JP2003179739A - Image processor and image processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processor in which a synthetic image file of high reproducibility can be acquired without the defect of an image caused by the overlap of extraction areas. <P>SOLUTION: In an image processor 1, labeling processing is applied to pixels comprising the effective image area of input image data on prescribed conditions and when the circumscribed rectangular area of a pixel group applied with labeling processing with the same label is not overlapped with the other circumscribed rectangle, the circumscribed rectangle is extracted by complementing pixels except for the pixels comprising the effective image area with prescribed complementary pixels and when the circumscribed rectangle is overlapped with the other circumscribed rectangle, all the pixels are extracted as they are. Next, the area class of the extraction area is discriminated and after image processing is applied corresponding to the area class, the extraction areas are composited to create a document image file. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, and more particularly to extracting characters, figures and photographic regions from image data obtained by reading a document original, performing image processing, and recomposing them. The present invention relates to an image processing device that creates a document image file.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Since image data read by a scanner or the like has a large capacity and is not suitable for storage or transmission / reception as it is, image processing such as appropriate compression is performed according to the type of image. However, in the case of image data obtained by reading a document original, since a character area composed of a character image, a graphic area composed of a graphic image, and a photo area composed of a photographic image are mixed, lossy compression suitable for the photographic area is performed. Although the capacity is small, it is difficult to read the characters, and there is a problem that the compression rate becomes low when the compression suitable for the character area is performed. Therefore, there is known an image processing device that separates and extracts a character, a figure, and a photo region from image data of a document original, compresses each region appropriately, and then synthesizes them again to create a document image file. According to such an image processing apparatus, the capacity of the image file can be reduced while maintaining the image quality.

However, the extraction of areas in the image processing apparatus is usually performed in units of the circumscribed rectangle of each area for the purpose of avoiding complication of processing, so that the extraction areas overlap depending on the positional relationship of the areas. There is a problem that the image is lost and the combined image file is not reproduced as the original.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide characters, figures and photographs of image data obtained by reading a document original. An image processing apparatus that creates a document image file by extracting each area and performing image processing and then recombining it can acquire a highly reproducible composite image file without image loss due to overlapping of extraction areas. An object is to provide an image processing device.

[0005]

The above objects of the present invention can be achieved by the following means.

(A) Area extraction means for extracting a circumscribed rectangular area of an effective image area of image data, and area overlap determination means for determining whether or not the extraction area extracted by the area extraction means overlaps another extraction area. And the area extracting means complements and extracts pixels other than the pixels forming the effective image area with a predetermined complementary pixel when the extracted area does not overlap with other extracted areas, and the extracted area The image processing apparatus is characterized in that all pixels are extracted as they are when the pixel overlaps another extraction area.

(B) The image forming apparatus further comprises labeling means for performing a labeling process on the pixels forming the effective image area under a predetermined condition, and the area extracting means extracts the circumscribed rectangular area of the pixel group labeled by the same label. The image processing apparatus according to (a).

(C) An area type discriminating means for discriminating the area type of the extraction area is further provided (a) or (b).
The image processing device according to item 1.

(D) The image processing means for performing image processing on the extraction area according to the area type, and the image file creating means for synthesizing the extraction area to create an image file are further included in (c). Image processing device.

(E) A step (1) of extracting a circumscribed rectangular area of the effective image area of the image data and a step (2) of determining whether or not the extraction area extracted in the step (1) overlaps another extraction area. ) And step (1), when the extraction region does not overlap with other extraction regions, the pixels other than the pixels forming the effective image region are complemented and extracted with a predetermined complementary pixel,
An image processing method, wherein all pixels are extracted as they are when the extraction region overlaps with another extraction region.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of an image processing system including an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The image processing system includes an image processing device 1
A scanner 2 as an image input source device and a file server 3 as an image output destination device, which are communicably connected to each other via a computer network 4. The types and the number of devices connected to the computer network are not limited to the example shown in FIG.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of the image processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment. In FIG. 2, the image processing apparatus 1 includes a control unit 101, a storage unit 102, and an operation unit 1.
03, an input interface unit 104, an output interface unit 105, a region extracting unit 106, an image processing unit 107, a region synthesizing unit 108, and a file format converting unit 109, which are buses 110 for exchanging signals.
Are connected to each other via.

