JPH1013696A - Image data color conversion apparatus and color conversion method - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To provide a color conversion apparatus and a color conversion method for a document manuscript in which a user can directly and finely specify an area for performing color conversion, and does not need a useless area only for the specification. The purpose is to provide. SOLUTION: A color to be converted is recorded in a conversion color recording means 21 for each type of each component of binary image data,
The binary image data is analyzed by the component extracting unit 22 to extract the type and position of each component of the image data. The color of each component of the binary image data is converted based on the type and position of each component of the image data extracted by the element extracting means 22.

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 an image processing method, and more particularly, to converting a binary image data obtained by reading a document document or the like by photoelectric conversion into a significant image area such as a character. The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for performing color conversion.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional color conversion method for performing color conversion from binary image data to characters and the like, see, for example,
There is a method described in US Pat. This method will be described with reference to FIG. 22. First, a binary image document 221 to be subjected to color conversion is represented in a fixed area on the left side of the image (a range from the left side to C in the figure). Using the band-shaped mark 222, the area (the range from A to B) on the right side of the band-shaped mark 222 is designated as a color conversion area. Next, the document original 221 is read by the photoelectric conversion device, and the black pixel portion 22 within the designated area is read.
3 is detected as a significant area such as a character. Then, for the read image, a black image portion 223 in the detected designated area is converted into a color designated in advance to create a color image.

[0003]

However, according to the above-described color conversion method, the entire black pixel portion of the designated area is color-converted. It is not possible to specify fine color conversion such as converting only an underline that emphasizes a column to a color different from a character string. In addition, since the area where the color conversion is performed is separated from the area where the band mark is described, it is difficult to specify the area where the color conversion is performed. Furthermore, it is necessary to draw a band-shaped mark only for designation, which does not constitute a document, in a certain area in a binary image document, and there is a problem that a useless portion always occurs in a part of the document. .

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and has made it possible to perform color conversion with a high degree of freedom so that a user can finely specify a portion to be subjected to color conversion, and can directly specify a portion to be subjected to color conversion. An object of the present invention is to provide a color conversion apparatus and a color conversion method for an image which can specify a color conversion area without providing a useless area only for specification in a binary image document.

[0005]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a color conversion apparatus for image data according to the present invention analyzes binary image data including a component of a predetermined type, and converts each of the image data into a binary image data. A component extraction unit for extracting a type and a position for each component, and a conversion color recording unit for recording a color to be converted for each type of each component, and Based on the type and position of each component of the image data extracted by the component extraction means,
Color image conversion means for converting the color of each component with respect to the binary image data is provided.

Further, in the image data color conversion apparatus, the above-mentioned constituent element may be a character string, and the type of the constituent element may be a character attribute. Further, the image data color conversion apparatus according to the present invention analyzes character image and binary image data including a predetermined type of figure, and extracts a character position extracting means for extracting the position of each character string in the image data. When,
Color conversion graphic extraction means for extracting a type and a position for each graphic in the image data; and positional relationship recording means for recording a predetermined positional relationship between the graphic and a character string for each graphic type. I have. Then, the position of the character string having the positional relationship recorded in the positional relationship recording unit with respect to each graphic whose type and position has been extracted by the color conversion graphic extracting unit,
There is provided a color conversion character string extracting means for extracting from the character string whose position has been extracted by the character position extracting means in accordance with the type of the figure. Further, a conversion color recording unit that records a color to be converted of a character string having a positional relationship recorded in the positional relationship recording unit with respect to the graphic and a color to be converted of the graphic for each type of graphic. And converting the color of each of the binary image data based on the type and position of each of the graphics extracted by the color-converted graphic extracting means in accordance with the recorded contents of the converted color recording means. Color image conversion means is provided for converting the color of each character string based on the position of each character string extracted by the converted character string extraction means in correspondence with the type of figure.

The image data color conversion apparatus according to the present invention analyzes binary image data including characters and graphics of a predetermined type, and extracts the type and position of each of the graphics in the image data. Color-converted graphic extracting means, and positional relationship recording means for recording a predetermined positional relationship between the graphic and the character string for each type of graphic, wherein the type and position are extracted by the color-converted graphic extracting means. A color conversion character string extracting unit is provided for extracting a graphic and a character string having a positional relationship recorded in the positional relationship recording unit from the image data in accordance with the type of the graphic. A conversion color recording unit that records a color to be converted of a character string having a positional relationship recorded in the positional relationship recording unit with respect to the graphic and a color to be converted of the graphic for each type of graphic. In accordance with the recorded contents of the conversion color recording means, the color of each figure is converted for the binary image data based on the type and position of each figure extracted by the color conversion figure extraction means,
Color image conversion means is provided for converting the color of each character string based on the position of the character string extracted by the color conversion character string extraction means in accordance with the type of figure.

The image data color conversion method according to the present invention includes a conversion color input step of inputting a color to be converted for each type of constituent element that can be included in the binary image data; Analyzing the image data and extracting a type and a position of a component of the image data; and And a color image conversion step of converting the color of each component in the binary image data based on the type and position of the component of the image data extracted in the component extraction step.

