JP2005328338A - Image pickup apparatus and portable terminal therewith - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image pickup apparatus that can take a color image and a monochrome image with less degradation in image quality. <P>SOLUTION: The image pickup apparatus is provided with an image pickup means 101 for obtaining an input image by a single panel color image pickup elements, an A/D converting means 102 for converting the image signals into digital signals, a gain correcting means 103 for regulating input signal gain of the A/D converting means 102 for every pixel, a color/monochrome specifying means 105 for specifying whether an image is made into a color image or a monochrome image, a filter means 106 for applying filtering to the image signals by using a filter selecting a filter coefficient according to designation of the image, and a signal processing means 107 for performing processing for the color image so that the image pickup apparatus outputs signals processed as the color image signals by the signal processing means 107 and further outputs the signals processed as the monochrome signals by the filter means 106. As a result, since the filtering has been applied after the gain correcting process, a variation in pixel unit is restrained to be able to obtain a high-resolution monochrome image. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging device capable of capturing a color image and a monochrome image, and a portable terminal equipped with the imaging device, and in particular, can obtain a monochrome image with high resolution.

In recent years, mobile phones with an imaging device have become widespread. In such a portable terminal color image capturing apparatus, a single-plate image capturing method is often used in order to reduce cost and power consumption. A single-plate type imaging device obtains a color image by a single-plate color imaging device in which a color filter in which regions having sensitivity to a specific color are arranged in a matrix and a single-plate image sensor are superimposed.
In this color filter, as shown in FIG. 6, color filters G12, G21, G23, and G32 having G (green) sensitivity are arranged in a checkered pattern, and have R (red) sensitivity so as to fill in between them. The color filter R22 and the color filters B11, B13, B31, and B33 having the sensitivity of B (blue) are arranged in a line for each line, and the arrangement is repeated two-dimensionally. Such an arrangement is called a Bayer arrangement.
In this single-plate color image pickup device, only one color information of a color filter located in front of the pixel can be read for each pixel. For this reason, in this imaging apparatus, processing for generating a color signal of the pixel of interest is performed using read information of pixels near the pixel of interest (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 1 below). This is called color interpolation processing.

In FIG. 6, assuming that R22, G22, and B22 signals at the target pixel are R22, G22, and B22, the respective signals are obtained by the following (Equation 1), (Equation 2), and (Equation 3).
R22 = R22 (Equation 1)
G22 = (G12 + G21 + G23 + G32) / 4 (Expression 2)
B22 = (B11 + B13 + B31 + B33) / 4 (Equation 3)

FIGS. 7A and 7B show the above expression as filter processing. FIG. 7A shows filter coefficients for generating a G signal when the pixel of interest includes a color filter having R (red) sensitivity. In other words, in order to generate the G signal of the pixel of interest, the surrounding 3 × 3 pixels are subjected to filter processing so as to take the addition average of the upper, lower, left and right four pixels for the pixel of interest. FIG. 7B shows filter coefficients for generating a B signal when the pixel of interest includes a color filter having R sensitivity. In other words, in order to generate the B signal of the target pixel, the surrounding 3 × 3 pixel filter process is performed so as to take an average of four pixels in a 45 ° oblique direction with respect to the target pixel.
Similarly, when the pixel of interest includes a color filter having a sensitivity of G, and when the pixel of interest includes a color filter having a sensitivity of B, the reading information of the surrounding 3 × 3 pixels is used. To obtain other color signals.

Further, the luminance signal Y of the target pixel is obtained by the following (Equation 4) using the signals of the three colors obtained as described above.
Y = 0.59 × G22 + 0.3 × R22 + 0.11 × B22 (Equation 4)
The luminance signal thus obtained is subjected to processing such as contour enhancement, and the RGB three primary color signals of each pixel are reconstructed using the processed luminance signal and the three color signals obtained by color interpolation.
As described above, in an image pickup apparatus including a conventional single-plate color image pickup device, color interpolation processing is performed on the target pixel using information in surrounding pixels, and a luminance signal is generated from the color signal. .

