Image processing device generating rectangular image data from intermediate image data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9307115-B2
Application number	US-201514725123-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 29, 2015
Priority date	May 30, 2014
Publication date	Apr 5, 2016
Grant date	Apr 5, 2016

Abstract

An image processing device performs: generating intermediate image data representing an intermediate image in which a first image is combined with a second image; and generating rectangular image data representing a rectangular image by executing at least one of addition of at least one pixel to the intermediate image and deletion of at least one pixel from the intermediate image such that number of pixels aligned in the first direction of the rectangular image is brought into coincidence with a third pixel number and number of pixels aligned in the second direction of the rectangular image is brought into coincidence with a fourth pixel number. A ratio of the third pixel number to the fourth pixel number is equal to a ratio of the first pixel number to the second pixel number.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image processing device comprising:
a processor; and
a memory storing computer-readable instructions therein, the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, causing the image processing device to perform:
acquiring size data indicating a size of a rectangular region, the size data including a first pixel number and a second pixel number, the first pixel number indicating number of pixels aligned in a first direction of the rectangular region, the second pixel number indicating number of pixels aligned in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction of the rectangular region;
acquiring first image data representing a first image and second image data representing a second image;
generating intermediate image data representing an intermediate image in which the first image is combined with the second image in such a manner that at least a part of the first image and at least a part of the second image are arranged in side-by-side, number of pixels of the intermediate image being larger than each of the number of pixels of the first image and the number of pixels of the second image; and
generating rectangular image data representing a rectangular image by executing at least one of addition of at least one pixel to the intermediate image and deletion of at least one pixel from the intermediate image such that number of pixels aligned in the first direction of the rectangular image is brought into coincidence with a third pixel number and number of pixels aligned in the second direction of the rectangular image is brought into coincidence with a fourth pixel number, the third pixel number being obtained by using the first pixel number, the fourth pixel number being obtained by using the second pixel number, a ratio of the third pixel number to the fourth pixel number being equal to a ratio of the first pixel number to the second pixel number.

2. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate image has a first resolution with respect to the first direction and a second resolution with respect to the second direction,
wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, causes the image processing device to further perform:
calculating the third pixel number by multiplying a first value by the first pixel number, the first value being determined by the first resolution,
calculating the fourth pixel number by multiplying a second value by the second pixel number, the second value being determined by the second resolution.

3. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein when generating the rectangular image data, the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, causes the image processing device to further perform:
deleting, from the intermediate image, at least one pixel positioned at an edge of the intermediate image in the first direction when the number of pixels aligned in the first direction of the intermediate image is larger than the third pixel number;
deleting, from the intermediate image, at least one pixel positioned at an edge of the intermediate image in the second direction when the number of pixels aligned in the second direction of the intermediate image is larger than the fourth pixel number;
adding at least one pixel to an edge of the intermediate image in the first direction when the number of pixels aligned in the first direction of the intermediate image is smaller than the third pixel number; and
adding at least one pixel to an edge of the intermediate image in the second direction when the number of pixels aligned in the second direction of the intermediate image is smaller than the fourth pixel number.

4. The image processing device according to claim 3 , wherein the intermediate image includes a prescribed rectangular region therein,
wherein a reference point is set to at least one of a center portion in the first direction of the intermediate image and a center portion in the first direction of the prescribed rectangular region in order to be used at least one of a case where the deleting deletes, from the intermediate image, the at least one pixel positioned at the edge of the intermediate image in the first direction and a case where the adding adds the at least one pixel to the edge of the intermediate image in the first direction,
wherein a reference point is set to at least one of a center portion in the second direction of the intermediate image and a center portion in the second direction of the prescribed rectangular region in order to be used at least one of a case where the deleting deletes, from the intermediate image, the at least one pixel positioned at the edge of the intermediate image in the second direction and a case where the adding adds the at least one pixel to the edge of the intermediate image in the second direction.

5. The image processing device according to claim 3 , wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, causes the image processing device to further perform determining a background pixel value on a basis of a background pixel representing background of at least one of the first image, the second image, and the intermediate image,
wherein a pixel value of the at least one pixel that is added to the intermediate image has the determined background pixel value.

6. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the memory further stores a plurality of sets of size data, each of the plurality of sets of size data indicating a size of a rectangular region,
wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, causes the image processing device to further perform:
specifying, from pixels in the intermediate image, a plurality of pixels whose pixel value is within a specific range;
identifying a specific rectangular region encompassing the specified plurality of pixels, the specific rectangular region including a fifth pixel number and a sixth pixel number, the fifth pixel number indicating number of pixels aligned in the first direction of the specific rectangular region, the sixth pixel number indicating number of pixels aligned in the second direction of the specific rectangular region; and
selecting a set of size data from the plurality of sets of size data by using at least one of the fifth pixel number and the sixth pixel number,
wherein the rectangular image is generated on a basis of the selected set of size data.

7. The image processing device according to claim 6 , wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, causes the image processing device to further perform calculating at least one of a first difference between the fifth pixel number and the first pixel number and a second difference between the sixth pixel number and the second pixel number,
wherein the set of size data is selected on a basis of the calculated at least one of the first difference and the second difference.

8. The image processing device according to claim 6 , wherein the set of size data is selected by using both the fifth pixel number and the sixth pixel number.

9. The image processing device according to claim 6 , wherein when the selecting is incapable of selecting the set of size data, the generating generates the rectangular image data such that the rectangular image corresponds to an image within the specific rectangular region.

10. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the memory further stores a plurality of sets of size data, each of the plurality of sets of size data indicating a size of a rectangular region,
wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, causes the image processin

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Hasegawa Tomohiko
• Shimahashi Takuya

Classifications

• H04N1/3876 Primary

  Recombination of partial images to recreate the original image · CPC title

• H04N2201/0094

  Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception · CPC title

• H04N1/393

  Enlarging or reducing · CPC title