JP2013191044A - Image processing device and image processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform rasterization processing of monochrome vector image data at a high speed.SOLUTION: A determination section 2 divides monochrome vector layers constituting vector image data in units of a number of channels of colors, outputs division results to an allocation section 3 and outputs monochrome vector layers left as a remainder as a result of division to a monochrome rasterization section 41. The allocation section 3 allocates the monochrome vector layers input from the determination section 2 to each channel of colors and generates one color vector layer. The color rasterization section 42 converts the color vector layer generated by the allocation section 3 to color raster data. A separation section 5 separates the color raster data converted by the color rasterization section 42 for each channel and generates a plurality of pieces of monochrome raster data. The monochrome rasterization section 41 converts the monochrome vector layers input from the determination section 2 to the monochrome raster data.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method for performing rasterization processing.

Vector data is data describing an image by a combination of straight lines and curves. When this vector data is printed, it is converted into raster data describing an image by bitmap representation.
On the other hand, Patent Document 1 describes that the data transfer time is shortened in order to shorten the printing time.

JP 2005-252361 A

  FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an outline of processing of a conventional image processing apparatus. As shown in the figure, the conventional image processing apparatus has a monochrome rasterization processing function for converting monochrome vector data into monochrome raster data, and a color rasterization processing function for converting color vector data into color raster data. Yes. When each layer constituting vector image data to be rasterized is monochrome vector data, the conventional image processing apparatus sequentially performs monochrome rasterization processing for each monochrome vector layer that is monochrome vector data of each layer. . For example, when the vector image data is composed of five monochrome vector layers, the conventional image processing apparatus performs monochrome rasterization processing five times. Therefore, there is a problem that the rasterization time increases in proportion to the increase in the number of monochrome vector layers, and the printing time also increases. In recent years, the resolution of images has increased and the number of large images has also increased. The higher the resolution and the larger the size of the print, the larger the amount of data to be rasterized and the longer the rasterization processing time. For this reason, there is a desire to reduce the time required for rasterization processing, but it is not sufficient to reduce the communication time as in Patent Document 1.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides an image processing apparatus and an image processing method for performing rasterization processing of vector image data at high speed.

In order to solve the above-described problem, the present invention assigns each of a plurality of monochrome vector layers constituting image data to each color channel to generate one color vector layer, and the assignment unit generates A color rasterization unit for converting the color vector layer into color raster data, and the color raster data converted by the color rasterization unit are separated for each channel to generate monochrome raster data corresponding to the plurality of monochrome vector layers. An image processing apparatus.
According to the above invention, the image processing apparatus generates a single color vector layer by assigning a plurality of monochrome vector layers constituting image data to each color channel. Then, the image processing apparatus performs color rasterization processing of the generated color vector layer, separates the obtained color raster data for each channel, and generates monochrome raster data for each monochrome vector layer.
Accordingly, the image processing apparatus can collectively rasterize a plurality of monochrome vector layers constituting the vector image data by the number of color channels in the color rasterization process. Thus, rasterization processing of monochrome vector image data can be performed at high speed.

The present invention is also an image processing apparatus as described above, wherein a monochrome rasterizing unit that converts a monochrome vector layer into monochrome raster data, and a monochrome vector layer that constitutes the image data is a channel number unit of the color rasterizing unit. And a determination unit for outputting the monochrome vector layer remaining as a result of the division to the monochrome rasterization unit.
According to the above invention, the image processing apparatus performs color rasterization processing on the monochrome vector layers constituting the image data for each color channel. Then, as a result of collecting the number of channels, the image processing apparatus performs monochrome rasterization processing for the remaining monochrome vector layers.
As a result, even when the monochrome vector layer constituting the vector image data is not a multiple of the number of color channels, the image processing apparatus can perform rasterization processing at high speed by using as much color rasterization processing as possible.

