IMAGE PROCESSING FOR REPRODUCING CODE IMAGE FROM ORIGINAL INFORMATION

• US 20090034787A1
• Filed: 07/28/2008
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kozuka, Yasuhiro, Sato, Yuushi
• Granted Patent: US 8,542,867 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32149 Methods relating to embedding, encoding, decoding, detection or retrieval operations
• 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 2201/3269 of machine readable codes or marks, e.g. bar codes or glyphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3284 for error correction

Abstract

It is determined whether an error detecting rate, when original information is extracted from a code image in a read image obtained by reading a sheet on which the code image is formed, is not smaller than a predetermined value. When it is not smaller than a predetermined value, a code image is reproduced from the extracted original information and the code image in the read image is replaced therewith. A barcode, which is a damaged code image, is reproduced.

Claims

1. An image processing device electrically connected with a device that forms a code image on a sheet, wherein said code image is formed by constructing an image from original information subjected to error correction coding, the device comprising:

extraction configured to extract said original information from a code image in a read image obtained by reading a sheet on which said code image is formed;

determination configured to determine whether an error detecting rate when said extraction extracts said original information is not smaller than a predetermined value; and

replacement configured to, when said determination determines that said error detecting rate is not smaller than said predetermined value, reproduce a code image from said original information extracted by said extraction to replace said code image in said read image with the reproduced code image.

2. The device as in claim 1, wherein said replacement includes:

removal configured to remove said code image from said read image when said determination determines that said error detecting rate is not smaller than said predetermined value;

construction configured to construct a code image from said original information extracted by said extraction; and

combination configured to combine a newly obtained code image by said construction in a region from which said removal removed said code image.

3. The device as in claim 2, further comprising control configured to output said read image in which said replacement replaced said code image when said determination determines that said error detecting rate is not smaller than said predetermined value, and for outputting said read image in which said replacement did not replaced said code image when said determination determines that said error correcting rate is smaller than said predetermined value.

4. The device as in claim 3, wherein;

said replacement further includes decision configured to decide a region within said read image from which said code image is removed by said removal; and

said control outputs said read image when said determination determines that said error detecting rate is not smaller than said predetermined value and the region decided by said decision is greater than a threshold.

5. A method for controlling an image processing device electrically connected with a device that forms a code image on a sheet, wherein said code image is formed by constructing an image from original information subjected to error correction coding, the method comprising the steps of:

extracting said original information from a code image in a read image obtained by reading a sheet on which said code image is formed;

determining whether an error detecting rate when said original information is extracted at said extracting step is not smaller than a predetermined value; and

reproducing a code image, when it is determined at said determining step that said error detecting rate is not smaller than said predetermined value, from said original information extracted at said extracting step to replace said code image in said read image with the reproduced code image.

6. The method as in claim 5, wherein said reproducing step includes the steps of:

removing said code image from said read image when it is determined at said determining step that said error detecting rate is not smaller than said predetermined value;

constructing a code image from said original information extracted at said extracting step; and

combining a newly obtained code image at said constructing step in a region from which said code image was removed at said removing step.

7. The method as in claim 6, further comprising the step of outputting said read image in which said code image was replaced at said reproducing step when it was determined at said determining step that said error detecting rate was not smaller than said predetermined value, and of outputting said read image in which said code image was not replaced at said reproducing step when it was determined at said determining step that said error correcting rate was smaller than said predetermined value.

8. The method as in claim 7, wherein:

said reproducing step includes the step of deciding a region within said read image from which said code image is removed at said removing step; and

said outputting step includes outputting said read image when it was determined at said determination step that said error detecting rate was not smaller than said predetermined value and the region decided at said deciding step is greater than a threshold.

15. A program stored in a computer-readable medium for causing a computer to perform the steps in the control method as in claim 5.

9. An image processing device electrically connected with a device that forms a code image on a sheet, wherein said code image is formed by constructing an image from original information subjected to error correction coding, the device comprising:

extraction configured to extract said original information from a code image in a read image obtained by reading a sheet on which said code image is formed;

determination configured to determine a code image missed portion in said read image by comparing said original information extracted by said extraction; and

replacement configured to reproduce a code image from said original information extracted by said extraction to replace said code image in said read image with the reproduced code image for said code image missed portion.

10. The device as in claim 9, wherein said replacement includes:

extraction configured to extract said code image missed portion;

elimination configured to delete said code image missed portion extracted by said extraction; and

addition configured to add said reproduced code image where said code image missed portion is extracted by said elimination.

11. The device as in claim 9, further comprising output configured to output said read image in which said replacement did not replaced said code image when said determination determines that said error correcting rate is smaller than said predetermined value.

12. A method for controlling an image processing device electrically connected with a device that forms a code image on a sheet, wherein said code image is formed by constructing an image from original information subjected to error correction coding, the method comprising the steps of:

extracting said original information from a code image in a read image obtained by reading a sheet on which said code image is formed;

determining a code image missed portion in said read image by comparing said original information extracted at said extracting step; and

reproducing a code image from said original information extracted at said extracting step to replace said code image in said read image with the reproduced code image for said code image missed portion.

13. The method as in claim 12, wherein said reproducing step includes the steps of:

extracting said code image missed portion;

deleting said code image missed portion extracted at said step; and

adding said reproduced code image where said code image missed portion was extracted by said step.

14. The method as in claim 12, further comprising the step of outputting said read image in which said code image was not replaced at said reproducing step when it was determined at said determining step that said error correcting rate is smaller than said predetermined value.