JPH05205013A - Image processing system and method therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To increase the data processing speed with high quality of an image by outputting the raster image data included in the page describing language inputted through an input means after synthesizing the data with the image data evolved based on the page describing language. CONSTITUTION:A host computer 400 converts the documents and the images produced with layout into the PDL(page describing language) codes. An image storing/synthesizing device 200 sends the PDL codes to 8 PDL interpreter part 600 through a PDL/raster image separating part 500 when no command is received for the raster image data. Meanwhile the device 200 analyzes the information on the raster image data based on the PDL codes and transfers the information and the raster images to a raster image storage part 700 when 8 command is received for the raster image data. The part 600 evolves the PDL images excluding the raster images. An image synthesizing part 800 synthesizes the images received from the part 600 with the raster image data received from the part 700 and outputs them.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing system and method, for example, analyzing codes and instructions defining a document or image laid out on a host computer and vectorizing the document or illustration. The present invention relates to an image processing system and method for performing optimum processing on a multi-valued raster image data part such as a natural image and a multi-valued raster image data part.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, based on codes and instructions defined for expressing documents, images, etc. created and converted on a computer, they are analyzed inside the printer and image development suitable for the resolution of the printer is performed. The number of printer systems that go and output has increased.

[0003]

However, in such a printer system, there is a vectorized command image data portion such as a document or an illustration in a PDL code which is a code or an instruction defining a document / image created for the printer. Since the same processing was performed on the multi-valued raster image data portion such as a natural image, the processing could not be performed with the optimum processing for generating each image. For example, multi-valued raster image data is converted into binary data and processed in a page memory buffer as in the case of characters and illustrations, so that there is a problem that the image quality is deteriorated.

Further, when processing the above-mentioned raster multi-valued data and command image data part, if both are processed according to the resolution of the raster multi-valued data and the capacity of the image data, the image quality can be improved. The method has a problem in that the configuration of the entire system becomes complicated and further the data processing speed decreases.

An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing system and an image processing method in view of such a problem.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the image processing system of the present invention comprises means for inputting a page description language, and a raster image included in the page description language input by the input means. It has a means for synthesizing the data with the image data developed based on the page description language and outputting it.

In the image processing method of the present invention, input is made in a page description language, and raster image data included in the input page description language is combined with image data expanded based on the page description language and output. It is characterized by

Further, the image processing system of the present invention forms a command image by analyzing the command data included in the page description language and means for separating a plurality of raster image data, and analyzing the contents of the separated command data. Means to do
A unit for separating attribute information associated with the raster image data from the page description language, adding the information to the separated raster image data, and storing the command image, one or a plurality of units. The raster image and the raster image are combined based on the attribute information added to the raster image and output.

[0009]

【Example】

(Embodiment 1) Hereinafter, Embodiment 1 according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a color image forming and outputting system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the system of the present embodiment has a digital color image reading section (hereinafter referred to as a "color scanner") on the upper part thereof. 1), a digital color image printing unit (hereinafter, referred to as a color printer) 300 that prints out a digital color image, a digital color copying machine 1000, an image storage / synthesis device 200, and a control computer 400. To be done.

FIG. 2 shows the structure of this digital color copying machine.

In the scanner 100 unit, the scanner controller 101 is at the center of control and performs the following control.

The exposure system controller 103 color-separates an original on the original table for each color of R, G, and B by a contact type CCD line sensor and converts it into a dot-sequential analog image signal. This analog image signal is 8
RG which is the brightness converted into a digital image signal of bit
Each color B is output as a line-sequential signal. The image signal (digital) is converted by the image processing unit 102 from the brightness levels of R, G, and B to the levels corresponding to the toner amounts of four colors of C, M, Y, and Bk, which are the densities. At the same time, the color correction unit in the image processing unit 102 calculates and various image processing such as composition, scaling, and movement is performed.

In the printer 300, the C, M, Y, and Bk digital image signals sent from the scanner 100 are converted into lighting signals for the semiconductor laser unit, and the laser drive unit 310 controls the laser. The laser lighting signal is output as a pulse width corresponding to the level of the digital image signal. The laser lighting level is 256 levels (corresponding to 8 bits). In accordance with the digital image signal to be output, a color image is sequentially exposed / developed 314 on the photosensitive drum 315 in a digital dot format for each CMYK color, and a plurality of images are transferred 316 to the paper,
This is an electrophotographic laser beam printer for fixing 322 at the end.

The color scanner 100 section and the color printer 300 section can control the color printer 300 under the control of the color scanner 100 section and can also function as a digital color copying machine 1000.

An original image is set on the original table of 100 units of the color scanner, the copy start key is pressed, the image from the color scanner unit is read according to the above-mentioned process, and the exposure, development and transfer in the image processing color printer 300 unit are performed. ,
An image is formed and output through the fixing process.