Further, the present invention is the above-described image processing apparatus, comprising a plurality of color rasterizing units having different numbers of channels, wherein the determining unit assigns a monochrome vector layer constituting the image data to the largest number of channels. Dividing and outputting to the allocating unit, dividing the monochrome vector layer remaining as a result of the division into units of the next largest number of channels and outputting to the allocating unit are repeated, and the result of division of the smallest unit of the number of channels The surplus monochrome vector layer is output to the monochrome rasterization unit.
According to the above invention, when the image processing apparatus is provided with a plurality of color rasterization units having different numbers of channels, the color rasterization unit having a large number of channels is used preferentially.
As a result, the image processing apparatus can perform rasterization processing at high speed by reducing the number of times of rasterization processing for one vector image data as much as possible.

Further, the present invention is the image processing apparatus described above, wherein the conversion process by the color rasterization unit is faster than the conversion process by the monochrome rasterization unit being executed by the number of channels.
According to the above invention, the image processing apparatus performs the color rasterization process faster than the monochrome rasterization process for the number of color channels.
As a result, the rasterization processing of vector image data in the image processing apparatus is significantly faster than the conventional method.

  The present invention is also an image processing method executed by the image processing apparatus, wherein the assigning unit assigns each of a plurality of monochrome vector layers constituting the image data to each color channel to generate one color vector layer. An allocation process, a color rasterization process for converting the color vector layer generated in the allocation process into color raster data, and the color raster data converted in the color rasterization process are separated for each channel. A separation process for generating monochrome raster data corresponding to the plurality of monochrome vector layers.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a processing overview of the image processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image processing apparatus according to the embodiment. The figure which shows the processing flow of the image processing apparatus by the embodiment. The figure which shows the vector image data of the process target of the image processing apparatus by the embodiment. The figure for demonstrating the process of the image processing apparatus by the embodiment. The figure for demonstrating the process of the image processing apparatus by the embodiment. The figure for demonstrating the process of the image processing apparatus by the embodiment. The block diagram which shows the structure of the image processing apparatus by 2nd Embodiment. The figure which shows the processing flow of the image processing apparatus by the embodiment. The figure which shows the process outline | summary of the conventional image processing apparatus.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of processing of the image processing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. When the vector image data is input, the image processing apparatus 1 performs rasterization processing for converting the vector data into raster data by the rasterization module, and applies to each monochrome vector layer which is monochrome vector data constituting each layer of the vector image data. Generate corresponding monochrome raster data.

  The rasterization module of the image processing apparatus 1 has the function of color rasterization processing for the number of channels n (n is an integer of 2 or more) and the function of monochrome rasterization processing as in the conventional image processing apparatus. . The monochrome rasterization processing time is 1 / n or more than the color rasterization processing time. The image processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment performs rasterization by switching between a function for rasterizing n monochrome vector layers for color and a function for rasterizing monochrome vector layers of less than n on the side that calls the rasterization module. Process.

In order to use the color rasterization process, the image processing apparatus 1 assigns n monochrome vector layers to each color of the color vector layer, rasterizes the color vector layer, and then separates the data into raster data for each color. Thereby, since the repetition of the rasterizing process is reduced, the processing overhead is reduced, and the entire processing time can be shortened. In particular, it is more effective when the amount of rasterization processing is large because the vector image data has a high resolution.
Further, the time for the image processing apparatus 1 to perform the monochrome rasterization process for the monochrome vector layer is the same as the conventional one, but the processing time for one color rasterization process is shorter than that for performing the monochrome rasterization process n times. For this reason, the processing time is reduced every time the number of times of using the color rasterization processing is increased.

  This figure shows a case where the channels for color rasterization processing are four channels of C (cyan), M (magenta), Y (yellow), and K (black). The image processing apparatus 1 assigns each monochrome vector layer to each color of the color vector layer in units of four, performs color rasterization processing, and then separates each color, and the remaining monochrome vector layer performs monochrome rasterization processing. Thereby, when the number m of monochrome vector layers constituting the vector image data is 5, the image processing apparatus 1 can perform rasterization processing of the vector image data only by calling the rasterization function for executing the rasterization module twice. .