The control unit 101 is a CPU, and controls various parts described above and executes various arithmetic processes according to a program. The storage unit 102 stores a ROM that stores various programs and parameters in advance, a RAM that temporarily stores programs and data as a work area, stores various programs and parameters, or stores image data obtained by image processing. It consists of a hard disk used for temporary storage.

The operation unit 103 is composed of keys for setting an output area, image processing type, color mode, output file format, destination, etc., and an operation panel for giving an operation start instruction. Here, the setting of the output area is performed by selecting whether to output all or all of the extracted character, graphic, or photograph area. In the setting of the type of image processing, the presence or absence of binarization, color reduction, resolution conversion, smoothing, compression processing, etc. is selected as the type of image processing for the extraction area. The color mode setting selects color, monochrome, or grayscale of the output file. The output file format is set by selecting the file format of the output file. The output file format includes various document creation software document formats, PostScript (registered trademark), PDF, JPEG, and TI.
A general-purpose format such as FF is given. The destination is set by inputting the IP address, host name, mail address, etc. of the image output destination device.

The input interface unit 104 is an interface for receiving image data input from an external image input source device, and the output interface 105 is an interface for transmitting an output file to an external image output destination device. .

The area extracting unit 106 performs a process of separating and extracting a character area, a graphic area and a photograph area from the input image data. The image processing unit 107 is a character area processing unit 107.
a, graphic area processing unit 107b and photograph area processing unit 10
7c, and performs appropriate image processing on the extracted image data of the character, graphic, and photographic areas. The area synthesizing unit 108 synthesizes the image-processed character, graphic, and photo areas to create a document image file in the internal file format. The file format conversion unit 109 converts the document image file created in the internal file format into the set output file format.

The scanner 2 reads a document original, acquires image data, and transmits the obtained image data to the image processing apparatus.

The file server 3 is a computer,
A file received via a computer network is stored, and the stored file is transferred to another device on the computer network in response to a transfer request.

The computer network 4 is a LAN connecting computers, peripheral devices, network devices, etc. according to standards such as Ethernet (registered trademark), token ring, and FDDI, or a WA connecting LANs by dedicated lines.
It consists of N etc.

Next, an outline of image processing performed by the image processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment will be described. FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of image processing by the image processing apparatus 1. As shown in FIG. 3A, the image data obtained by reading the document original from the scanner 2 includes a character area formed of a character image, a figure area formed of a graphic image, a photograph area formed of a photographic image, and a background image. (Hereinafter, in the present specification, image data other than the background area of image data, that is, in the case of document image data, a character area, a graphic area, and a photographic area are referred to as “effective image area”). ). When such high-capacity image data is compressed to reduce the capacity and is to be stored in the file server 3, if the entire image data is subjected to uniform image processing such as compression processing, it is irreversible suitable for a photographic area. If the compression is performed, the capacity is reduced, but it becomes difficult to read the characters due to the deterioration of the image. Therefore, the image processing apparatus 1 includes the scanner 2
A character area, a graphic area, and a photograph area are separated and extracted from the input image data received from (FIG. 3B), and the extracted area data is subjected to appropriate image processing according to the area type and then combined again. To create composite image data (Fig. 3
(C)) It is converted into a predetermined file format and transmitted to the file server 3.

