Image processing apparatus, method of controlling image processing apparatus, image recognition method, image forming apparatus, information processing apparatus, and data processing method

• US 7,729,012 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2006
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Nishimura, Yutaro
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Thomas D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brinich; Stephen M
• Application Number:
  US11/398,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20060232852A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,517 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.9, 358/2.1, 358 115- 117, 358/500, 358504-505, 358/442, 358/444, 358/468, 358/462
• US Class Current: 358/2.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0035 User-machine interface; Control console input or output arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00437 Intelligent menus, e.g. anticipating user selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00795 Reading arrangements details of scanning heads H04N1/024; scanning arrangements therefor H04N1/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00806 According to type of the original, e.g. colour paper or transparency, or reading a plurality of different types of original
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00822 Selecting or setting a particular reading mode, e.g. from amongst a plurality of modes, simplex or duplex, or high or low resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00968 by scanning marks on a sheet mark-sheet input means H04N1/00355; sensing record carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

An image processing apparatus is disclosed that controls a user interface according to image properties. The image processing apparatus includes a document data acquiring unit to acquire document data, an image recognizing unit to determine the image properties of the document data including a color and a gray level of the document data so as to generate recognition data, and a user interface providing unit to receive the recognition data so as to provide the user interface. Operations that can be performed on the document data by the image processing apparatus through the user interface vary according to the recognition data.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus that controls a user interface according to image properties, comprising:

a document data acquiring unit to acquire document data;

an image recognizing unit to determine the image properties of the document data including a color and a gray level of the document data so as to generate recognition data; and

a user interface providing unit to receive the recognition data so as to provide the user interface, wherein operations that can be performed on the document data by the image processing apparatus through the user interface vary according to the recognition data,

wherein the image recognizing unit differentiates between a monochrome binary image and a multilevel image based on gray level data and two-dimensional dispersion of pixels contained in the document data so as to generate the recognition data.

2. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a display unit that displays the user interface is an operations panel provided with the image processing apparatus or an information processing apparatus connected to the image processing apparatus via a network.

3. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the information processing apparatus causes the image processing apparatus to perform any of the operations on the document data.

4. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the document data acquiring unit includes an optical reading device;

and the image processing apparatus is a multi-function peripheral.

5. A method of controlling an image processing apparatus that controls a user interface according to image properties, the method causing the image processing apparatus to execute:

a step of acquiring document data;

a step of generating recognition data by determining image properties of the document data including a color and a gray level of the document data; and

a step of providing the user interface, wherein operations that can be performed on the document data by the image processing apparatus through the user interface vary according to the recognition data,

wherein a monochrome binary image and a multilevel image are differentiated between based on gray level data and two-dimensional dispersion of pixels contained in the document data so as to generate the recognition data.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5,

wherein the image processing apparatus is a multi-function peripheral;

and

the step of generating the recognition data includes

a step of acquiring gray level data and two-dimensional dispersion of pixels contained in the document data; and

a step of determining whether the document data comprise a monochrome binary image or a multilevel image based on the acquired gray level data and the two-dimensional dispersion.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5, the method further causing the image processing apparatus to execute:

a step of communicating with an information processing apparatus connected to the image processing apparatus via a network so as to cause the information processing apparatus to display the user interface.

8. An information processing apparatus for processing document data, comprising:

a CPU;

a first storage unit;

an image recognizing unit to read out document data and determine image properties of the read-out document data including a color and a gray level of the document data so as to generate recognition data;

a user interface providing unit to receive the recognition data so as to provide a user interface, wherein operations that can be performed on the document data through the user interface vary according to the recognition data; and

a second storage unit to store a data structure in which the document data and the recognition data are associated with each other,

wherein the image recognizing unit differentiates between a monochrome binary image and a multilevel image based on gray level data and two-dimensional dispersion of pixels contained in the document data so as to generate the recognition data.

9. An image forming apparatus for processing document data, comprising:

a CPU;

a first storage unit;

an image recognizing unit to read out document data in response to an external input and determine image properties of the read-out document data including a color and a gray level of the document data so as to generate recognition data;

a user interface providing unit to receive the recognition data so as to provide a user interface, wherein operations that can be performed on the document data through the user interface vary according to the recognition data; and

a second storage unit to store a data structure in which user data corresponding to the external input, the document data, and the recognition data are associated with each other,

wherein the image recognizing unit differentiates between a monochrome binary image and a multilevel image based on gray level data and two-dimensional dispersion of pixels contained in the document data so as to generate the recognition data.

10. A data processing method of processing document data, the method causing an information processing apparatus including a CPU and a storage unit to execute:

a step of reading out document data and determining image properties of the read-out document data including a color and a gray level of the document data so as to generate recognition data;

a step of receiving the recognition data so as to provide a user interface, wherein operations that can be performed on the document data through the user interface vary according to the recognition data; and

a step of generating and storing a data structure in which the document data and the recognition data are associated with each other,

wherein a monochrome binary image and a multilevel image are differentiated between based on gray level data and two-dimensional dispersion of pixels contained in the document data so as to generate the recognition data.