JP2002125114A - Image reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image reader having excellent user-friendliness that detects a direction of an original so as to correct the direction even without an index denoting the direction in the original and without the need for adding the index denoting the direction of the original to the original. SOLUTION: The image reader applies binary processing to image data after an image of an original is read, applies character recognition processing to a high-order part of a 1st page, extracts the direction of recognized characters, applies direction correction rotation processing to the characters able to be recognized altogether, applies direction correction rotation processing to the 1st page at that point of time, and applies the same direction correction rotation processing to 2nd page and succeeding pages when the application of the direction correction rotation processing of the 1st page is finished.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus for automatically correcting read image data in an image reading apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At present, an image reading apparatus used in a digital copying machine, a facsimile or the like irradiates an original with light, captures the reflected light by a reading means such as a CCD, and converts the reflected light into an electric signal. Thus, the image information of the document is recognized. The image reading device stores the electric signal from the reading unit as image data, edits the image data, and transmits the image data to the outside via a facsimile communication line.
Alternatively, the image data is transmitted to an image forming apparatus such as a digital copying machine, and the facsimile or the image forming apparatus prints the image data on transfer paper.

However, the characters of the original document are rarely all arranged in one direction, and it is very difficult to read even if the original is transmitted as it is and is discharged as information on a transfer paper by facsimile or the like. To remedy these shortcomings,
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 6-178895 discloses an image reading apparatus that detects an index formed in advance on a read original, detects the position of the index, and detects the correct orientation of the upper, lower, left, and right sides of the original to correct the direction. Has been proposed.

[0004]

However, in the image reading apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-178895, the direction cannot be corrected if there is no header data or the like serving as an index in the original document. In this case, an index must be added to the manuscript, which is inconvenient.

In view of the above, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to detect a direction and correct a direction even if there is no index indicating the direction of the original, and to indicate the direction of the original. An object of the present invention is to provide an image reading apparatus that is easy to use for a user without adding an index.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image reading apparatus, comprising: reading an image of a document; binarizing the image data; An image reading apparatus that performs character recognition processing of (1), takes out the direction of the character for a recognized character, and performs direction correction rotation processing on the recognized character collectively.
On the first page, perform a direction correction rotation process at that time,
The image reading apparatus performs the same direction correction rotation processing on the second and subsequent pages when the direction correction rotation processing of the first page ends.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image reading apparatus according to the first aspect, the entire area of one page from the upper part of one page is subjected to character recognition processing, and the direction data of the recognized character is included. An image reading device that detects the most common direction and collectively recognizes recognized characters and performs direction correction rotation processing.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image reading apparatus according to the first or second aspect, after detecting the direction of one page and performing the direction correction rotation processing, the second and subsequent pages are replaced with one page. An image reading device that performs a direction correction rotation process corresponding to the result.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image reading apparatus according to the first or second aspect, wherein the direction correction rotation processing is performed by rotation at every 90 °.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a system block diagram of an image reading apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. A control unit 1 for controlling the entire image reading apparatus; a memory 2 for storing programs for control and various data necessary for control;
A state detection unit 3 for detecting an operation state and an operation state of the apparatus; an operation control unit 4 for controlling device operations such as a document reading operation; an image input unit 5 for scanning and converting an image into an electric signal; An image processing unit 6 for digitally processing the image information, an image compression unit 7 for compressing image data, an external I / F 8 for interfacing with a computer for setting reading conditions and transferring read data, and an operation by an operator. An operation unit 9 for inputting and transmitting information to an operator is constituted, and these units are connected by a bus 10.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image reading apparatus according to the first or fourth aspect. After the reading is started, the image processing unit 6 performs a character recognition process on the upper part of the first page of the image data after the binarization process of the image data. For a character that can be recognized after the recognition processing, the direction (angle) data of the character is extracted. If the direction data is larger than a predetermined value, the value is set to 0 °,
A direction correction rotation processing method is determined for each 90 ° unit of 90 °, 180 °, and 270 °. For the first page, the direction correction rotation processing is performed at that time, and for the second and subsequent pages, the same direction correction rotation processing is performed when the preprocessing is completed.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image reading apparatus according to the second or fourth aspect. Here, the character recognition area is further expanded from the upper part of one page to the entire area of one page, the direction most frequently found in the direction data of each recognized character is obtained, and the same processing is performed thereon. .

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image reading apparatus according to the third or fourth aspect. Here, further, after the direction detection and direction correction rotation processing of one page,
The direction detection and the direction correction rotation process corresponding to the result are performed for each of the second page and the third page and each page.

[0014]

As described above, in the image reading apparatus of the present invention, the direction can be detected and the direction can be corrected even if there is no index indicating the direction of the original, and the index indicating the direction of the original can be detected. There is no need to add it, and the usability can be improved for the user.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system block diagram of an image reading apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation of the image reading apparatus according to claim 1 or 4;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of the image reading apparatus according to claim 2 or 4;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation of the image reading apparatus according to claim 3 or 4;

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 control unit 2 memory 3 state detection unit 4 operation control unit 5 image input unit 6 image processing unit 7 image compression unit 8 image I / F 9 operation unit 10 bus

Claims (4)

[Claims] After reading an image of a document, the image data is subjected to binarization processing, character recognition processing of the upper part of the first page is performed, and the direction of the recognized character is extracted and recognized. An image reading apparatus that performs a direction correction rotation process on the formed characters collectively, and performs a direction correction rotation process on the first page at that time, and finishes the direction correction rotation process on the first page after the second page. An image reading apparatus that performs the same direction correction rotation processing. 2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a character recognition process is performed on an entire area of one page from an upper part of one page, and a direction having the largest number of direction data of the recognized character is detected. An image reading apparatus, comprising: performing a direction correcting rotation process on generated characters collectively. 3. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the direction of one page is detected, and after the direction correction rotation processing, the direction correction rotation processing corresponding to the result of one page is performed for the second and subsequent pages. An image reading apparatus, comprising: 4. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the direction correction rotation processing is performed by rotation every 90 °.