JP2004282635A - Image processor, image forming apparatus, computer program, and record medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To handle image information of full color, two colors, monochrome, and so on with a single buffer memory by changing an available memory capacity according to the inputted image information. <P>SOLUTION: An image processor converts read document image information into digital information, processes image signals into image signals usable for image formation, transmits the signals to a memory module 25 via an image memory access control section 23, stores the signals therein, reads the signals during printing, and transmits the signals to an imaging engine. In this image processor, the usage pattern of the buffer memory provided in the previous stage of the image memory access control section 23 is changed according to the kind of image information inputted from a reading unit 11. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus for reproducing a digital image signal as an image on a transfer sheet, and a digital multifunction peripheral (MFP) having a multifunction such as a digital copying machine, a copier, a facsimile, a printer, and a scanner equipped with the image forming apparatus. ), And a computer program functioning as each of these means, and a recording medium storing the computer program.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The invention described in JP-A-2000-316063 is known as this kind of technology. The present invention relates to an image reading means for reading image data, an image memory control means for controlling writing and reading of image data by controlling an image memory, an image processing means for performing image processing such as processing and editing on image data, The first image data read by the image reading means and the second image data read by the image memory control means are connected to an image writing means for writing on a transfer paper or the like. Receiving the first image data and / or the second image data and / or the third image data to the image memory control means and / or the image processing And / or image data control means for transmitting the image data to the image writing means.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2000-316063 A
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the image processing apparatus configured as described above, a document image is digitally converted by an image reading unit, these image signals are processed into usable image signals, and then image processing is performed by the image processing unit. Then, the image data control means transmits the image data to the image memory of the image memory control means using the parallel bus. In such a configuration, the image memory control means and the image processing apparatus system are not synchronized, but once the image processing apparatus system moves, it operates without a break. There is a risk that the data of the device system will be destroyed or lost. Therefore, it is necessary to have a buffer memory.
[0005]
Therefore, a buffer memory is provided in the preceding stage in the image memory control means. However, since the buffer memory capacity is determined according to the application (color or monochrome), it was impossible to change the memory capacity. Therefore, in this type of image forming apparatus, a dedicated device for each application has been required. For example, taking the case of handling image data of four colors as an example, a dedicated buffer memory for handling the data of the four colors is required, and for monochrome, the buffer memory is dedicated for handling the image data of one color. . Therefore, it was necessary to make each dedicated device.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of such a situation of the related art, and an object of the present invention is to change a memory capacity that can be used in accordance with input image information and to use a single buffer memory for full color, two color, An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus capable of handling image information of a single color or the like.
[0007]
Another object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus capable of automatically distributing a memory capacity and adapting to an application whose size is not determined.
[0008]
Still another object is to provide an image processing apparatus capable of performing appropriate processing when the storage capacity exceeds the upper limit of the buffer memory.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the first means converts the read document image information into digital data, processes these image signals into image signals usable for image formation, and then outputs the processed image signals to an image memory via image memory control means. In the image processing apparatus, the image data is transmitted to the image forming apparatus, and is read out at the time of printing and sent to the image forming means side. It is characterized by having.
[0010]
The second means converts the read document image information into digital signals, processes these image signals into image signals usable for image formation, and transmits the image signals to an image memory via an image memory control means to store the image signals. An image processing apparatus which reads out at the time of printing and sends it to the image forming means, further comprising means for changing a used capacity of a buffer memory provided in a preceding stage of the image memory control means in accordance with a type of image information. .
[0011]
A third means is the second means, wherein the changing means changes the used capacity according to the size of a transfer material on which an image is formed.
[0012]
According to a fourth aspect, in the first or second aspect, the type of the image information is any one of color information of four colors, color information of less than four colors, and monochromatic information.
[0013]
According to a fifth aspect, in the first to fourth aspects, the buffer memory is provided for at least two lines for each color.
[0014]
The sixth means is characterized in that, in the first to the fifth means, when the input image information exceeds the capacity of the buffer memory, there is provided a means for outputting a notice to that effect.
[0015]
A seventh aspect is characterized in that an image forming apparatus is configured to include the image processing device according to the first to sixth aspects.