Here, as one of the area extraction methods from the input image data described above, the pixels forming the effective image area of the input image data are labeled under a predetermined condition, and labeled with the same label. There is a method of extracting a region by extracting a pixel group. That is, the pixel groups forming the same effective image area (for example, the same graphic area) of the input image data are labeled with the same label number, and at the same time, the position information of the circumscribed rectangle of the pixel group is also detected. Then, the circumscribed rectangular area of the effective image area is extracted from the input image data based on the obtained position information of the circumscribed rectangle and the label number. At this time, only pixels that match the label number in the circumscribed rectangle are extracted from the input image data, and the other pixels in the circumscribed rectangle are complemented with predetermined complementary pixels (for example, white pixels that are the most common background pixels). By doing so, even image data having a layout in which the circumscribed rectangles of the effective image area overlap each other can be completely separated and extracted. Note that the effective image area is extracted as a circumscribed rectangular area in order to avoid complication of processing, reduce the processing load, and shorten the processing time.
Pixels other than the extracted pixel group in the circumscribed rectangle are complemented with complementary pixels such as white pixels in order to prevent the same image from being extracted again. However, in the image data of the layout in which the circumscribed rectangles of the effective image areas are overlapped with each other, when the extraction area data obtained by the labeling processing is re-combined after the image processing, the extraction areas overlap each other. Therefore, there is a problem that an image is lost.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of conventional area extraction and recomposition processing by labeling. Figure 4
In (a), with respect to regions 1 and 2 which are effective image regions of the input image data, pixels forming region 1 are labeled with label number 1 and pixels forming region 2 are labeled with label number 2. Next, in FIG. 4B, as the extraction processing of the circumscribed rectangular area of the area 1, the pixel of label number 1 in the circumscribed rectangle of the area 1 is extracted, and the other pixels in the circumscribed rectangle are complemented with white pixels. Obtain the extraction area data. Similarly,
As the extraction processing of the circumscribed rectangular area of the area 2, the pixel of the label number 2 in the circumscribed rectangle of the area 2 is extracted, and the other pixels in the circumscribed rectangle are complemented with white pixels to obtain extraction area data.
Then, after subjecting the extracted data of the region 1 and the region 2 to appropriate image processing, in FIG. 4C, the extracted regions are recombined based on the respective positional information to obtain composite image data. Then, since the circumscribed rectangles of the area 1 and the area 2 overlap, a part of the effective image area of one extraction area is hidden by the white pixels of the other extraction area even if the extraction areas of both areas are overlapped in any order. Image loss occurs. In the present embodiment, the image processing device 1
Solves this problem by determining the overlap of the circumscribed rectangles of the effective image area when extracting the effective image area from the image data, and if the circumscribed rectangles overlap, extract all the pixels in the extraction area as they are. However, it is possible to obtain synthetic image data with high reproducibility without loss of the image while achieving high compression while suppressing deterioration of the image.

Next, an outline of the operation of the entire image processing system in this embodiment will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a procedure of image processing of the image processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment. In FIG. 5, the image processing apparatus 1 waits until there is an image processing start command (N in S101).
O). When an input of a start command is received from the user via the operation unit 103 (YES in S101), an original reading command is transmitted to the scanner 2 via the input interface unit 104 (S102) until image data is received from the scanner 2. Stand by (NO in S103). Scanner 2
When a document reading command is received from the image processing apparatus 1, the document original set at a predetermined position is read to obtain image data, and the obtained image data is transmitted to the image processing apparatus 1. The image processing start command may be directly input from another device on the communication network 4 or directly from the scanner 2. In this case, steps S101 and S1 described above are performed.
02 is omitted.

When the image processing apparatus 1 receives image data from the scanner 2 via the input interface unit 104 (YES in S103), the received image data is stored in the storage unit 1.
02, and then the area extraction unit 106 performs area extraction processing from the input image data (S104).

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the area extraction processing of the image processing apparatus 1 in this embodiment.
In FIG. 6, the image processing apparatus 1 labels the pixel group forming the effective image area under a predetermined condition, and at the same time detects the position information of the circumscribed rectangle of the pixel group, and stores the obtained labeling image data. Save in the unit 102 (S20
1 and S202). The specific method of the labeling process is not particularly limited, and a known method can be used, but one example is as follows. In other words, binary image data in which lightness image data is created from input image data (RGB image data), background removal and filter smoothing processing is performed, and then simple binarization processing based on the background level is performed to integrate areas other than the background. To create. Then, the Lapl is applied to the obtained binary image data.
Aian filter processing is performed to detect edges, and further closing processing is performed to complement edges to obtain edge image data. The obtained edge image corresponds to the outline of the effective image area, and the labeling image is obtained by labeling the pixel groups in one area divided by the edge image with the same label number. Create the data.