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the image processing apparatus 1, and only functional blocks related to the present embodiment are extracted and shown. As shown in FIG. 1, the image processing apparatus 1 includes a determination unit 2, an allocation unit 3, a rasterization unit 4, and a separation unit 5. The rasterization unit 4 is a rasterization module, and includes a monochrome rasterization unit 41 and a color rasterization unit 42 that are executed by calling a rasterization function.

  The determination unit 2 determines whether to perform monochrome rasterization processing or color rasterization processing for each monochrome vector layer constituting the vector image data. The determination unit 2 outputs a monochrome vector layer for performing color rasterization processing to the allocation unit 3 in units of n channels of the color rasterization unit 42. In addition, the determination unit 2 calls the monochrome rasterization unit 41 and outputs a monochrome vector layer for performing monochrome rasterization processing.

  The allocation unit 3 combines the n monochrome vector layers input from the determination unit 2 to generate one color vector layer. At this time, the assigning unit 3 assigns n monochrome vector layers to different channels, and generates a color vector layer. The assigning unit 3 calls the color rasterizing unit 42 and outputs the generated color vector layer.

  The monochrome rasterization unit 41 converts the monochrome vector layer input from the determination unit 2 into raster data and outputs the raster data. The color rasterization unit 42 converts the color vector layer input from the allocation unit 3 into color raster data and outputs the color raster data. The separation unit 5 separates the color raster data input from the color rasterization unit 42 for each channel to generate and output n monochrome raster data.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a processing flow of the image processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment.
When vector image data composed of a plurality of monochrome vector layers is input to the image processing apparatus 1, the determination unit 2 acquires layer information from the input vector image data, and the number m of monochrome vector layers constituting the vector image data Is obtained (step S105).

  The determination unit 2 divides the number m of monochrome vector layers by the number n of channels of the color rasterization unit 42 to obtain a quotient Q and a remainder r. The determination unit 2 determines Q × n monochrome vector layers as color rasterization processing targets, and determines the remaining r monochrome vector layers as monochrome rasterization processing targets (step S110). The determination unit 2 instructs the allocation unit 3 to create a processing color layer having the same size as the input vector image data as a color vector layer for color rasterization processing. The allocation unit 3 generates a processing color layer according to the instruction of the determination unit 2 (step S115).

  Subsequently, the determination unit 2 determines whether there is a monochrome vector layer that has not yet undergone rasterization processing among the monochrome vector layers to be subjected to color rasterization processing (step S120). If the determination unit 2 determines that there is a monochrome vector layer to be rasterized for color that has not been rasterized yet (step S120; YES), the determination unit 2 performs the process of step S125. That is, the determination unit 2 outputs n monochrome vector layers that have not yet undergone rasterization processing to the allocation unit 3 among the monochrome vector layers to be subjected to color rasterization processing. When the allocation unit 3 allocates each of the n monochrome vector layers input from the determination unit 2 to n channels (colors) of the processing color layer, the allocation unit 3 calls the color rasterization unit 42 to set the processing color layer. Output (step S125).

  The color rasterization unit 42 converts the processing color layer input from the allocation unit 3 into color raster data, and outputs the color raster data to the separation unit 5 (step S130). The separation unit 5 separates the color raster data input from the color rasterization unit 42 for each channel (color) to generate and output n monochrome raster data (step S135). The image processing apparatus 1 repeats the process from step S120.

  If the determination unit 2 determines that there is no monochrome vector layer to be rasterized for color that has not been rasterized in step S120 (step S120; NO), the determination unit 2 performs the process of step S140. That is, the determination unit 2 determines whether there is a monochrome vector layer that has not been subjected to rasterization processing among monochrome vector layers to be processed for monochrome rasterization (step S140).

