Image processing apparatus, computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions and associated method

• US 9,014,468 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Tsugimura, Koichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayat, Ali
• Application Number:
  US13/838,912
• Publication Number:
  US 20130259366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 382/162, 382/164, 382/166, 382/165, 382/167, 382/274, 358/538, 358/539, 358/452, 358/1.9, 358/2.1
• US Class Current: 382/164
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/40062 Discrimination between different image types, e.g. two-tone, continuous tone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/41 Bandwidth or redundancy reduction by scanning H04N1/17 ; methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/56 Processing of colour picture signals H04N1/52 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/62 Retouching, i.e. modification of isolated colours only or in isolated picture areas only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/642 Adapting to different types of images, e.g. characters, graphs, black and white image portions

Abstract

An image processing apparatus may create text image data representing a text image, based on target image data representing a target image including text. The image processing apparatus may determine an extended text area in the target image based on information related to a sharpness of the text included in the target image. The extended text area may include a text area corresponding to pixels constituting text in the text image represented by the created text image data, and also include a surrounding area around the text area. The image processing apparatus may change a color of the extended text area to a color of a background of the target image to create background image data.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a controller configured to;

create text image data representing a text image, based on target image data representing a target image including text;

determine an extended text area in the target image based on information related to a sharpness of the text included in the target image, the extended text area including a text area corresponding to pixels constituting text in the text image represented by the created text image data, and also including a surrounding area around the text area; and

change a color of the extended text area to a color of a background of the target image to create background image data.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a size of the surrounding area based on the information to determine the extended text area.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

calculate a feature value related to the sharpness of the text included in the target image; and

determine a size of the surrounding area based on the calculated feature value to determine the extended text area.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the feature value comprises a standard deviation of a color of the text in the target image.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the feature value further comprises a resolution of the target image data.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to multiply a standard deviation of a color of the text in the target image by a resolution of the target image data to calculate the feature value.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

identify a text color value representing a color of the text included in the target image; and

determine a size of the surrounding area based on the identified text color value to determine the extended text area.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine, with reference a table, a standard deviation associated with the identified text color value; and

determine the size of the surrounding area based on the determined standard deviation.

9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to:

set the size of the surrounding area to an upper limit when the information satisfies a predetermined condition; and

execute correction processing on the background image data when the information satisfies the predetermined condition, the correction processing making a difference between the changed color of the extended text area and a color of an area adjacent to the extended text area smaller than before the correction processing is executed.

10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the target image data is to be created by an image reading unit configured to optically read out a document, and

wherein the information related to the sharpness of the text comprising a value depending on characteristics of the image reading unit.

11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to determine the size of the surrounding area where the less sharp the information indicates, the larger the size of the surrounding area is.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to perform:

creating text image data representing a text image, based on target image data representing a target image including text;

determining an extended text area in the target image based on information related to a sharpness of the text included in the target image, the extended text area including a text area corresponding to pixels constituting text in the text image represented by the created text image data, and also including a surrounding area around the text area; and

changing a color of the extended text area to a color of a background of the target image to create background image data.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 12, wherein the determining of the extended text area comprises:

determining a size of the surrounding area based on the information.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 12, wherein the determining of the extended text area comprises:

calculating a feature value related to the sharpness of the text included in the target image; and

determining a size of the surrounding area based on the calculated feature value.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 14, wherein the feature value comprises a standard deviation of a color of the text in the target image.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 15, wherein the feature value further comprises a resolution of the target image data.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 14, wherein the calculating of the feature value comprises:

multiplying a standard deviation of a color of the text in the target image by a resolution of the target image data.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 12, wherein the determining of the extended text area comprises:

identifying a text color value representing a color of the text included in the target image; and

determining a size of the surrounding area based on the identified text color value.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 18, wherein the determining the size of the surrounding area comprises:

determining, with reference a table, a standard deviation associated with the identified text color value; and

determining the size of the surrounding area based on the determined standard deviation.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the determining of the size of the surrounding area comprises:

setting the size of the surrounding area to an upper limit when the information satisfies a predetermined condition,

and wherein the computer-readable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to further perform;

executing correction processing on the background image data when the information satisfies the predetermined condition, the correction processing making a difference between the changed color of the extended text area and a color of an area adjacent to the extended text area smaller than before the correction processing is executed.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 12, wherein the target image data is to be created by an image reading unit configured to optically read out a document, and

wherein the information related to the sharpness of the text comprising a value depending on characteristics of the image reading unit.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the determining of the size of the surrounding area is performed where the less sharp the information indicates, the larger the size of the surrounding area is.

23. A method comprising:

creating text image data representing a text image, based on target image data representing a target image including text;

determining an extended text area in the target image based on information related to a sharpness of the text included in the target image, the extended text area including a text area corresponding to pixels constituting text in the text image represented by the created text image data, and also including a surrounding area around the text area; and

changing a color of the extended text area to a color of a background of the target image to create background image data.