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 describes an imaging apparatus that can capture a color image and a monochrome image. As shown in FIG. 8, this apparatus includes an optical lens 801 that guides an optical image into the imaging apparatus, a single-plate color image sensor (single-plate color imaging element) 802 that captures the optical image and generates an image signal, A / D conversion means 803 for converting the image signal into digital image data, white balance correction means 804 for performing white balance correction processing of the image data, and storage means for storing the image data corrected by the white balance correction means 804 805, a color / monochrome designation unit 806 for the user to designate whether the image to be captured is a color image or a monochrome image, and a process such as color interpolation when imaging of a color image is designated by the color / monochrome designation unit 806 And signal processing means 807 for reconstructing the RGB three primary color signals of each pixel. When a monochrome image is designated by the color / monochrome designation unit 806, the image data subjected to white balance correction processing is read from the storage unit 805 and output.

The white balance correction unit 804 of this apparatus adjusts the signal strength of the pixels corresponding to the R, G, and B colors so that a natural image can be obtained. This adjustment is performed as follows.
A white subject such as white paper is imaged in advance, and signal values of pixels corresponding to the respective colors R, G, and B are obtained. When the signal level of this signal value is R0, G0, B0, the correction factors Kr, Kg, Kb for adjusting the signal intensity in the pixels corresponding to the R, G, B colors are represented by the following (Equation 5) to ( It calculates | requires by several 7).
Kr = MAX (R0, G0, B0) / R0 (Equation 5)
Kg = MAX (R0, G0, B0) / G0 (Equation 6)
Kb = MAX (R0, G0, B0) / B0 (Expression 7)
Here, MAX (R0, G0, B0) represents the maximum value of R0, G0, B0.
The white balance correction unit 804 multiplies the signal of each color R, G, and B sent from the A / D conversion unit 803 at the time of image shooting by Kr, Kg, and Kb, respectively, to the signal value of each pixel. Adjust the intensity according to the color.

The image data with the white balance corrected is stored in the storage unit 805, and when a color image is designated by the color / monochrome designation unit 806, it is read out from the storage unit 805 and color interpolation processing is performed by the signal processing unit 807. And the RGB three primary color signals of each pixel are reconstructed.
When a monochrome image is designated by the color / monochrome designation unit 806, the image data subjected to white balance correction is read from the storage unit 805 and output as monochrome image data.
As described above, in this apparatus, when the white balance correction is performed on the luminance signal read by each of the R, G, and B color pixels in order to adjust the intensity according to the color of each pixel to obtain a monochrome image. The image data after the white balance correction is the monochrome image data. According to this method, since a monochrome image signal can be obtained without undergoing color interpolation processing, it is possible to shorten the imaging processing time of a monochrome image.
JP 2003-289442 A Katsuhisa Ogawa "Image Sensor Image Processing Using MATLAB" MATLAB and Partner Solution for Multimedia Development, DSP / Communication Design Conference 2000 User Presentation

In recent years, mobile phones with image capture devices not only capture color images of landscapes, people, etc., but also memo functions that capture characters and the like as black and white images for character recognition and compression, and send these data by fax The function to do is being studied.
However, the black and white image generation method described in Patent Document 1, that is, the output of the single-plate color image sensor is A / D converted, and the converted signal is corrected only by the white balance correcting means, and the obtained luminance is obtained. The method using the signal Y as the monochrome image data has a problem that a high-definition monochrome image cannot be obtained. In principle, the signal intensity ratio of R, G, B obtained from a single-plate color image sensor is the same regardless of the brightness of the light source, etc., so that the signal value of each color pixel is corrected for each color. Multiplying the coefficient should give a luminance signal for a black and white image. However, in reality, there are variations in sensitivity for each pixel and variations in sensitivity that vary depending on the signal level, and only gain correction such as white balance correction. Therefore, it is not possible to correct the variation for each pixel. This variation from pixel to pixel causes image quality degradation of the black and white image.

Further, it is possible to calculate the luminance signal Y from the color signal obtained by the color interpolation process by the method described in Non-Patent Document 1, and to convert the luminance signal Y into black-and-white image data. In order to obtain the luminance signal Y, the filter processing is performed on the neighboring peripheral 3 × 3 pixels, so that there is a problem that the horizontal and vertical resolution of the monochrome image is deteriorated.
Therefore, when a black and white image acquired by the method of Patent Document 1 or Non-Patent Document 1 is used as a character recognition target, the character can be correctly recognized due to a decrease in horizontal and vertical resolution and pixel-to-pixel variations. It becomes difficult. Further, when the monochrome image is compressed and stored or transmitted by FAX, the compression rate is lowered due to the influence of the variation for each pixel, and the FAX character becomes difficult to read.

