JPH0223487A - Picture signal processor - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image signal processing apparatus for extracting and decoding a barcode area from image data scanned like a facsimile.

Conventional technology In the past, many barcodes have been used in logistics and other fields such as supermarkets, and most of them have a scanning pattern in multiple directions, and the barcode label used must be scanned correctly for at least 61 scans. It is configured as follows. (Nikkei Electronics 1980.12.22
．． P. 142 Types of Barcode Leagues) Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, no conventional example of a method or device for extracting and correctly reading a barcode area from image data scanned in one direction, such as in facsimile scanning, has been found. The present invention provides an image signal processing device that can correctly extract a barcode area and decode it.

In order to achieve the means for solving the problem and the stated purpose, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows:
The input data is converted into binary data and stored in the storage means, and the area of the barcode is determined by texture determination of the barcode and expansion processing of the determination result, and after calculating the slope and center point of the area, the data is stored in the storage means. It reads out binary data in the direction of the tilt angle and decodes the barcode.

According to the above configuration, the present invention separates the barcode from the background image by determining the texture of the barcode (determining the parallelism of the bars, etc.), and reads the binary data in the direction of the inclination angle of the barcode. This allows decoding even if the label is attached in any direction on the input document.

Embodiment FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image signal processing apparatus in an embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. 1, 1 is an input terminal for an input image signal (multilevel), 2 is a binarization circuit that binarizes the input image signal of input terminal 1, and 3 is a bar code from the output signal of the binarization circuit 2. 4 is a texture determination circuit that detects features such as parallelism and eliminates other signals, and 4 is an area where the output signal 1 (black) of the texture determination circuit 3 is expanded by a certain area to make the barcode area all 1 (black). a determination circuit; 5 is an extraction circuit that gates the output signal of the binarization circuit 2 with the output signal of the area determination circuit 4; 6 is an extraction circuit 2 that stores the output signal of the extraction circuit 5;
It is a value data memory. Note that this cutout circuit 5
A configuration in which the output signal of the binarization circuit 2 is stored is also possible. 7 is a slope/center calculation circuit that calculates the slope and center point of the barcode from the output signal of the area determination circuit 4;
9 is an address calculation circuit that calculates the data read address of the binary data memory 6 using the slope and center point of the barcode obtained by the slope/center calculation circuit 7, and 9 is a barcode from the data read from the binary data memory 6. This is a barcode signal decoding circuit that decodes the signal.

The operation of the above configuration will be explained below. The input image signal (multi-value) at the input terminal 1 is converted into a binary image signal by the binarization circuit 2. The binary image data is changed from black (1) to white (0) by erasing signals in other parts (for example, noise and other character information) except for the part determined to be a barcode area by the texture determination circuit 3. ], the entire barcode area is filled in by the area determination circuit 4. The binary data output from the binarization circuit 2 is gated by the cutout circuit 5 using this painted signal and stored in the binary data memory 6. On the other hand, the slope/center calculation circuit 7 calculates the slope and center point of the barcode based on the painted signal area, and the address calculation circuit 8 reads out the barcode data from the binary data memory 6 along the slope angle. Calculate. The data read out from the binary data memory 6 at the read address is decoded by the barcode decoding circuit 9 to determine the barcode.

Each of the above configurations will be explained in more detail below. The binarization circuit 2 simply converts the input image signal into two at a certain threshold level.
This is a general circuit that converts into values. The texture determination circuit 3 is a determination circuit that focuses on the parallelism of barcodes. FIG. 2 shows an example of a scanning window used for the parallelism determination, and the numbers within the scanning window indicate pixel positions referred to for the parallelism determination of the texture. Judgment is based on the inherent characteristics of barcodes,
That is, when the image signal strings lined up in one direction within the scanning window occur alternately in black and white, and the image signal strings in the direction perpendicular to the image signal strings are all white or black, the lines are considered to be parallel lines (judgment output=1). The determination formula for the scanning window shown in FIG. 2 is shown below.

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76°Pg7=1 Note that the specific configuration of the image signal processing using the scanning window and the logic circuit configuration of the determination formula are common techniques such as an AND circuit, and their explanation will be omitted. Next, the area determination circuit 4 is a circuit that takes the logical sum of all the data within the scanning window and outputs it as an output signal, and the black (1) of the input image signal is substantially expanded by the size of the scanning window.

The extraction circuit 5 is a circuit that takes the AND of the output signal of the binarization circuit 2 and the output signal of the area determination circuit 4, and after removing (or reducing) the background image of the barcode, the output signal is stored in the binary data memory 6.
This is to avoid giving unnecessary data to the subsequent barcode decoding circuit. (This is an unnecessary circuit if there is no possibility of a judgment error in the later barcode decoding circuit.) The slope/center calculation circuit 7 calculates the slope and center of the barcode using the black (1) of the output signal of the area determination circuit 4. Calculate from data address. Now, the image data shown in Figure 3 is tilted and
An example of calculation of the slope and center point when the input signal is the input signal of the center calculation circuit 7 will be explained. 10 in the same figure is the image data area (2
It is assumed that the barcode area corresponds to the area of the value data memory), the barcode area is filled with 11, there is no other background noise, the barcode is rectangular, and can be decoded by reading in the long side direction.

