JP2005086554A - Image processor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that a conventional image processor for performing pseudo-halftone processing needs to be provided with two types of binarizing circuits, i.e. a binarizing circuit for binarizing (simple binarization) characters and symbols etc. with a fixed threshold and a binarizing circuit having a variable threshold for binarizing for psedo-halftone processing. <P>SOLUTION: The image processor is configured so that an analog image signal is previously corrected according to an error distribution value calculated by a distribution value calculation section 18, so that data binarized by a fixed threshold in a binarizing circuit 20 may be pseudo-halftone image data. Specifically, according to the error distribution value calculated by the circuit 18, the upper limit reference value and the lower limit reference value of an A/D converter 13 are changed, alternatively, the amplification factor of an amplifier 12 is changed, thereby previously correcting the analog signal calculated by a CCD 11. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, and more particularly to an image processing apparatus capable of outputting image data finally output as binary data as a pseudo halftone image.

  In facsimile machines and digital copiers that read an image of a document as binary data and output it as a black image on a white background, a so-called pseudo-intermediate image is read when an image having a gradation such as a photograph is read as a document. By performing the tone processing, it is possible to output an image as if it has gradation even though it is actually a binary image at the time of output. Such pseudo-halftone processing is roughly divided into a dither method and an error diffusion method. Basically, an error when binarizing data obtained by reading an image of a document is weighted with a predetermined weight, and peripheral pixels are processed. By changing the threshold value at the time of binarization according to the allocated value, image data having gradation as a whole when it is output as an image is obtained.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a general circuit configuration of a conventional image processing apparatus that performs pseudo halftone processing. A conventional image processing apparatus that performs pseudo halftone processing will be described below with reference to FIG.

  The image of the original is read as an analog electric signal by the CCD 11, amplified by the amplifier 12, and converted into a digital signal by the A / D converter 13. However, at this time, the data of each pixel is not converted into binary digital data, and A // is converted into multi-value digital data obtained by classifying a predetermined number between the upper limit reference voltage RefH and the lower limit reference voltage RefL. Output from the D converter 13.

  The digital data output from the A / D converter 13 passes through the S / H circuit (sample and hold circuit) 14, the distortion correction circuit 15, the γ correction circuit 16, and the edge enhancement circuit 17, or the pseudo halftone circuit 19 or Input to the binarization circuit 20. However, the pseudo halftone circuit 19 is a circuit that performs pseudo halftone processing by binarization processing using the dither method or the error diffusion method as described above, and the data output from the edge enhancement circuit 17 is an error distribution value. Is also input to the distribution value calculation circuit 18 for calculating. Then, in the pseudo halftoning circuit 19, when the image of the document read by the CCD 11 is an image having gradation such as a photograph according to the distribution value that is a variable value calculated by the distribution value calculation circuit 18, edge enhancement is performed. Binarization processing of data output from the circuit 17 is performed. On the other hand, the binarization circuit 20 is a circuit that binarizes the data output from the edge enhancement circuit 17 with a fixed threshold value, and has a gradation such as a document in which an image of a document read by the CCD 11 is composed of character strings. Used when the image does not have

  As a method for calculating the distribution value in the distribution value calculation circuit 18, a conventionally known calculation method can be used regardless of whether the dither method or the error diffusion method is used.

  In any case, binary digital data obtained by binarizing individual pixel data is output from the pseudo halftoning circuit 19 and the binarizing circuit 20 and is stored in, for example, a memory via the multiplexer 21. Whether to use the binarization circuit 20 or the pseudo halftoning circuit 19 can be manually set by the user who uses the apparatus, or can be determined by software from the feature amount of the read image data. It is also possible to set automatically.