In this color conversion method for image data,
The component may be a character string, and the type of the component may be an attribute of the character string. In the color conversion method for image data according to the present invention, a predetermined positional relationship between a predetermined type of graphic and a character string that can be included in the binary image data is recorded in a recording unit for each type of graphic. A method of converting the color of a character string having a predetermined positional relationship recorded in a recording unit with respect to a graphic of a predetermined type in binary image data and the color of the graphic, A conversion color input step of inputting a color to be converted of a character string having a positional relationship recorded in the recording step and a color to be converted of the graphic for each graphic type. A character position extracting step of analyzing binary image data including a character to be subjected to color conversion and a graphic of a predetermined type to extract a position of each character string in the image data; A color-converted graphic extracting step of extracting a type and a position for each of the figures, and extracting the positional relation recorded in the positional relation recording step with each figure whose type and position is extracted by the color-converted graphic extracting step. A color conversion character string extracting step is provided for extracting the position of the character string having the character string from the character string whose position has been extracted in the character position extracting step in accordance with the type of the graphic. Then, based on the type and position of each figure extracted in the color conversion figure extraction step according to the color to be converted of each type of figure input in the conversion color input step, each figure in the binary image data A graphic color image converting step of converting the color of the graphic, and a color converting character string extracting step in accordance with a color to be converted of a character string having a predetermined positional relationship with the graphic input for each type of graphic in the conversion color input step. A character color image conversion step of converting the color of each character string in the binary image data based on the position of each character string extracted corresponding to the type of figure.

In the color conversion method for image data according to the present invention, a predetermined positional relationship between a predetermined type of graphic and a character string which can be included in the binary image data is recorded in a recording unit for each type of graphic. A method of converting a color of a character string having a predetermined positional relationship recorded in the recording unit with respect to a graphic of a predetermined type in binary image data and a color of the graphic,
A conversion color input step of inputting a color to be converted of a character string having a positional relationship recorded in the positional relationship recording step with respect to the graphic and a color to be converted of the graphic for each type of graphic. Then, the binary image data including the character to be subjected to the color conversion and the graphic of a predetermined type is analyzed,
A color-converted figure extracting step of extracting a type and a position for each figure in the image data, a figure whose type and position are extracted by the color-converted figure extracting step, and a positional relationship recorded in the positional relationship recording step. A color-converted character string extracting step of extracting the position of the character string corresponding to the type of the graphic from the image data. Further, based on the type and position of each figure extracted in the color conversion figure extraction step according to the color to be converted of each type of figure input in the conversion color input step, each figure in the binary image data A graphic color image converting step of converting the color of the graphic, and extracting the color converted character string according to a color to be converted of a character string having a predetermined positional relationship with the graphic input for each type of graphic in the converting color inputting step. A color image conversion step of converting the color of each character string in the binary image data based on the position of each character string extracted corresponding to the type of figure in the step.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(Embodiment 1) An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, a case where the present invention is applied to a facsimile mail device will be described as an example. First, an outline of the facsimile mail device used here will be described. A facsimile mail device manages a plurality of facsimile terminals, transmits a transmission from one facsimile device to other facsimile devices, and changes the paper size and line density according to the performance of the destination facsimile device. The facsimile mail device used here performs a service of distributing a black-and-white document as a color document. In other words, by using this facsimile mail device, even if the facsimile possessed is a black-and-white facsimile, if the destination to be transmitted is a color facsimile, it can be transmitted as a color document original.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a facsimile mail device used in the embodiment. The facsimile mail device is an image memory 11 for temporarily storing image data, a color conversion unit 12 for performing color conversion on binary image data to create a color image, and a type of bitmap image file compatible format. TIFF image compression / expansion unit 13 for compressing / expanding TIFF image data, and communication control unit 1 for receiving / transmitting image data
The communication control unit 14 is connected to a plurality of facsimile terminals through a public line. The color conversion unit 12 corresponds to the image data color conversion device according to the present invention.

The operation of the facsimile mail apparatus having such a configuration will be described below. First, binary image data compressed in TIFF format transmitted from a monochrome facsimile connected through a public telephone line is transmitted. The data is received by the control unit 14 and stored in the image memory 11. Next, the binary image data compressed in the TIFF format is read out and decompressed by the TIFF image compression / decompression unit 13 and returned to the image memory 11, and the decompressed image data is further converted by the color conversion unit 12. After the color conversion, the image data is stored in the image memory 11 again. Then, the color image data is compressed in TIFF format by the TIFF image compression / decompression unit 13 and transmitted to the destination color facsimile by the communication control unit 14 through a public telephone line. In this way, the facsimile mail device can transmit a black and white document as a color document.

Next, the configuration of the color converter according to the first embodiment, which is the color converter 12 of the facsimile mail device, will be described. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the color conversion apparatus according to the first embodiment. As shown in the figure, the color conversion device includes a component extracting unit 21, a component storing unit 22,
It comprises a conversion color recording unit 23 and a color image conversion unit 24.

The component extracting unit 21 reads and analyzes the binary image data stored in the image memory 11, and extracts a type and a position for each component of the image data. The type of each component is described in a conversion color recording unit 2 described later.
As a method of extracting each component and its type stored in 3 and a type of the component, a rectangle circumscribing a connected portion of pixels is extracted from image data, and the aspect ratio and the aspect ratio of the circumscribed rectangle are extracted. The components are determined based on the size and the like. For example, it is determined that an object having an aspect ratio of approximately 1 and a length of one side of a rectangle equal to or less than a predetermined size is a character. Then, the position of each component is extracted by the coordinates of the vertex of a rectangle circumscribing the connected portion of the pixels in the XY coordinate system having the origin at a predetermined position in the image data.