Next, the circumscribed rectangular area of the effective image area is extracted from the input image data based on the position information of the circumscribed rectangle and the label pixel in the labeling image data and the label number (S203 to S206). At that time, the position information of the circumscribed rectangles in the effective image area is compared to determine the overlap between the circumscribed rectangles (S203). Only pixels that match the label number in the circumscribing rectangle area are extracted from the data, and other pixels in the circumscribing rectangle are complemented with white pixels to obtain extraction area data, which is stored in the storage unit 102 (S205). ). On the other hand, when the circumscribed rectangle overlaps another circumscribed rectangle (YES in S204), all the pixels in the circumscribed rectangular area are extracted from the input image data to acquire the extraction area data, and the storage unit 1
02 (S206).

Then, the characteristic amount of the obtained extraction region data is calculated to determine the region type of the extraction region, that is, whether the extraction region is a character, a figure or a photographic region,
It is recorded as attribute information of the extraction area (S207). The method of discriminating the area type is not particularly limited, and a known method can be used, but an example is as follows. That is, first, regarding the graphic area and the photographic area, based on the feature that the brightness distribution of the graphic area is somewhat uniform and the brightness distribution of the photographic area is dispersed,
Using the brightness image data, for all pixels in the extraction area,
A brightness histogram is created for each line in the two directions of main scanning and sub-scanning, and the lightness dispersion is calculated as a feature amount to discriminate between a graphic area and a photographic area. Further, regarding the character region, based on the feature that the character region contains many diagonal direction edge components in the small area, the diagonal direction edge component among the frequency components included in the extraction region is used by using the input image data. Is calculated as a feature amount, and it is determined based on the content rate of the diagonal edge component.

Next, referring to FIG. 5, the image processing device 2
The image processing unit 107 performs image processing on the extracted area data obtained in step S104 according to the area type (S105). That is, the character area processing unit 107a
The obtained character area data is binarized, and lossless compression processing of 1-bit data, for example, MH compression, MR compression,
It is subjected to MMR compression, JBIG compression, Flate compression, etc., and is stored in the storage unit 102 together with color information and position information. Further, after performing smoothing processing, color reduction processing, resolution conversion, etc. on the obtained graphic area data by the graphic area processing unit 107b, it performs Flate compression or the like for lossless compression processing and JPEG compression or the like for lossy compression processing. , And the location information together with the location information. Further, the photograph area processing unit 107c performs resolution conversion, smoothing processing, and the like on the obtained photograph area data, then performs lossy compression processing such as JPEG, and stores the position information together with the storage unit 102.
Save to.

Then, the respective extraction areas are combined based on the respective position information to create the document image data (S10).
6). Further, the file format conversion unit 109 converts the obtained document image data into the set output file format (S107), and the obtained output file (document image file) is output via the output interface unit 105 and the computer network 4. And transmits it to the file server 3 (S108).

When the file server 3 receives the output file from the image processing apparatus 1 via the computer network 4, it develops character image data and graphic image data from the received file, and character image data is subjected to character recognition processing. Converted to character code data, the graphic image data is subjected to vector conversion processing to be converted to vector data, and each converted data is re-synthesized with the photographic image data,
The document file obtained by converting it into a predetermined file format is stored in a predetermined directory of a storage device such as a hard disk. Then, when there is a transfer request for the file from another device on the computer network 4, the stored file is transferred to the other device via the computer network 4.

FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of area extraction and recomposition processing by the image processing apparatus 1. Figure 7
In (a), the image processing apparatus 1 assigns a label number 1 to a pixel forming the area 1 and a label number 2 to a pixel forming the area 2 with respect to the areas 1 and 2 which are the effective image areas of the input image data. Label each. And FIG. 7 (b)
In, in regard to the effective image area that does not overlap with other areas, the pixel of the label number related to the circumscribed rectangle is extracted, while the other pixels in the circumscribed rectangle are complemented with white pixels to extract the circumscribed rectangular area, Since the circumscribed rectangles of region 1 and region 2 overlap each other, the circumscribed rectangular regions of region 1 and region 2 are extracted by extracting all the pixels in the circumscribed rectangle. Next, in FIG. 7C, the extracted areas are re-combined based on the respective position information to obtain composite image data. At this time, the white pixels (background pixels) of the extracted data of the area 1
The part includes a part of the pixels forming the region 2,
Since the white pixels (background pixels) of the extracted data in the area 2 include some of the pixels forming the area 1, the extracted areas of the area 1 and the area 2 are superimposed and combined in any order. However, the effective image areas of both are not hidden, and synthetic image data with high reproducibility can be obtained without causing image loss.

FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram showing another example of image processing by the image processing apparatus 1. According to the image processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, even if the image data has a layout in which effective image areas overlap each other as in the case where a character image exists on a graphic image (FIG. 8A), such input is performed. Even if the character image and the graphic image are separated and extracted from the image data (FIG. 8B), the obtained extracted area data is subjected to appropriate image processing and then overlapped and synthesized again, Since all the pixels are extracted, it is possible to obtain synthetic image data having extremely excellent reproducibility without causing partial loss of the character image or the graphic image (FIG. 8C).

In the above embodiment, when extracting the circumscribed rectangular area of the effective image area, the "white" pixel which is a general background color is used as the complementary pixel, but the present invention is not limited to this. Instead of this, for example, a pixel of an actual background color may be used as a complementary pixel.

Further, in the above embodiment, all the extraction areas in which the circumscribed rectangles overlap each other are all the pixels in the circumscribed rectangle extracted as they are. Of the extraction areas where the circumscribing rectangles overlap with each other, only the extraction area to be combined last (at the top) is extracted as it is from all the pixels in the circumscribing rectangle, and the other extraction areas are extracted in the circumscribing rectangle. Pixels other than the pixels forming the effective image may be complemented with white pixels and extracted.

In the above embodiment, the image input source device according to the image processing system of the present invention was described as a scanner, and the image output destination device as a file server. However, the image input source device is an image processing device of the present invention. The device is not particularly limited as long as it can acquire data, and a multifunction peripheral device (MFP) having an image reading unit such as a digital camera, a facsimile device, a digital copying machine, an image data receiving unit, a personal computer, a workstation, etc. A device having an image reading unit such as a server, an image data creating unit, an image data receiving unit, an image processing unit, an image data storing unit, or the like may be used. The image output destination device is not particularly limited as long as it is a device that uses image data acquired from the image processing device of the present invention, and an image of a facsimile device, a digital copying machine, a personal computer, a workstation, a server, or the like. It may be a device having a forming means, an image data transmitting means, an image processing means, an image data storing means, or the like. Further, the image processing apparatus of the present invention includes an image reading unit, an image data creating unit, an image data receiving unit, an image data transmitting unit, in addition to the dedicated device having the above-described units.
In combination with the image forming means and the image data storage means, a multifunction peripheral device (MFP) such as a scanner, a digital copying machine, a facsimile machine, a personal computer, a workstation,
It may be configured as a computer such as a server.

The image processing apparatus according to the present invention also includes a dedicated hardware circuit for executing each of the above procedures.
In addition, a predetermined program that describes each of the above procedures is executed by the CPU.
Can also be implemented by executing. When the present invention is realized by the latter, the predetermined program for operating the image processing apparatus is a flexible disk or a C
It may be provided by a computer-readable recording medium such as a D-ROM, or may be provided online via a network such as the Internet. in this case,
The program recorded on a computer-readable recording medium is usually transferred to and stored in a ROM, a hard disk, or the like. Further, this program may be provided as, for example, independent application software, or may be incorporated into the software of the image processing apparatus as one function.

The embodiments of the present invention described above include the inventions as shown in the following supplementary notes 1 to 9 in addition to the inventions described in claims 1 to 5 of the claims.

[Supplementary Note 1] The method further includes a step (3) of performing a labeling process on pixels forming the effective image area under a predetermined condition, and the step (1) is a circumscribed rectangle of a group of pixels labeled with the same label. The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein the area is extracted.

[Supplementary Note 2] The method according to Claim 1 or Supplementary Note 1, further comprising a step (4) of determining a region type of the extraction region.
The image processing method described in.

[Supplementary Note 3] In Supplementary Note 2, further comprising a step (5) of performing image processing according to the area type on the extraction area and a step (6) of synthesizing the extraction area to create an image file. The described image processing method.