FIG. 3 shows a control host computer 400.
Shows the structure of.

The host computer 400 has an interface controller 420 for exchanging PDL data codes / commands with the image storage / synthesis device 200, and
A CPU for central control, such as RISC CPU 405 for processing RISC, temporary registration of image data,
Hard disk controller 4 for storing various data
50, a hard disk 451, a main memory 460, and a mouse 431, a keyboard 441 as means for inputting instructions from an operator, a color display 412 for layout / editing / menu display, and a display memory 41.
1, a display controller 410, and an image editing controller 413 that performs image layout / editing on the display memory 411.

FIG. 4 shows the image storage / synthesis device 20 shown in FIG.
Indicates 0.

This apparatus is roughly divided into a main controller 210 for controlling the entire image storage / synthesis apparatus 200.
And PDL (Page / Description / La)
command data (data other than raster images) in the PDL data and PDL / raster image separation controller 500 for separating the raster image data, and analysis / image of the command data of the separated PDL data. A PDL interpreter unit 600 for expanding and an image input scanner 100 for inputting an image
And the separated color multi-valued raster image data image data and the position / attribute information thereof, and the colorra multi-valued raster image data from the image input unit 100 and the position / attribute information thereof are stored / managed and the layout is The raster image storage unit 700, the PDL raster image expanded based on the separated data, and the other multivalued image data are combined into an image created on the computer 400. It is divided into a raster image composition controller 800. Furthermore, as an interface, an external interface controller 220 for exchanging PDL commands / codes with the control host computer 400, and the digital color copying machine 100.
There is a color digital interface controller 230 for exchanging image data and commands with 0.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the PDL interpreter unit 600.

The PDL main controller 610 is a PD
The vector (non-raster image data) system command of PDL sent from the L / raster image separation controller 500 is received, and the command is temporarily registered in the buffer memory 630. Then, the PDL main controller 610 develops an image of the PDL command on the PDL raster image memory 640 based on the analysis information from the ROM 631. If a character is designated by the PDL command when the image is developed, the outline font data is extracted from the ROM 650 in which outline font data is stored, the font image is once registered in the designated size, and the PDL raster image memory is stored. Fit the image in the designated position above. In this embodiment, when the font of the same code is designated again, the RAM 63
It is possible to shorten the development time by using the already registered font image of 2. Finally, the image information designated by the PDL will be expanded in the PDL raster image memory 640.

The PDL raster image memory 640 may store either binary data or multi-valued data.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the raster image storage unit 700 of FIG.

The raster image storage unit 700 can store a plurality of color images, and the stored image data is read out at each memory in order to perform a plurality of layouts according to an instruction from the control computer 400. Controlled by the color printer 30
0, and a color print image can be obtained.

At this time, the color image data is input to the control computer 400 and the color scanner 100.
Both of these can be arbitrarily switched by a command from the control computer 400.

Image data and commands of the control computer 400 and the image storage / synthesis device 200 are based on a specific format.

The raster image storage unit 700 includes an image controller 710 for controlling color raster image data.
A memory management controller 720 that efficiently arranges and manages color raster image data in a plurality of registration raster image memories 760-761, and an image that performs image conversion related to the color of the registered image data. An editing controller 730 and a layout controller 750 that performs layout editing are mainly configured.

Besides, there is a bus controller 740 for controlling the raster image memory 760 and the main bus of the image storage / synthesis device 200. Further, the layout controller 760 is capable of a plurality of layouts within one page, According to an instruction from the controller 710, it operates in conjunction with the bus controller 740, and it is possible to send the images with a plurality of layouts to the PDL raster / raster image composition controller 800 shown in FIG.

The operation procedure of the color image forming and outputting system having the above construction will be described below with reference to FIG.

(A) Processing on the host computer On the computer 400 shown in FIG.
The software for top publishing is loaded from the hard disk 451 shown in FIG. 3 onto the main memory 460 and executed by the CPU 405. The user uses the mouse 431 and the keyboard 441 to lay out a document and various image data (illustration formed by a vector / natural image captured by a scanner or the like). It should be noted that such a layout is directly performed while confirming it on the display 412. The image editing controller 413 registers the processing procedure / image data of an arbitrary document image created during that time on the main memory 460 at any time, and
When the appearance of the page is completed, the hard disk controller 450 is controlled and registered on the hard disk 451 as the appearance of one page.

During this period, the document image expanded on the display memory 411 is displayed on the display 41.
2 and is finally completed, various kinds of information of the document image laid out on the hard disk are laid out by the device driver software in the ROM by the CPU 405, and the PDL (Page) which defines the document and the image created.・ Descriptio
n.Language) code.

The PDL code converted in this manner contains vector-based information such as characters and illustrations, and raster image data such as laid out natural images.

Here, the computer 400 communicates with the interface controller 420 with the external interface controller 220 in the image storage / synthesis device 200 shown in FIG. 4 to transfer the PDL code to the image storage / synthesis device 200 side. ..