  If the determination unit 2 determines that there is a monochrome vector layer for monochrome rasterization processing that has not been rasterized yet (step S140: YES), the determination unit 2 performs the process of step S145. That is, the determination unit 2 calls the monochrome rasterization unit 41 and outputs one monochrome vector layer that has not yet been rasterized among the monochrome vector layers. The monochrome rasterization unit 41 converts the monochrome vector layer input from the determination unit 2 into monochrome raster data and outputs it (step S145). The image processing apparatus 1 repeats the process from step S120.

  If the determination unit 2 determines in step S140 that there is no monochrome vector layer to be subjected to rasterization processing for monochrome that has not undergone rasterization processing (step S140: NO), the allocation unit 3 deletes the processing color layer. (Step S150).

  Next, the processing of the image processing apparatus 1 will be described using a specific example. Here, a case where the channels of the color rasterizing unit 42 are four channels (n = 4) of C (cyan), M (magenta), Y (yellow), and K (black) will be described as an example.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing vector image data V to be processed. As shown in the figure, the vector image data V to be processed is vector image data in which monochrome vector layers L1 to L10 are overlapped. The determination unit 2 divides the monochrome vector layers L1 to L10 constituting the vector image data V in units of n channels, and sets the monochrome vector layers L1 to L4 and L5 to L8 as color rasterization processing targets. Then, the determination unit 2 sets the monochrome vector layers L9 and L10 remaining as a result of the division as targets for monochrome rasterization processing (FIG. 3, step S110). The allocating unit 3 creates a processing color layer having the same size as the vector image data V (FIG. 3, step S115).

  FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining allocation processing and rasterization processing of the monochrome vector layers L1 to L4 to the processing color layer. The allocation unit 3 allocates the monochrome vector layers L1 to L4 input from the determination unit 2 to the C, M, Y, and K colors of the processing color layer as shown in (1a) to (4a) below. (FIG. 3, step S125).

(1a) The monochrome image (original image) of the monochrome vector layer L1 is arranged in the processing color layer with C = (density of the original image)%, M = 0%, Y = 0%, and K = 0%.
(2a) A monochrome image (original image) of the monochrome vector layer L2 is arranged in the processing color layer with C = 0%, M = (density of the original image)%, Y = 0%, and K = 0%.
(3a) A monochrome image (original image) of the monochrome vector layer L3 is arranged in the processing color layer with C = 0%, M = 0%, Y = (density of the original image)%, and K = 0%.
(4a) A monochrome image (original image) of the monochrome vector layer L4 is arranged in the processing color layer at C = 0%, M = 0%, Y = 0%, and K = (density of the original image)%.

  The color rasterization unit 42 performs color rasterization processing on the processing color layer generated by the allocation unit 3 as described above, and generates color raster data that is rasterized data (step S130 in FIG. 3). The separation unit 5 separates the color raster data generated by the color rasterization unit 42 into n pieces of monochrome raster data R1 to R4 as shown in (1b) to (4b) below (FIG. 3, step S135). .

(1b) The C color image of the color raster data is used as the monochrome raster data R1 image.
(2b) The M color image of the color raster data is used as the monochrome raster data R2.
(3b) The Y color image of the color raster data is used as the monochrome raster data R3 image.
(4b) The K color image of the color raster data is set as the monochrome raster data R4 image.

  When the image processing apparatus 1 performs the processes of steps S125 to S135 of FIG. 3 for the monochrome vector layers L1 to L4, the image processing apparatus 1 subsequently performs the same process for the monochrome vector layers L5 to L8.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the allocation of the monochrome vector layers L5 to L8 to the processing color layer and the rasterizing process. The assigning unit 3 assigns the monochrome vector layers L5 to L8 to the C, M, Y, and K colors of the processing color layer, respectively (FIG. 3, step S125). The color rasterization unit 42 performs color rasterization processing on the generated processing color layer to generate color raster data (step S130 in FIG. 3). The separation unit 5 separates the color raster data generated by the color rasterization unit 42 into monochrome raster data R5 to R8 (FIG. 3, step S135).

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining monochrome rasterization processing of the image processing apparatus 1.
When the color rasterization process is finished for the monochrome vector layers L1 to L8 to be subjected to the color rasterization process (FIG. 3, step S120: NO), the image processing apparatus 1 performs the monochrome rasterization process.
First, the determination unit 2 calls the monochrome rasterization unit 41 and outputs the monochrome vector layer L9. The monochrome rasterization unit 41 performs monochrome rasterization processing of the monochrome vector layer L9 to generate monochrome raster data R9 (step S145 in FIG. 3). Further, the determination unit 2 calls the monochrome rasterization unit 41 and outputs the monochrome vector layer L10. The monochrome rasterization unit 41 performs monochrome rasterization processing of the monochrome vector layer L10 to generate monochrome raster data R10 (FIG. 3, step S145).

  When the rasterizing process for all the monochrome vector layers L1 to L10 is completed (FIG. 3, step S120: NO, step S140: NO), the assigning unit 3 deletes the processing color layer (FIG. 3, step S150).

  Conventionally, when the number of monochrome vector layers is 10, the rasterization function for executing the monochrome rasterization unit 41 is called 10 times. At this time, if the monochrome rasterization processing time by the monochrome rasterization unit 41 is Tm and the color rasterization processing time by the color rasterization unit 42 is Tc, the rasterization time is (Tm × 10). It was. Therefore, when rasterizing the high-resolution vector image data or the vector image data having a large size, the processing time is long.

  On the other hand, in this embodiment, the number of calls of the rasterizing module (monochrome rasterizing unit 41 and color rasterizing unit 42) is reduced to four times. That is, in the present embodiment, when the number of channels is n and the number of monochrome vector layers is m, the color rasterization processing count Ncolor and the monochrome rasterization processing count Nmono are expressed by the following formulas (1) and (2). .

Color rasterization processing times Ncolor = m / n (times) (1)
Monochrome rasterization processing times Nmono = m−Ncolor × n (times) (2)

  In the present embodiment, the rasterization function for executing the rasterization module is expressed by (Ncolor + Nmono) from Expressions (1) and (2) by performing color rasterization processing by assigning monochrome vector layers to the color vector layer in units of four. It can be processed just by calling it once.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the number of times that a program calls a module that performs rasterization processing can be reduced, and the processing time of the entire system can be shortened. In particular, a remarkable effect is obtained when the monochrome rasterization processing time Tm × the number of channels n> the color rasterization processing time Tc. However, Tm × n ≦ Tc may be satisfied because the processing overhead is reduced and the processing speed is increased because the number of repetitions of the rasterizing process is reduced.

  In the above description, the color rasterizing unit 42 has four channels of CMYK, but may be three channels of RGB (red, green, blue), for example.

[Second Embodiment]
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the image processing apparatus 1a according to the second embodiment of the present invention, in which only functional blocks related to the present invention are extracted and shown. As shown in the figure, the image processing apparatus 1a includes a determination unit 2a, an allocation unit 3a, a rasterization unit 4a, and a separation unit 5a.

The rasterizing unit 4a includes a monochrome rasterizing unit 41 similar to that of the first embodiment, and color rasterizing units 42-1 to 42-p having different numbers of channels. In the figure, an example in which the number of color rasterized portions p = 2 is shown. It is assumed that the number of channels of the color rasterization unit 42-i (i is an integer of 1 to p) is n _i and n ₁ > n ₂ >...> N _p . For example, the color rasterization unit 42-1 may be provided with 4 channels of CMYK, and the color rasterization unit 42-2 may be provided with 3 channels of RGB.

The determination unit 2a divides the monochrome vector layer constituting the vector image data into units of the number of channels n _i while increasing i by 1 in order from 1, and outputs it to the allocation unit 3a. Is divided into units of the next largest channel number n _(i−1) and output to the assigning unit 3a. The determination unit 2a outputs the monochrome vector layer remaining as a result of the division into the smallest channel number _np unit to the monochrome rasterization unit 41.