When the document image data binarized in this way is output from an electrophotographic printer such as a facsimile machine or a copying machine, the image data binarized by the binarization circuit 20 is simple. Regarding the image data reproduced as a black and white image and binarized by the pseudo halftone circuit 19, each pixel itself is a black and white binary, but is reproduced as if it has a gradation as a whole. The
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 05-236278

  By the way, various proposals have been made regarding the circuit for pseudo halftone processing as described above (see, for example, Patent Document 1). However, in an image processing apparatus that outputs an image originally in a single color, generally in black and white. Since characters, symbols, etc. are binarized with a fixed threshold (simple binarization), a threshold-variable binarization circuit for performing binarization processing for pseudo gradation processing as described above and a simple binarization It is necessary to provide a dedicated binarization circuit for each of the binarization circuits with fixed threshold values for the conversion. For this reason, the conventional image processing apparatus that performs pseudo halftone processing has a problem that the circuit configuration becomes complicated.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an image processing apparatus that eliminates the need for a binarization circuit having a variable threshold value for pseudo gradation processing.

  An image processing apparatus according to a first invention is an amplification means for amplifying an analog image signal, and multi-value digital data obtained by classifying the analog image signal amplified by the amplification means into a predetermined number between an upper limit reference value and a lower limit reference value. Analog / digital conversion means for converting to analog, binarization means for binarizing the multi-value digital data output from the analog / digital conversion means, and multi-value digital data output from the analog / digital conversion means being variable An image processing apparatus comprising: a calculation unit that calculates pseudo halftoned data for determining the variable threshold when binarizing with a threshold to generate pseudo halftone image data. The binarizing unit is fixed The analog image signal is corrected in advance according to the pseudo halftoned data calculated by the calculating means so that the data binarized by the threshold value becomes pseudo halftone image data. Characterized by comprising a positive means.

  In such an image processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the analog image signal is corrected in advance by the pseudo halftone data for determining the variable threshold value when generating the pseudo halftone image data, and the fixed threshold value is binarized. The binarized data output from the means becomes pseudo halftone image data.

  The image processing apparatus according to a second aspect is the image processing apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the correction means uses the upper limit reference value and the lower limit reference of the analog / digital conversion means according to the pseudo halftoned data calculated by the calculation means. It is a means for changing the value.

  In such an image processing apparatus according to the second invention, in the first invention, the upper limit reference value and the lower limit reference value of the analog / digital conversion means are changed according to the pseudo halftoned data calculated by the calculation means. The multi-value digital data output from the analog / digital conversion means is binarized by the binarization means having a fixed threshold value to become pseudo halftone image data.

  Furthermore, the image processing apparatus according to a third invention is characterized in that, in the first invention, the correction means is the amplification means for changing the amplification factor according to the pseudo halftoned data calculated by the calculation means. To do.

  In such an image processing apparatus according to the third invention, in the first invention, the amplification factor of the amplifying means is changed in accordance with the pseudo halftoned data calculated by the calculating means. The multi-value digital data output from the digital conversion means is binarized by the binarization means having a fixed threshold value to become pseudo halftone image data.

  According to the image processing apparatus of the first invention as described above, the analog image signal is corrected in advance by the pseudo halftoned data for determining the variable threshold value when generating the pseudo halftone image data, and the fixed threshold value is set. Since the binarized data output from the binarizing means becomes pseudo halftone image data, the variable threshold binarizing means that has been necessary in the past is not necessary, and the means configuration is simplified.

  According to the image processing apparatus of the second invention, in the first invention, the upper limit reference value and the lower limit reference value of the analog / digital conversion means are changed according to the pseudo halftoned data calculated by the calculation means. The multi-value digital data output from the analog / digital conversion means is binarized by the fixed threshold binarization means to become pseudo halftone image data. It becomes unnecessary, and the means configuration is simplified.

  According to the image processing apparatus of the third invention, in the first invention, the amplification factor of the amplification means is changed according to the pseudo halftoned data calculated by the calculation means. Since the multi-value digital data output from the digital conversion means is binarized by the binarization means of the fixed threshold value to become pseudo halftone image data, the variable threshold value binarization means, which has been conventionally required, becomes unnecessary. Thus, the means configuration is simplified.

  Hereinafter, a first embodiment and a second embodiment of an image processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings showing the respective embodiments.

(First embodiment)
First, a first embodiment of the image processing apparatus of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration example of a first embodiment of an image processing apparatus according to the present invention.

  The image of the original is read as an analog electric signal by the CCD 11, amplified by the amplifier 12, and converted into a digital signal by the A / D converter 13. However, at this time, the data of each pixel is not converted into binary digital data, but is converted into A / D as multi-valued digital data obtained by classifying a predetermined number between the upper limit reference voltage RefH and the lower limit reference voltage RefL. Output from the D converter 13.