The component storage unit 22 includes a component extraction unit 21
For each component based on the result extracted by
The component type number indicating the type of the component and the extracted coordinate position are stored (see FIG. 6). Conversion color recording unit 2
No. 3 records the color to be converted for each type of component as RGB values of 256 gradations (see FIG. 5). As described above, in the present embodiment, the color to be converted for each predetermined component is specified in advance, and is recorded in the converted color recording unit 23.

The color image conversion unit 24 includes a conversion color recording unit 2
The color of each component is converted for the binary image data based on the storage content of the component storage unit 22 in accordance with the recorded content of No. 3, and the color image is stored in the image memory 11. Specifically, the binary image data is scanned, and the pixel portion in the rectangular area stored in the component storage unit 22 is converted into a significant part according to the type of the component in the rectangular area. The color is converted into the color recorded in the color recording unit 23.

The image data color conversion apparatus having the above configuration can be realized by a general-purpose computer using a program for executing the above components, and this program is recorded on a recording medium such as a floppy disk. be able to. This point is the same for the embodiments described below. Next, the operation of the image data color conversion apparatus having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to an example in which color conversion is performed on the binary image data 31 as shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the operation of the image data color conversion apparatus. First, a color to be converted is recorded in the conversion color recording unit 23 for each type of component that can be included in the binary image data (ST401). Here, it is assumed that the color conversion of “red” is performed on the figure as the component, the “green” is performed on the solid line, and the “blue” is performed on the dotted line. Although the character string is one of the constituent elements, it is assumed that no color conversion is performed here. FIG. 5 shows an example of actual data recorded in the conversion color recording section 23. As shown in the figure, the conversion color recording unit 23 records 256 gradation RGB values as conversion colors for each component type number assigned to each component type.

Next, the binary image data 31 is read out from the image memory 11 by the component extracting unit 21 and analyzed, and the character string 32 of the component,
The types of the graphic 33, the solid line 34, and the dotted line 35 and the coordinate positions of the vertices of the circumscribed rectangle of each component are extracted, and these are stored in the component storage unit 22 for each component (ST402). FIG. 6 shows the contents stored in the component storage unit 22.
Shown in In the component storage unit 22, as shown in the figure, the upper left and lower right of the rectangle circumscribing the component is associated with the component type number assigned to the type of each component. The position is stored by diagonal coordinates.

Then, in the color image conversion unit 24, first,
Scans the binary image data 31 and creates RGB image data converted to white (RGB values (255, 255, 255)) for white pixels and black (RGB values (0, 0, 0)) for black pixels. (ST403). Next, using the storage contents of the component storage unit 22 and the conversion color recording unit 23,
The following processing is sequentially performed.

First, from the record of the conversion color recording unit 23 shown in FIG. 5, the component type number of the component of the type 1 and information on the color to be converted of the component of the type are obtained (ST405). . Until the determination of all the components in the storage of the component storage unit 22 shown in FIG.
A component type number and its position information are obtained for one of the components (ST407). Next, it is determined whether or not the component type number acquired in ST405 matches the component type number acquired in ST407 (ST408). Extraction (ST409), R created in ST403
The target area of the GB image data is scanned, and if the coordinate area is black, the converted color is written and the process returns to ST406 to repeat the same operation as described above. If the component element type numbers do not match in ST408, the process returns to ST406 and returns to ST40.
Repeat from 7. This operation is performed until all types of constituent elements recorded in the conversion color recording unit 23 are determined (ST404). Through the above operation, the binary image data is converted into color image data having the color recorded in the conversion color recording unit 23 for each component in the color image conversion unit 24. (Embodiment 2) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The image data color conversion device according to the second embodiment is also provided in the facsimile mail device described in the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, the constituent elements of the first embodiment are particularly limited to character attributes such as Gothic font and italic font.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the image data color conversion apparatus according to the second embodiment. The image data color conversion device includes a character attribute extraction unit 71, a character information storage unit 7
2. It is composed of a conversion color recording unit 73 and a color image conversion unit 74. The character attribute extracting unit 71 reads out the binary image data recorded in the image memory 11, and extracts the attribute and position of a character string constituting the image data. The attribute of the character string is an attribute of a character string in which a color to be converted is recorded in a later-described conversion color recording unit 73. The attribute of the character string is extracted by connecting pixels from binary image data. A method of extracting a pixel part constituting a character by a known method using the component to be performed as a key, performing character recognition, and comparing the font of the character with a separately provided dictionary file to determine the attribute of the character, etc. Is adopted. The position of the character string is XY with the predetermined position of the image data as the origin.
This is performed by extracting the coordinates of the vertices of a rectangle circumscribing a group of consecutive characters having the same attribute in the coordinate system.

The character information storage unit 72 includes a character attribute extraction unit 7
Based on the result extracted by step 1, character attribute numbers and positions representing attributes are stored for each character string in the binary image data (see FIG. 11). The conversion color recording unit 73 records colors to be converted for each attribute of each character string as RGB values of 256 gradations (see FIG. 10). Color image converter 74
Converts the color of each character string in the binary image data based on the storage contents of the character information storage unit 72 in accordance with the conversion color recording unit 73, and stores the color image in the image memory 11.

Next, the binary image data 81 as shown in FIG.
The operation of the image data color conversion apparatus having the above-described configuration will be described by taking as an example the case where color conversion is performed for. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the color conversion apparatus for image data. First, a color to be converted is recorded in the converted color recording unit 73 for each character string attribute that can be included in the binary image data (ST901). Here, it is assumed that a character string whose attribute is uppercase is subjected to color conversion of "red", a Gothic character string of "green", and an italic character string of "blue". In addition, it is assumed that color conversion is not performed on a character string whose attribute is Mincho.