(B) Separation of PDL data In the image storage / synthesis device 200, the transferred PDL code is stored in the buffer memory 240 as needed. When the accumulated amount reaches a certain size, the main controller 210 determines that the PDL / raster image separation controller 5
00 is instructed to separate and analyze the PDL code stored in the buffer memory.

PDL / raster image separation controller 50
0 determines the content of the PDL code line by line, and if it is not a command related to raster image data (vector system), the PDL code is sent to the PDL interpreter unit 600 as it is. Information on the raster image data of the image layout position, the image size, the number of bits per pixel, and the transfer order of the raster data is analyzed from the PDL code, and the information is transferred to the raster image storage unit 700. Furthermore, the substance of the raster image data sent after the above-mentioned raster PDL code is read from the PDL code, and only the raster image data is sent in the previously sent image size /
After the information such as the position is transferred to the raster image storage unit 700.

The separated PDL raster system command parameters and the substance of the raster image are stored in the raster image storage unit 70 of the PDL / raster image separation controller 500.
It is sent only to 0 and not to the PDL interpreter section. As a result, the PDL interpreter unit 600 develops the PDL image with an image excluding the raster image. At this time, in this embodiment, the PDL interpreter unit is image-developed as binary data.

(C) Processing of PDL (non-raster image data) data The PDL main controller 610 receives the command of the PDL vector (non-raster image data) system sent from the PDL / raster image separation controller 500, The command is once registered in the buffer memory 630 shown in FIG. Then, the PDL main controller 6
The PDL raster image memory 64 receives the sent PDL command based on the analysis information from the ROM 631.
The image is developed on 0. If a character is designated by the PDL command at the time of image expansion, font data of outline information is extracted from the outline font ROM 650, expanded into a font image of a specified size, and the expanded font image is once registered in the RAM 632. The image is set in a specified position on the PDL raster image memory. As described above, when the font of the same code is designated again, by using the font image already registered in the RAM 632,
It is possible to shorten the deployment time.

Finally, the vector image information designated by the PDL is developed as a binary image in the PDL raster image memory 640 according to the resolution of the printer unit 300, which is the same image created on the computer 400. It will be.

(D) Processing of Raster Image Data The image main controller 710 of the raster image storage unit 700 shown in FIG. 6 is first instructed by the main controller 210 of the image storage / synthesis device 200, via the bus controller 740, first. Based on the image file name / layout designation position information and attribute information of the raster image data sent from the PDL / raster image separation controller 500, an arbitrary image ID is assigned for identifying the raster image, and the memory management controller 720 assigns it. Give that information. The memory management controller 720 then proceeds to PDL.
/ The substance of the raster image data sent from the raster image separation controller 500 and its image ID, image size,
The attributes are efficiently stored in the raster image memory 760, and the attribute information such as the storage position and size of the raster image at that time and the previously attached image ID are linked, and together with the layout position information / image attribute information, It is stored in the position / attribute information memory 770. This information is used when the print output is actually performed. These processes can be performed on a plurality of images, and a plurality of raster image data can be stored in the raster image memory 760.

The raster image data separated from the PDL data in this way is converted into a multivalued color image,
Only the number of pages laid out on the page is registered in the raster image storage unit 700.

(D ') Input of Raster Image Next, the case where the raster image laid out on the host 400 is replaced with another image or an image of higher resolution will be described. In such a case, the original image to be replaced is first scanned by the scanner 10 of the digital color copying machine 1000.
Put it on 0.

The host computer 400 shown in FIG.
The main controller 210 of the image storage / synthesis device 200 is compared with the scanner 100 of the digital color copying machine 1000.
From the image storage / combining apparatus 200 via the interface controller 420 as a pre-scan image, and the resolution at that time is read at a low resolution matching the resolution of the display memory 411. Is captured. The CPU 405 displays the prescan image on the display 412.

Further, a mouse / keyboard 431/44
1, the area to be actually scanned and the resolution are designated, and the raster image storage unit 700 in the image storage / synthesis device is designated.
Specify the image ID for registration in.

The CPU 405 is the image storage / synthesis device 200.
The above information to the main controller 210 of
It is transmitted via the F controller 220, and an instruction to capture an image is issued. This instruction is transmitted to the scanner unit 100 of FIG. 1 via the I / F controller 230, whereby the scanner unit 100 of the digital color copying machine captures image data in a designated area / resolution and reads the read image. The data is registered in the raster image storage unit 700 with the designated image ID. Then, as described above, the storage position of the raster image and the attribute information such as the size are also stored together with the image data.

Here, the position / attribute information memory 770 of the raster image which has been separated from the PDL code and is to be output first.
Based on the above, the host computer displays a list of the image file names, image sizes, and layout positions of the laid out images on the display. Then, from among these, other image data read from the scanner or high-resolution data to be replaced at the time of output is selected.