  By the way, in the image processing apparatus of the present invention, the upper limit reference voltage RefH and the lower limit reference voltage RefL given to the A / D converter 13 are respectively the distribution values “A + a” of digital values output from the distribution value calculation circuit 18 described later. Are analog voltage signals converted by the D / A converter 21H and “B + b” by the D / A converter 21L. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the upper limit reference voltage RefH and the lower limit reference voltage RefL of the A / D converter 13 are variable values, unlike the above-described prior art.

  The digital data output from the A / D converter 13 is input to the binarization circuit 20 through the S / H circuit (sample and hold circuit) 14, the distortion correction circuit 15, the γ correction circuit 16, and the edge enhancement circuit 17. Is done. The output of the edge enhancement circuit 17 is also input to the distribution value calculation circuit 18. As described above, the image processing apparatus of the present invention does not include the pseudo halftoning circuit 19 provided in the prior art, but includes only the binarization circuit 20 that performs binarization with a fixed threshold. Yes. Digital data obtained by binarizing individual pixels is output from the binarization circuit 20 and stored in a memory, for example.

  Of course, the above-described distortion correction circuit 15, γ correction circuit 16, edge enhancement circuit 17, distribution value calculation circuit 18 and binarization circuit 20 can be configured as independent circuits. It can also be a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), and can also be realized by software processing.

  Incidentally, the distribution value calculation circuit 18 is a circuit that calculates the distribution value based on the position on the image of the data of the individual pixels output from the edge enhancement circuit 17, and gives the result to the A / D converter 13. The distribution value “A + a” of the digital value that becomes the upper limit reference voltage RefH and the distribution value “B + b” of the digital value that becomes the lower limit reference voltage RefL are output. The distribution value calculation method in the distribution value calculation circuit 18 will be described below. Basically, any of the dither method and the error diffusion method can use a conventionally known calculation method. is there.

  Hereinafter, processing by the distribution value calculation circuit 18, more specifically, calculation processing of distribution values “A + a” and “B + b” of digital values output from the distribution value calculation circuit 18 will be described. However, when the image of the original read by the CCD 11 is an image having no gradation such as a document composed of character strings (hereinafter referred to as character mode), “a” = “b” = 0. The distribution values “A + a” and “B + b” of the digital values output from the distribution value calculation circuit 18 are “A” and “B”. These “A” and “B” are digital values corresponding to the reference values of the upper limit reference voltage RefH and the lower limit reference voltage RefL of the A / D converter 13.

  Next, a calculation method of “a” and “b” by the distribution value calculation circuit 18 in the case of performing pseudo gradation processing (hereinafter referred to as “photo mode”) will be described.

First, in the case of using the dither method, the distribution value calculation circuit 18 calculates “a” and “b” according to the position of each pixel on the image according to a pseudo random number matrix as shown in FIG. In particular,
a = A × “matrix value” / 15,
b = B × “matrix value” / 15
“A” and “b” are determined as “A + a” and “B + b”, respectively.

  In the above-described embodiment, the distribution value calculation circuit 18 calculates the distribution value using the pseudo random number matrix as shown in FIG. 2, but the pseudo random number matrix is the same as that shown in FIG. It is not limited. In the above-described embodiment, the same pseudo random number matrix as shown in FIG. 2 is used for “a” and “b”, but different pseudo random number matrices are used for “a” and “b”. Needless to say, it may be used. Furthermore, it is needless to say that “a” and “b” may be calculated using mathematical expressions different from the above mathematical expressions.

Next, a method in which the distribution value calculation circuit 18 calculates “a” and “b” by the error diffusion method in the photo mode will be described. In this case, the distribution value calculation circuit 18 relates to the pixel to be processed (target pixel), the weighting coefficient of the peripheral pixels as shown in FIG. 3A, and the reproduction density error of the peripheral pixels as shown in FIG. It is calculated as the sum of the products of (the error between the image data and the reproduction data) and the distance between the target pixel. In particular,
a = b = − (m · e11 + n · e12 + l · e13 + o · e21)
“A” and “b” are calculated as “A + a” and “B + b”, respectively.

