Image correcting apparatus and method, program, storage medium, image reading apparatus, and image forming apparatus

An image correcting apparatus for correcting a scanned image of a book document in contact with a contact glass, said scanned image being read by image reading means, said apparatus comprising:

• binarizing means for binarizing said scanned image ready by said image reading means;
• character circumscribing rectangle extracting means for cropping characters from the binarized image processed by said binarizing means to extract rectangles which circumscribe the respective characters;
• character string extracting means for extracting a character string based on the character circumscribing rectangles extracted by said character circumscribing rectangle extracting means;
• rising amount estimating means for estimating a rising amount of said book document from said contact glass from the shape of said character string extracted by said character string extracting means;
• and
• image correcting means for correcting said scanned image or said binarized image based on the rising amount estimated by said rising amount estimating means.

An image correcting apparatus for correcting a scanned image of a book document read by image reading means, said book document being in contact with a contact glass, said apparatus comprising:

• binarizing means for binarizing said scanned image ready by said image reading means;
• rule extracting means for extracting rules from the binarized image processed by said binarizing means;
• rising amount estimating means for estimating a rising amount of said book document from said contact glass from the shape of said rules extracted by said rule extracting means;
• and
• image correcting means for correcting said scanned image or said binarized image based on the rising amount estimated by said rising amount estimating means.

A program for causing a computer to correct a scanned image of a book document read by image reading means, said book document being in contact with a contact glass, said program causing said computer to execute:

• a binarizing function for binarizing said scanned image ready by said image reading means;
• a character circumscribing rectangle extracting function for cropping characters from the binarized image processed by said binarizing function to extract rectangles which circumscribe the respective characters;
• a character string extracting function for extracting a character string based on the character circumscribing rectangles extracted by said character circumscribing rectangle extracting function;
• a rising amount estimating function for estimating a rising amount of said book document from said contact glass from the shape of said character string extracted by said character string extracting function;
• and
• an image correcting function for correcting said scanned image or said binarized image based on the rising amount estimated by said rising amount estimating function.

A program for causing a computer to correct a scanned image of a book document read by image reading means, said book document being in contact with a contact glass, said program causing said computer to execute:

• a binarizing function for binarizing said scanned image ready by said image reading means;
• a rule extracting function for extracting rules from the binarized image processed by said binarizing function;
• a rising amount estimating function for estimating a rising amount of said book document from said contact glass from the shape of said rules extracted by said rule extracting function;
• and
• an image correcting function for correcting said scanned image or said binarized image based on the rising amount estimated by said rising amount estimating function.

An image correcting method for correcting a scanned image of a book document read by image reading means, said book document being in contact with a contact glass, said method comprising the steps of:

• binarizing said scanned image ready by said image reading means;
• cropping characters from the binarized image processed by said binarizing step to extract rectangles which circumscribe the respective characters;
• extracting a character string based on the character circumscribing rectangles extracted by said character circumscribing rectangle extracting step;
• estimating a rising amount of said book document from said contact glass from the shape of said character string extracted by said character string extracting step;
• and
• correcting said scanned image or said binarized image based on the rising amount estimated by said rising amount estimating step.

An image correcting method for correcting a scanned image of a book document read by image reading means, said book document being in contact with a contact glass, said method comprising the steps of:

• binarizing said scanned image ready by said image reading means;
• extracting rules from the binarized image processed by said binarizing step;
• estimating a rising amount of said book document from said contact glass from the shape of said rules extracted by said rule extracting step;
• and
• correcting said scanned image or said binarized image based on the rising amount estimated by said rising amount estimating step.

An image reading apparatus comprising:

• image reading means for reading a document image;
• and
• an image correcting apparatus for correcting a scanned image of a book document read by image reading means, said book document being in contact with a contact glass, said apparatus comprising,
• divergent angle detecting means for detecting a divergent angle of said scanned image using a linear portion included in said scanned image of said book document;
• and
• divergent distortion correcting means for correcting said scanned image for a divergent distortion based on said divergent distortion angle detected by said divergent distortion angle detecting means and subsequently correcting said scanned image for a shape distortion in a sub-scanning direction.

An image correcting apparatus for correcting a scanned image of a book document read by a scanner, said book document being in contact with a contact glass of the scanner, said apparatus comprising:

• a binarizing mechanism configured to binarize said scanned image ready by said scanner;
• a character circumscribing rectangle extracting mechanism configured to crop characters from the binarized image processed by said binarizing mechanism to extract rectangles which circumscribe the respective characters;
• a character string extracting mechanism configured to extract a character string based on the character circumscribing rectangles extracted by said character circumscribing rectangle extracting mechanism;
• a rising amount estimating mechanism configured to estimate a rising amount of said book document from said contact glass from the shape of said character string extracted by said character string extracting mechanism;
• and
• an image corrector configured to correct said scanned image or said binarized image based on the rising amount estimated by said rising amount estimating mechanism.

An image correcting apparatus for correcting a scanned image of a book document read by a scanner, said book document being in contact with a contact glass of the scanner, said apparatus comprising:

• a binarizing mechanism configured to binarize said scanned image ready by said scanner;
• a rule extracting mechanism configured to extract rules from the binarized image processed by said binarizing mechanism;
• a rising amount estimating mechanism configured to estimate a rising amount of said book document from said contact glass from the shape of said rules extracted by said rule extracting mechanism;
• and
• an image corrector configured to correct said scanned image or said binarized image based on the rising amount estimated by said rising amount estimating mechanism.

An image reading apparatus comprising:

• a scanner configured to read a document image;
• and
• an image correcting apparatus for correcting a scanned image of a book document read by a scanner, said scanned image being in contact with a contact glass of the scanner
• wherein said image correcting apparatus further comprises,
• a divergent angle detector configured to detect a divergent angle of said scanned image using a linear portion included in said scanned image of said book document;
• and
• a divergent distortion corrector configured to correct said scanned image for a divergent distortion based on said divergent distortion angle detected by said divergent distortion angle detecting means and subsequently correcting said scanned image for a shape distortion in a sub-scanning direction.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a scanner configured to read a document image;
• an image correcting apparatus for correcting a scanned image of a book document read by a scanner, said scanned image being in contact with a contact glass of the scanner;
• an image printer configured to print an image on a sheet based on image data output from said image correcting apparatus;
• wherein said image correcting apparatus further comprises,
• a divergent angle detector configured to detect a divergent angle of said scanned image using a linear portion included in said scanned image of said book document;
• and
• a divergent distortion corrector configured to correct said scanned image for a divergent distortion based on said divergent distortion angle detected by said divergent distortion angle detecting means and subsequently correcting said scanned image for a shape distortion in a sub-scanning direction.