Then, a list of image data registered in the raster image storage section 700 is displayed, and a substitute image to be output is selected from the list with the mouse / keyboard.
At that stage, the image ID of the selected position / attribute information memory 770 is replaced with the selected image ID.

(E) Combining PDL image / raster image When the image development in the PDL interpreter unit 600 for one page and the above-described raster image replacement registration in the raster image storage unit 700 are completed, the host computer 400 is completed. And issued this instruction via the I / F controller 220. The main controller 210 of FIG. 4 similarly requests the PDL raster / raster image synthesizing controller 800 of FIG. 4 to transfer the image data developed from the respective bus controllers 620 and 720.

The image from the PDL interpreter unit 600 is transferred as it is for one page and the data is transferred line by line. In the raster image storage unit 700, the layout controller 750 shown in FIG. 6 in the raster image storage unit 700 is replaced with the scanner image as described above according to the timing of each line from the PDL raster / raster image combination controller 800. Based on the contents of the position information / attribute information memory 770, the registered raster image data is enlarged / reduced to the designated size laid out by using the image editing controller 730.

Then, the PDL raster / raster image combination controller 8 is connected via the bus controller 740 of FIG.
00.

Therefore, the PDL raster / raster image synthesizing controller 800 synthesizes the two raster images, and the main controller 210 of the image storage / synthesizing device 200 shown in FIG. Interface controller 23
0 to the digital color copying machine 1000.

At this time, the bit O of the binary image such as characters and illustrations expanded by the PDL interpreter unit 600 is set.
N / OFF is converted into the maximum density / minimum density data of the multi-valued image data, and is combined with the color multi-valued data of the raster image storage unit.

(F) Printer output by the digital color copying machine On the digital color copying machine 1000 side, a command to start a printing operation from the main controller 210 of the image storage / synthesis apparatus 200 is issued by the color digital interface controller 230 shown in FIGS. It is possible to obtain the output of the image in which the binary image such as the character / illustration of PDL and the multi-value color raster image are combined according to the instruction by executing the copying process. Has become.

In the above embodiment, the computer 400 is used.
The image control command from is not limited to a programmable type such as PDL but can be applied to a character code control code system.

The character code data sent from the computer 400 is the external interface 420.
Is temporarily stored in the buffer memory 240 of the image storage / synthesis device 200 of FIG. The data is the above-mentioned PD
A character system control code corresponding to the L / raster image separation controller 500 and a controller that separates raster image data from each other, in the order of stored character data,
Sequentially, it is checked whether it is a control system code or a simple character code. In the case of the control system code, it is sent to the interpreter unit 600 which develops the image corresponding to the control, and
The image developing operation based on the processing of the control system code on the ROM 631 is performed.

Further, in the case of the image control code, the data size / position information of the image is designated, and thereafter, the actual image data is sent as image data. Therefore, these are sent to the raster image storage unit 700, and the various processes described above are carried out. Is possible.

(Embodiment 2) Structure of color image forming / outputting system and image storing / synthesizing apparatus 200 according to another embodiment of the present invention.
8 and 9 show the details of the block.

Differences from the first embodiment will be described below.

In this embodiment, the vector system / raster system separation of the PDL code, which is performed inside the image storage / synthesis device 200 in the embodiment of FIG. The configuration can be simplified.

Therefore, in the second embodiment, the interface controller 420 uses different interfaces such as GP-IB and Apple Tal.
It has two interfaces such as k.

In the case of the present embodiment, the user uses the mouse 431 and the keyboard 441 on the computer 400 as in the first embodiment, and the document and various image data (illustrations formed by vectors, a scanner, etc. are used). Layout is performed on the captured natural image, etc., and it is directly performed while checking on the display 412. The image editing controller 413 registers the processing procedure / image data, etc. of any document image created during that time on the main memory 460 at any time, and when the appearance of one page is completed, the hard disk controller 450 is controlled to control the hard disk 451. Registered as one page above.

When the appearance is finally completed, the document prepared by laying out various information of the document layout image stored on the hard disk 451 by the device driver software in the ROM by the procedure shown in FIG. PDL (Page / Description)
It is converted into a function code. At this time, the color multi-valued image data such as a natural image is
Image data and image file name / layout position / image size /
It is registered in the hard disk together with the attribute information.

On the other hand, the PDL code converted in this manner is used as Ap of the interface controller 420 as one page of vector information such as characters and illustrations.
It is sent to the PDL interpreter unit 600 in the image storage / synthesis device 200 via the ple Talk. Example 1
Similarly, the PDL image for one page is developed as a binary image in the PDL raster image memory 640 in the PDL interpreter section.

Then, as in the first embodiment, the scanner section 100 of the digital color copying machine is controlled on the host computer 400 to read the original document to be laid out at high resolution, and the raster image storage section 700 of the image storage / synthesis apparatus 200 is read. Register with. This is repeated for the required number of images.

