JP2001024833A - Picture processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the versatility of transfer between a plurality of devices by securing high-speed transfer by making data transfer possible between the devices and a memory by using one set of picture buses. SOLUTION: A picture processor is provided with a signal processing IPP which outputs the picture data of a picture scanner SCR and picture information prepared by means of a personal computer PC for printing or display, a picture bus management CDIC which collectively manages the connection between the IPP and picture buses Pb, and a memory management IMAC which collectively manages the access to a memory MEM using the picture buses Pb. The CDIC and IMAC are connected to each other through a set of picture buses Pb. The data transferred from the CDIC and IMAC are transferred in a preset transfer data form suitable for the data transfer to a plurality of devices. The transfer data form is changed in accordance with the speed difference between the devices. In another mode, continuously transferred picture data are divided into transfer data having arbitrary data lengths, and the attribute information, etc. of the original data are added to the divided transfer data.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for converting an image signal of an image reading device such as a document scanner or a digital camera and image information generated by an information processing device such as a personal computer or a word processor into a display device or a printer. That is, the present invention relates to an image processing apparatus that processes image data for visual output. This apparatus is, for example, a document image scanner having a function of outputting information to an information processing apparatus, a digital copying machine having a function of outputting information of the information processing apparatus, and a copying machine having a facsimile function, that is, a multi-function machine. Incorporated in.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In this type of digital copying machine, correction processing of an image reading signal corresponding to the reading characteristics of a scanner, image storage in a memory, image editing processing, and recording density data corresponding to the output characteristics of a printer. Conversion and correction processing, parallel operation of a plurality of functions, etc. are disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-274986.
No. is published in the official gazette. These various types of image processing can be executed by one image processing configuration.

[0003]

However, easiness of connectivity of peripheral units and easiness of simultaneous operation of peripheral units around an image processing apparatus (image data processing apparatus) are not provided. In addition, an optimal control configuration has not been constructed in terms of effective use of the system. Specifically, a problem occurs when a plurality of I / O devices are connected. In other words, in the conventional system, when there are a plurality of devices to be connected, the same number of image buses as the number of connected devices are prepared, or one set of image buses is shared and used. In many cases, the transfer of an image signal cannot be interrupted when the device starts operating. Therefore, in consideration of this point, the configuration of the image bus and the method of transferring the image data determine the performance of the entire multi-function system. Is as important as

The transfer of an image signal from an input device having no memory and an image signal to an output device having no memory cannot basically be interrupted once image transfer has been started (transfer conditions for image data). ). Therefore, multiple units (eg, document scanner and printer)
When operating both at the same time, when both operate at the same speed, the image can be continuously flowed,
No speed buffer such as a memory is required. Conversely, if the operation speeds are different, a speed buffer such as a memory is required. This seems disadvantageous because it requires memory,
Considering that the input and output devices can operate independently without considering each other, this is a great advantage.

[0005] In a system having such a memory, data transfer between the memory and the device becomes a problem. When the operation speeds of the input and output devices are different, each image bus is required simply in consideration of the transfer condition of the image data. In this case, the size of the circuit is simply increased, so that it is problematic in terms of cost when implementing with hardware.

When the number of image buses is reduced and shared, the transfer of image signals cannot be interrupted in many cases when the device starts operating, so that control of the bus usage must be considerably devised. A new problem arises.

In addition, when the operation speeds of the input and output devices are different, and when all the devices perform suitable data transfer, the operation is performed at the slowest speed, so that the operation of the entire system is slowed down. .

A first object of the present invention is to easily control data transfer between a plurality of devices and a memory without increasing the number of image buses, and to easily perform data transfer with one set of image buses. The second objective is to achieve this without reducing the effective speed of the system.
It is a fourth object of the present invention to simplify the transfer data format and increase the versatility of transfer between a plurality of devices.

[0009]

(1) Image reading means
Image signal processing means (IPP) which performs image signal processing for outputting as a visualized image to image signals read by (SBU) and digitally generated image information by other means (PC)
Image bus management means (CDID) for collectively managing the interface between the image signal processing means (IPP) and the image bus (Pb)
And a digital signal memory (Mb) using the image bus (Pb).
Memory management means (IMAC) for centrally managing access to (EM)
Wherein the image bus management means (CDID) and the memory management means (IMAC) are connected by a set of image buses (Pb). In addition, in order to facilitate understanding, the reference numerals of the corresponding elements in the embodiments shown in the drawings and described later are added for reference in parentheses.