The allocating unit 3a generates a single color vector layer by combining monochrome vector layers for the number of channels n _i (i is an integer of 1 to p) input from the determination unit 2a. At this time, the allocation unit 3a generates a color vector layer allocates n _i number of monochrome vector layer to a channel different respectively. Allocation unit 3a outputs the generated color vector layer to color for rasterizing unit 42-i of the channel number n _i.
Separation unit 5a (the i 1 or more p an integer) rasterizing unit 42-i for color generates n _i pieces of monochrome raster data is separated for each channel color raster data input from and output.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a processing flow of the image processing apparatus 1a of the present embodiment.
When vector image data is input to the image processing device 1a, the determination unit 2a acquires layer information from the input vector image data, and obtains the number m of monochrome vector layers constituting the vector image data (step S205). .

The determination unit 2a assigns the monochrome vector layers constituting the vector image data in order from the rasterizing process for color with the largest number of channels, and assigns the surplus monochrome vector layers to the rasterizing process for monochrome.
If specifically the p = 2, determination unit 2a divides the monochrome vector layer number m in the channel number _{n 1} of the collar for rasterizing unit 42-1 obtains _{r 1} remainder and quotient _{Q 1.} The determination unit 2a determines that Q ₁ × n ₁ monochrome vector layer is a target for color rasterization processing by the color rasterization unit 42-1.
Then determination section 2a, the remainder divides _{r 1} on channel number _{n 2} of the color for rasterizing unit 42-2 obtains a remainder _{r 2} and the quotient _{Q 2.} The determination unit 2a determines that Q ₂ × n ₂ monochrome vector layers are to be subjected to color rasterization processing by the color rasterization unit 42-2. Then, the determination unit 2a determines that the remaining r ₂ monochrome vector layers are to be subjected to monochrome rasterization processing (step S210).

The determination unit 2a instructs the allocation unit 3a to create a processing color layer having the same size as the vector image data. Thereby, the assigning unit 3a creates a processing color layer for each of the number of channels n _{1 to} n _p (step S215). The determination unit 2a initializes the variable k to 1 (step S220). The determination unit 2a determines whether or not there is a monochrome vector layer that has not been subjected to rasterization processing among the monochrome vector layers to be rasterized by the color rasterization unit 42-k (step S225).

If the determination unit 2a determines that there is a monochrome vector layer that has not been rasterized by the color rasterization unit 42-k (step S225: YES), the determination unit 2a performs the process of step S230. That is, the determination section 2a of the rasterization process target monochromatic vector layer by rasterizing unit 42-k for color, and outputs the n _k-number of monochrome vector layers that have not been performed yet rasterizing processing assignment unit 3a. Assignment section 3a, respectively n _k pieces of monochrome vector layer which is input from the determination unit 2a, assigning to each channel processing for color layers of the channel number n _k (color), calls the rasterizing unit 42-k for color The processing color layer is output (step S230).

The color rasterization unit 42-k converts the processing color layer input from the allocation unit 3a into color raster data, and outputs the color raster data to the separation unit 5a (step S235). The separation unit 5a separates the color raster data input from the color rasterization unit 42-k for each channel (color) to generate and output _nk monochrome raster data (step S240). The image processing device 1a repeats the processing from step S225.

  If the determination unit 2a determines in step S225 that there is no raster vector that has not been subjected to rasterization processing among the monochrome vector layers to be rasterized by the color rasterization unit 42-k (step S225: NO), k = p It is determined whether or not (step S245). When the variable k is smaller than p (step S245: NO), the determination unit 2a updates the variable k by adding 1 (step S250). The image processing device 1a repeats the processing from step S225.

  If the determination unit 2a determines that k = p in step S225 (step S245: YES), whether or not there is a monochrome vector layer that has not yet undergone rasterization processing among the monochrome rasterization target layers for monochrome rasterization processing. Is determined (step S255). If the determination unit 2a determines that there is a monochrome vector layer to be subjected to the rasterization process for monochrome that has not been rasterized yet (step S255: YES), one of the monochrome vector layers that have not been rasterized is used for monochrome The data is output to the rasterize unit 41. The monochrome rasterization unit 41 converts the monochrome vector layer input from the determination unit 2a into monochrome raster data and outputs it (step S260). The image processing apparatus 1 repeats the processing from step S225.

  If the determination unit 2a determines in step S255 that there is no monochrome vector layer that is not subjected to rasterization processing and is subjected to rasterization processing (step S225: NO), the allocation unit 3a deletes the processing color layer (step S255). S265).

  As described above, when the color rasterization process with different number of channels can be executed in the image processing apparatus, the color rasterization process with a larger number of channels is used as much as possible to reduce the number of repetitions of the rasterization process. Therefore, the rasterization processing time of vector image data is shortened.

  The image processing apparatuses 1 and 1a have a computer system inside. Then, the operation process of the determination unit 2, the allocation unit 3, the rasterization unit 4, and the separation unit 5 of the image processing device 1, and the determination unit 2a, the allocation unit 3a, the rasterization unit 4a, and the separation unit 5a of the image processing device 1a. Is stored in a computer-readable recording medium in the form of a program, and the above processing is performed by the computer system reading and executing this program. The computer system here includes a CPU, various memories, an OS, and hardware such as peripheral devices.

Further, the “computer system” includes a homepage providing environment (or display environment) if a WWW system is used.
The “computer-readable recording medium” refers to a storage device such as a flexible medium, a magneto-optical disk, a portable medium such as a ROM and a CD-ROM, and a hard disk incorporated in a computer system. Furthermore, the “computer-readable recording medium” dynamically holds a program for a short time like a communication line when transmitting a program via a network such as the Internet or a communication line such as a telephone line. In this case, a volatile memory in a computer system serving as a server or a client in that case, and a program that holds a program for a certain period of time are also included. The program may be a program for realizing a part of the functions described above, and may be a program capable of realizing the functions described above in combination with a program already recorded in a computer system.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and it goes without saying that these are also included in the scope of the present invention. Yes.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 1a Image processing apparatus 2, 2a Judgment part 3, 3a Allocation part 4, 4a Rasterization part 41 Monochrome rasterization part 42, 42-1, 42-2 Color rasterization part 5, 5a Separation part

Claims (5)

An assigning unit for assigning each of a plurality of monochrome vector layers constituting image data to each color channel to generate one color vector layer;
A color rasterization unit for converting the color vector layer generated by the allocation unit into color raster data;
A separation unit that separates the color raster data converted by the color rasterization unit for each channel to generate monochrome raster data corresponding to the plurality of monochrome vector layers;
An image processing apparatus comprising: A monochrome rasterization unit for converting a monochrome vector layer into monochrome raster data;
A determination unit that divides the monochrome vector layer constituting the image data into units of the number of channels of the color rasterization unit and outputs the divided data to the allocation unit, and outputs the monochrome vector layer remaining as a result of the division to the monochrome rasterization unit The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: Equipped with multiple color rasterization units with different number of channels,
The determination unit divides a monochrome vector layer constituting the image data into the largest channel number unit and outputs the divided monochrome vector layer to the allocation unit, and the monochrome vector layer remaining as a result of the division into the next largest channel number unit. Repeatedly dividing and outputting to the allocation unit, and outputting the monochrome vector layer remaining as a result of the division in the smallest channel number unit to the monochrome rasterization unit,
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1. The conversion process by the color rasterization unit is faster than executing the conversion process by the monochrome rasterization unit by the number of channels.
The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image processing apparatus is an image processing apparatus. An image processing method executed by an image processing apparatus,
An assigning process in which an assigning unit assigns each of a plurality of monochrome vector layers constituting image data to each color channel to generate one color vector layer;
A color rasterization process for converting the color vector layer generated in the assignment process into color raster data;
A separation process of separating the color raster data converted in the color rasterization process for each channel to generate monochrome raster data corresponding to the plurality of monochrome vector layers;
An image processing method comprising:

Images