FIG. 10 shows an example of actual data recorded in the conversion color recording section 73. As shown in the figure, the conversion color recording unit 73 records 256 gradation RGB values as conversion colors for each character attribute number assigned to each character string type.
Next, the binary image data 81 is read out from the image memory 11 by the character attribute extracting unit 71 and analyzed. From this image data 31, a character string 82 whose attribute is uppercase, a character string 83 whose attribute is Gothic, A character string 84 whose attribute is italic, a character string whose other attributes are Mincho, and a coordinate position of each character string are extracted and stored in the character information storage unit 72 for each character string (ST902). . FIG. 11 shows the storage contents of the character information storage unit 72. As shown in the figure, the position is stored by the coordinates of the upper left and lower right corners of the rectangle circumscribing the character string for each character string in correspondence with the character attribute number assigned to each character string attribute. ing.

Then, in the color image conversion section 74, first,
As in the first embodiment, white pixels of the binary image data 81 of the document original are set to white (RGB values (255, 255, 25
5)), RGB image data in which black pixels are converted to black (RGB values (0, 0, 0)) is created (ST903). Next, the following processing is sequentially performed using the contents stored in the character information storage unit 72 and the conversion color recording unit 73.

First, the character attribute number of one character string and information about the color to be converted of the character string having the attribute are acquired from the record of the conversion color recording unit 73 shown in FIG. 10 (S).
T905). Then, the character information storage unit 72 shown in FIG.
Until the determination for all the character strings in the storage is completed (ST906), the character attribute number and the position information of one character string are obtained from the storage of the character information storage unit 72 (ST907). Next, it is determined whether or not the character attribute number obtained in ST905 matches the character attribute number obtained in ST907 (ST908). If it is determined that they match, the conversion color and coordinate position of the character string are extracted (ST908). ST9
09), the target area of the RGB image data created in ST903 is scanned, and if the coordinate area is black, the converted color is written and the process returns to ST905 to repeat the same operation as described above.
Also, if the character attribute numbers do not match in ST908, S
It returns to T906 and repeats from ST907. This operation is performed until all types of constituent elements recorded in the conversion color recording unit 73 are determined (ST904). By the above operation, the binary image data is converted into color image data having the color recorded in the conversion color recording unit for each character string in the color image conversion unit 74. (Embodiment 3) Finally, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. The image data color conversion device according to the third embodiment is also provided in the facsimile mail device described in the first embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a color converter for image data according to the third embodiment. The color conversion device for image data according to the third embodiment includes a character position extracting unit 12.
1, character position storage unit 122, color conversion graphic extraction unit 123,
It comprises a graphic information storage unit 124, a positional relationship recording unit 125, a color conversion character string extraction unit 126, a conversion color recording unit 127, and a color image conversion unit 128.

The character position extracting unit 121 is provided in the image memory 11
Read and analyze the binary image data stored in
The position of each character string in the image data is extracted. The position is extracted by extracting a rectangle constituting a character based on the aspect ratio, size, etc., from the shape of the rectangle circumscribing the connected components of the pixels,
By connecting the rectangles, a circumscribed rectangle of a portion forming a character string is extracted, and X is set as an origin at a predetermined position of the image data.
This is performed by extracting the coordinates of the vertices of the extracted circumscribed rectangle in the Y coordinate form. The character position storage unit 122
The position of each character string extracted by the character position extraction unit 121 is X
It is stored by the Y coordinate value (see FIG. 17).

The color-converted graphic extracting unit 123 stores the image memory 1
The binary image data is read from 1 and the type and position are extracted for each predetermined figure in the image data. The predetermined graphic is a graphic stored in advance in a positional relationship recording unit 125 and a conversion color recording unit 127, which will be described later, and is used to convert a character string having a predetermined positional relationship with the graphic into a predetermined color. The figure is a figure predetermined for use by the user (hereinafter, this figure is referred to as a “color conversion figure”). This method of extracting the type of the color conversion graphic extracts a portion where pixels are connected from the image data, and determines the aspect ratio and size of a circumscribed rectangle, the shape of the portion where pixels are connected, and the like of each color conversion graphic. A known method, such as performing the determination based on whether or not the attribute matches, is used. The extracting of the position of the color-converted graphic may include extracting coordinate values of vertices of a circumscribed rectangle of a connecting portion of pixels constituting the extracted color-converted graphic in the XY coordinate system specifying the position of the character string. Performed by Graphic information storage unit 124
Stores the color conversion graphic type number indicating the type and the coordinate value of the position for each color conversion graphic extracted by the color conversion graphic extraction unit 123 (see FIG. 18).

The positional relationship recording unit 125 records the positional relationship between a color conversion graphic and a character string designated to perform color conversion using the color conversion graphic for each type of the color conversion graphic. That is, the color conversion graphic and the positional relationship recording unit 125
Is converted (hereinafter, this character string is referred to as a "color conversion character string"). Specifically, for example, in the positional relationship recording unit 125, for example,
Assuming that the character string immediately above the solid line, which is a color-converted graphic, is a color-converted character string, a mathematical expression representing a fixed area above the circumscribed rectangle of the solid line in the XY coordinate system is the upper left coordinate value of the circumscribed rectangle of the solid line. And the lower right coordinate value (see FIG. 16). In this case, as the recorded content of the positional relationship recording unit 125, an address value of a program that is located in an area above the circumscribed rectangle of the solid line in the XY coordinate system and that searches for a character string closest to the circumscribed rectangle is recorded. You may make it. This program is executed by the color conversion character string extraction unit 126. The positional relationship recording unit 125 stores one type of color conversion in the program that operates the color conversion character string extraction unit 126. It can also be provided in a form in which recording is performed in a distributed manner for each part that performs processing on a figure.

