IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, AND COMPUTER PRODUCT

• US 20060274388A1
• Filed: 05/04/2006
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Lu, Bin, Miyazawa, Toshio, Saeki, Iwao, Sekiguchi, Yu, Sakuramata, Yoshifumi, Sakayori, Tetsuya, Takami, Junichi, Kato, Yoshinaga
• Granted Patent: US 8,125,683 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/527
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00411 the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00427 using a menu list H04N1/00421, H04N1/00424, H04N1/00429 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00458 Sequential viewing of a plurality of images, e.g. browsing or scrolling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00466 displaying finishing information, e.g. position of punch holes or staple or orientation references
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00472 using a pop-up window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00474 outputting a plurality of functional options, e.g. scan, copy or print
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0416 Performing a pre-scan
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3225 of data relating to an image, a page or a document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3242 of processing required or performed, e.g. for reproduction or before recording H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/325 Modified version of the image, e.g. part of the image, image reduced in size or resolution, thumbnail or screennail
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3273 Display

Abstract

An image processing apparatus includes a preview generating unit configured to generate, based on image data, a preview image that is expected to be output; an attribute extracting unit configured to extract an attribute of at least one portion in the image data; a display unit configured to display the preview image; a position-information obtaining unit configured to obtain position information indicative of a position of a specified portion in the preview image; and a processing unit configured to perform, on the image data, a process according to an attribute that corresponds to the position.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a preview generating unit configured to generate, based on image data, a preview image that is expected to be output;

an attribute extracting unit configured to extract an attribute of at least one portion in the image data;

a display unit configured to display the preview image;

a position-information obtaining unit configured to obtain position information indicative of a position of a specified portion in the preview image; and

a processing unit configured to perform, on the image data, a process according to an attribute that corresponds to the position.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the attribute extracting unit is configured to extract, as the attribute, an image characteristic amount based on an image characteristic value of the image data,

the processing unit includes

an item informing unit configured to inform, in a selectable manner, process items according to the image characteristic amount that corresponds to the position, the process items for the image data;

and

an item selecting unit configured to allow selection of a process item from among the process items, and

the processing unit is configured to perform a process of selected process item on the image data.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the attribute extracting unit is configured to extract, as the attribute, at least one specified area based on an image characteristic value of the image data.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the display unit is configured to display the specified area together with the preview image.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the attribute extracting unit is configured to extract only an area that requires little processing time, from among specified areas for which the processing unit is able to perform a process, and

when a transition from extracted area to another one of specified areas is instructed based on the position information, the attribute extracting unit is configured to extract a specified area corresponding to the position.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the attribute extracting unit is configured to extract, as the attribute, an image characteristic amount for each of small areas formed by dividing the image data, based on an image characteristic value of the image data, and

the processing unit is configured to make a transition on a target area on which the process is performed, to at least one of small area each of which has an image characteristic amount substantially equal to the image characteristic amount of a small area corresponding to the position, and is configured to perform the process integrally on the small area having the image characteristic amount substantially equal to the image characteristic amount of the small area corresponding to the position.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the transition is performed within small areas that are connected to one another.

8. A computer-readable recording medium that stores therein an image processing program making a computer execute:

generating, based on image data, a preview image that is expected to be output;

extracting an attribute of at least one portion in the image data;

displaying the preview image;

obtaining position information indicative of a position of a specified portion in the preview image; and

performing, on the image data, a process according to an attribute that corresponds to the position.

9. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 8, further comprising:

informing, in a selectable manner, process items for the image data;

receiving selection of a process item from among the process items, wherein

the extracting includes extracting, as the attribute, an image characteristic amount based on an image characteristic value of the image data,

the informing includes informing the process items according to the image characteristic amount that corresponds to the position, and

the performing includes performing a process of selected process item on the image data.

10. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 8, wherein the extracting includes extracting, as the attribute, at least one specified area based on an image characteristic value of the image data.

11. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 10, wherein the displaying includes displaying the specified area together with the preview image.

12. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 11, wherein

the extracting includes extracting only an area that requires little processing time, from among specified areas on which the process is performable, and

when a transition from extracted area to another one of specified areas is instructed based on the position information, the extracting includes extracting a specified area corresponding to the position.

13. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 8, wherein

the extracting includes extracting, as the attribute, an image characteristic amount for each of small areas formed by dividing the image data, based on an image characteristic value of the image data, and

the performing includes performing a transition on a target area on which the process is performed, to at least one of small area each of which has an image characteristic amount substantially equal to the image characteristic amount of a small area corresponding to the position, and is configured to perform the process integrally on the small area having the image characteristic amount substantially equal to the image characteristic amount of the small area corresponding to the position.

14. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 13, wherein the performing includes performing the transition within small areas that are connected to one another.

15. An image processing method comprising:

generating, based on image data, a preview image that is expected to be output;

extracting an attribute of at least one portion in the image data;

displaying the preview image;

obtaining position information indicative of a position of a specified portion in the preview image; and

performing, on the image data, a process according to an attribute that corresponds to the position.

16. The image processing method according to claim 15, further comprising:

informing, in a selectable manner, process items for the image data;

receiving selection of a process item from among the process items, wherein

the extracting includes extracting, as the attribute, an image characteristic amount based on an image characteristic value of the image data,

the informing includes informing the process items according to the image characteristic amount that corresponds to the position, and

the performing includes performing a process of selected process item on the image data.

17. The image processing method according to claim 15, wherein

the extracting includes extracting, as the attribute, at least one specified area based on an image characteristic value of the image data.

18. The image processing method according to claim 17, wherein the displaying includes displaying the specified area together with the preview image.

19. The image processing method according to claim 18, wherein

the extracting includes extracting only an area that requires little processing time, from among specified areas on which the process is performable, and

when a transition from extracted area to another one of specified areas is instructed based on the position information, the extracting includes extracting a specified area corresponding to the position.

20. The image processing method according to claim 15, wherein

the extracting includes extracting, as the attribute, an image characteristic amount for each of small areas formed by dividing the image data, based on an image characteristic value of the image data, and

the performing includes performing a transition on a target area on which the process is performed, to at least one of small area each of which has an image characteristic amount substantially equal to the image characteristic amount of a small area corresponding to the position, and is configured to perform the process integrally on the small area having the image characteristic amount substantially equal to the image characteristic amount of the small area corresponding to the position.

21. The image processing method according to claim 20, wherein the performing includes performing the transition within small areas that are connected to one another.