Next, as described in the first embodiment, all the layout positions, image file names, image sizes, and attribute information stored in the hard disk are read out and displayed as a list on the display. The image data to be exchanged with the image previously input from the scanner is selected from them, and a substitute image is selected from the list of images already registered in the raster image storage unit 700. This makes it possible to replace the low-resolution image laid out on the host computer with the high-resolution image read by the scanner 100. There is no need to transfer large data with high resolution, leading to high speed and simplification. Further, when outputting high resolution data from the host computer to the raster image storage unit 700 of FIG. 8, image data can be output at high speed by sending the data via the GP-IB of the interface controller 420 in the host computer. be able to.

That is, when the replacement is completed, the raster image data that is not the replacement target is called from the hard disk, and the raster image storage unit 700 in the image storage / combining apparatus 200 is called via the interface GP-IB. Layout position information of the image, image size,
It is sent together with information such as attributes and registered in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

The data for one page corresponds to the image storage / synthesis device 2.
CP of host computer 400
U405 is a command GP for PDL / raster image combination.
RINT is sent to the image storage / synthesis device 200.

In response to this command, the main controller of the image storage / synthesis device 200 uses the PDL raster / raster image synthesis controller 800 to generate a two-series character image (binary image) in the same procedure as in the first embodiment. It is possible to synthesize and output a natural image image (color multi-valued image).

(Third Embodiment) The configuration of a color image forming and outputting system according to another embodiment of the present invention and the image storage / synthesis device 20.
The block details of 0 are shown in FIGS.

Differences from the first embodiment will be described below.

In this embodiment, the raster image rasterization of the PDL code, which has been performed inside the image storage / synthesis apparatus 200, uses a PDL interpreter external to the image storage / synthesis apparatus 200 to generate a PDL raster rasterization image from the external PDL interpreter. By having the device conversion unit 890 that scales up or down to the resolution of the output device, it is possible to simplify the configuration of the image storage / synthesis apparatus and to use another external PD.
It becomes possible to use the L interpreter.

In the case of the present embodiment, the user uses the mouse 431 and the keyboard 441 on the computer 400 as in the case of the first embodiment, and the document and various image data (illustrations formed by vectors, a scanner, etc. are used). An arbitrary document image is created while laying out a captured natural image and the like and checking it on the display 412.

When the appearance is finally completed, various information of the layout image stored on the hard disk 451 as described above is stored in the device driver in the ROM.
The software converts it into a PDL code that defines a document created by layout.

As described above, the converted PDL code includes vector-based information such as characters and illustrations and raster image data such as laid out natural images. For the controller 420, the image storage / synthesis device 2
00 to transfer the PDL code to the image storage / synthesis device 200 side.

P sent to the image storage / synthesis device 200
The DL code is separated into vector-based PDL commands, raster image data, and information such as position by the PDL / raster image separation controller as in the first embodiment. Then, the raster image is the raster image storage unit 70 described above.
0, and processed as in the first embodiment. The vector-based PDL command is transferred to the external PDL interpreter unit 600 shown in FIG. 11, and the PDL command is the same as in the first embodiment.
The PDL image for one page is developed as a binary image in the PDL raster image memory 640 of the interpreter unit.

Then, as in the first embodiment, the scanner section 100 of the digital color copying machine is controlled on the host computer 400 to read the original to be laid out at a high resolution, and the raster image storage section 700 of the image storage / synthesis apparatus 200 is read. Register with. This is repeated for the required image fraction.

Next, as described in the first embodiment, the layout position, the image file name, the image size and the attribute information stored in the position / attribute information memory of the image storage / synthesis device 200 are all read out and displayed on the display. Display as a list.

The image data to be exchanged with the image previously input from the scanner is selected from them, and a substitute image is selected from the list of images already registered in the raster image storage unit 700. This makes it possible to replace the low-resolution image laid out on the host computer with the high-resolution image read by the scanner 100. Therefore, there is no need to transfer large data with high resolution, which leads to high speed and simplification.

The data for one page corresponds to the image storage / synthesis device 2.
00 and the external PDL interpreter unit, the CPU 405 of the host computer 400 sends a PDL / raster image combination command GPRINT to the image storage / composition device 200.

With this command, the main controller of the image storage / synthesis device 200 sends an output command for one page to the external PDL interpreter unit 600 via the PDL / raster image separation controller 500, and the external PDL interpreter unit outputs the PDL raster. / When an image output command is sent to the raster image synthesizing controller 800, the device conversion unit 890 enlarges / reduces the external PDL expanded image to the output resolution of the digital color copying machine 1000, and performs the same procedure as in the first embodiment. 2-series character image (binary image) and natural image (multi-valued color image)
It is possible to synthesize and output the image of.

