JPH07336523A - Image processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain an image processing system in which image synthesis processing between an image from an external equipment and a received image are synthesized with simple operation. CONSTITUTION:An interpreter 121 in an image processor 120 expands image data in the unit of a band based on page description language data received from a host computer 140 and an area discrimination section 124 discriminates whether or not an area is an area for image data to be synthesized. When the area is a synthesis area designated in advance, a scanner section 103 of an image forming device 101 receives image data according to a synchronizing signal generated by a synchronizing signal generating section 105 and switches a selector 123 and provides the output of the image data to a printer section 104 according to a synchronizing signal 1.

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 which is connected to, for example, an image input / output device and performs a desired image combining process with an image input from the image input / output device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a page description language (hereinafter referred to as "PDL")
(Hereinafter abbreviated as ") A system for expanding data into a raster image and transferring it to an image forming apparatus for image output, or an image input / output apparatus by directly operating R, G, B data to a memory in an image processing apparatus. There are various systems for inputting or outputting image data from the. In these systems, for example, the image processing unit 202 is already built in the printer 201 as shown in FIG. 2A, or the image processing unit 202 as shown in FIG. In some cases, 202 is provided independently of the image input / output device (copier) 204, and is provided as an interface unit 205 that simultaneously controls communication with the image input / output device 204 as well as with the host computer 203.

There are the following methods for performing image composition processing of image data scanned from the image input / output device and image data output from the image processing unit using these systems.

(1) When registering image data in a memory Image data scanned from an image input / output device
The image is temporarily registered in the memory in the image processing unit or the hard disk of the connected host computer, the image is synthesized by the internal control of the image processing unit by the synthesis command from the host computer, and the result is output. In this case, the position of the image to be combined is passed as a parameter in the command from the host computer. There is also a method of registering two images to be combined in the memory of the host computer and combining the images using application software for image processing.

(2) When the image data is not registered in the memory For example, when the image data rasterized by the PDL interpreter for each band and the scanning data of the image input / output device are image-synthesized, the scanned image is the original document. Arranged according to the position to be combined on the table in advance, using the synchronizing signal to control the image data output from the interpreter and the printer processing, the scanning operation is also performed at the same time, and the output data is switched by the selector to create the combined image. I was getting.

[0006]

However, the above-mentioned conventional example has the following problems.

That is, with the method of temporarily registering the scanned image data in the memory as in the above (1), a huge amount of memory is consumed for the combining process. For example, for an A4 size image, R, G, and B are each 8 bits, 400
If you try to capture in dpi, you need a capacity of 48MB. In addition, since it takes a considerable amount of processing time to process this enormous amount of data, high-performance hardware and software for processing this are also required. In addition, the operation procedure performed by the user for combining is complicated. For example, it is necessary to perform an operation of registering two images to be combined in a memory, issuing a command to combine these images, reading image data into application software, and instructing combination by a combining tool.

On the other hand, according to the method (2) described above, no registration memory is required, and the rasterized image of the PDL data can be combined with the image on the scanner in real time at the same time as other output. However, since the scanning and the print output are controlled by the same synchronization signal, the third position should be set in consideration of the image position to be fitted by the user in advance so that the printing position and the scanning position are the same at a certain point in time. It had to be arranged on the scanner as shown in FIG. This work is very complicated because it is not possible to make preliminary preparations such as checking the fitting position on the screen in advance. It is a "trial and error work" in which several trial outputs are performed to obtain the desired composite image.
There was a problem that could be needed.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and provides an image processing system capable of performing image synthesizing processing between an image from an external device and an input image in real time by a simple operation. With the goal.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises the following constitutions.

That is, communication control means for controlling communication with an external device, image expansion means for expanding image data based on page description language data received by the communication control means, and expansion by the image expansion means. An image synthesizing means for synthesizing the image data and the image data input by the image inputting means, and an inputting means for inputting the image inputting means and the image outputting means when outputting the image data synthesized by the image synthesizing means to the image outputting means. And control means for controlling the output timing.

