JP2001352442A - Image processing unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an image processing unit that can process image drawing, characters and graphics altogether at a high-speed. SOLUTION: A CPU 5 interprets an image-drawing instruction, and receives data and only stores the data to a memory 4 and leaves the succeeding processings to an image-drawing processing unit 6, when the received instruction is the image drawing instruction. When the received instruction is the character graphic drawing instruction, the CPU 5 generates a bit image that is paint-out range information, stores the image to the memory 4 with color information and leaves the succeeding processing to a graphic image drawing processing unit 2. As a result, the load on the CPU 5 is relieved and intermediate codes given to the graphics drawing processing unit consist of the bit image and the color information and an overhead can be reduced, even in the case of painting out a small area and high-speed processing is attained in a printer.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, and more particularly, to a printer controller of an image processing apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image processing apparatus is generally provided with a printer controller. In the printer controller, the CPU interprets the drawing command sent from the host computer, generates bitmap data to be sent to the printer engine, and stores the bitmap data in the memory. The stored bitmap data is sent to the printer engine by the DMA transfer unit and printed according to the operation of the printer engine.

[0003] In the printer controller, various measures have been taken to increase the processing speed. For example, as disclosed in JP-A-10-222325, CP
U interprets the drawing command sent from the host computer, generates multi-bit RGB image data, and stores it in the memory. The image data stored in the memory is sent to the image processing circuit by the DMA transfer means, and is subjected to processing (for example, color conversion, half-toning) for conversion to bitmap data to be sent to the printer engine. The transmitted signal is sent to the printer engine and printed.

[0004]

However, in the above-described conventional image processing apparatus, when bitmap data is generated by performing up to halftone processing by the CPU, the processing content is complicated and the load on the CPU is large. There is a problem that it takes a long time.

[0005] In order to solve the above problem, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 0-222325, multi-bit data is generated, the attribute of the data is included in the data and stored in a memory, and the image processing circuit converts the data into bitmap data to be sent to a printer engine. However, when generating multi-bit data in the case of characters and graphics, the data amount becomes large, which also results in an increase in the load on the CPU.

It is conceivable that the CPU generates an intermediate code by interpreting a character or graphics rendering command and passes it to the graphic drawing device. However, in the case of painting a small area, passing the intermediate code is an overhead. , And high-speed processing may not be possible depending on the drawing content.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus capable of high-speed processing including image drawing and characters and graphics.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, an image processing apparatus according to the present invention interprets a drawing command in an image processing apparatus that creates image data to be output to an image output unit in accordance with the image drawing command. It is characterized by comprising intermediate code generating means for converting into fill-in range information and intermediate code as color information, and graphic drawing processing means for creating an image in accordance with the intermediate code.

It is preferable that the apparatus further comprises means for determining whether the above-mentioned drawing command is an image drawing command or not. If the result of the determination is other than an image drawing command, an intermediate code may be generated.

The image processing apparatus further includes image drawing processing means for performing image drawing processing. If the result of the above determination is an image drawing command, drawing is performed by the image drawing processing means, and the above-described painted range information is converted to a bit image. Good to do.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, an embodiment of an image processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG.
3 to FIG. 3, there is shown an embodiment of the image processing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows a configuration example of an embodiment of an image processing apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a processing flowchart of an operation example. FIG. 3 shows an example of the internal configuration of the graphic drawing processing apparatus.

In FIG. 1, the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a host I / F (1), an image drawing processing device 2, an engine I / F (3), a memory 4, a CPU 5, and an image drawing processing device 6. It is configured to have.

In the image processing apparatus of the present embodiment configured as described above, a drawing command sent from a host computer (not shown) through the host I / F (1) is transmitted through the host I / F (1). Reading is performed (step S1).

The read drawing command is interpreted by the CPU 5, and the processing is distributed according to the image drawing command and the character and graphics commands (S2).

As a result of the above-mentioned sorting, in the case of an image drawing command (S2 / Y), the source image data received from the host computer is stored in the memory 4 (S2 / Y).
3) The parameters necessary for the processing are set in the image drawing processing device 6 (S4).
Is started (S5).

When the image drawing processing device 6 is started,
The source image data stored in the memory 5 is read out, processed according to the parameters set by the CPU 5, and the resulting bitmap data is written into the memory 4. At this time, the memory writing position is a position corresponding to the position on the paper to be printed, and a superposition process of a plurality of images is performed by performing a logical operation on the already stored bitmap data. The processing performed by the image drawing processing device 6 is, for example, image processing such as γ conversion, color conversion, halftone processing, compression / expansion processing, scaling processing, and filter processing.

When the CPU 5 activates the image drawing processor 6, the CPU 5 reads the next drawing command (S1) and determines the type of command again (S2). If the next command is a text & graphics drawing command (S2 / N), an intermediate code of bit image and color information, which is the paint range information, is generated (S6), written to the memory 4 (S7), and the graphic drawing processing device 2 is executed. Is started (S8).

The graphic drawing processor 2 reads the intermediate code from the memory 4 and writes a bit image based on the color information in the area indicated by the intermediate code in the page memory. CP
When U5 starts the graphic drawing processing device 2, the next drawing command is read (S1), and the type of command is determined again (S1).
2) Repeat the process according to the type of the next instruction.

The above-described series of processing is performed after the image processing apparatus is started (S5) and after the graphic drawing processing apparatus is started (S5).
After 8), it is checked whether the processing is completed (S
9), repeatedly executed until the process is completed (S1 to S1)
S5 / S1 to S8, S9).

FIG. 3 shows an example of the internal configuration of the graphic drawing processing apparatus. The graphic drawing processing device 2 applied to the image processing device of the present embodiment includes a halftone processing circuit 11, an image writing circuit 12, and a fill range data buffer 13.

The color information read from the memory 4 is input to the halftone processing circuit 11, where the color information is subjected to halftone processing, a write bit image is generated, and input to the image writing circuit 12. The image writing circuit 12 writes the write bit image to the page memory according to the bit image that is the paint range information read from the memory 4. Specifically, a write bit image is written in a location where the bit image which is the paint range information is ON, and writing is not performed in a location where the bit image is OFF.

As described above, the processing can be performed at high speed by sharing the processing with a plurality of processing means.

In the image processing apparatus of this embodiment, the CPU 5
Interprets the drawing command, and if it is an image drawing command, CP
U5 receives the data and only stores it in the memory, and the subsequent processing is shared by the image drawing processing device 6. In the case of a character / graphics drawing command, the CPU 5 generates a bit image as filling range information and stores it in the memory 4 together with the color information, so that the graphic drawing processing device 2 shares the subsequent processing. Operate. As a result, the CPU
By reducing the load of 5 and making the intermediate code passed to the graphic drawing device a bit image and color information, the overhead can be reduced even in the case of painting a small area, and a printer capable of high-speed processing is realized. it can.

More specifically, the CPU 5 interprets a drawing command and generates an intermediate code from characters and graphics commands, and performs γ conversion, color conversion, halftone processing, compression / expansion processing, and scaling processing of image data. The image drawing processing device 6 performs the filtering process, and the graphic drawing processing device 2 performs the filling process from the intermediate code. As a result,
By reducing the load on the CPU 5 and expressing the intermediate code with a bit image indicating the area to be painted and color information, it is possible to reduce the overhead due to the transfer of the intermediate code in the case of painting a small area and process the image at high speed. can do.

[0026]

As is apparent from the above description, the image processing apparatus of the present invention interprets a drawing command and converts it into an intermediate code, which is fill area information and color information, and creates an image according to the converted intermediate code. I do. This allows the CPU
By reducing the load of, and expressing the intermediate code with a bit image and color information indicating the painted range,
In the case of filling a small area, it is possible to reduce the overhead due to the transfer of the intermediate code and process the image at high speed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a processing flowchart illustrating an operation example.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an internal configuration of the graphic drawing processing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Host I / F 2 Graphic drawing processing apparatus 3 Engine I / F 4 Memory 5 CPU 6 Image drawing processing apparatus 11 Halftone processing circuit 12 Image writing circuit 13 Fill-out area data buffer

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Hiroshi Ishii 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo F-term in Ricoh Co., Ltd. (reference) 2C062 AA24 5C076 AA12 AA26 AA27 AA31 AA40 BA03 BA06 CA10

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image processing apparatus for generating image data to be output to an image output unit in accordance with an image drawing command, comprising: an intermediate code generating unit configured to interpret the drawing command and convert the drawing command into an intermediate code that is paint range information and color information; An image processing apparatus comprising: a graphic drawing processing unit that generates an image according to the intermediate code. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a unit configured to determine whether the rendering command is an image rendering command or not. If the result of the determination is other than an image rendering command, the intermediate code is generated. Item 2. The image processing apparatus according to Item 1. 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising image drawing processing means for performing image drawing processing, wherein when the result of the determination is the image drawing command, drawing is performed by the image drawing processing means. Or the image processing device according to 2. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the paint range information is a bit image.
An image processing apparatus according to the item.