The device conversion section 890 has a buffer memory and can perform enlargement / reduction by controlling the write / read relationship of the buffer memory.

(Embodiment 4) FIG. 13 and FIG. 14 show the configuration of the color image forming and outputting system and the block details of the image storing / combining apparatus 200 of still another embodiment of this embodiment.

Differences from the first embodiment will be described below.

In the present embodiment, a plurality of PDL interpreter units are provided in the image storage / synthesis apparatus 200 so that raster image expansion of PDL code, which is performed inside the image storage / synthesis apparatus 200, can be applied to a plurality of PDL interpreters. It is prepared so that it can deal with various types of PDL commands.

As a result, the host computer 400 can deal with various types of PDL commands to be converted, and various PDLs registered in the external storage medium can also be output via the host computer 400. It will be possible.

In the case of the present embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the various information of the layout image stored on the computer 400 is laid out by the device driver software in the ROM, and the PD defining the document is created.
It is converted into L code, and the converted PDL code is
It is possible to convert not only one type of PDL command but also another type of PDL command by changing the device driver. Further, another PDL code registered in the external storage medium can be fetched into the host computer and output.

Therefore, in order to deal with the plurality of PDLs, the present embodiment has a plurality of PDL interpreters.

The PDL code thus created is transferred from the host computer to the PDL / raster image separation controller 500 in the same procedure as in the first embodiment. Then, the PDL / raster image separation controller 50
0 judges the contents from the transferred PDL code, and the built-in PDL interpreters 600-1, 6
The type of PDL code 00-2 is determined and the PDL vector / raster type corresponding to each PDL type is processed by the PDL separation units 500-1 and 500-2.

Then, as in the first embodiment, the scanner section 100 of the digital color copying machine is controlled on the host computer 400 to read the original to be laid out at high resolution, and the raster image storage section 700 of the image storage / synthesis apparatus 200 is read. Register with. This is repeated for the required number of images.

Next, as described in the first embodiment, all the layout positions, image file names, image sizes, and attribute information stored in the position / attribute information memory of the image storage / synthesis device 200 are read out and displayed on the display. Display as a list.

From among them, the one whose image data is to be exchanged with the image previously input from the scanner is selected, and a substitute image is selected from the list of images already registered in the raster image storage unit 700. This makes it possible to replace the low-resolution image laid out on the host computer with the high-resolution image read by the scanner 100.

After that, the processing is performed in each PDL interpreter unit as in the first embodiment, and finally, in the same procedure, 2
It is possible to synthesize and output a series of character images (binary images) and natural image images (color multivalued images).

(Embodiment 5) In this embodiment, PDL / of FIG.
The raster image separation controller 500 analyzes the contents of the PDL data, separates the command data (data other than the raster image) in the PDL data from the raster image data, and
The L interpreter internal 600 analyzes and expands the command data of the separated PDL data, and the raster image storage unit 700 stores / manages the separated multi-valued raster image data of the color and performs layout,
The raster / raster controller 800 synthesizes the PDL raster image developed based on the separated data and the other multi-valued image data as an image created on the computer 400.

Next, composition of PDL data and separated raster image will be described with reference to FIG. Since this procedure has many parts in common with the case of FIG. 7 of the first embodiment, only different points will be shown.

(D) Processing of Raster Image Data The image main controller 710 of the raster image storage unit 700 first receives PDL / raster image separation via the bus controller 740 according to an instruction from the main controller 210 of the image storage / synthesis device 200. Controller 500
Based on the layout designated position information and attribute information of the raster image data sent from the device, an arbitrary image ID for identifying the raster image is assigned, and the information is passed to the memory management controller 720. The memory management controller 720 then efficiently stores the substance of the raster image data sent from the PDL / raster image separation controller 500 in the raster image memory 760, and the attributes such as the storage position and size of the raster image at that time. By linking the information with the image ID added earlier, layout position information /
It is stored in the position / attribute information memory 770 together with the image attribute information. These processes can be performed on a plurality of images, and a plurality of raster image data can be stored in the raster image memory 760.

In this way, the raster image data separated from the PDL data is converted into a multi-valued color image with 1
Only the number of pages laid out on the page is registered in the raster image storage unit 700.

(E) Combining PDL image / raster image When the image development in the PDL interpreter unit 600 for one page and the registration of the raster image in the raster image storage unit 700 are completed, the main controller 210 sets the P controller
The DL raster / raster image synthesizing controller 800 is requested to transfer the image data developed by the respective bus controllers 620/720.

The image from the PDL interpreter unit 600 is transferred as it is for one page and the data is transferred line by line. In the raster image storage unit 700, according to the timing of each line from the PDL raster / raster image combination controller 800, the raster image storage unit 700
Based on the contents of the position information / attribute information memory 770, the layout controller 750 of FIG. 2 enlarges / reduces the registered raster image data to the designated size laid out by using the image editing controller 730.