  The present invention solves such a conventional problem, and provides an imaging apparatus capable of taking a color image and a high-resolution black-and-white image with reduced variation in pixel units. It aims at providing the portable terminal and character recognition apparatus which were equipped.

Therefore, in the present invention, an image pickup means for obtaining an input image by a single-plate color image pickup device in which color filters having sensitivity to specific colors are arranged in a matrix form in the image pickup apparatus, and an output signal of the image pickup means are converted into a digital signal. A / D conversion means, a gain correction means for adjusting the gain of the output signal of the A / D conversion means for each pixel, and a color for designating whether an image captured by the imaging means is a color image or a monochrome image A filter unit that performs a filtering process on a signal whose gain has been adjusted by a gain correction unit using a filter having a filter coefficient selected in accordance with an image designated by the color / monochrome designation unit, and a filter unit. Signal processing means for performing processing for a color image on the processed signal, and outputting the signal processed by the signal processing means as a color image signal, As it has been configured to output a signal processed by the filter means.
In this imaging apparatus, since the filter process is performed after the gain correction process, the variation in pixel units is suppressed, and a high-resolution black and white image can be acquired. Further, the filter means for acquiring a black and white image can be realized by changing the coefficient of the low-pass filter used in the color interpolation process, so that an increase in the number of circuits and the like is not required.

In the present invention, the filter means of the imaging apparatus switches the filter coefficient in response to the output of the color / monochrome designation means.
According to the present invention, the image pickup device, a signal selection unit that selects a color image signal or a monochrome image signal output from the image pickup device in accordance with designation information of the color / monochrome designation unit of the image pickup device, and a signal selection A character recognition device with an imaging device is constituted by character recognition means for performing character recognition using the monochrome image signal selected by the means.
In this character recognition device, since the character recognition is performed using the high-definition black and white image output from the imaging device, the recognition rate is improved.

Further, according to the present invention, according to the designation information of the imaging device, the binarization means for converting the monochrome image signal output from the imaging device into a binary image signal, and the color / monochrome designation means of the imaging device, A signal selection unit that selects a color image signal output from the imaging apparatus or a binary image signal output from the binarization unit, and a color image signal or binary image signal selected by the signal selection unit is compressed. A portable terminal with an imaging device is configured by the compression unit and the storage unit that stores the image signal compressed by the compression unit.
This portable terminal can store a high-resolution monochrome image with high compression.
According to the present invention, the image pickup device, a signal selection unit that selects a color image signal or a monochrome image signal output from the image pickup device in accordance with designation information of the color / monochrome designation unit of the image pickup device, and a signal selection A portable terminal with an image pickup apparatus is configured by a conversion unit that converts the color image signal or monochrome image signal selected by the unit into a FAX signal and a FAX transmission unit that transmits the FAX signal converted by the conversion unit.
This portable terminal can transmit a high-resolution monochrome image by FAX.

The image pickup apparatus of the present invention can obtain a high-resolution black-and-white image with no pixel-to-pixel variations, and can achieve this without increasing the circuit scale of the image pickup apparatus.
In addition, since the character recognition device of the present invention performs character recognition using a high-definition black and white image, character recognition with high recognition accuracy can be realized.
Moreover, the portable terminal with an imaging device of the present invention can store a high-definition monochrome image with a small amount of memory.
In addition, the portable terminal with an imaging apparatus of the present invention can transmit a high-definition monochrome image by FAX.

(First embodiment)
In the first embodiment of the present invention, an imaging apparatus will be described.
As shown in the block diagram of FIG. 1, the imaging apparatus 100 includes an imaging unit 101 that images a subject with a single-plate color image sensor, and an A / D conversion unit that converts an output of the imaging unit 101 from an analog signal to a digital signal. 102, a gain correction unit 103 that performs gain correction of an A / D converted image signal, a color interpolation unit 104 that performs color interpolation processing, and a color / color that designates whether a color image or a monochrome image is to be captured. The color interpolation unit 104 includes a filter unit 106 that performs filter processing on the image signal by changing the filter coefficient of the filter in accordance with the designation of the color / monochrome designation unit 105, and the color / monochrome designation unit 105. When a color image is designated by the monochrome designation unit 105, a color image is reconstructed using the filtered image signal. It has and a over a signal processing unit 107.

From this imaging apparatus 100, image designation information in the color / monochrome designation means 105 is output to the outside. When a color image is designated by the color / monochrome designation means 105, it is reconstructed by the color signal processing means 107. When a color image signal is output and a monochrome image is designated by the color / monochrome designation means 105, the image data processed by the filter means 106 is outputted as monochrome image data.
Here, the gain correction unit 103, the color interpolation unit 104, the color / monochrome designation unit 105, the filter unit 106, and the color signal processing unit 107 perform any of hard logic, DSP (Digital Signal Processor), or software processing by a computer. It may be realized by using.

Next, the operation of this imaging apparatus will be described.
The imaging means 101 images a subject with a single plate color image sensor. A video signal obtained by imaging is converted into a digital signal by the A / D conversion unit 102 and input to the gain correction unit 103. The gain correction unit 103 performs gain correction on the signal level of each color pixel so that white can be reproduced when white light is imaged. In the gain correction, an average value of signal levels in pixels of each color is obtained and adjusted so that the average value of each color becomes a uniform level.
The signal whose gain is adjusted by the gain correction unit 103 is input to the filter processing unit 106 of the color interpolation unit 104.

On the other hand, the color / monochrome designation means 105 designates whether the acquired image is a color image or a monochrome image, and a control signal corresponding to the designation is output and input to the filter processing means 106.
The filter processing unit 106 performs a filter process using a digital filter on the signal whose gain is adjusted by the gain correction unit 103. At this time, different filter coefficients are selected depending on whether a color image is designated by the color / monochrome designation means 105 or a monochrome image is designated. In order to obtain a high-definition black-and-white image, it is necessary to select a filter coefficient that does not impair the resolution and that can suppress pixel variation that occurs when the gain correction unit 103 cannot perform gain correction. is there.

For example, when a color image is designated, filter coefficients used in the conventional color interpolation method illustrated in FIGS. 7A and 7B are selected, and when a monochrome image is designated, FIG. Select the filter coefficient shown in.
When the filter coefficients used in the conventional color interpolation method (FIGS. 7A and 7B) are selected, the filter processing is performed on the 3 × 3 pixels around each pixel (target pixel). An interpolated color image signal is generated at each pixel (target pixel).
When the filter coefficient shown in FIG. 2 is selected, filter processing is performed on 2 × 2 pixels including each pixel (target pixel), for example, at the upper left, and a luminance signal is generated at each pixel (target pixel). Is done. By the filtering process for 2 × 2 pixels, the pixel-unit variation occurring in the gain-adjusted image signal is corrected, and image quality deterioration is suppressed. Moreover, a high-definition black and white image can be obtained by using a filter smaller than the filter used when acquiring a color image.

When a monochrome image is designated, a signal obtained by the filter processing means 106 selecting the filter coefficient of FIG. 2 and performing the filter processing is output as a monochrome image signal.
When a color image is designated, the filter processing unit 106 selects a filter coefficient exemplified in FIGS. 7A and 7B and outputs a signal subjected to the filter processing to the color signal processing unit 107. The color signal processing unit 107 performs processing such as generation of a luminance signal and edge enhancement in each pixel using the signal input from the filter processing unit 106, and reconstructs and outputs the RGB three primary color signals of each pixel.

As described above, since this imaging apparatus performs filtering using a small filter after gain correction for the image signal when imaging of a monochrome image is designated, when acquiring a monochrome image Thus, it is possible to obtain a high-resolution black and white image with suppressed pixel variations.
Further, the filter processing means for performing this filter processing can also be realized simply by selecting a filter coefficient in accordance with the image designation of the color / monochrome designation means, which also serves as a conventional color interpolation processing filter means. Therefore, a high-resolution black and white image can be acquired without adding a new configuration to the conventional color imaging apparatus.

  Here, the case where the gain correction is performed so that the average value of the signal level in each color pixel becomes a uniform level as the gain correction method of the gain correction unit 103 has been described, but as shown in the conventional imaging apparatus. In addition, the gains are corrected by obtaining correction coefficients Kr, Kg, Kb for adjusting the signal intensity from (Equation 5) to (Equation 7), or the gain is corrected so that the maximum value of each color becomes the same value. May be.

(Second Embodiment)
In the second embodiment of the present invention, a portable terminal having a character recognition function will be described.
As shown in the block diagram of FIG. 3, the portable terminal having the character recognition function outputs from the imaging device 100 based on the imaging device 100 described in the first embodiment and a control signal input from the imaging device 100. A signal selection unit 301 for selecting a color image signal or a monochrome image signal to be performed, and a character recognition unit 302 for recognizing a character from the selected monochrome image. The configuration of the imaging apparatus 100 is the same as that of the first embodiment (FIG. 1).

Next, the operation of the portable terminal as a character recognition device will be described.
As described in the first embodiment, the imaging apparatus 100 outputs a control signal that specifies whether an acquired image is a color image or a monochrome image, a color image signal, and a monochrome image signal, They are input to the signal selection means 301.
The signal selection unit 301 selects and outputs a color image signal or a monochrome image signal according to the control signal. The signal selection unit 301 outputs the monochrome image signal selected according to the control signal to the character recognition unit 302. The character recognition means 302 performs character recognition using a monochrome image signal, and the result of character recognition is displayed on a display means (not shown) or stored as text data in a storage means (not shown).

The signal selection unit 301 outputs a color image signal selected according to the control signal to a display unit (not shown) or a storage unit (not shown), the display unit displays a color image, and the storage unit displays the color image. Save.
Since this character recognition device performs character recognition using a high-definition monochrome image output from the imaging device when a monochrome image is designated, the recognition rate is improved.

(Third embodiment)
In the third embodiment of the present invention, a portable terminal with an imaging device that compresses and stores an image signal will be described.
As shown in the block diagram of FIG. 4, the portable terminal outputs the imaging apparatus 100 described in the first embodiment, the binarization unit 401 that binarizes the monochrome image signal, and the imaging apparatus 100. A signal selection unit 402 that selects a color image signal or a binarized monochrome image signal, a compression unit 403 that compresses the selected image signal, and a storage unit 404 that stores the compressed image signal are provided. . The configuration of the imaging apparatus 100 is the same as that of the first embodiment (FIG. 1).

Next, the operation of this portable terminal with an imaging device will be described.
As described in the first embodiment, the imaging apparatus 100 outputs a control signal that specifies whether an acquired image is a color image or a monochrome image, a color image signal, and a monochrome image signal. The control signal and the color image signal are input to the signal selection unit 301, and the monochrome image signal is input to the binarization unit 401. The binarizing unit 401 binarizes the black and white image signal and outputs a binarized image signal. The binarized image signal is input to the signal selecting unit 402.
The signal selection unit 402 selects a color image signal or a binarized image signal according to the control signal, and outputs it to the compression unit 403. The compression unit 403 performs image compression of the input color image or binarized image, and the compressed image is stored in the storage unit 404. The image stored in the storage unit 404 can be displayed on a display unit (not shown) or transmitted from an image transmission unit (not shown).

  As described above, when the acquisition of a color image is specified, this mobile terminal with an imaging device compresses and stores a normal color image captured by the imaging device, and when acquisition of a monochrome image is specified. In addition, the high-definition black and white image output from the imaging device is binarized, compressed, and stored. By this binarization, it becomes possible to store a black and white image at a high compression rate, and the amount of memory used for storing the image can be reduced.

(Fourth embodiment)
In the fourth embodiment of the present invention, a portable terminal with an imaging device having a fax transmission function will be described.
As shown in the block diagram of FIG. 5, the portable terminal includes the imaging device 100 described in the first embodiment, and a signal selection unit 501 that selects a color image signal or a monochrome image signal output from the imaging device 100. A FAX signal conversion unit 502 that binarizes the input image signal and converts it into a FAX signal, and a FAX transmission unit 503 that transmits the FAX signal. The configuration of the imaging apparatus 100 is the same as that of the first embodiment (FIG. 1).

Next, the operation of this portable terminal with an imaging device will be described.
As described in the first embodiment, the imaging apparatus 100 outputs a control signal that specifies whether an acquired image is a color image or a monochrome image, a color image signal, and a monochrome image signal, They are input to the signal selection means 501.
The signal selection unit 501 selects a color image signal or a monochrome image signal according to the control signal, and outputs the selected signal to the FAX signal conversion unit 502. The FAX signal conversion unit 502 binarizes the input color image signal or monochrome image signal and converts it into a FAX signal, and the FAX transmission unit 503 transmits the FAX signal by FAX.

