Image processing system and image processing method

• US 20070133020A1
• Filed: 06/07/2006
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Uejo, Hiroyoshi, Misaizu, Toru
• Application Number:
  US11/447,988
• Publication Number:
  US 20070133020A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.900
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1444 Selective acquisition, locating or processing of specific regions, e.g. highlighted text, fiducial marks or predetermined fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/58 Edge or detail enhancement; Noise or error suppression, e.g. colour misregistration correction H04N1/62 takes precedence

Abstract

An image processing system performing image processing on input image data includes an accepting part that accepts selection of a machine recognition processing mode intended for outputting a print image on the assumption that the image, after being output, is subjected to machine recognition processing, and a processing part that performs specific image processing adapted for the machine recognition processing instead of normal image processing, when the selection of the machine recognition processing mode has been accepted by the accepting part.

Claims

1. An image processing system that performs image processing on input image data, comprising:

an accepting part that accepts selection of a machine recognition processing mode intended for outputting a print image on the assumption that the image, after being output, is subjected to machine recognition processing; and

a processing part that performs specific image processing adapted for the machine recognition processing instead of normal image processing, when the selection of the machine recognition processing mode has been accepted by the accepting part.

2. The image processing system according to claim 1, wherein the machine recognition processing mode which is accepted by the accepting part is a mode on the assumption that the image, after being output, is subjected to Optical Character Reader (OCR) processing.

3. The image processing system according to claim 2, wherein the processing part manipulates a text portion for which the machine recognition processing is performed so that the text portion is easily recognized by the machine recognition.

4. The image processing system according to claim 3, wherein the processing part performs object separation according to a print command of the input image data and saturates an image density of a text portion separated by the object separation or replaces the image data for the text portion by 100% black.

5. The image processing system according to claim 2, wherein the processing part performs edge extraction if the input image data is a raster image, and saturates an image density of an edge portion extracted by the edge extraction, thereby successfully encoding low density characters.

6. The image processing system according to claim 1, wherein the processing part performs object separation according to a print command of the input image data and manipulates image data for an area of line drawing separated by the object separation so that lines in the area are hardly recognized by machine recognition.

7. The image processing system according to claim 6, wherein the processing part reduces a density for the area of the line drawing.

8. The image processing system according to claim 6, wherein the processing part replaces a color for the area of the line drawing by a color that is hardly read by a scanner.

9. An image processing system that performs image processing on character and line drawing information and outputs image data, comprising:

an input part that inputs character and line drawing information; and

a conversion part that converts, among the character and line drawing information entered by the input part, a font of the character and line drawing information which will be subject to machine recognition after print output into a specific font for the machine recognition processing.

10. The image processing system according to claim 9, further comprising an accepting part that accepts user selection of a machine recognition processing mode for print output for the machine recognition processing,

wherein the conversion part performs the font conversion, on the basis of the acceptance by the accepting part that characters will be subject to the machine recognition processing after the print output.

11. The image processing system according to claim 9, wherein the conversion part converts the font of the character and line drawing information into a bold font.

12. The image processing system according to claim 9, wherein the conversion part converts the font of the character and line drawing information into a size that is easily recognized by the machine recognition processing.

13. The image processing system according to claim 9, wherein the conversion part performs highlighting on the font of the character and line drawing information.

14. The image processing system according to claim 9, wherein the conversion part enlarges a size of small marks within the font to output enlarged marks.

15. The image processing system according to claim 9, further comprising a part that determines whether the entered character and line drawing information is placed in a colored background,

wherein, if it is determined that the character and line drawing information is placed in the colored background, a density of the colored background is reduced.

16. An image processing method that performs image processing on input image data, comprising:

entering selection of an OCR mode for outputting a print image on the assumption that the image, after being output, will be subject to OCR processing; and

performing specific image processing instead of normal image processing to make a text portion easily recognized during the OCR processing, when the selection of the OCR mode has been entered.

17. The image processing method according to claim 16, wherein the specific image processing converts a font of the text portion included in the input image data into a font that is easily recognized by the OCR processing and outputs font-converted characters.