[0012]

With this configuration, the image data is expanded based on the page description language data received from the external device, and the expanded image data and the image data input from the image input means are combined and output to the image output means. When this is done, it operates so as to control the timing of the image input means and the image output means.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

<First Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of an image processing system according to the first embodiment. In FIG. 1, 101 is an overall view of the image forming apparatus, which includes an external I / F unit 102 for controlling communication with an image processing apparatus 120 described later via signals such as commands, statuses, image data, and clocks. Scanner unit 1 for inputting data
03, a printer unit 104 that outputs image data, a synchronization signal generation unit 105 that generates an independent synchronization signal for the scanner unit 103 and the printer unit 104, and the apparatus 10
1, a CPU 106 for controlling the entire system, a ROM 107 for storing software, and an RA as a working memory.
It is composed of the M 108 and the CPU bus 109.

On the other hand, reference numeral 120 is an overall view of the image processing apparatus, which is an interpreter 121 for expanding page description language (PDL) data received from an external device (host computer) 140 into a raster image, and the image forming apparatus 10 described above.
1 and an external I / F unit 122 that controls communication via signals such as commands, statuses, image data, and clocks; a selector 123 that switches image data to the external I / F unit 122; Based on the result, the selector 123 is instructed to switch, or the external I
/ F122, the area determination unit 124 for instructing the synchronization signal generation unit 105 of the image forming apparatus 101 to generate the synchronization signal, the input unit 125 for inputting execution / non-execution of the image synthesis processing, and the entire apparatus 120. CPU12 for controlling
6. ROM 127 for storing software, RAM 128 as working memory, and CPU bus 129
It is composed of

Here, as a supplement before describing the present image processing system in detail, the interpreter 121 will be described with reference to FIG.
Explain.

In the figure, 401 is a page PDL memory, and the PDL data received from the host computer 140 via the external interface 407 is the CPU 4
It is stored in this memory via the CPU bus 408 under the control of 02. Since the interpreter of this example expands PDL data in units of one band, all PDL data (for one page) forming a desired image is required, and the page PDL memory 401 stores PDL data for one page. be registered. The format of PDL data is the same as that of a general high-level language program.

The CPU 402 controls the entire interpreter 121 via the CPU bus 408 based on a program stored in the ROM 403, and also uses a RAM 404 or the like as a work area for a font memory 405 described later.
Using the data of the pattern memory 406 or the like, the PDL data is expanded into raster image data or the like. When the PDL data for one page is prepared in the page PDL memory 401, the PDL data read from the page PDL memory 401 is sequentially expanded into raster image data and then stored in the image memory 409. That is, the CPU 40
2 is a page PD for each band forming one page
PDL data is read from the L memory 401, rasterized into raster image data, and this process is repeated for all bands to form one page of raster image data.

The image memory 409 is a memory for storing the expanded image data. For example, when one pixel is represented by one packet of RGB (each 8 bits), RGB (1
-1st pixel), RGB (1-2nd pixel), RGB (1-
3rd pixel), ..., RGB (1-Nth pixel), RGB (2
−1), RGB (2-2), ..., RGB (M−N) are repeatedly registered in the number of pixels cycle of the band width (N) and the number of bands (M). The band width represented here is the same as the number of printable band pixels of the print head in the inkjet system, for example.

When all the image data are stored in the image memory 409, the CPU 402 notifies the image forming apparatus 101 via the external interface 407 that the output is ready. As a result, the image forming apparatus 10
A synchronization signal is output from 1 and the CPU 402 outputs image data in 1-band units according to the synchronization signal. This synchronizing signal is normally synchronized with the signal to be printed out in band units in the image forming apparatus 101.