[0016]
The eighth means is characterized in that each means of the image processing device according to the first to third means is downloaded to a computer and causes each means of the image processing apparatus to function according to a computer program.
[0017]
The ninth means is characterized in that the computer program according to the eighth means is read by a computer and recorded on a recording medium in an executable manner.
[0018]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0019]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the image processing apparatus includes a reading unit 11, a sensor board unit 12, an image data control unit 13, an image processing processor 14, a video data control unit 15, and an image forming unit (engine) 16. , A process controller 211, a RAM 21 and a ROM 213 via a serial bus 210.
[0020]
On the other hand, an image memory access control unit 221, a memory module 222, and a facsimile control unit 224 are connected via the parallel bus 220. The image memory access control unit 221 further includes a system controller 231, a RAM 232, and a ROM 233. And an operation panel 234 are connected.
[0021]
The reading unit 11 that optically reads a document includes a lamp, a mirror, and a lens, and condenses the reflected light of the lamp irradiation on the document to a light receiving element by the mirror and the lens. A light receiving element, for example, a CCD is mounted on the sensor board unit 12, and the image data converted into an electric signal in the CCD is converted into a digital signal and then output (transmitted) from the sensor board unit 12. Image data output (transmitted) from the sensor board unit 12 is input (received) to the image data control unit 13. The transmission of image data between the functional device (processing unit) and the data bus is entirely controlled by the image data control unit 13. The image data control unit 13 is a system controller that controls the data transfer between the sensor board unit 12, the parallel bus 22, and the image processor 14, the process controller 18 for the image data, and the overall control of the image processing apparatus. 26 is performed. The RAM 19 is used as a work area of the process controller 18, and the ROM 20 stores a boot program of the process controller 18 and the like.
[0022]
The image data output (transmitted) from the sensor board unit 12 is transferred (transmitted) to the image processor 14 via the image data control unit 13, and the signal is deteriorated due to quantization into an optical system and a digital signal ( After the correction of the signal degradation of the scanner system) is performed, it is output (transmitted) to the image data control unit 13 again. The image memory access control unit 23 controls writing / reading of image data to / from the memory module. Further, it controls the operation of each component connected to the system parallel bus 22. The RAM 27 is used as a work area of the system controller 26, and the ROM 28 stores a boot program and the like of the system controller 26. The operation panel 29 inputs a process to be performed by the image processing apparatus. For example, the type of process (copying, facsimile transmission, image reading, printing, etc.), the number of processes, and the like are input. Thereby, the input of the image data control information can be performed.
[0023]
The image processing apparatus includes a job for storing the read image data in the memory module 25 for reuse and a job for not storing the read image data in the memory module 25. As an example of storing in the memory module 25, when copying a plurality of sheets of one document, the reading unit 11 is operated only once, and the image data read by the reading unit 11 is stored in the memory module 25. And reading out the stored image data a plurality of times. On the other hand, an example in which the memory module 25 is not used is a case where only one document is copied. In such a case, since the read image data may be reproduced as it is, there is no need to access the memory module 25 by the image memory access control unit 23.
[0024]
When the memory module 25 is not used, the data transferred from the image processor 14 to the image data controller 13 is returned from the image data controller 13 to the image processor 14 again. The image processor 14 performs image quality processing for converting luminance data by the CCD in the sensor board unit 12 into area gradation.
[0025]
The image data after the image quality processing is transferred from the image processor 14 to the video data controller 15. The post-processing relating to the dot arrangement and the pulse control for reproducing the dots are performed on the signal changed to the area gradation, and then the reproduced image is formed on the transfer paper in the image forming unit 16. In the case where additional processing such as rotation in the image direction and synthesis of images are performed when the images are stored in the memory module 25 and the images are read, the image data transferred from the image processor 14 to the image data control unit 13 includes the image data. The data is sent from the data controller 13 to the image memory access controller 23 via the parallel bus 22. Here, based on the control of the system controller 26, access control of image data and the memory module 25, development of print data of the external PC (personal computer) 31, and image data for effective use of the memory module 25 Compression / expansion is performed.
[0026]
The image data sent to the image memory access control unit 23 is stored in the memory module 25 after data compression, and the stored image data is read as needed. The read image data is decompressed, returned to the original image data, and returned from the image memory access control unit 23 to the image data control unit 13 via the parallel bus 22. After the image data is transferred from the image data control unit 13 to the image processor 14, image quality processing and pulse control by the video data control unit 15 are performed, and an image forming unit 16 forms a reproduced image on transfer paper.
[0027]
In the flow of the image data, the function of the digital multi-function peripheral is realized by the bus control by the parallel bus 22 and the image data control unit 13. In the facsimile transmission function, the read image data is subjected to image processing by the image processor 14 and transferred to the facsimile control unit 24 via the image data control unit 13 and the parallel bus 22. The data is converted to a communication network by the facsimile control unit 24 and transmitted to the public line (PN) 32 as facsimile data.
[0028]
On the other hand, the received facsimile data is converted from line data from the public line (PN) 32 into image data by the facsimile control unit 24, and transmitted to the image processor 14 via the parallel bus 22 and the image data control unit 13. Will be transferred. In this case, the video data control unit 15 performs dot rearrangement and pulse control without performing any special image quality processing, and the image forming unit 16 forms a reproduced image on transfer paper.
[0029]
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, allocation of the right to use the reading unit 11, the imaging unit 16, and the parallel bus 22 to the job is performed by the system controller 26 and the process. Control by the controller 18 The process controller 18 controls the flow of image data, and the system controller 26 controls the entire system and manages activation of each resource. In addition, the function selection of the digital multi-function peripheral is selectively input on the operation panel (operation unit) 234, and the processing contents such as the copy function and the facsimile function are set.
[0030]
The system controller 26 and the process controller 18 communicate with each other via the parallel bus 22, the image data control unit 13, and the CPU bus 17. Specifically, communication between the system controller 26 and the process controller 18 is performed by performing a data format conversion for a data interface between the parallel bus 22 and the CPU bus 17 in the image data control unit 13.
[0031]
As described with reference to FIG. 1, the document image is read by the reading unit 11 and converted into a digital signal. Then, these image signals are processed into usable image signals by the sensor board unit 12, and then image processing is performed by the image processor 14. Thereafter, the image data control unit 13 transmits the image data to the memory module 25 related to the system controller 26 using the parallel bus 22. However, since the system controller 26 is not synchronized with the image processing system connected via the parallel bus 22, the image processing system (image data control unit 13) has a buffer memory as shown in the block diagram of FIG. 206 is provided. That is, the image data control unit 13 mainly includes the first and second input I / Fs 201 and 202, the first and second output I / Fs 203 and 204, the image processing unit 205, the buffer memory 206, and the image quality processing unit 207. Is configured.
[0032]
With this configuration, the read information input from the sensor board unit 12 is input from the first input I / F 201 to the image processing unit 205, and the image processing unit 205 performs predetermined conversion such as γ conversion and gradation conversion. Is temporarily stored in the buffer memory 206, and then sent from the first output I / F 203 to the memory module 25 via the parallel path 22. When performing image output, the image data is read out from the memory module 25, captured by the image quality processing unit 207 via the parallel bus 22 and the second input I / F 202, and converted into an image type such as a photograph or a character by the image quality processing unit 207. The corresponding predetermined image quality processing is executed, sent to the image processing processor 15 via the second output I / F 204, and further transferred to the image forming unit 16 as print information. Conventionally, the memory capacity of the buffer memory 206 is fixed, and does not correspond to the amount of temporarily stored image data. That is, there is no function of changing the memory capacity according to the amount of image data to be temporarily stored or changing the memory area to be stored.
[0033]
In contrast, the present invention is configured as shown in the conceptual diagrams of FIG. 3 and FIG. The details will be described below.
[0034]
Assume that the buffer memory 206 has one line. When image data is represented by A3 size 1 pixel 600 dpi and gradation expression by 8 bits (256 gradations), a data capacity of about 11 Kbit is required. FIG. 3 shows an example of the buffer memory 206 corresponding to four color image information. Also, the reason for preparing two lines means that one line is read while the other line is being read, that is, it operates with a so-called toggle. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the toggle operation. As shown in the figure, the toggle operation includes two buffer memories 501 and 502 provided in parallel and having a storage capacity of at least one line, and one of the buffer memories 501 and 502 is controlled by a multiplexer (MUX) 503. When the image data is written, one of the buffer memories 501 and 502 is selected by a selector (not shown), and the buffer memory for reading the image data and the buffer memory for writing the image data are always alternately selected. That's what I did.
[0035]
Specifically, in FIG. 5A, image data (1) (first line) is written in the first buffer memory 501, and the second line is stored in the second buffer memory 501 as shown in FIG. 5B. The memory 502 is selected and the image data (2) is written. At this time, the multiplexer 503 selects the first buffer memory 501 and reads out the image data (1) from the first buffer memory 501. When the writing of the image data to the second buffer memory 502 of the second line is completed and the reading of the image data of the first line from the first buffer memory 501 is completed, as shown in FIG. The image data {circle around (3)} on the line is written into the first buffer memory 501, and the image data {circle over (2)} on the second line is read out from the second buffer memory 502. This operation is repeated for each line, and reading of all lines is performed.
[0036]
Therefore, in the example of FIG. 3, the first and second buffer memories 301a, 301b, 302a, 302b, 303a, 303b, 304a, and 304b are provided for each line of each color. One of the first and second buffer memories is selected for each color by the selectors 311, 312, 313, and 314, and the buffer memory that is not written is selected by the second selectors 321, 322, 323, and 324. Then, the image data is read.
[0037]
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a buffer memory corresponding to two color image information. In this case, two memories 401 and 402 indicated by (1) in FIG. 4 correspond to one line, and two memories 403 and 404 indicated by (2) correspond to another line. When using the same capacity as in the previous case, in the case of four colors, there was no function of processing up to A3 size, but in the case of two colors, it has a memory capacity of up to A0 size.
[0038]
That is, for the first color, the first and second buffer memories 401 and 402 correspond to one line, the third and fourth buffer memories 403 and 404 correspond to another line, and for the second color, the fifth The sixth buffer memories 405 and 406 serve as one line, and the seventh and eighth buffer memories 407 and 408 serve as another line. As for the first to fourth buffer memories 401 to 404, a buffer memory to be written is selected by the first selector 411, and a buffer memory to be read is selected by the second selector 412. As for the fifth to eighth buffer memories 405 to 408, the buffer memory to be written is selected by the third selector 413, the buffer memory to be read is selected by the fourth selector 414, and the toggle operation is performed.
[0039]
FIG. 6 shows a control circuit for performing the toggle operation in the present embodiment. The control circuit compares an hcounter 601 that receives a system clock (clk sys) and counts up each time a clock is input (each time a pixel comes) with a predetermined value by comparing the count output of the hcounter 601 with a predetermined value. It comprises first to third comparators 602, 603 and 604 for outputting signals.
[0040]
The first comparator 602 has a count value of 0, the second comparator 603 has a maximum storage amount of one line of A3 size of 11 Kbit, and the third comparator 604 has a maximum storage amount of one page of A0. The size is compared with the amount of data. Then, when the count value of the hcounter 601 becomes 0 in the first comparator 602, the writing to the buffer memory is started. Each time a pixel comes, the hcounter counts up. The required capacity of the line is compared with 11 kbit. Then, when it becomes 11 kbit or more, a0 upper is asserted. As a result, the number of pixels exceeds a certain number, and is automatically transferred to a different memory. That is, in the example of FIG. 5, the buffer memory to be written from the first buffer memory 501 to the second buffer memory 502 changes. Then, the head (0 bit) of the next line is written to the second buffer memory 502, and the above toggle operation of writing to the first buffer memory 501 is repeated at the time of writing 11 kbits.
[0041]
During that time, the system clock is input to the third comparator 604, and when the number of pixels corresponding to the A0 size is reached, an error signal is output to notify the outside that the memory capacity has been exceeded. That is, since the memory capacity of the buffer memory 206 is limited, when the memory becomes full, an error is returned in the case of FIG. As a result, it is possible to build a protection circuit in the case of being full, and a more secure circuit can be configured.
[0042]
In the case of four colors, such an operation is performed for each of CMYK colors. The color image information generally includes four full colors or two colors such as black and red. The four colors or two colors are input from the sensor board unit 12 to the image processing unit of the image data control unit 13. At the time when the image is read by the reading unit 11, or at the time when the image is read by the reading unit 11. Therefore, when the process controller 18 determines whether the color information is four-color information or two-color information, it is set whether to use the buffer memory 206 separately as shown in FIG. 3 or separately as shown in FIG. Is done. Based on the state shown in FIG. 3, the selector is provided with a selector for selecting the selector at the preceding stage of the selector on the input side, and the selector on the output side is also provided at the subsequent stage of the selector. Function as a buffer memory. In the case of black and white printing, all the buffer memories for eight lines of one color are used.
[0043]
At this time, when printing two color information, the comparison value of the second comparator is set to 22 kbit which is doubled from 11 kbit. This setting is performed by resetting the comparison value to twice from the process controller in the case of two-color printing. If it is a single color, it is set to 44 kbit.
[0044]
Here, the pixel density in the main scanning direction when copying on A3 vertical transfer paper is used as a reference, but if the paper size or pixel density changes, the set value of the second comparator is changed to another value. Needless to say, this change can be made by the process controller 18. Also, the paper size is easily determined from the paper size selected in the copier and the enlargement ratio, and the pixel density is known as a default value in a normal copier, so even if the memory size is not determined, the buffer As long as the capacity of the memory 206 is allowed, the buffer memory can be automatically distributed.
[0045]
Note that each of the processes can be configured to be executed by a computer program. In this case, if the computer program is stored in a recording medium, each process can be easily executed by downloading from the recording medium. can do.
[0046]
In the present embodiment, the image processing apparatus and the image forming apparatus have been described. However, the present invention can be applied to an information processing apparatus in which information to be processed is not image information.
[0047]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the memory capacity that can be used is changed according to input image information, and one buffer memory can support image information such as full color, two color, and single color.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an image data control unit in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a buffer memory configuration corresponding to four color image information.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a buffer memory corresponding to two color image information;
FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory diagram when writing and reading of image information are performed by performing a toggle operation on a buffer memory corresponding to two lines.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a control circuit for performing a toggle operation in the present embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
Reference Signs List 11 reading unit 12 sensor board unit 13 image data control unit 14 image processing processor 15 video data control unit 16 imaging unit (engine)
17 CPU Bus 18 Process Controller 22 Parallel Bus 23 Image Memory Access Control Unit 25 Memory Module 26 System Controller 206 Buffer Memory 301a, 301b, 302a, 302b, 303a, 303b, 304a, 304b Buffer Memory 311 312 313 , 314, 321, 322, 323, 324 selectors 401, 402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 407, 408 buffer memories 411, 412, 413, 414 selectors 601 hcounter
602, 603, 604 comparator

Claims (9)

The read document image information is digitally converted, these image signals are processed into image signals that can be used for image formation, transmitted to an image memory via an image memory control unit, stored, read out during printing, and read out. In the image processing apparatus sending out to the means side,
An image processing apparatus comprising: means for changing a use form of a buffer memory provided in a preceding stage of the image memory control means according to a type of image information. The read document image information is digitally converted, these image signals are processed into image signals that can be used for image formation, transmitted to an image memory via an image memory control unit, stored, read out during printing, and read out. In the image processing apparatus sending out to the means side,
An image processing apparatus comprising: means for changing a used capacity of a buffer memory provided in a preceding stage of the image memory control means in accordance with a type of image information. 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the changing unit changes the used capacity according to a size of a transfer material on which an image is formed. 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the type of the image information is one of color information of four colors, color information of less than four colors, and monochromatic information. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein the buffer memory is provided for at least two lines for each color. 6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for outputting a notification when the input image information exceeds the capacity of the buffer memory. An image forming apparatus comprising the image processing apparatus according to claim 1. A computer program which is downloaded to a computer and causes each unit of the image processing apparatus according to claim 1 to function. A recording medium, wherein the computer program according to claim 8 is read into a computer and recorded so as to be executable.

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