  In the above-described embodiment, the distribution value calculation circuit 18 calculates the distribution value using the weighting coefficient as shown in FIG. 3A, but these values are set in a register in advance. It can also be a fixed value. Also, the designation of the peripheral pixels and the calculation formula for calculating “a” and “b” may be different from the above.

  Since “A + a” and “B + b” calculated by the distribution value calculation circuit 18 as described above are digital values, they are converted into analog voltage values by the D / A converters 21H and 21L, respectively, and the A / D converter 13 Are supplied to the A / D converter 13 as an upper limit reference voltage RefH and a lower limit reference voltage RefL. Therefore, in the A / D converter 13, as the upper limit reference voltage RefH and the lower limit reference voltage RefL for A / D conversion, fixed values obtained by converting the reference values “A” and “B” into analog voltage values in the character mode. However, in the photo mode, since the variable values obtained by converting “A + a” and “B + b” calculated by the distribution value calculation circuit 18 for each pixel data as described above into analog voltage values are used, the final value is used. In addition, when binarization is performed in the binarization circuit 20, a result similar to the result obtained by binarization with the threshold value changed with the distribution value in the case of the prior art is obtained.

  When the document image data binarized by the binarization circuit 20 is output from an electrophotographic printer such as a facsimile machine or a copying machine, the upper limit reference voltage RefH of the A / D converter 13 is output. The image data obtained in the character mode in which the lower limit reference voltage RefL and the lower limit reference voltage RefL are respectively set to fixed values “A” and “B” are reproduced as simple black and white images, and the upper limit reference voltage RefH and the lower limit of the A / D converter 13 are reproduced. Image data obtained in the photo mode in which the reference voltage RefL is set to the variable values “A + a” and “B + b”, respectively, is reproduced as if it had a gradation as a pseudo halftone image.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the image processing apparatus of the present invention will be described. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration example of the second embodiment of the image processing apparatus according to the present invention.

  The difference between the circuit configuration example of the second embodiment shown in the circuit diagram of FIG. 4 and the circuit configuration example of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is that the distribution value calculation circuit 18 has a digital value. Rather than calculating “A + a” and “B + b” and outputting them to the A / D converter 13, a digital value “C + c” to be described later is calculated and output as a value corresponding to the gain (amplification factor) of the amplifier 12. The upper limit reference voltage RefH and the lower limit reference voltage RefL given to the A / D converter 13 are fixed values as in the conventional example. Therefore, in the second embodiment, it is necessary to use the amplifier 12 of the variable amplification factor type. Since the configuration other than these differences is the same as the configuration shown in FIG. 1 of the first embodiment, a description thereof will be omitted.

  Note that the fixed upper limit reference voltage RefH and the lower limit reference voltage RefL given to the A / D converter 13 are “A” and “B” output from the distribution value calculation circuit 18 in the first embodiment. Are equal to analog voltage values converted by the D / A converters 21H and 21L, respectively. Conversely, the amplification factor of the amplifier 12 of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is a value corresponding to the above-mentioned “C”.

  In the following, the processing by the distribution value calculation circuit 18 in the second embodiment, more specifically, the calculation processing of the amplification factor “C + c” of the amplifier 12 output from the distribution value calculation circuit 18 will be described. This is the same as the calculation process of “a” and “b” in the first embodiment described above.

  In the character mode, the gain “C + c” of the amplifier 12 output from the distribution value calculation circuit 18 with “c” = 0 is a fixed value “C”. The fixed value “C” is the reference amplification factor of the amplifier 12 in the character mode. As described above, in the first embodiment, the amplification factor of the amplifier 12 is fixed to a value corresponding to “C”. ing.

  Next, a method of calculating “c” by the distribution value calculation circuit 18 in the case of performing pseudo gradation processing (hereinafter referred to as “photo mode”) will be described.

First, in the case of using the dither method, the distribution value calculation circuit 18 determines “c” according to a matrix of pseudo-random numbers as shown in FIG. 2, for example. In particular,
c = C × “matrix value” / 15
"C" is determined, and "C + c" is output.

