JP2705944B2 - Image processing device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, and more particularly to an image processing apparatus that outputs input image data as digital data.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image reading apparatus has been known as an example of an image processing apparatus that outputs input image data as digital data. 2. Description of the Related Art In a conventionally known image reading apparatus, first, a document is illuminated, and illuminated image information is
The pixel is photoelectrically converted into a digital value of 4 bits (hereinafter, a photoelectric conversion image reading apparatus of 4 bits per pixel will be described), and multi-value information representing one pixel by 4 bits (hereinafter, referred to as multi-value) predetermined digital value Is a slice level, one pixel is represented by binary information (hereinafter, referred to as binary) represented by information of '1' and '0', and each digital value of an m × n matrix is a slice level, and one pixel is It is modulated to one of binary dither information (hereinafter, referred to as dither) represented by information of “1” and “0”.

Next, the modulated image information is transferred in a transfer format in which one pixel is 8 bits or two pixels are eight bits in the case of multi-value information, and eight pixels are eight bits in the case of binary and dither information. Is transferred to the external device in the specified transfer format.

Therefore, the image reading apparatus reads a document and modulates an image based on a preset transfer format (8-bit multi-valued pixel, 8-bit multi-valued 2 pixel, 8-bit binary / dithered 8 pixel). .

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

As described above, in the conventional example, when image information is transferred to an external device, as shown in the multi-value information of 8 bits per pixel or 8 bits of 2 pixels, the binary information of 8 bits of 8 pixels, and the dither information, three types of information are used. Image transfer format. Therefore, it is necessary to select one of a plurality of image transfer formats before transferring an image to an external device.

In particular, in a reading apparatus which reads a character portion and a photograph portion in a document while distinguishing them, a circuit for distinguishing the character portion (binary information) and the photograph portion (dither information) is required. As a result,
By having the necessary circuits, the hardware in the reading device cannot be reduced, and means for specifying the image transfer format (a control code from the external device to the reading device when commanded from an external device; reading) When the apparatus has a command means for image reading, a control code for notifying the transfer format to the external apparatus is required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a configuration in which data for one pixel of digital data according to a plurality of image transfer formats can be output as one unit, thereby complicating the present invention. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus that can utilize necessary data in an external device that receives the output data without increasing the size of the operation or the device.

[Means for solving the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, an image processing apparatus according to the present invention is an image processing apparatus that includes an input unit that inputs image data, and an output unit that outputs the image data input by the input unit as digital data. Digital data relating to a plurality of image transfer formats of the image data input by the input means, and integrating the digital data for each pixel into a data having a predetermined bit length. The combined data for one pixel is output as one unit.

[Operation] In the present invention, digital data relating to a plurality of image transfer formats is integrated for each pixel and combined as data having a predetermined bit length, and the combined data for one pixel is output as one unit. In an external device that receives this output data without incurring complicated operations and increasing the size of the device,
It can be output so that necessary data can be utilized.

Embodiment In one embodiment of the present invention, 1
After modulating a pixel into three types of image information of multi-valued, binary and dither, the process performed when transferring an image to an external device (in the case of multi-valued information, 8 bits per pixel or 8 bits per 2 pixels) In the case of binary / dither information, 8 pixels are not 8 bits, and multi-value, binary, and dither image information are combined and transferred to an external device as 8-bit multi-value, binary, dither image information of 1 pixel. is there.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an internal configuration of a document reading apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a document image reading apparatus main body, which irradiates a document on a platen glass 17 with a document illumination unit 15 and
A document image is formed on D12.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the CCD driver 13 and the control unit 11.

The operation of the document reading apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS.

The reading device according to the present embodiment is always connected to an external device (such as a personal computer), and communication of control signals with the external device and output of image information signals to the external device are performed via the interface circuit 26.
While the original 18 is placed on the platen glass 17, instructions of various modes are input by an external device. For example, what is the pixel density, what is the image magnification, and the like.

The CPU 27 that has received this sets the timing signal generation circuit 28 and the motor drive signal output unit (not shown) in advance, and sets the pixel density and image magnification in advance.

Next, when a reading start instruction is received from the external device, the CPU 2
7) After confirming that the optical system is at the initial reading position by the optical position sensor signal, output the lamp control signal, turn on the lamp, output the motor drive signal after the light intensity of the lamp is stabilized, and start reading Move the optical system to the position.