Then, via the bus controller 740, the PDL raster / raster image composition controller 800
Transferred to.

Therefore, the PDL raster / raster image combination controller 800 combines the two raster images, and the main controller 210 of the image storage / composition device 200
The print operation start command and the composite image data are transferred to the digital color copying machine 1000 via the color digital interface controller 230.

At this time, the O of the bit of the binary image such as characters and illustrations developed by the PDL interpreter unit 600 is set.
N / OFF is the maximum density of multi-valued image data /
It is converted into the lowest density data and combined with the color multi-valued data in the raster image storage unit.

(Sixth Embodiment) This embodiment is a modification of the fifth embodiment, and is performed inside the image storage / synthesis device 200.
By separating the vector system / raster system of the DL code in the host computer 400, the configuration of the image storage / synthesis device can be simplified.

In the case of the present embodiment, the user uses the mouse 431 and the keyboard 441 on the computer 400 as in the fifth embodiment, and the document and various image data (illustrations formed by vectors, a scanner, etc. are used). Layout is performed on the captured natural image, etc., and it is directly performed while checking on the display 412. The image editing controller 413 registers the processing procedure / image data, etc. of any document image created during that time on the main memory 460 at any time, and when the appearance of one page is completed, the hard disk controller 450 is controlled to control the hard disk 451. Registered as one page above.

When the appearance is finally completed, the document prepared by laying out various information of the document layout image stored on the hard disk 451 by the device driver software in the ROM by the procedure shown in FIG. PDL (Page / Description)
It is converted into a function code. At this time, the color multi-valued image data such as a natural image is
Instead of being described in the PDL, the image data and the layout position / image size / attribute information are registered in the hard disk as separate data.

On the other hand, the PDL code converted in this manner is first sent to the image storage / synthesis device 200 via the interface controller 420 as vector-based information such as characters and illustrations for one page. PDL interpreter unit 600 in the image storage / synthesis device 200
Is the PDL of the PDL interpreter unit as in the fifth embodiment.
The PDL image for one page is developed in the raster image memory 640 as a binary image.

Next, the raster image data such as a natural image stored in the hard disk is called from the hard disk, and the layout position information and the image size of the image are stored in the raster image storage section 700 in the image storage / synthesis device 200. , Information such as attributes, and is registered as in the fifth embodiment.

The data for one page corresponds to the image storage / synthesis device 2.
CP of host computer 400
U405 is a command GR for combining PDL / raster images
The PINT is sent to the image storage / synthesis device 200.

In response to this command, the main controller of the image storage / synthesis device 200 uses the PDL raster / raster image synthesis controller 800 to generate a two-series character image (binary image) in the same procedure as in the fifth embodiment. It is possible to synthesize and output a natural image image (color multi-valued image).

(Embodiment 7) The configuration of the expanded color image forming and outputting system of Embodiment 5 according to the present invention and the block details of the image storage / synthesis device 200 are the same as those shown in FIGS.

Differences from the fifth embodiment will be described below.

In this embodiment, the raster image rasterization of the PDL code, which has been performed inside the image storage / synthesis apparatus 200, uses a PDL interpreter external to the image storage / synthesis apparatus 200 to generate a PDL raster rasterization image from the external PDL interpreter. By having a device conversion unit 890 for enlarging / reducing the resolution of the output device to the resolution of the output device, it is possible to simplify the configuration of the image storage / synthesis apparatus and to use another external PD.
It becomes possible to use the L interpreter.

In the case of the present embodiment, the user uses the mouse 431 and the keyboard 441 on the computer 400 as in the fifth embodiment, and the document and various image data (illustrations formed by vectors, a scanner, etc. are used). An arbitrary document image is created while laying out a captured natural image and the like and checking it on the display 412.

When the appearance is finally completed, various information of the layout image stored on the hard disk 451 as described above is stored in the device driver in the ROM.
PDL (Page / Description / PDL) that defines a document created by laying out with software
Language code).

As described above, the converted PDL code includes vector-based information such as characters and illustrations and raster image data such as laid out natural images. For the controller 420, the image storage / synthesis device 2
00 to transfer the PDL code to the image storage / synthesis device 200 side.

P sent to the image storage / synthesis device 200
The DL code is separated into vector-based PDL commands and information such as raster image data and position by the PDL / raster image separation controller as in the fifth embodiment.
The raster system image is stored in the raster image storage unit 7 described above.
00, and processed as in the fifth embodiment. Vector PDL commands are external PDL interpreter unit 6
00, and the PDL image for one page is developed as a binary image in the PDL raster image memory 640 of the PDL interpreter unit as in the fifth embodiment.

The data for one page corresponds to the image storage / synthesis device 2.
00 and the external PDL interpreter unit, the CPU 405 of the host computer 400 sends a PDL / raster image combination command GPRINT to the image storage / composition device 200.