  In the second embodiment, the distribution value calculation circuit 18 calculates the amplification factor “C + c” of the amplifier 12 using the pseudo random number matrix as shown in FIG. However, the present invention is not limited to the one shown in 2. Needless to say, “c” may be calculated using a mathematical expression different from the above mathematical expression.

Next, a method in which the distribution value calculation circuit 18 calculates “c” by the error diffusion method in the photo mode will be described. In this case, the distribution value calculation circuit 18 relates to the pixel to be processed (target pixel), for example, the weighting coefficient of the peripheral pixel as shown in FIG. It is calculated as the sum of products of reproduction density error (error between image data and reproduction data) and the distance between the target pixel. In particular,
c = m · e11 + n · e12 + l · e13 + o · e21
“C” is calculated and “C + c” is output.

  In the second embodiment, the distribution value calculation circuit 18 determines the amplification factor of the amplifier 12 using a weighting factor as shown in FIG. 3A. These values are registered in advance in the register. It is also possible to set to a fixed value. Also, the designation of the peripheral pixels and the calculation formula for calculating “c” may be different from the above.

  “C + c” calculated by the distribution value calculation circuit 18 as described above is given to the amplifier 12. Accordingly, the amplifier 12 uses the fixed value “C” which is a reference value in the character mode as the amplification factor for amplifying the electric signal input from the CCD 11. Since the variable value “C + c” calculated by the distribution value calculation circuit 18 is used, the conversion results to the digital data by the A / D converter 13 in which the upper limit reference voltage RefH and the lower limit reference voltage RefL are fixed are respectively obtained. Since it differs depending on the amplification factor “C + c” of the amplifier 12 used with respect to the pixels in FIG. The same result as that obtained by binarization with the threshold value is obtained.

  When the document image data binarized by the binarization circuit 20 is output from an electrophotographic printer such as a facsimile machine or a copying machine, the amplification factor of the amplifier 12 is a fixed value “C”. The image data obtained in the character mode set to 1 is reproduced as a simple black and white image, and the image data obtained in the photo mode in which the amplification factor of the amplifier 12 is set to the variable value “C + c” is reproduced as a pseudo halftone image. Reproduced as if it had a gradation.

  In both the above-described embodiments, whether the character mode or the photo mode is used can be manually set by the user who uses the apparatus, or can be determined by software from the feature amount of the read image data. It is also possible to set automatically.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a circuit configuration example of a first embodiment of an image processing apparatus according to the present invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows an example of the pseudorandom numbers used when the halftone process is performed by the dither method in the first and second embodiments of the image processing apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of peripheral pixel weighting coefficients and peripheral pixel reproduction density errors used when halftone processing is performed by the dither method in the first and second embodiments of the image processing apparatus according to the present invention; It is. It is a block diagram which shows the circuit structural example of 2nd Embodiment of the image processing apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the general circuit structural example of the conventional image processing apparatus which performs a pseudo halftone process.

Explanation of symbols

12 amplifier 13 A / D converter 18 distribution value calculation circuit 20 binarization circuit

Claims (3)

Amplifying means for amplifying the analog image signal; and analog / digital conversion means for converting the analog image signal amplified by the amplifying means into multi-value digital data classified into a predetermined number between the upper limit reference value and the lower limit reference value; Binarization means for binarizing the multilevel digital data output from the analog / digital conversion means; and the pseudo halftone image obtained by binarizing the multilevel digital data output from the analog / digital conversion means with a variable threshold value. In an image processing apparatus comprising: calculation means for calculating pseudo halftoned data for determining the variable threshold value when generating data;
Correction means for correcting the analog image signal in advance according to the pseudo halftoned data calculated by the calculating means so that the data binarized by the binarizing means with a fixed threshold value becomes pseudo halftone image data; An image processing apparatus comprising the image processing apparatus.   2. The correction means according to claim 1, wherein the correction means is means for changing the upper limit reference value and the lower limit reference value of the analog / digital conversion means in accordance with the pseudo halftone data calculated by the calculation means. The image processing apparatus described.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the correction unit is the amplification unit that changes the amplification factor according to the pseudo halftoned data calculated by the calculation unit.

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