IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR, AND PROGRAM

• US 20090284780A1
• Filed: 07/24/2009
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: KATO, Shinichi, YAGUCHI, Hiroyuki, YOSHIDA, Hiroyoshi, SEKIGUCHI, Kenzuo, KITORA, Masakazu, TSUJI, Hiroyuki, NISHIKAWA, Eiichi, MATSUKUBO, Yushi
• Granted Patent: US 8,174,724 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.130
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/414 Extracting the geometrical structure, e.g. layout tree; Block segmentation, e.g. bounding boxes for graphics or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00411 the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00432 using tabs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00474 outputting a plurality of functional options, e.g. scan, copy or print
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00482 outputting a plurality of job set-up options, e.g. number of copies, paper size or resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00832 Recording use, e.g. counting number of pages copied
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32112 in a separate computer file, document page or paper sheet, e.g. a fax cover sheet H04N1/32122 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/34 for coin-freed systems ; Pay systems
• 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 2201/3222 of processing required or performed, e.g. forwarding, urgent or confidential handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3273 Display

Abstract

Input raster image data is divided into objects of each attribute. The division results, and charge information representing a consideration accrued from a vectorized process for the division results are displayed. It is designated whether to execute the vectorized process for the displayed division results. The vectorized process of converting the raster image data into vector data is executed on the basis of the contents of the designation.

Claims

1-27. -27. (canceled)

28. An image processing apparatus which can execute a plurality of types of functions for a document image obtained by reading a document, comprising:

reading means for reading a document;

dividing means for dividing a document image read by said reading means into a plurality of objects for each attribute;

converting means for converting the document image into vector data for each object divided by said dividing means;

holding means for holding a management table in which an upper limit value of the number of objects converted by said converting means is managed for each of a plurality of types of management units and each of types of attributes dividable by said dividing means;

determining means for determining whether the cumulative number of objects of each attribute that are converted by said converting means has reached the upper limit value managed by the management table; and

restricting means for restricting execution of said converting means on the basis of a determination result of said determining means.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28, further comprising setting means for setting the upper limit value in the management table.

30. The apparatus according to claim 28, further comprising counter means for counting the number of objects converted by said converting means for each of the plurality of types of management units and each of the types of attributes dividable by said dividing means.

31. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein when one of the cumulative numbers of objects of the respective attributes converted by said converting means has reached a corresponding upper limit value managed by the management table as a result of determination of said determining means, said restricting means inhibits subsequent execution of said converting means.

32. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the management table further manages the upper limit value for each function available in the image processing apparatus.

33. An image processing apparatus which can execute a plurality of types of functions for a document image obtained by reading a document, comprising:

reading means for reading a document;

dividing means for dividing a document image read by said reading means into a plurality of objects for each attribute;

converting means for converting the document image into vector data for each object divided by said dividing means;

holding means for holding a billing management table in which an upper limit of a total amount for restricting execution of said converting means, a unit cost a user is billed for when objects are converted for each attribute by said converting means, and a cumulative billing amount calculated on the basis of the unit cost upon execution of said converting means are managed for each of a plurality of types of management units;

determining means for determining whether the cumulative billing amount calculated upon execution of said converting means has reached the upper limit of the total amount managed by the management table; and

restricting means for restricting execution of said converting means on the basis of a determination result of said determining means.

34. The apparatus according to claim 33, further comprising setting means for setting the upper limit of the total amount and the unit cost in the billing management table.

35. The apparatus according to claim 33, further comprising counter means for counting the number of objects converted by said converting means for each of the plurality of types of management units and each of types of attributes dividable by said dividing means.

36. The apparatus according to claim 33, wherein when the cumulative billing amount calculated upon execution of said converting means has reached the upper limit of the total amount managed by the billing management table as a result of determination of said determining means, said restricting means inhibits subsequent execution of said converting means.

37. The apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the billing management table further manages the upper limit of the total amount for each function available in the image processing apparatus.

38. A method of controlling an image processing apparatus which can execute a plurality of types of functions for a document image obtained by reading a document, comprising:

a dividing step of dividing a document image read by a reading unit into a plurality of objects for each attribute;

a converting step of converting the document image into vector data for each object divided in the dividing step;

a holding step of holding in a storage medium a management table in which an upper limit value of the number of objects converted in the converting step is managed for each of a plurality of types of management units and each of types of attributes dividable in the dividing step;

a determining step of determining whether the cumulative number of objects of each attribute that are converted in the converting step has reached the upper limit value managed by the management table; and

a restricting step of restricting execution of the converting step on the basis of a determination result of the determining step.

39. A method of controlling an image processing apparatus which can execute a plurality of types of functions for a document image obtained by reading a document, comprising:

a dividing step of dividing a document image read by a reading unit into a plurality of objects for each attribute;

a converting step of converting the document image into vector data for each object divided in the dividing step;

a holding step of holding in a storage medium a billing management table in which an upper limit of a total amount for restricting execution of the converting step, a unit cost a user is billed for when objects are converted for each attribute in the converting step, and a cumulative billing amount calculated on the basis of the unit cost upon execution of the converting step are managed for each of a plurality of types of management units;

a determining step of determining whether the cumulative billing amount calculated upon execution of the converting step has reached the upper limit of the total amount managed by the management table; and

a restricting step of restricting execution of the converting step on the basis of a determination result of the determining step.

40. A program for implementing control of an image processing apparatus which can execute a plurality of types of functions for a document image obtained by reading a document, comprising:

a program code for a dividing step of dividing a document image read by a reading unit into a plurality of objects for each attribute;

a program code for a converting step of converting the document image into vector data for each object divided in the dividing step;

a program code for a holding step of holding in a storage medium a management table in which an upper limit value of the number of objects converted in the converting step is managed for each of a plurality of types of management units and each of types of attributes dividable in the dividing step;

a program code for a determining step of determining whether the cumulative number of objects of each attribute that are converted in the converting step has reached the upper limit value managed by the management table; and

a program code for a restricting step of restricting execution of the converting step on the basis of a determination result of the determining step.

41. A program for implementing control of an image processing apparatus which can execute a plurality of types of functions for a document image obtained by reading a document, comprising:

a program code for a dividing step of dividing a document image read by a reading unit into a plurality of objects for each attribute;

a program code for a converting step of converting the document image into vector data for each object divided in the dividing step;

a program code for a holding step of holding in a storage medium a billing management table in which an upper limit of a total amount for restricting execution of the converting step, a unit cost a user is billed for when objects are converted for each attribute in the converting step, and a cumulative billing amount calculated on the basis of the unit cost upon execution of the converting step are managed for each of a plurality of types of management units;

a program code for a determining step of determining whether the cumulative billing amount calculated upon execution of the converting step has reached the upper limit of the total amount managed by the management table; and

a program code for a restricting step of restricting execution of the converting step on the basis of a determination result of the determining step.

42. An image processing apparatus, comprising:

reading means for reading a document;

dividing means for dividing a document image read by said reading means into a plurality of objects for each attribute;

converting means for converting the document image into vector data for each object divided by said dividing means;

holding means for holding a management table for managing conversion into vector data by converting means; and

restricting means for restricting execution of said converting means according to the management table.

43. The image processing apparatus according to claim 42, wherein said management table manages an upper limit value of the number of objects converted by said converting means for each of a plurality of types of management units.

44. The image processing apparatus according to claim 42, wherein said management table manages conversion into vector data by converting means for each of types of attributes dividable by said dividing means.