By this command, the main controller of the image storage / synthesis device 200 sends an output command for one page to the external PDL interpreter unit 600 via the PDL / raster image separation controller 500, and the external PDL interpreter unit outputs the PDL raster. / When an image output command is issued to the raster image synthesizing controller 800, the device converting unit 890 enlarges / reduces the external PDL expanded image to the output resolution of the digital color copying machine 1000, and performs the same procedure as in the fifth embodiment. 2-series character image (binary image) and natural image (multi-valued color image)
It is possible to synthesize and output the image of.

(Embodiment 8) The configuration of the expanded color image forming and outputting system of Embodiment 5 according to the present invention and the block details of the image storage / synthesis device 200 are the same as those shown in FIGS.

Differences from the fifth embodiment will be described below.

In this embodiment, a plurality of PDL interpreter units are provided in the image storage / synthesis apparatus 200 so that raster image expansion of PDL code, which is performed inside the image storage / synthesis apparatus 200, can be applied to a plurality of PDL interpreters. It is prepared so that it can deal with various types of PDL commands.

As a result, the host computer 400 side can deal with various types of PDL commands to be converted, and various PDLs registered in the external storage medium can also be output via the host computer 400. It will be possible.

In the case of the present embodiment, the user uses the mouse 431 and the keyboard 441 on the computer 400 as in the fifth embodiment, and the document and various image data (illustrations formed by vectors, a scanner, etc. are used). An arbitrary document image is created while laying out a captured natural image and the like and checking it on the display 412.

When the appearance is finally completed, various information of the layout image stored on the hard disk 451 as described above is stored in the device driver in the ROM.
PDL (Page / Description / PDL) that defines a document created by laying out with software
Language code).

The converted PDL code can be converted into not only one type of PDL command but also another type of PDL command by changing the device driver. Further, another PDL code registered in the external storage medium can be fetched into the host computer and output.

The PDL code created in this way is transferred from the host computer to the PDL / raster image separation controller 500 by the procedure of the fifth embodiment. Then, the PDL / raster image separation controller 500 judges the contents from the transferred PDL code, judges which type of PDL code of the built-in PDL interpreters 600-1 and 600-2, and judges the contents. PD
PD for PDL vector system and raster system according to L type
Processing is performed by the L separation units 500-1 and 500-2. After that, it is processed in each PDL interpreter unit as in the fifth embodiment, and finally, in the same procedure, the images of the two series of character images (binary images) and natural images (color multivalued images) are combined. Then, it is possible to output.

In the above embodiments, as different interfaces, one is AppleTalk and the other is G.
Although P-IB is used, the present invention is not limited to this, and another interface such as CapSL or SCSI interface may be used.

The PDL in this embodiment may be a language called Postscript or another language, for example, a language called PCL.

The command image data portion is data other than raster image data for transmitting data for each pixel, such as code data indicating characters and data indicating the color. If a color multi-valued image memory is used as a memory for handling the raster image data of the present embodiment and a color binary image memory is used for the command image data, binary data described in PDL is obtained. Each of the multivalued data can be combined as a color image.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 8, P
DL interpreter unit 600 and raster image storage unit 700
The above description shows that they are provided in the same cabinet, but the invention is not limited to this, and they may be configured as separate devices.

[0130]

According to the present invention described above, high image quality and high data processing speed can be achieved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a digital color copying machine according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a control host computer according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of an image storage / synthesis device according to a first exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a PDL interpreter unit according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a raster image storage unit according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of combining PDL data and a separated raster image according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a system configuration diagram of the second embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of an image storage / synthesis device according to a second exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another example of FIG. 7.

FIG. 11 is a system configuration diagram of a third embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a configuration diagram of an image storage / synthesis device according to a third exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a system configuration diagram of a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a configuration diagram of an image storage / synthesis device according to a fourth exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a flow chart of composition of PDL data and a separated raster image according to the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing PDL data separation according to the sixth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 200 image storage / synthesis device 400 host computer 600 PDL interpreter unit 700 raster image storage unit 800 image synthesis unit

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A means for inputting a page description language, and means for synthesizing raster image data included in the page description language input by the input means with image data developed based on the page description language and outputting the synthesized image data. An image processing system characterized by the above. 2. The image processing system according to claim 1, wherein the other input means is a scanner. 3. The image processing system according to claim 1, wherein the output means includes means for outputting to a color printer. 4. An image processing method characterized by inputting in a page description language, synthesizing raster image data included in the input page description language with image data developed based on the page description language, and outputting the synthesized image data. . 5. A command data included in a page description language and a means for separating a plurality of raster image data, a means for analyzing the contents of the separated command data and forming a command image, the raster image data Means for separating the attribute information associated with the page description language from the page description language, adding the information to the separated raster image data, and storing the command image and one or more raster images. And a means for synthesizing and outputting based on the attribute information added to the raster image.