The color conversion character string extracting unit 126 determines the position of the character string from the storage contents of the character string in the character position storage unit 122 and the storage contents of the type and position of each color conversion graphic in the graphic information storage unit 124. Based on the positional relationship recorded in the relationship recording unit 125, the position of the color conversion character string is extracted in association with the type of the graphic. In other words, the coordinates of the vertices of the region formed by the intersection of the region at the predetermined position with respect to the color conversion graphic recorded in the positional relationship recording unit 125 and the circumscribed rectangular region of the character string recorded in the character position storage unit 122 The position is extracted for each color conversion figure. In this case, an area formed by cutting the circumscribed rectangle of the character string in the Y direction is excluded.

The conversion color recording unit 127 converts the color to be converted of the color conversion character string and the color to be converted of the color conversion graphic by RGB values of 256 gradations to indicate the type of the color conversion graphic. It is recorded for each type number (see FIG. 15).
The color image conversion unit 128 converts the color of each color conversion graphic for the binary image data based on the storage content of the graphic information storage unit 124 according to the recording content of the conversion color recording unit 127, and converts the color conversion character string. The color of each color conversion character string is converted based on the position of each color conversion character string extracted by the extraction unit 126 in correspondence with the type of the graphic. In particular,
The binary image data is scanned, and the graphic information storage unit 124 is scanned.
The pixel portion in the rectangular area stored in the conversion color recording unit 12 according to the type of the color conversion figure in the rectangular area.
7, and converts the pixel portion in the rectangular area extracted by the color conversion character string extraction unit 126 according to the type of the color conversion graphic into the color recorded in the conversion color recording unit 127. Convert to

The operation of the graphic data color conversion apparatus having the above configuration will be described with reference to an example in which the binary image data 131 shown in FIG. 13 is converted into a color image. FIG.
5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the graphic data color conversion apparatus. First, the positional relationship between each color-converted figure and the color-converted character string is recorded in the positional relationship recording unit 125 (ST1401). Here, a solid line, an enclosing frame, a double line, and a dotted line are used as the color conversion figures, and the position of the color conversion character string is directly above the solid line, inside the enclosing frame,
The overlapping position is determined for the double line, and the position immediately above the dotted line. FIG. 16 shows an example of the storage contents of the positional relationship recording unit 125. In the figure, the positional relationship is represented by an area represented by upper left coordinates and lower right coordinates of a rectangle circumscribing the color conversion graphic.

Next, the color to be converted of the color conversion character string having a predetermined positional relationship with the color conversion graphic and the color to be converted of the color conversion graphic itself are converted for each type of the color conversion graphic by the conversion color recording unit 12.
7 (ST1402). Here, as the conversion color of the color conversion character string, the character string immediately above the solid line is "red", the character string inside the box is "green", the character string overlapping the double line is "white", and the character string immediately above the dotted line is Color conversion of "blue" to the characters, and "yellow" for the solid line, "white" for the surrounding frame, "white" for the double line, and "white" for the dotted line Shall be. FIG. 15 shows an example of actual data recorded in the conversion color recording section 127. The color conversion instructing unit records the conversion color of the color conversion character string and the conversion color of the color conversion graphic as RGB values of 256 gradations for each component type number assigned to each type of the color conversion graphic as shown in the figure. doing.

After passing through these steps, first, the character position extracting unit 121 stores the binary image data 1 from the image memory 11.
31 is read out, the coordinate position of a rectangle circumscribing the character string in the image data is extracted, and the coordinate position extracted by the character position storage unit 122 for each character string is stored (ST1403). FIG. 17 shows the storage contents of the character position storage unit 122. As shown in the figure, the position of each character line is stored by the coordinates of the upper left corner and the lower right corner of the circumscribed rectangle.

Then, the color-converted graphic extracting unit 123 reads out the binary image data 131 from the image memory 11 and, based on the image data, obtains a solid line 132, an enclosing frame 133, and a double line 13
4. The coordinate position of the rectangle circumscribing the type is extracted for each color conversion graphic of the dotted line 135, and the graphic information storage unit 124 stores the type and coordinate position for each color conversion graphic. FIG. 18 shows the contents stored in the graphic information storage unit 124. As shown in the figure, for each color conversion graphic type number assigned to each color conversion graphic,
The position is stored by the coordinates of the upper left corner and the lower right corner of the rectangle circumscribing each color conversion figure.

Then, similarly to the first and second embodiments, the color image conversion unit 128 scans the binary image data 131, and if the pixel is a white pixel, it is white (RGB value (255, 255,
255)), black for a black pixel (RGB value (0, 0,
0)) is created (ST1).
405). Next, the following processes are sequentially performed. First, FIG.
, The color conversion graphic type number of the color conversion graphic of the type 1 from the recording of the conversion color recording unit 127, the color to be converted of the color conversion character for the color conversion graphic of the type, and the conversion of the color conversion graphic of the type Information about the color to be obtained is obtained (ST1).
407). Then, the graphic information storage unit 124 shown in FIG.
Until the determination of all the color-converted figures in the storage is completed (ST1408), the color-converted figure type number and the position information of one color-converted figure are obtained from the storage of the figure information storage unit 124 (ST1409).