The four points of the rectangle are (xl, yl), (x2.y2), (
X3・y3)・(x4.y4), and (xl
, yl ); Point Pymin(x2・V
2); Point P where y is maximum, □□(x3.y3)+x
Point Pxmin (X41 ya) where x is the minimum; Point Pxrn where x is maximum;
When β+>IX/JXβ, the calculation is performed by exchanging the X and y coordinates.

In the example in Figure 3, the slope a is 11° (y
2-13)/(X2-X3) or a″(y4
-y 1)/(xa-x 1) If the slope is reversed, a=(y2-y4)/(x2-x4) or a
= (y3-yl)/(x3-xl) center (xo, yo
) is xo=(x4-X3)/2 yO-(y2-y 1)/2 In Figure 4, there are four rectangular points
Each coordinate point of r Pxmin tPXmaX (xl
, yl), (x2.y2).

The operation flow for calculating (X3.y3) and (X4.y4) is shown. In FIG. 4, 12 is a starting point, and 13 is a black signal detection unit that detects the first black signal from the input image signal-scanning line data. If there is no black signal, it is determined in step 14 whether the sub-scanning has ended, and if it has ended, the process returns to abnormal termination in step 15 in which the black signal cannot be detected, and if the sub-scanning has not ended, it returns to step 13 in the black signal detecting section.

When a black signal is detected at step 13, the process goes to each pointer initial value setting section of 16, PylTlln, Pyl, rl, x, Pxm.
Set the first address where the black signal was detected in the "ry" coordinates of each point lo and P-18. Next, it is determined in 17 whether the sub-scanning is finished, and if it is finished, it goes to abnormal end in 15, and if it is not finished, it goes to 18 Go to the black signal detection section 18.The black signal detection section 18 detects the black signal from the input image signal of the next line - the data of the scanning line.When the black signal is detected, go to the update of each pointer 19.Here Then, set the starting point of the detected black signal to P8.
, the end point is P, and when it is closed, the point P is at the xrY coordinates of point Pym□
, and the X address of point P3 is point Px
If it is smaller than the X address of rrlIn, set the address of point P to the "rV coordinate of point Pxmln, and
If the address is greater than the X address of point PXm□, point P
Set the address of point Pe at the x+Y coordinate of xm□.

When the black signal is no longer detected by the black signal detection section 18, the 20
The process ends normally. The address calculation circuit 8 calculates an address for reading data in accordance with the slope of the bar code after data input to the binary data memory 6 is completed. From the slope a obtained by the slope/center calculation circuit 7 and the center (XO□y□), a straight line y=a+b passing through the center (xo, yo) is determined, and data is read out according to the straight line. The read address XsV is x==1, 2, 3...y=ax+b b=yo-ax.

The slope/center arithmetic circuit 7 and the address arithmetic circuit 8 constitute an arithmetic circuit using a microcomputer. The barcode decoding circuit 9 can apply conventional barcode decoding techniques as is, and decodes the barcode by, for example, comparing it with a code reference table.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the effect of the present invention is that the inclination direction of the barcode can be detected, and the unidirectional scanning image data stored in the storage means can be read out and decoded in the inclination direction. Therefore, even if the barcode label is pasted in any direction on the input document, it can be decoded, resulting in great effects.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block groove diagram of an image signal processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a conceptual diagram of a scanning window used for parallelism determination in the main part of the device, and Fig. 3 is a fill-in diagram by the same device. FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of the barcode area shown in FIG. 4, and is an operation flowchart for calculating addresses of four barcode rectangular areas in the main part of the apparatus. 3...Texture judgment circuit, 4...Area judgment circuit, End...Inclination/center calculation circuit, 8.
...Address calculation circuit. Name of agent Patent attorney Shigetaka Awano and 1 other person

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) Binarization means for binarizing scan-resolved data of an original image including a rectangular barcode area, texture determination means for determining the texture of a barcode from the binary data, and a texture determination output for a predetermined size. area determining means for enlarging the texture determination output by 100 ms and making the texture determination outputs continuous; storage means for storing the binary data; calculation means for calculating the slope and center of the rectangular barcode from the area determination data; An image signal processing device comprising: address calculation means for reading data from the storage means; and barcode decoding means for reading the data from the storage means and decoding a barcode from the data. (2) Binarization means for binarizing scan-resolved data of an original image including a rectangular barcode area, texture determination means for determining the texture of the barcode from the binary data, and a texture determination output of a predetermined size. area determination means for enlarging the texture determination outputs to make the texture determination outputs continuous; clipping means for gate-outputting the binary data using the region determination data; storage means for storing the clipping data; a calculation means for calculating the inclination and center of the barcode; an address calculation means for reading out the binary data memory in the direction of the inclination; and a barcode decoding means for decoding the barcode from the read data of the storage means. An image signal processing device comprising: