Melts and fixes. Thus, the image confirmed on the preview screen in FIG. 13 can be formed on the paper.

[Other Embodiments] (A) The screen configuration of the display unit 29 is divided into an editing area 41 and an icon area 42 as shown in FIG.
_{0, I 1, I 2,} ... can be displayed the I _i in the icon area 42. In this case, each image information A ₀ , A ₁ ,
A ₂ ,... A _i are reduced to corresponding icons I ₀ , I ₁ ,
I ₂ ,... I _i are created and displayed at predetermined positions.
As a result, each image information A ₀ , A ₁ , A _{2 ,.}
When one of them is selected as the target image, it is possible to move the mouse cursor over the corresponding icon and give an instruction by clicking a mouse button. In this case, it is also possible to configure so that the icon display corresponding to the target image which is the uppermost layer is reversed. (B) In the above-described embodiment, the apparatus having the function of the copier has been described. However, as shown in FIG.
A scanner 44 for reading an image and a printer 45 for outputting an image may be connected to the image processing device 43 having a storage unit and a control unit.

[0033]

In the image processing apparatus according to the present invention, the image information to be displayed is displayed in different gradations.
It is possible to easily determine which image information is located on the uppermost layer. Also, by displaying each image information with different gradations, it is expressed that they are three-dimensionally overlapped, and it is easy for a beginner to understand the concept of the layer. Further, by instructing the image information of each layer, it is easy to make the image information the uppermost layer, and the operation of the image processing can be made simple and favorable.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional configuration diagram of an image processing apparatus to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a control block diagram thereof.

FIG. 3 is a control flowchart thereof.

FIG. 4 is a control flowchart of a synthesis mode.

FIG. 5 is a control flowchart of a synthesis mode.

FIG. 6 is a control flowchart of a target image designation process.

FIG. 7 is a control flowchart of a gradation setting process.

FIG. 8 is a control flowchart of a display position setting process.

FIG. 9 is a control flowchart of an enlargement / reduction setting process.

FIG. 10 is a control flowchart of a combination setting process.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a display screen.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of a display screen.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of a display screen.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram of a display screen.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram of a gradation setting process.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram of a display position setting process.

FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram of a display position setting process.

FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram of an enlargement / reduction setting process.

FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram of a display screen according to another embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image processing apparatus 2 Image reading part 3 Printing part 4 Document table 6 Exposure device 7 CCD image sensor 11 Photoconductor drum 12 Charging device 13 Laser unit 14 Developing device 15 Transfer device 16 Paper separation device 18 Paper feed conveyance path 19 Paper discharge conveyance Road 20 Fixing device 22 Layer setting unit 23 Image memory 24 Gradation setting unit 25 Display range setting unit 26 Enlargement / reduction setting unit 27 Image synthesis setting unit 28 Display memory 29 Display unit 30 Image selection area control unit 31 Image selection area designation unit 32 Operation unit

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Yoshihisa Kuramae 1-2-2, Tamazo, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi Mita Kogyo Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hiroshi Tanaka 1-34-16 Wada, Suginami-ku, Tokyo Company Tanaka Design Office

Claims (7)

[Claims] An image processing apparatus for reading a plurality of image information and superimposing and displaying the plurality of images, comprising: an image reading means for reading the image information; and the image information read by the image reading means. Image storage means, display order setting means for setting, for each image information, a display order indicating a hierarchy when the plurality of pieces of image information are superimposed on each other, and according to the display order, Image processing means for changing the gradation to be displayed and superimposing to form a composite image so that image information having a lower display order can be recognized; and display means for displaying the composite image superimposed by the image processing means And an accepting unit that accepts the instruction to change the display order and causes the image processing unit to update the composite image. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image processing means creates a composite image by superimposing while increasing the brightness and decreasing the saturation as the image information is lower in the display order. Wherein the image processing means, the value of display order k _i from the uppermost 0,1,2 ... and the color of the image information located in the most significant (k _i = 0) and all gradations, the gray level of the entire gradation _{* (1 / (k i +1} )) for the other image information, the image processing apparatus according to claim 2. 4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an icon display unit that reduces the image information and displays an icon on the display unit. 5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said receiving means receives a change in display order by operating an icon displayed by said icon display means. 6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said icon display means reverses an icon display corresponding to image information positioned at the highest position in said composite image. 7. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising output means for outputting a composite image displayed on said display means to a recording medium.
The image processing device according to any one of the above.