Next, it is determined whether or not the color conversion graphic type number obtained in ST1407 matches the color conversion graphic type number obtained in ST1409 (ST1410). Then, the position of the color conversion character string having the positional relationship recorded in the positional relationship recording unit 125 is extracted from the coordinate position of the color conversion graphic acquired in ST1409, using the position of the character string stored in the ST1409 as a clue (ST1411). Then, the color image converter 12
In step 8, the target area of the RGB image data created in ST1405 is scanned, and if the pixel at the position of the color conversion character string extracted in ST1411 is black, the conversion color corresponding to the color conversion character string acquired in ST1407 is written. In addition, if the pixel at the position of the color-converted graphic is black, ST
The conversion color corresponding to the color conversion figure acquired in 1407 is written. Thereafter, returning to ST1408, the same operation as above is repeated. If the color conversion graphic type numbers do not match in ST1410, the process returns to ST1408 and returns to ST1410.
Repeat from 09. Such an operation is performed until the determination on all types of color conversion figures recorded in the conversion color recording unit 127 is completed (ST1406). By the above operation, the binary image data is converted by the color image conversion unit 128 into the conversion color recording unit 12 for each color conversion character string and color conversion graphic.
7 is converted into color image data having the color recorded in. In the above binary image data, an enclosing frame,
Since the double line and the color conversion character string for the double line are converted to white, these color conversion figures and the color conversion figures actually disappear in the converted color image data.

By the way, in the above-described color conversion apparatus, the character position extraction unit 121 first extracts all character positions, and then extracts a color conversion character string having a predetermined relationship with the color conversion graphic. A color conversion graphic may be extracted first, and a color conversion character string having a predetermined positional relationship with the color conversion graphic may be directly extracted from the image data. FIG. 19 shows the configuration of the graphic data color conversion apparatus in this case. The color conversion device shown in FIG.
91, a graphic information storage unit 192, a positional relationship recording unit 193,
It is composed of a color conversion character string extraction unit 194, a character information storage unit 195, a conversion color recording unit 196, and a color image conversion unit 197. Color conversion figure extraction unit 191, figure information storage unit 19
2. The positional relationship recording unit 193, the conversion color recording unit 196, and the color image conversion unit 197 are the same as the color conversion graphic extraction unit 12 described above.
3, the same as the graphic information storage unit 124, the positional relationship recording unit 125, the converted color recording unit 127, and the color image conversion unit 128.

The color conversion character string extraction unit 194 is provided in the image memory 1
1 from the binary image data read from
The coordinate position of the circumscribed rectangle of the color conversion character string having the positional relationship specified by the positional relationship recording unit 193 is extracted for each color conversion graphic based on the coordinate value and type of the position of the color conversion graphic stored in 92. . The method of extracting a character string or the position of a character string is to extract a connected portion of pixels existing in an area which is a position recorded in the positional relationship recording unit 193, and calculate coordinate values of a vertex of a rectangle circumscribing this. Performed by

The character information storage unit 195 stores, for each color conversion character string extracted by the color conversion character string extraction unit 194, the color conversion graphic type number of the corresponding color conversion graphic and the vertex of the circumscribed rectangle of the color conversion character string. Is stored. FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing the operation of the graphic data color conversion apparatus having such a configuration. The operation of the graphic data color conversion apparatus will be briefly described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, the positional relationship between the color conversion graphic and the color conversion character string is recorded (ST2001), and the color to be converted between the color conversion graphic and the color conversion character string is recorded in the conversion color recording unit 196. (ST2002) is the same as above.

Next, the color-converted graphic extracting unit 191 extracts the type and coordinate position of the color-converted graphic from the binary image and stores them in the graphic information storage unit 192 (ST2003). Then, the color conversion character string extracting unit 194 reads out the binary image data from the image memory 11 and has the positional relationship recorded in the positional relationship recording unit 193 with each color converted graphic based on the storage contents of the graphic information storage unit 192. The coordinate position of the color conversion character string is extracted, and the character information storage unit 195 stores the position coordinates of each extracted color conversion character string and the color conversion graphic type identification number of the corresponding color conversion graphic (ST2004). Since the color conversion graphic and the color conversion character string have a one-to-one correspondence, here, the graphic information storage unit 192 and the character information storage unit 195 are stored in the same table. FIG. 21 shows an example of the storage contents of the graphic information storage unit 192 and the character information storage unit 195.

The subsequent operation is almost the same as the flowchart shown in FIG. 14, and the color image converter 197 converts the binary image data into RGB pixel data (ST2005).
For each color conversion type recorded in the conversion color recording unit 196, the color of all the color conversion graphics stored in the graphic information storage unit 192 and all the color conversion graphics stored in the character information storage unit 195 It is determined whether or not the converted graphic type numbers match, and if they match, color conversion is performed. At this time, the difference from the flowchart of FIG. 14 is that since the color conversion character string has already been extracted and stored in the character information storage unit 195, the operation of extracting the color conversion graphic is omitted during the above operation. It is.

In each of the above embodiments, the present invention is applied to a facsimile mail apparatus. However, the image data conversion apparatus and conversion method according to the present invention can be applied to a normal facsimile. Needless to say, it can be provided in a black-and-white facsimile apparatus or a color facsimile apparatus on the receiving side. Further, the invention of the present application is, for example, in computer communication, when transmitting a binary document created by a text creation application, or by automatically scanning a document read into a computer by a binary image scanner. Various applications are possible, such as conversion into a document, reading a binary image document with a copying machine, and outputting a colored copy document.

Further, in the above embodiment, the instruction of the conversion color of the conversion color recording unit is recorded in advance, but this is such that the user can directly input the color image conversion unit from the input unit after reading the binary image. By doing so, it is possible to perform temporal conversion such as giving an instruction at the time of use, and it is natural that the user can arbitrarily update the conversion color once recorded. In addition, the recording time of the storage contents of the positional relationship recording unit can be changed.

[0047]

As described above, the following effects can be obtained by the image data color conversion apparatus and color conversion method according to the present invention. First, in the present invention, a color to be converted is recorded for each type of component, binary image data is analyzed, and the type and position are extracted for each component of the image data. In accordance with the color to be converted for each type of each component, the color of each component of the binary image data is converted based on the type and position of each component of the extracted image data. For this reason,
Since the color to be converted can be specified for each element constituting the binary image data, the user can finely and directly specify a portion to be color-converted when creating the binary image data,
In addition, it is possible to eliminate an area such as a mark for designating a color conversion portion, and it is possible to eliminate a useless portion in a screen document.

Further, if the above-mentioned constituent element is a character string and the type of the constituent element is a character string attribute, the color to be converted can be designated for each character string attribute. By changing the attribute of a part of the character string in the character string, the color conversion can be specified for a part of the character string. Further, in the image data color conversion device and the color conversion method according to the present invention, a predetermined positional relationship between a predetermined graphic that can be included in the image data and a character string in the image data is recorded, and the graphic is On the other hand, the color to be converted of the character string having the recorded positional relationship and the color to be converted of the graphic are recorded for each graphic type. Then, the binary image data including the character and the predetermined graphic is analyzed, and the position of each character string in the image data is extracted, and the type and position are extracted for each graphic in the image data. . Then, from the character string whose position has been extracted, each figure whose type and position has been extracted and the position of the recorded character string having a predetermined positional relationship are extracted in association with the type of the figure. Finally, the color of each figure in the binary image data is converted based on the type and position of each figure extracted from the binary image data according to the content of each recorded color conversion, and The color of each character string in the binary image data is converted based on the position of each character string having a predetermined positional relationship with the extracted figure.

By such an operation, a predetermined graphic in the binary image data and a character string having a predetermined positional relationship with the predetermined graphic are extracted, and the graphic and the character string are converted into a recorded color. The Rukoto. This gives the user 2
Since any character string in the document image of the value image can be specified as a character string to be subjected to color conversion by a predetermined figure, it is possible to specify a fine color conversion of a part of the character string or the like and directly. Since a character string to be subjected to color conversion can be specified, specification according to the user's intention can be performed. Further, since the graphic itself can be color-converted, the graphic itself for specifying the color conversion can be effectively used by decorating a character string or the like. If the graphic is unnecessary, the graphic conversion can be performed. The color can be erased by making the color the same as the background color of the converted color image. In addition, a special area for designation is not required in the figure for designating the color conversion portion, and the screen of the document can be used completely effectively.

In the image data color conversion apparatus and method according to the present invention, a predetermined positional relationship between a predetermined graphic that can be included in binary image data and a character string in the image data is determined for each type of graphic. In addition, a color to be converted of a character string having a positional relationship recorded with respect to the graphic and a color to be converted of the graphic are recorded for each type of graphic. Then, the binary image data including the character and the predetermined graphic is analyzed, and a type and a position are extracted for each of the graphics in the image data. The position of the character string having the predetermined positional relationship is extracted from the image data for each type of graphic. Then, based on the type and position of each figure extracted from the binary image data,
The color of each figure in the binary image data is converted, and the color of each character string in the binary image data is converted based on the position of each character string extracted from the binary image data.

By such an operation, a predetermined figure in the binary image data and a character string having a predetermined positional relationship with the figure are extracted, and these figures and the character string are converted to the recorded color. Will be converted. This also enables detailed color conversion designation and direct specification of a part of a character string, and also enables color conversion of this figure itself, making it possible to effectively use the figure itself that specifies this color conversion. ,Also,
It is possible to eliminate a special area for designating a color conversion part.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a facsimile mail device.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a color conversion device for image data according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing binary image data to be converted in the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation of the image data color conversion apparatus according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing recording contents of a conversion color recording unit according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing storage contents of a component storage unit according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a color conversion device for image data according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing binary image data to be converted in the second embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an operation of the image data color conversion apparatus according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing recorded contents of a conversion color recording unit according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing storage contents of a character attribute storage unit.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a color conversion device for image data according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing binary image data to be converted in the third embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image data color conversion apparatus according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing recorded contents of a conversion color recording unit according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing recorded contents of a positional relationship recording unit.

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating storage contents of a character position storage unit.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing storage contents of a graphic information storage unit.