According to this, an interface between an image bus (Pb) and image signal processing means (IPP) for processing image signals and image information generated by a plurality of devices (SBU, PC) into visualized output data. The image bus management means (CDID) centrally manages the data, the memory management means (IMAC) collectively manages the access to the memory (MEM), and both (CDID, IMAC) use one image bus (PID).
b), multiple devices can be connected via the image signal processing means (IPP) without increasing the number of image buses.
Data transfer between (SBU, PC) and memory (MEM) can be easily controlled.

[0011]

(2) The image bus management means (CDI)
The data transferred between D) and the memory management means (IMAC) has a predetermined transfer data format suitable for data transfer with a plurality of devices. This makes it possible to easily transfer data through one image bus. (3) The image bus management means (CDID) and the memory management means (I
The data transfer format with the MAC is changed by the speed difference between a plurality of devices. As a result, data can be easily transferred on one image bus without lowering the execution speed of the system. (4) The image bus management means (CDID) and the memory management means (I
The data transfer between the MAC and the MAC) is performed by dividing continuously transferred image data into transfer data having an arbitrary data length, and adding the attribute information of the original data to the divided transfer data. Perform in data format. As a result, the scalability is high and the data transfer through one image bus can be easily performed.

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the drawings.

[0013]

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a digital copying machine having a composite function according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In a document scanner SCR that optically reads a document, a reading unit 4 condenses reflected light of lamp irradiation on the document to a light receiving element by a mirror and a lens. The light receiving element (CCD in this embodiment) is provided in a sensor board unit SBU (hereinafter simply referred to as SBU), and an image signal converted into an electric signal in the CCD is a digital signal on the SBU, ie, a read image. After being converted to data, the SBU converts the data from the compression / decompression and data interface control unit CDIC (hereinafter simply referred to as CD).
IC).

That is, the image data output from the SBU is input to the CDIC. The transmission of image data between the functional device and the data bus is entirely controlled by the CDIC. In other words, the CDIC uses the SB
U, the parallel bus Pb, and the image signal processor IPP (hereinafter simply referred to as IPP), and the image data transfer between the system controller 6 that controls the entire digital copying machine shown in FIG. And communication regarding other controls. The system controller 6 and the process controller 1 communicate with each other via the parallel bus Pb, the CDIC, and the serial bus Sb. The CDIC performs data format conversion for a data interface between the parallel bus Pb and the serial bus Sb inside the CDIC.

The read image data from the SBU is CDI
C, the signal is transferred to the IPP, and the IPP corrects the signal deterioration (signal deterioration of the scanner system: distortion of the read image data due to the scanner characteristics) due to the quantization into the optical system and the digital signal. Output to CDIC is
The image data is transferred to the copy function controller MFC and written in the memory MEM. Alternatively, the processing returns to the IPP processing system for printer output.

That is, the read image data is stored in the CDIC.
A job in which the data is stored in the memory MEM for reuse, and a job in which the data is output to the video data control VDC (hereinafter, simply referred to as VDC) without being stored in the memory MEM.
There is a job that outputs an image with R. As an example of storing the data in the memory MEM, when a plurality of originals are copied, the reading unit 4 is operated only once to read the read image data.
Data is stored in the memory MEM, and the stored data is read a plurality of times. As an example without using the memory MEM,
When copying only one original, it is only necessary to process the read image data as it is for the printer output, and there is no need to write the data in the memory MEM.

First, if the memory MEM is not used, the IP
The image data transferred from P to CDIC is
C returns to IPP. Image quality processing for converting luminance data by CCD into area gradation in IPP (FIG. 2)
15) is performed. The image data after the image quality processing is transferred from the IPP to the VDC. For the signal changed to the area gradation,
Post-processing relating to dot arrangement and pulse control for reproducing dots are performed by VDC, and a reproduced image is formed on transfer paper in the image forming unit 5 of the laser printer PRR.

When data is stored in the memory MEM and additional processing such as image direction rotation and image synthesis is performed at the time of reading from the memory MEM, data transferred from the IPP to the CDIC passes from the CDIC via the parallel bus Pb. And transmitted to an image memory access control IMAC (hereinafter simply referred to as IMAC). Here, access control of the image data and the memory module MEM (hereinafter simply referred to as MEM) is performed based on the control of the system controller 6, and an external personal computer PC
It expands print data (hereinafter simply referred to as PC) (character code / character bit conversion) and compresses / decompresses image data for effective use of memory. The data sent to the IMAC is stored in the MEM after data compression, and the stored data is read as necessary. The read data is expanded, returned to the original image data, and returned from the IMAC to the CDIC via the parallel bus Pb.

After the transfer from the CDIC to the IPP, the IPP
The image forming unit 5 performs the image processing and the pulse control with the VDC, and the image forming unit 5 forms a visible image (toner image) on the transfer paper.

In the flow of image data, the composite function of the digital copying machine is realized by the bus control by the parallel bus Pb and the CDIC. The FAX transmission function, which is one of the copying functions, transmits the image data read by the scanner SCR to the IPP.
Performs image processing on CDIC and parallel bus Pb
FAX control unit FCU (hereinafter simply referred to as FCU)
(Referred to as). Public line communication network PN at FCU
(Hereinafter simply referred to as PN), and the data is transmitted to the PN as FAX data. In FAX reception, line data from the PN is converted into image data by the FCU, and is transferred to the IPP via the parallel bus Pb and the CDIC. In this case, no special image quality processing is performed, dot rearrangement and pulse control are performed in the VDC, and a visible image is formed on the transfer paper in the image forming unit 5.

In a situation where a plurality of jobs, for example, a copy function, a facsimile transmission / reception function, and a printer output function, operate in parallel, the allocation of the reading unit 4, the imaging unit 5, and the right to use the parallel bus Pb to the job is performed by the system. It is controlled by the controller 6 and the process controller 1.

The process controller 1 controls the flow of image data, and the system controller controls the entire system and manages activation of each resource. This digital copying function is selected and input on the operation board OPB to select the function of the copying machine, and set the processing contents such as the copying function and the FAX function.

FIG. 2 shows an outline of the image processing function of the IPP. The read image data is transmitted from the SBU via the CDIC to the scanner image processing 12 from the input I / F (interface) 11 of the IPP. Scanner image processing 12 is mainly intended to correct the deterioration of image information due to reading.
Are shading correction, scanner γ correction and MTF
Make corrections and so on. Although not a correction process, a scaling process for enlargement / reduction is also performed. After the correction processing of the read image data is completed, the image data is transferred to the CDIC via the output I / F 13.
For output to transfer paper, input image data from CDIC.
/ F14, and performs area gradation processing in image quality processing 15. The data after the image quality processing is output to the VDC via the output I / F 16. The area gradation processing includes density conversion, dither processing, error diffusion processing and the like, and the main processing is area approximation of gradation information.

Once the image data subjected to the scanner image processing 12 is stored in the memory MEM, various reproduced images can be confirmed by changing the processing performed in the image quality processing 15. For example, try shaking the density of the reproduced image,
The atmosphere of the reproduced image can be changed by changing the number of lines of the dither matrix. At this time, it is not necessary to read the image again by the scanner SCR every time the processing is changed.
If the stored image is read from the EM, different processing can be performed on the same data any number of times.

FIG. 3 shows an outline of a functional configuration of the CDIC. The image data input / output control 21 inputs the read image data from the SBU and outputs the data to the IPP. The image data input controller 22 receives the image data subjected to the scanner image correction by the scanner image processing 12 by the IPP. The input data is subjected to data compression in the data compression unit 23 in order to increase the transfer efficiency on the parallel bus Pb. The compressed image data is parallel data I /
It is sent to the parallel bus Pb via F25. Image data input from the parallel data bus Pb via the parallel data I / F 25 is compressed for bus transfer, and is expanded by the data expansion unit 26. The decompressed image data is transferred to the IPP by the image data output control 27. The CDIC has a function of converting parallel data and serial data. System controller 6
Transfers data to the parallel bus Pb, and the process controller 1 transfers data to the serial bus Sb.
For communication between the two controllers 6 and 1, the data converter 24 and the serial data I / F 29 use a parallel /
Performs serial data conversion. Serial data I / F28
Is for IPP, and serial data transfer is also performed with IPP.

FIG. 4 shows an outline of a functional configuration of the VDC.
The VDC performs additional processing on the image data input from the IPP according to the characteristics of the imaging unit 5. The rearrangement process of the dots by the edge smoothing process and the pulse control of the image signal for the dot formation are performed, and the image data is output to the image forming unit 5. Apart from the conversion of the image data, it has the parallel data and serial data format conversion functions 33 to 35, and the VDC alone can support the communication between the system controller 6 and the process controller 1.

FIG. 5 shows an outline of the functional configuration of the IMAC. The parallel data I / F 41 manages input / output of image data to / from the parallel bus Pb, stores / reads image data to / from the MEM, and converts code data mainly input from an external PC to image data. Control deployment. The code data input from the PC is stored in the line buffer 42. That is, the data is stored in the local area, and the code data stored in the line buffer 42 is supplied to the video controller 43 based on the expansion processing command from the system controller 6 input via the system controller I / F 44. Expand to image data.
Expanded image data or parallel data I / F4
The image data input from the parallel bus Pb via the P1 is stored in the MEM. In this case, the data conversion unit 45
In step (2), image data to be stored is selected, data compression is performed in the data compression section 46 to increase the memory use efficiency, and image data is stored in the MEM while the memory access control section 47 manages the address of the MEM. I do.
When reading the image data stored in the MEM, the memory access control unit 47 controls the read destination address, and the read image data is expanded by the data expansion unit 48. When transferring the expanded image data to the parallel bus Pb, the data transfer is performed via the parallel data I / F 41.

FIG. 6 shows an outline of the functional configuration of the FCU. F
The AX transmission / reception unit FCU converts the image data into a communication format and transmits it to the external line PN, and converts the data from the external line PN back to the image data and creates the image data via the external I / F unit 51 and the parallel bus Pb. The image is recorded and output in the image unit 5. The FAX transmitting / receiving unit FCU includes a FAX image processor 52, an image memory 53, a memory control unit 55, a facsimile control unit 54, an image compression / decompression 56, a modem 57, and a network control device 5.
Consists of eight. Among them, regarding the FAX image processing 52, the binary smoothing processing on the received image is performed in the edge smoothing processing 31 of the VDC. As for the image memory 53, a part of the output buffer function is completed by the IMAC and the MEM.

FAX transmission / reception unit FCU thus configured
Then, when the transmission of the image information is started, the facsimile control unit 54 instructs the memory control unit 55 and the image memory 53
, The stored image information is sequentially read. The read image information is restored to the original signal by the FAX image processing 52, is subjected to density conversion processing and scaling processing, and is applied to the facsimile control unit 54. The image signal applied to the facsimile control unit 54 is code-compressed by the image compression / decompression unit 56, modulated by the modem 57, and transmitted to the destination via the network control device 58. The transmitted image information is stored in the image memory 5.
3 is deleted.

At the time of reception, the received image is temporarily stored in the image memory 5.
3, if the received image can be recorded and output at that time, it is recorded and output when the reception of one image is completed. When a call is made during the copying operation and reception starts, the image memory 53 is stored in the image memory 53 until the usage rate of the image memory 53 reaches a predetermined value, for example, 80%.
When the usage rate reaches 80%, the writing operation being executed at that time is forcibly interrupted, and the received image is read from the image memory 53 and recorded and output. At this time, the received image read from the image memory 53 is deleted from the image memory 53, and the usage rate of the image memory 53 becomes a predetermined value, for example, 10
When the writing operation has been suspended, the writing operation which has been interrupted is resumed, and when all the writing operations have been completed, the remaining received image is recorded and output. Further, after the write operation is interrupted, various parameters for the write operation at the time of the interruption are internally saved so that the write operation can be resumed, and the parameters are internally restored at the time of restart.

In the above example, the CDIC as the image bus management unit and the IMAC as the memory management unit are connected by a parallel bus Pb as a set of image buses. The independent SBU as image reading means, VDC as writing means and IPP as image signal processing means are connected directly to image bus management means CDI without being directly connected to image bus Pb.
C, the use management of the image bus Pb is substantially controlled by the image bus management means CDIC and the memory management means IMA.
Only done by C. Therefore, arbitration and transfer control of the bus Pb are easy and efficient.

Next, an embodiment of the transfer format of the image data will be described. In the first mode, the data is transferred using the data frames shown in FIGS. Data A indicates read data, data B indicates image processing data, and data C indicates write data. Note that data B is bidirectionally transferred, but data A and data C are unidirectional and contradictory. FIGS. 7A and 7B show examples from the input and output devices to the memory (from CDIC to IMAC).
, Transfer from memory to the input / output device side (from IMAC to CDIC) in the order of ABABABAB ...
, The data are arranged in the order of BCBCBCBC,..., The length of each data (A, B, C) is determined in advance, and the length of the entire data string is also determined. Note that the arrangement of the data is such that two data are arranged in a 1: 1 ratio for convenience.
However, this may be arbitrarily determined by the memory management means IMAC and the image bus management means CDIC. Further, the number of data is not limited to two and may be more. If the data format is determined in advance as described above, it is possible to accurately restore each data from the received data.

FIG. 7C shows a second mode of the image data transfer format. This is an improvement of the first embodiment, in which data transfer is made more efficient, and is characterized in that the ratio of each data is changed in consideration of the speed difference of transfer data when forming a data string. . FIG. 7C shows an example in which the transfer speed to the image signal processing means IPP is required to be twice as high as the transfer speed to the writing means (VDC, 5). In this case, the transfer data format is , BBCBBBCBBCBBC ・
・ ・In this way, B can restore twice the data amount of C from one data string, and as a result, B can be transferred at twice the speed of C.