  As described above, when acquisition of a color image is specified, the mobile terminal with an imaging device converts an image signal of a normal color image captured by the imaging device into a FAX signal, and transmits the monochrome signal. Is acquired, the high-definition black-and-white image output from the imaging device is converted into a FAX signal and transmitted. Therefore, a clear black and white image can be transmitted by FAX.

The image pickup apparatus of the present invention can be widely used as a camera apparatus capable of picking up a color image and a black and white image, alone or mounted on a device such as a mobile phone, a fixed phone, a clock, a television, or the like.
In addition, the character recognition device with an image pickup device and the portable terminal of the present invention can be widely used as a mobile phone or PDA having a memo function for performing character recognition and compressing and storing image data, or a FAX transmission function for stored data. Can do.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an imaging apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The figure which shows the coefficient of the filter process in the 1st Embodiment of this invention The block diagram which shows the structure of the portable terminal with an imaging device in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The block diagram which shows the structure of the portable terminal with an imaging device in the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. The block diagram which shows the structure of the portable terminal with an imaging device in the 4th Embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the color filter in the single plate color image sensor of the conventional imaging device (A) The figure which shows the coefficient of the filter process which performs G (green) color interpolation with respect to the R (red) pixel in the conventional imaging device, (b) B with respect to the R (red) pixel in the conventional imaging device The figure which shows the coefficient of the filter processing which performs color interpolation of (blue) Functional configuration diagram of a conventional imaging device

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Image pick-up apparatus 101 Image pick-up means 102 A / D conversion means 103 Gain correction means 104 Color interpolation means 105 Color / monochrome designation means 106 Filter processing 107 Color signal processing means 301 Signal selection means 302 Character recognition means 401 Binarization means 402 Signal Selection means 403 Compression means 404 Storage means 501 Signal selection means 502 FAX signal conversion means 503 FAX transmission means 801 Optical lens 802 Single plate color image sensor 803 A / D conversion means 804 White balance correction means 805 Storage means 806 Color / monochrome designation means 807 Signal processing means

Claims (5)

An image pickup means for obtaining an input image by a single-plate color image pickup device in which color filters having sensitivity to a specific color are arranged in a matrix; and
A / D conversion means for converting the output signal of the imaging means into a digital signal;
Gain correction means for adjusting the gain of the output signal of the A / D conversion means for each pixel;
Color / monochrome designation means for designating whether an image captured by the imaging means is a color image or a monochrome image;
Filter means for applying a filter process to the signal whose gain has been adjusted by the gain correction means, using a filter having a filter coefficient selected according to an image designated by the color / monochrome designation means;
A signal processing unit that performs processing for a color image on the signal processed by the filter unit, outputs the signal processed by the signal processing unit as a color image signal, and outputs the signal processed by the signal processing unit as a monochrome image signal by the filter unit An image pickup apparatus that outputs a processed signal.   2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the filter unit switches the coefficient of the filter in response to an output of the color / monochrome designating unit. The imaging device according to claim 1 or 2,
Signal selection means for selecting a color image signal or a monochrome image signal output from the imaging apparatus according to the designation information of the color / monochrome designation means of the imaging apparatus;
A character recognition device with an image pickup device, comprising: character recognition means for performing character recognition using the monochrome image signal selected by the signal selection means. The imaging device according to claim 1 or 2,
Binarization means for converting a monochrome image signal output from the imaging device into a binary image signal;
Signal selection means for selecting a color image signal output from the imaging apparatus or a binary image signal output from the binarization means according to the designation information of the color / monochrome designation means of the imaging apparatus;
Compression means for compressing the color image signal or binary image signal selected by the signal selection means;
A portable terminal with an imaging apparatus, comprising: a storage unit that stores the image signal compressed by the compression unit. The imaging device according to claim 1 or 2,
Signal selection means for selecting a color image signal or a monochrome image signal output from the imaging apparatus according to the designation information of the color / monochrome designation means of the imaging apparatus;
Conversion means for converting the color image signal or monochrome image signal selected by the signal selection means into a FAX signal;
A portable terminal with an imaging apparatus, comprising: a FAX transmission unit that transmits a FAX signal converted by the conversion unit.

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