FIG. 19 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of another image data color conversion apparatus according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing the operation of another image data color conversion apparatus according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating an example of storage contents of a graphic information storage unit and a character information storage unit of another image data color conversion apparatus according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a conventional method for specifying a color conversion position for a binary document.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 11 image memory 21 component extraction unit 22 component storage unit 23, 73, 127, 196 conversion color recording unit 24, 74, 128, 197 color image conversion unit 71 character attribute extraction unit 72 character information storage unit 121 character position extraction unit 122 character position storage unit 123, 191 color conversion graphic extraction unit 124, 192 graphic information storage unit 125, 193 positional relationship recording unit 126, 194 color conversion character string extraction unit 195 character information storage unit

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A component extracting means for analyzing binary image data including a component of a predetermined type and extracting a type and a position for each component of the image data; Conversion color recording means for recording a color to be converted to the binary image, based on the type and position of each component of the image data extracted by the component extraction means in accordance with the stored contents of the conversion color recording means A color image conversion means for converting the color of each component with respect to the data; 2. The image data color conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the component is a character string, and the type of the component is a character attribute. 3. Character position extracting means for analyzing binary image data including a character and a graphic of a predetermined type, and extracting a position of each character string in the image data; Color-converted graphic extracting means for extracting a type and a position for each, positional relationship recording means for recording a predetermined positional relationship between the graphic and a character string for each type of graphic, The position of a character string having a predetermined positional relationship recorded in the positional relationship recording unit with respect to each figure whose position has been extracted is associated with the type of the graphic, and the position is extracted by the character position extracting unit. A color conversion character string extracting unit that extracts from the character string; a color to be converted of a character string having a positional relationship recorded in the positional relationship recording unit with respect to the graphic; and a color to be converted of the graphic. , By shape type Conversion color recording means for recording; and, for the binary image data, the color of each graphic is extracted based on the type and position of each graphic extracted by the color conversion graphic extraction means in accordance with the recorded contents of the conversion color recording means. Color image conversion means for converting and converting the color of each character string based on the position of each character string extracted corresponding to the type of figure by the color conversion character string extraction means. Conversion device. 4. A color-converted graphic extracting means for analyzing binary image data including a character and a graphic of a predetermined type, and extracting a type and a position for each graphic in the image data; A positional relationship recording means for recording a predetermined positional relationship with a character string for each type of graphic; and a positional relationship recorded in the positional relationship recording means for each graphic whose type and position are extracted by the color-converted graphic extracting means. Color conversion character string extraction means for extracting the position of the character string having the following from the image data in correspondence with the type of the graphic, and converting the character string having the positional relationship recorded in the positional relationship recording means with respect to the graphic Conversion color recording means for recording a power color and a color to be converted of the graphic for each type of graphic; and the color conversion graphic extraction means for the binary image data in accordance with the recorded contents of the conversion color recording means. Extracted with Based on the type and position of each figure, the color of each figure is converted, and the color of each character string is extracted based on the position of the character string extracted by the color conversion character string extraction means in accordance with the type of figure. And a color image conversion means for converting image data. 5. A conversion color input step of inputting a color to be converted for each of predetermined types of constituent elements that can be included in the binary image data, and analyzing the binary image data to be subjected to color conversion, A component extraction step for extracting the type and position of the component of the image data; and an image extracted in the component extraction step in accordance with the color to be converted input for each type of component in the conversion color input step. A color image conversion step of converting the color of each component in the binary image data based on the type and position of the component of the data. 6. The color conversion method for image data according to claim 5, wherein the component is a character string, and the type of the component is a character attribute. 7. A predetermined positional relationship between a graphic of a predetermined type and a character string which can be included in the binary image data is recorded in a recording unit for each type of the graphic, and a predetermined position in the binary image data is recorded. A color conversion method of image data for converting a color of a character string having a predetermined positional relationship recorded in a recording unit with respect to a graphic of a type and a color of the graphic, and recording the graphic in the positional relationship recording step A conversion color input step of inputting a color to be converted of a character string having the positional relationship described above and a color to be converted of the graphic for each graphic type; and a character to be converted and a graphic of a predetermined type. 2 including
Analyzing the value image data, a character position extraction step of extracting the position of each character string in the image data, a color conversion figure extraction step of extracting a type and position for each figure in the image data, The position of a character string having a positional relationship recorded in the recording means for each figure whose type and position has been extracted in the color conversion figure extraction step is associated with the figure type, and the character position extraction step According to the color conversion character string extraction step of extracting the position from the extracted character string, and in accordance with the color to be converted of each of the various figures input in the conversion color input step, the color conversion figure extraction step corresponds to the figure type. A graphic color image converting step of converting the color of each figure in the binary image data based on the type and position of each figure extracted In accordance with the color to be converted of the character string having a predetermined positional relationship with the figure input for each type of figure in each of the figures, based on the position of each character string extracted corresponding to the type of figure in the color conversion character string extraction step. A character color image conversion step of converting the color of each character string in the binary image data; and a color conversion method for image data. 8. A predetermined positional relationship between a predetermined type of graphic and a character string which can be included in the binary image data is recorded in a recording unit for each type of graphic, and a predetermined position in the binary image data is recorded. A color conversion method of image data for converting a color of a character string having a predetermined positional relationship recorded in a recording unit with respect to a graphic of a type and a color of the graphic, wherein the color is recorded in a positional relationship recording step for the graphic. A conversion color input step of inputting a color to be converted of a character string having the positional relationship thus set, and a color to be converted of the graphic for each graphic type; 2 including figures
Analyzing the value image data and extracting a type and a position for each of the figures in the image data; a color conversion figure extracting step; A color conversion character string extraction step of extracting a position of a character string having a positional relationship recorded in the means from the image data in accordance with a type of the figure; A graphic color image converting step of converting the color of each figure in the binary image data based on the type and position of each figure extracted corresponding to the type of the figure in the color converted figure extracting step in accordance with the power color The color conversion character string extraction step is performed according to the color to be converted of a character string having a predetermined positional relationship with the figure, which is input for each type of figure in the conversion color input step. A character color image conversion step of converting the color of each character string in the binary image data based on the position of each character string extracted in correspondence with the type of figure in the step; Conversion method.