During this time, the image formed on the CCD 12 is converted into a digital value and input to the interface circuit 26. Since this is not an image of the main body, the CPU 27 provides a control signal to the interface circuit 26 so as not to output an image signal.

When the optical system reaches the reading start position, the CPU 27 outputs a control signal for enabling image signal output to the interface circuit 26,
The read image information is sent to the external device one after another. When the document reading end position is reached, a control signal of image output disable is given to the interface circuit 26 and a document reading end signal is output to the external device.

The CPU 27 outputs a lamp control signal to turn off the lamp. CPU27 moves the optical system to the initial signal,
After outputting the motor drive signal and confirming from the optical position sensor signal that the optical system has reached the initial signal, the output of the motor drive signal is stopped and the reading operation is completed.

Next, it is illuminated by a lamp, passes through lens 14,
The process until the image formed on D12 is output to the external device will be described.

The CCD 12 on the CCD driver 13 is driven through a CCD drive circuit 23 by a timing signal generated by a timing signal generation circuit 28 on the control unit 11. CCD12
The output image analog signal is amplified by the amplifier 21 and input to the A / D converter 22. In the A / D converter 22, the image signal is converted from an analog signal into a 6-bit digital signal by the timing signal generated by the timing signal generation circuit 28 (see FIG. 3), and is output to the control unit 11.

In the control unit, high-frequency distortion in the image information (lamp non-uniformity, CCD pixel characteristics variation, dust)
Is corrected by the shading correction circuit 24, and is output to the interface circuit 26 and the binarization circuit 25.

In the binarization circuit 25, a binary value set in advance by the CPU 27 is used.
The 6-bit multi-level information is modulated into binary / dither information by slice data for converting to value information and slice data for dither for generating dither information (see FIG. 4).

The CPU 27 writes the main-scan dither matrix into 6-bit latches × 8 latch circuits 41. The latched data is input to a 6-bit latch × 8 latch circuits 42. This data is latched by φ _SH and the current latch circuit
The dither matrix data written in 41 is input to the selector 43 with a counter at the time of the next sub-scanning reading.

The selector with a counter repeatedly counts up from '0' to '7' by φ _AD (one pixel clock) and selects one dither data of eight dither data output from the latch circuit 42. Has become. Then, the selected data is input to the comparator 45, and is used as the slice data of the 6-bit multi-value information output from the A / D converter 22. Here, 8 × 8 dither can be realized by writing eight pieces of sub-scan dither data (6 bits × 8) into the latch circuit 41 from the CPU 27 for each sub-scan.

The binary / dither information output from the binarization circuit 25 is 1
The image data is converted into 8-bit image information by the interface circuit 26.

FIG. 5 shows an image data output unit in the interface circuit 26. Here, a combination of three types of image information when the multilevel information is set from bit 0 to bit 5, the dither information is set to bit 6, and the binary information is set to bit 7 is shown.

In this manner, the image data output from the reading device can be formed into one type of 8-bit combination per pixel, and the multi-valued, dithered, and binary information can be transferred to the external device in a lump.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of image transfer format digital data are output as one unit for each pixel, so that the output data can be received without incurring complicated scanning or increasing the size of the apparatus. Necessary data can be utilized in the external device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of a document reading apparatus to which the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a CCD driver and a control unit in the present embodiment, and FIG. 3 shows the operation of the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is a detailed block diagram of a binarizing circuit according to the present embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing input / output aspects of an interface circuit according to the present embodiment. 1 Document reader, 11 Control unit, 12 CCD, 13 CCD driver, 14 Lens, 15 Document illumination unit, 16 Reflection mirror, 17 Platen glass, 18 ... manuscript, 19 ... platen cover, 24 ... shading correction circuit, 25 ... binarization circuit, 26 ... interface circuit, 27 ... CPU.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An image processing apparatus comprising: input means for inputting image data; and output means for outputting the image data input by the input means as digital data, wherein a plurality of images of the image data input by the input means are provided. A combining unit that integrates digital data relating to the transfer format for each pixel and combines the data as data of a predetermined bit length, wherein the output unit outputs the data of one pixel combined by the combining unit as one unit An image processing apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned.