JP2001103272A - Data processing device, image processing device, image processing system, data processing method, image processing method and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing device by which an image output resulting from laying out a plurality of image data into one at high speed. SOLUTION: The image processing device manages read image data as a set of image data blocks in the unit of small sizes, generates an information table as information to combine the image data blocks, and stores the table into a memory 203 together with the image data. In the case of printing the image data, the image processing device sequentially outputs the image data blocks on the basis of the information table and prints out the data. In the case of laying out a plurality of image data and printing out them as one image output, a new information table is generated on the basis of the information tables denoting those image data. The image processing device can print out the image data in existence in separate memories onto one print paper sheet without moving the image data in the memories by printing out the image data on the basis of the information table.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data processing device for processing data, an image processing device for processing image data, and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when arranging a plurality of image data read by an image scanner or the like on a single sheet of output paper and outputting the same, a raster image in which the image data is arranged is created and printed. It was done.

[0003]

However, the above conventional example has the following problems.

[0004] A plurality of image data read separately are:
They are stored at different locations on the memory. In the case of arranging these on one output sheet and printing, it is necessary to move the plurality of image data at different positions on the memory and create one print image on the memory. There is a problem that the processing speed until printing is performed is slow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, the present invention provides an image processing apparatus and the like which can obtain an output image having a desired configuration at high speed when obtaining an image output in which a plurality of image data are laid out in one. The purpose is to provide.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, in a data processing apparatus according to the present invention, a data dividing unit for dividing data into a plurality of blocks; Storage means for storing an information table indicating the position of each data block in the data together with the set of data blocks, and data output means for arranging the data blocks based on the information table and outputting data. It is characterized by having.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the data processing apparatus of the first aspect, the configuration of the output data is changed by rewriting the information table.

An image processing apparatus according to a third aspect of the present invention includes an image reading unit that reads an image to generate image data; an image data dividing unit that divides the image data into a plurality of image blocks; Storage means for storing an information table indicating the position of each image block in the image data as a result of division by the division means together with the set of image blocks; and arranging the data blocks based on the information table and outputting an image Image output means.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image processing apparatus of the second aspect, the configuration of the output image is changed by rewriting the information table.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the image processing apparatus of the fourth aspect, a plurality of information tables respectively corresponding to the plurality of read image data are created as the information tables. A new information table indicating the position of each image block of the plurality of image data is created based on the information table, and based on the new information table, a plurality of image data are arranged and one image is output. It is characterized by the following.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing system comprising the image processing apparatus according to the third to fifth aspects.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the data processing method, a data division process for dividing data into a plurality of blocks, and an information table indicating a position in the data of each data block which is a division result of the data division process And a data output process of arranging the data blocks based on the information table and outputting the data are sequentially executed.

In a data processing method according to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the data processing method according to the seventh aspect, the configuration of output data is changed by rewriting the information table.

[0014] In the image processing method according to the ninth aspect of the present invention, an image reading process of reading an image to generate image data, an image data dividing process of dividing the image data into a plurality of image blocks, A storage process for storing an information table indicating the position of each image block in the image data, which is a division result of the division process, together with the set of image blocks, and arranging the data blocks based on the information table and outputting an image. The image output process is sequentially executed.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the image processing method of the ninth aspect, the configuration of the output image is changed by rewriting the information table.

In the image processing method according to the present invention, a plurality of information tables respectively corresponding to a plurality of read image data are created as the information table. Based on the information table, a new information table indicating the position of each image block of the plurality of image data is created, and based on the new information table, a plurality of
It is characterized by outputting two images.

In the storage medium according to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, a data division step of dividing data into a plurality of blocks, and an information table indicating a position in the data of each data block, which is a division result of the data division step, is stored in the storage medium. And storing a program including a storage step of storing the data block together with the set of data blocks, and a data output step of arranging the data block based on the information table and outputting data.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the storage medium according to the twelfth aspect, further comprising a step of rewriting the information table. Is changed.

In the storage medium according to the present invention, an image reading step of reading an image to generate image data; an image data dividing step of dividing the image data into a plurality of image blocks; A storage step of storing an information table indicating a position of each image block in the image data, which is a result of the division, together with a set of the image blocks; and an image in which the data blocks are arranged and output based on the information table. A program including an output step is stored.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, in the storage medium according to the fifteenth aspect, the information table has a step of rewriting the information table, and the image output step includes the step of rewriting the information table by rewriting the information table. The configuration is changed.

In the storage medium according to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, in the storage medium according to the fifteenth aspect, the image output step includes, as the information table, a plurality of information tables respectively corresponding to a plurality of read image data. Create a new information table indicating the position of each image block of the plurality of image data based on the information tables, and arrange a plurality of image data based on the new information table to form one information table. Image output is performed.

[0022]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

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

The image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment is constituted by, for example, a digital copying machine. The CPU 201 is a microprocessor that controls the entire image processing apparatus, and is operated by a real-time OS. The memory 203
An application program for operating the CPU 201 is expanded and used as a work memory. It is a memory that can be accessed from the CPU 201 at high speed.

A memory controller 205 controls writing of data to the memory 203 and reading of data from the memory 203. The low-speed data bus 204 is for transferring data (DMA transfer) between functional units described later.

The bus bridge 208 is connected to the high-speed CPU 20
1, memory controller 205, low-speed data bus 20
4 and a bridge controller for connecting the high-speed image data buses 216 and 224 to absorb the difference in processing speed between the buses. Through the bus bridge 208, the CPU 201 operating at a high speed can access the functional unit operating at a low speed connected to the low-speed bus 204.

The bus bridge 208 has a path for connecting the low-speed data bus 204 to the memory controller 205, and enables access from each functional block connected to the low-speed data bus 204 and DMA transfer.

The high-speed image data buses 216 and 224 are connected to the memory controller 20 via the bus bridge 208.
A route to 5 is also provided. By this path, the scanner I / F 2 connected to the high-speed image data bus 216
17 and the printer I / F 219 connected to the high-speed image data bus 224,
A transfer becomes possible. Thus, the bus bridge 208
Has a plurality of connection paths, and operates by selecting a bus connection with good device efficiency.

The LAN controller 212 is a functional unit for connecting the image processing apparatus to a local area network (LAN), and transmits and receives data to and from the local area network. Computer interface 2
Reference numeral 14 denotes a functional unit for connecting the image processing apparatus to an external device such as a computer, and sends a control command from the computer to the image processing apparatus via the computer interface 214, This is a functional unit used to return the status of the image processing apparatus. Generally, there are an RS-232C for performing serial communication and a Centronics interface for performing parallel communication.

The PCI controller 210 has a low-speed bus 2
04 is a controller for connecting to the general-purpose PCI bus 209. The panel interface 215 transmits various control signals to and from the operation unit 221 in the image processing apparatus. The panel interface 215 transmits signals of input switches such as keys arranged on the operation unit 221 to the CPU 201 and transmits image data to the operation unit 221. Is a unit that performs resolution conversion for display on the liquid crystal display unit.

The high-speed image bus 216 is a bus for interconnecting a scanner I / F 217 and a memory 203, which will be described later. The high-speed image bus 224 is a bus for interconnecting a printer I / F 219 and a memory 203 described later. This bus control is not under the control of the CPU 201, and a DMA controller built in the bus bridge 208 performs DMA transfer.

The scanner 218 is a visible image reading device, has a three-color CCD color sensor of RGB, and separates a color original image into colors and outputs it as color image data. The image data read by the scanner 218 is converted into a small image data block (for example, 32 pixels ×
(The size of 32 pixels).

Image data compression is performed in units of these image data blocks. An example of the compression method is JPEG of color image compression. Thus, the scanner I / F 21
In step 7, the image data compressed in units of image data blocks is transferred to the memory 203 via the high-speed image bus 216, the bus bridge 208, and the memory controller 205.

At this time, the DMA controller built in the bus bridge 208 sequentially creates an information table indicating the address of the memory written for each image data block. When the DMA transfer of all the image data blocks forming the image data read by the scanner 218 is completed, the DMA controller stores the information table in the work area of the memory. This information table is a table indicating storage positions of image data blocks forming image data.

In the scanner interface unit 217, the image data read by the scanner unit 218 is subjected to an optimum gradation conversion according to the contents of processing in the subsequent process, and the read RGB primary color data is converted. It has a function of converting to CMYBk data.

The printer I / F 219 is connected to the bus bridge 2
08, a DMA controller built in the memory 203 sequentially stores the high-speed image data bus 22 based on the information table.
The data is decompressed for the compressed image data block transferred via the printer 4 to generate raster data that can be shaped by a printer. The generated raster data is transferred to the printer 220 via the data bus 223. Further, the printer I / F 219 has a function for absorbing a difference between the printing speed of the printer and the image data transfer speed of the high-speed image bus 216.

The printer 220 has a printer interface I / F.
The image data received from 219 is printed as visible image data on recording paper. Printer 220
There is a bubble jet printer that prints images on recording paper using the bubble jet method, and a laser that uses electrophotography to form images on photosensitive drums using laser beams to form images on recording paper. A beam printer.

The operation unit 221 has a liquid crystal display unit, a touch panel input device attached on the liquid crystal display unit, and a plurality of hard keys. The signals input by the touch panel or the hard keys are transmitted to the panel interface 215, the PCI bus 209, the PCI controller 2
10, transmitted to the CPU 201 via the low-speed bus 204 and the bus bridge 208. The liquid crystal display unit displays image data sent from the panel interface 215, and also displays a function display and image data in operation of the image processing apparatus.

The HDD I / F 225 is an interface for connecting the large-capacity HDD 109 provided in the image processing apparatus, and the HDD I / F 225 is connected to a PCI bus 209.

Next, as a processing example of the present embodiment, a system for superposing an arbitrary image created by a computer on a document image set in the image processing apparatus for scanning and outputting the image is output. The whole operation is shown in FIG.
This will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the image data reading operation according to the present embodiment. By storing and executing a program according to this flowchart in, for example, the memory 203, the image data reading operation can be realized. Becomes

First, in step S101, the scanner 2
At 18, the reading of the original image is started. The read image data is sequentially transferred to the scanner I / F 217. Next, in step S102, the scanner I / F 217 divides the transferred image data into a plurality of image data blocks in units of 32 pixels × 32 pixels, and the scanner I / F 217 performs JPEG compression on each of the image data blocks ( Step S103).

In step S104, the bus bridge 20
8 is provided with a scanner I / F
The image data block compressed in 217 is written to the memory 203 by DMA transfer via the high-speed image bus 216 and the memory controller 205. At the same time, the DMA
The controller creates an information table indicating the address at which the compressed image data block was written.

In step S105, it is determined whether the image reading by the scanner 218 has been completed. If the image reading has not been completed, the operation from step S102 is sequentially repeated. When the image reading is completed in step S105, the process proceeds to step S106.

In step S106, the information table indicating the address where each image data block is stored is stored in the memory 203.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an image output operation according to the present embodiment. By storing and executing a program according to this flowchart in, for example, the memory 203, the image output operation can be realized. .

In this example, as shown in FIG. 4 showing the concept of the operation of the present embodiment, an operation of laying out two images read in A4 size and outputting them on A3 size paper will be described.

Reference numerals 402 and 403 shown in FIG. 4 are A4 size read images. These two images 402 and 403
Are stored in the memory 203 according to the flow shown in FIG. 2, and two information tables for forming images corresponding to the two images 402 and 403 are also stored in the memory 203. Then, by the following processing shown in FIG. 3, the A4-size images 402 and 403
An output image 401 of three sizes is obtained.

In FIG. 3, in step S201, an information table used for outputting image data is created. This information table stores the image data 402 and 40 shown in FIG.
3 is created on the basis of the two information tables created at the time of reading. That is, the information table created in step S201 is a table in which two sets of addresses where image data blocks forming an A4 size image are present are connected. Here, the newly created information table is a table indicating that an image of A3 size is formed as indicated by 401 in FIG.

In step S202, the bus bridge 20
8, the DMA controller built in
The image data blocks are sequentially DMA-transferred based on the information table created in 201. This DMA transfer is a data transfer in which an image data block forming an output image is sent from the memory 203 to the printer I / F 219 via the memory controller 205 and the high-speed image data bus 224.

In step S203, the printer I / F2
At step 19, the JPEG-compressed image data block transferred by DMA is input, and JPEG expansion is performed sequentially.

In step S204, the printer I / F2
The image data blocks decompressed at 19 are sequentially transferred to the printer 220 via the bus 223. Then, the image data blocks sequentially transferred to the printer 22
The image is output at 0. In step S205, it is determined whether or not all image outputs have been completed. If the image output has not been completed, the operation is sequentially repeated from step S202. When the image output ends, the operation ends.

In the present embodiment, the image reading operation shown in the flowchart of FIG. 2 is performed twice for images of different A4 sizes, and then the image output operation shown in FIG. It is possible to print an image 401 in which two A4 size images are arranged on A3 size paper.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the read image data is managed as a set of image data blocks in small units, and an information table is created as information for combining the image data blocks, and the information table is stored in the memory together with the image data. 203. When printing image data, both image data blocks are sequentially output based on the information table, and printing is performed.

When outputting a single image by arranging a plurality of image data, a new information table is created based on the information table indicating the image data. This new information table is a table in which a plurality of image data are arranged.
9 is an information table showing one print image. By performing image output based on this information table, it is possible to print image data existing in different memories on one sheet of paper without moving the image data in the memory as in the related art. become.

The present invention is not limited to the apparatus of the above-described embodiment, and may be applied to a system including a plurality of devices or an apparatus including a single device.
A storage medium storing program codes of software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or an apparatus, and a computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus reads out and executes the program code stored in the storage medium. It goes without saying that it will be completed by doing so.