As described above, the ROM 403 stores the CPU
A program for controlling the 402 is stored in the RAM
404 is used as a work area. The font memory 405 is composed of, for example, a ROM and stores data for converting a character code included in PDL data into bit image data or the like. Pattern memory 406
Is a memory of, for example, a dither pattern, and is composed of, for example, a ROM or the like and stores a dither pattern of a dither method which is one of binarization methods.

Next, the image composition processing by this image processing system will be described in detail.

Two independent sync signals generated by the sync signal generator 105 in the image forming apparatus 101 shown in FIG.
They will be called sync signal 1 and sync signal 2, respectively. Focusing on these synchronization signals, description will be given separately for the case where image composition is executed / not executed.

(1) In the case of "non-execution of image composition" The synchronization signal 1 is input to the interprinter 121 in the image processing apparatus 120 via the external I / F units 102 and 122. As a result, the interpreter 121 outputs image data for each band in synchronization with the synchronization signal 1 in accordance with the above-described processing procedure, and the image data output unit (printer unit) 104 in the image forming apparatus 101 which operates by the same synchronization signal 1 An image is formed on the medium by the band printing process. In this case, since the composition with the image on the image input unit (scanner unit) 103 is not necessary, the synchronization signal 2 is not output to the scanner side. Further, the image data is through in the area determination unit 124 and the selector unit 123.

(2) In the case of "execution of image composition" When a key instructing execution of image composition is input from the input unit 125 of the image processing apparatus 120, the CPU 126 detects the key input and the area determination unit 124. To notify. As a result, the area determination unit 124 causes the external I / F units 122 and 10 to operate.
2 independent of the sync signal generator 105 via
It issues an instruction to prepare to generate the synchronization signals (synchronization signals 1 and 2). Here, the synchronization signal 1 is a signal for the printer unit 104, and the synchronization signal 2 is a signal for the scanner unit 103.

The synchronization signal 1 is transmitted to the interpreter 1 in the image processing apparatus 120 via the external I / F units 102 and 122.
21 is input. The interpreter 121 outputs image data for each band in synchronization with the synchronization signal 1 according to the processing procedure described above, and the image data output unit (printer unit) 1 of the image forming apparatus 101 that operates by the same synchronization signal 1.
Image data is output on the medium by the band printing process 04.

Here, the image on the image input (scanner) unit 103 of the image forming apparatus 101 is combined with the image data rasterized by the interpreter 121. At which position of the rasterized image data is combined. You need information about whether to do it. For example, taking a case where a scanner image is combined with a portion of R = G = B = 0 on the rasterized image data as an example, the rasterized image from the interpreter 121 is input to the area determination unit 124.
When the pixel of R = G = B = 0 is input, the synchronization signal 2 is output from the area determination unit 124 to the synchronization signal generation unit 105 via the external I / Fs 122 and 102 to the scanner unit 103. Order. The scanner unit 103 reads the image data on the document table in synchronization with the synchronization signal 2, and this data is once input to the image processing apparatus 120 via the external I / Fs 102 and 122. The scanner image data input to the image processing apparatus 120 is corrected so as to be synchronized with the synchronization signal 1, and then output from the printer unit 104 of the image forming apparatus 101 via the selector 123. The selector 123 is switched according to the determination result of the area determination unit 124, and the output control of the image data is performed. The processing of the scanner unit 103 by the synchronization signal 2 is continued until all data is output, and is ended when the notification of the end of data output is received.

In the above-described embodiment, R = G = B = 0 is taken as an example of the condition for area determination, but this setting is performed by the CPU.
A desired value can be set by 126, and more complicated conditions can be set.

Further, in the above embodiment, the image processing such as the edge enhancement processing and the image compression processing is not specified for the image data, but of course, these image processing may be performed.

<Second Embodiment> FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of an image processing system according to the second embodiment.

In the second embodiment, the interpreter 150 in the image processing apparatus 120 includes a data expanding section 151, a combining processing section 152, and an external I / F 153.
0 is an example of controlling the synthesis process. For example, the application software on the host computer 140 connected to the interpreter 150 specifies the image data to be output and the position where the image on the scanner is to be fitted. Furthermore, when the print start command is issued from the host computer 140, it is instructed to input whether or not to perform the combining process. These input data are transmitted to the interpreter 150 as a part of PDL data.

In the configuration shown in FIG. 5, when PDL data is received from the host computer 140, the interpreter 150 recognizes whether or not the combining process is selected prior to the expansion of the image data. When the combining process is selected, the area information to be combined is analyzed, and then the synchronization signal output of the synchronization signal generation unit 105 of the image forming apparatus 101 to the scanner unit 103 is performed via the external I / F 122. Get ready. Therefore, since the interpreter 150 recognizes in advance which position of the rasterized image the scanner image is to be fitted into, the interpreter 150 synchronizes when it reaches a band to be combined in the process of executing the image expansion by the data expansion unit 151. The scanner unit 10 with respect to the signal generation unit 105
Request activation of 3. Here, the image data taken in from the scanner unit 103 is temporarily transferred to the external I / F 102, 12
It is taken into the interpreter 150 of the image processing apparatus 120 via 2 and input to the delay circuit of the synthesizing processing unit 152 in order to match with the synchronizing signal of the printer unit 104. The synthesizing process is switched and executed in a pixel unit by a selector (not shown).

As described above, according to this embodiment,
When the image output from the image processing apparatus 120 and the image captured by the scanner unit 103 of the image forming apparatus 101 are combined and output, the image captured by the scanner unit 103 does not need to be temporarily registered in the memory and the image can be displayed. As shown in (b) of FIG. 3, it is possible to obtain a composite image almost in real time with the image output from the image processing apparatus 120 only by setting the origin of the scanner unit 103.

The present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of a single device. Further, it goes without saying that the present invention can also be applied to the case of being achieved by supplying a program to a system or an apparatus.

[0035]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to perform image composition processing of an image from an external device and an input image in real time with a simple operation.

[0036]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an image processing system according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a type in which an image processing device is built in an output device and a type in which the image processing device is a separate unit from the output device.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a difference in an operation procedure of a combining process according to the related art and the present embodiment.

4 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of the interpreter shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration of an image processing system according to a second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 101 image forming apparatus 102 external I / F 103 scanner section 104 printer section 105 sync signal generation section 106 CPU 107 ROM 108 RAM 109 CPU bus 120 image processing apparatus 121 interpreter 122 external I / F 123 selector 124 area determination section 125 input section 126 CPU 127 ROM 128 RAM 129 CPU bus 140 Host computer 150 Interpreter 151 Data expansion unit 152 Composite processing unit 153 External I / F 201 PDL compatible printer 202 Image processing unit (interpreter) 203 Computer outputting PDL data 204 Copier 205 Interface unit 401 pages PDL memory 402 CPU 403 ROM 404 RAM 405 Font memory 406 Pattern memory 407 External interface 408 CPU bus 409 Image memory

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A communication control unit for controlling communication with an external device, an image expanding unit for expanding image data based on page description language data received by the communication controlling unit, and an image expanding unit for expanding the image data. An image synthesizing means for synthesizing the image data and the image data input from the image inputting means, and an inputting means for inputting the image inputting means and the image outputting means when outputting the image data synthesized by the image synthesizing means to the image outputting means. An image processing system comprising: a control unit that controls output timing. 2. The image processing system according to claim 1, wherein the image expanding means expands the image data in units of one band. 3. The image synthesizing unit includes a determining unit that determines a region of image data to be synthesized, and a switching unit that switches the image data to be synthesized according to the determination result of the determining unit. The image processing system according to claim 2. 4. The image processing system according to claim 3, wherein the control unit controls input / output timings of the image input unit and the image output unit by different synchronization signals. 5. The image processing system according to claim 4, wherein whether or not image composition is performed can be designated by the page description language data.