FIG. 7D shows a third mode of the image data transfer format. This is different from the first and second aspects,
Image bus management means CDIC and memory management means IMA
The data transfer format is not strictly defined with C, and the size and attribute are determined by adding predetermined information H to the head of the data string. In this example, the additional information H describes the type and size of data. According to the third aspect, even if the transfer data amount is arbitrarily set, data can be identified on the receiver side without any problem.

Second Embodiment FIG. 8 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. This is a single scanner that can interface with a PC. The major difference in the system configuration from the multifunction digital copier of the first embodiment is that the image forming unit 5 is not provided, that is, the printer function is not provided. That is not. Since the image forming unit 5 is unnecessary, no VDC is mounted.

The image read by the scanner SCR is converted into image data by the SBU, and is converted to CDI.
After being transferred to the IPP via C, the image processing required by the single scanner is performed. The IPP performs the scanner image processing and the gradation processing together and outputs the result to the CDIC. Degradation correction of a read image is mainly performed, but gradation processing for display output suitable for a display device as an output screen of a PC is performed. There are many processes different from the image quality process for print output for transfer paper. At this time, by configuring the IPP with a programmable arithmetic processing unit, only necessary processing procedures regarding image quality processing for print output and gradation processing for display output need to be set. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which it is not necessary to always have both procedures.

The image data after the gradation processing is transferred to the CDIC and sent to the IMAC via the parallel bus Pb. The scanner function is realized by using MEM as a buffer memory and transferring image data to a driver attached to the PC. As in the case of digital copying of the copying function, the system controller 6 and the process controller 1 manage image data and system resources. The transfer format of image data between IMAC / CDIC is
This is performed in the above-described first mode, second mode or third mode.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the image signal processing device IPP shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a compression / decompression and data interface control unit CDIC shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the video data control VDC shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is an image memory access control IMAC shown in FIG.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a facsimile transmission / reception unit FCU illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a frame structure of image data transfer between the CDIC and the IMAC shown in FIG. 1,
(A) and (b) are of the first embodiment, and (c) is of the second embodiment.
(D) shows that of the third embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

IPP: Image signal processing device CDIC: Compression / expansion and data interface control unit VDC: Video data control IMAC: Image memory access control FCU: FAX transmission / reception unit SBU: Sensor board unit PN: Public line

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Yoshiyuki Hatsuka 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hideto Miyazaki 1-3-3 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo No. 6 Inside Ricoh Co., Ltd. (72) Shinya Miyazaki, inventor 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo 1-32 Inside Ricoh Co., Ltd. Yuji Takahashi 1-3-3, Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo No. 6 Inside Ricoh Company (72) Inventor Takako Sato 1-36 Nakamagome 1-chome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Japan (72) Inventor Tsuyoshi Tone 1-chome Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo No. 3-6 Ricoh Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Fumio Yoshizawa 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo, Japan No. 3-6 Ricoh Co., Ltd. (72) Takuaki Fukuda, 1-chome Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo 3 No. 6 Inside Ricoh Co., Ltd. (72) Rie Ishii, Inventor 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo 1-36 Inside Ricoh Co., Ltd. Sugi Shigigi 1-3-3 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo No. 6 F-term in Ricoh Co., Ltd. (reference) 5B050 AA10 CA05 FA02 FA03 5B061 FF06 GG13 SS01 5C062 AA02 AA05 AA14 AB17 AB22 AB24 AB42 AC02 AC04 AC05 AC22 AC25 AC49 AE15 AF14 BA01 BA04 5C073 AB11 BB02 BC02 BD02 CA02

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image signal processing means for performing image signal processing for outputting as a visualized image an image signal read by an image reading means and image information digitally generated by other means, and said image signal processing. An image bus managing means for collectively managing an interface between the means and the image bus; and a memory managing means for collectively managing access to a memory of a digital signal using the image bus. An image processing apparatus, wherein the means and the means are connected by a set of image buses. 2. The data transfer method according to claim 1, wherein the data transferred by the image bus management means and the memory management means is in a predetermined transfer data format suitable for data transfer with a plurality of devices. Image processing device. 3. An image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a transfer data format between said image bus management means and said memory management means is changed by a speed difference between a plurality of devices. 4. The data transfer between the image bus management means and the memory management means is performed by dividing continuously transferred image data into transfer data having an arbitrary data length, and transferring the divided transfer data. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transfer is performed in a transfer data format obtained by adding attribute information of the division source data to the data.