In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the function of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention. As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy (registered trademark) disk, a hard disk, an optical disk,
A magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a CD-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, and a ROM can be used. When the computer executes the readout program code, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also the OS or the like running on the computer performs the actual processing based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that a case where some or all of the operations are performed and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing is also included.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the program code is read based on the next program code. Needless to say, the extended function may be performed by a CPU or the like provided in an expansion board or an expansion unit to perform a part or all of the actual processing, and the processing may realize the functions of the above-described embodiments. No.

[0059]

As described above, according to the present invention,
For example, since image data is divided into image blocks of small units and the entire image is managed by one information table, for example, when obtaining an image output in which a plurality of image data are laid out in one, a conventional image output is used. It is no longer necessary to move image data on the memory as in
An output image having a desired configuration can be obtained at high speed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an image data reading operation according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an image output operation according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a concept of an operation of the embodiment.

[Description of Signs] 201 CPU 203 Memory 204 Low-speed data bus 205 Memory controller 208 Bus bridge 210 PCI controller 212 LAN controller 214 Computer interface 215 Panel interface 216 High-speed image bus 217 Scanner I / F 218 Scanner 219 Printer I / F 221 Operation unit 224 High-speed image bus 225 HDD I / F

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F-term (reference)

Claims (16)

[Claims] 1. A data division unit for dividing data into a plurality of blocks, and a storage for storing an information table indicating a position in the data of each data block as a division result of the data division unit together with the set of data blocks. And a data output means for arranging the data blocks based on the information table and outputting data. 2. The data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a configuration of output data is changed by rewriting the information table. An image reading unit that reads an image to generate image data; an image data dividing unit that divides the image data into a plurality of image blocks; A storage unit that stores an information table indicating a position in the image data together with the set of image blocks; and an image output unit that arranges the data blocks based on the information table and outputs an image. Image processing device. 4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the configuration of the output image is changed by rewriting the information table. 5. A plurality of information tables respectively corresponding to a plurality of read image data are created as the information table, and a new information indicating a position of each image block of the plurality of image data is created based on the information tables. 5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein an information table is created, and a plurality of image data are arranged to output one image based on the new information table. 6. An image processing system comprising the image processing device according to claim 3. Description: 7. A storage for storing a data division process for dividing data into a plurality of blocks, and an information table indicating a position in the data of each data block as a division result of the data division process together with the set of data blocks. A data processing method of sequentially arranging the data blocks based on the information table and outputting the data. 8. The data processing method according to claim 7, wherein the configuration of the output data is changed by rewriting the information table. 9. An image reading process for reading an image to generate image data; an image data dividing process for dividing the image data into a plurality of image blocks; and an image data dividing process for each image block which is a division result of the image data dividing process. A storage process for storing an information table indicating a position in the image data together with the set of image blocks, and an image output process for arranging the data blocks and outputting an image based on the information table are sequentially executed. Image processing method. 10. By rewriting the information table,
10. The image processing method according to claim 9, wherein the configuration of the output image is changed. 11. A plurality of information tables respectively corresponding to a plurality of read image data are created as the information tables, and a new information indicating the position of each image block of the plurality of image data is created based on the information tables. 2. An information table is created, and a plurality of image data are arranged to output one image based on the new information table.
0. The image processing method according to item 1. 12. A data division step of dividing data into a plurality of blocks, and an information table indicating a position in the data of each data block, which is a division result of the data division step,
A storage medium storing a program comprising: a storage step of storing together with the set of data blocks; and a data output step of arranging the data blocks based on the information table and outputting data. 13. The storage medium according to claim 12, further comprising a step of rewriting the information table, wherein the output step changes a configuration of output data by rewriting the information table. 14. An image reading step of reading an image to generate image data, an image data dividing step of dividing the image data into a plurality of image blocks, and an image data dividing step of each image block being a division result of the image data dividing step. A program comprising: a storage step of storing an information table indicating a position in the image data together with the set of image blocks; and an image output step of arranging the data blocks based on the information table and outputting an image. A storage medium characterized by the above-mentioned. 15. The storage medium according to claim 14, further comprising a step of rewriting the information table, wherein the image output step changes a configuration of an output image by rewriting the information table. 16. The image output step includes creating, as the information table, a plurality of information tables respectively corresponding to a plurality of read image data, and based on the information tables, each image block of the plurality of image data. 16. A new information table indicating the position of the image data is created, and based on the new information table, a plurality of image data are arranged and one image is output.
The storage medium according to the above.