[Supplementary Note 4] The procedure (1) for extracting the circumscribed rectangular area of the effective image area of the image data and the procedure for determining whether or not the extraction area extracted in the procedure (1) overlaps other extraction areas ( 2) is executed by the image processing apparatus, and the procedure (1) is that when the extraction area does not overlap with other extraction areas, pixels other than the pixels forming the effective image area are replaced with predetermined complementary pixels. An image processing program, characterized in that it is complemented and extracted, and when the extraction region overlaps with another extraction region, all pixels are extracted as they are.

[Supplementary Note 5] The image processing apparatus is caused to further execute the procedure (3) of performing the labeling process on the pixels constituting the effective image area under a predetermined condition. The procedure (1)
The image processing program according to appendix 4, wherein the circumscribing rectangular area of the pixel group subjected to the labeling processing with the same label is extracted.

[Supplementary Note 6] The image processing program according to Supplementary Note 4 or 5, further causing the image processing apparatus to execute the procedure (4) for determining the area type of the extraction area.

[Supplementary Note 7] The image processing apparatus further includes a step (5) of performing image processing on the extraction area according to the area type and a step (6) of combining the extraction areas to create an image file. 7. The image processing program according to attachment 6, which is executed.

[Supplementary Note 8] A computer-readable recording medium recording the image processing program according to any one of Supplementary Notes 4 to 7.

[Supplementary Note 9] The image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising image reading means for reading a document to obtain image data.

[0048]

As described above, according to the image processing apparatus of the present invention, the characters, figures, and photographic areas of the image data obtained by reading the document original are extracted, subjected to image processing, and then recombined. In an image processing apparatus that creates a document image file by performing a high-reproducibility composite image file without causing image loss due to overlap of extraction areas while achieving high compression rate while maintaining image quality You can

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of an image processing system including an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image processing apparatus 1 in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of image processing by the image processing apparatus 1.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of conventional area extraction and recomposition processing by labeling.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a procedure of image processing of the image processing apparatus 1.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a procedure of area extraction processing of the image processing apparatus 1.

FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of area extraction and recomposition processing by the image processing apparatus 1.

FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram showing another example of image processing by the image processing apparatus 1.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Image processing device, 101 ... control unit, 102 ... storage unit, 103 ... operation unit, 104 ... Input interface unit, 105 ... Output interface unit, 106 ... region extraction unit, 107 ... an image processing unit, 107a ... Character area processing unit, 107b ... Graphic area processing unit, 107c ... Photographic region processing unit, 108 ... area synthesis section, 109 ... File format conversion unit, 110 ... bus, 2 ... Scanner, 3 ... file server, 4 ... Computer network.

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F-term (reference) 5B050 BA06 BA15 BA16 BA18 DA02                       DA04 DA06 EA03 EA09 EA19                 5C076 AA02 AA11 AA27 BA06 CA10                 5C077 LL19 MP06 PP02 PP21 PP23                       PP27 PP28 PP43 PP58 PP65                       PQ08 PQ19 PQ22 RR19 RR21                       TT06

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An area extraction means for extracting a circumscribed rectangular area of an effective image area of image data, and an area overlap determination means for determining whether or not an extraction area extracted by the area extraction means overlaps with another extraction area. The area extracting means, when the extraction area does not overlap with other extraction areas, complements and extracts pixels other than the pixels forming the effective image area with predetermined complementary pixels, and the extraction area is An image processing apparatus, wherein all pixels are extracted as they are when they overlap with another extraction area. 2. The image forming apparatus further comprises labeling means for performing a labeling process on pixels forming the effective image area under a predetermined condition, and the area extracting means extracts a circumscribed rectangular area of a pixel group labeled by the same label. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, which is a thing. 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an area type determination unit that determines an area type of the extraction area. 4. The image processing device according to claim 3, further comprising image processing means for performing image processing on the extraction area according to area type, and image file creation means for synthesizing the extraction area to create an image file. Image processing device. 5. A step (1) of extracting a circumscribed rectangular area of an effective image area of image data, and a step (2) of determining whether or not the extraction area extracted in step (1) overlaps another extraction area. In the step (1), when the extraction region does not overlap with other extraction regions, the pixels other than the pixels forming the effective image region are complemented and extracted by a predetermined complementary pixel, and the extraction region When all pixels overlap with another extraction area, all pixels are extracted as they are, and the image processing method.