JP2733464B2 - Data communication device and method - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to color image data.
Data communication device and method for transmitting
You. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, color image data has been
It can be sent as is to communication destinations that can process it
Could be processed, but the other party could only process monochrome images.
The color image data is monochrome.
It is known to transmit as image data. [0003] In addition, a color image can be transmitted to a communication destination within one communication.
Whether only one of an image and a monochrome image has been sent
Was. [0004] However, the prior art
If all of the communication images are sent as color images to
The data volume increases and efficiency is poor. Further, a communication image is transmitted as a monochrome image.
The transmission data amount will be smaller if
The part that you want to show is transmitted in monochrome and the operator
The image transmission that was intended was not performed. In order to solve the above problems, the present invention
-Transmit communication images for one communication including images and monochrome images
Data format appropriate for the function of the communication partner
To transmit the communication image. [0007] To solve the above-mentioned problems,
Therefore, according to the data communication device of the present invention, communication for one communication
Division means for dividing an image into a monochrome image and a color image
And whether the communication partner can process the color image
Generating means for generating the information of
Information that the other party can process the color image.
The color image to a monochrome image
Conversion means for converting, and a model converted by the conversion means.
A transmission for transmitting data indicating a black and white image to the communication partner.
Communication means. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
Will be described in detail. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the above embodiment. The reader 10 reads a predetermined document and sends it to an electronic
Signal. [0011] Also, the reader can be used as a binary image area and a photographic image.
The image area can be distinguished from the
It has an image processing function such as reading in the pattern or the like. The facsimile body 20 includes a reader / printer.
Interface 21 and an image compression unit.
Knit (hereinafter referred to as “ICU”) 22 and program
Mori (hereinafter referred to as “PMEM”) 23 and bit move
Unit (hereinafter referred to as “BMU”) 24 and image
Mori (hereinafter referred to as "IMEM") 25 and video RAM
(Hereinafter referred to as “VRAM”) 26 and a central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as “VRAM”).
(Hereinafter referred to as “CPU”) 27, bus 29, and communiqué
Control Unit (hereinafter referred to as “CCU”)
30). The ICU 22 compresses or decompresses data.
In order to increase the coding rate, two-dimensional compression
Compression (high compression) is employed. PMEM23
Input / output devices provided around the kushimiri body 20;
OS for controlling each unit in the facsimile body
Program, application program memory area
Character code to image data
It has a font memory area for
You. The PMEM 23 has a memory management function.
Unit (MMEU) from the hard disk
Transmission via the CCU 30 or hardware
Transmission data buffer for storing to disk
It also has a work area. The above buffer
The key is for speed adjustment of disks, lines, etc.
You. Also, code data of a sentence by the key 61 is stored. The BMU 24 displays the image on the CRT 60
Edit (image processing), and enlarge a predetermined image.
Large, shrink, rotate, move, cut, etc.
You. The IMEM 26 has 4 Mbytes,
Images stored in the BMU24 or edited images by the BMU24.
And the data decompressed by the ICU 22 is stored.
Data converted from character codes to images
Data. Here, one page of the mixed document information
Is a block of bit image data and a character code
It consists of a composition of blocks of data. Each block day
Data with an identification code and an attribute code indicating the block position.
And stored in PMEM and IMEM. Attribute code
Can be added when each block is transmitted
You. The VRAM 26 stores an image to be displayed on the CRT 60.
Image data is stored by bitmap code
It is. Further, a hard disk is used as an external storage device.
Disk device 50 and a floppy disk device 51 are provided.
ing. These devices are non-volatile memory,
Backup memory may be used as a temporary memory.
No. The keyboard 61 is used to input characters and the like.
First, specify the position on the CRT 60 using the cursor.
Things. 62 is one of the pointing devices
It is. In addition, a printer 70 is provided. In the above embodiment, in the present embodiment,
Communication by dividing image data and character code data into blocks
I do. Further, in the image data, a binary image area
The intermediate image area (or even a binary image
Image area) is divided into separate blocks
It performs data communication by performing compression processing corresponding to the area.
is there. FIG. 5 shows the CPU 27 according to the present embodiment.
It is a flowchart figure which shows the control operation of FIG. In steps S1 and S19 of FIG.
Data creation or data communication. When the operator creates data,
Puts the device in data creation mode using the keyboard 61
When transmitting data, the keyboard 61
Put the device in data transmission mode. Also, in step S19
Determines whether there is a call signal from the line. In the case of data creation, the process starts from step S1.
Proceed to step S2, and in the case of data communication, step S19
To step S20. In steps S2 and S3, the data to be created
Is character data or image data. Oh
When creating data, the operator looks at the CRT 60 display.
While manuscript data is created one page at a time,
Character data or all images of one page
Image data or character data and image data
Can be mixed data. The operator is now
If the input data is character data or image data
Data from the keyboard 61 and characterize the device.
Data input mode and image input mode. CPU27
Is the character input mode in steps S2 and S3,
Page input mode. In step S2, the character input mode and the
Then, in step S5, the key for one page of the original is deleted.
Area data to which character data is input (block area
Area) and character format (character size or character
Input data. These area data,
The format data is input by the operator using the keyboard 61 and the mouse 6.
2 input. In step S5, character area data and character format
When the data is entered, the keys entered in steps S6 and S7
Block data in PMEM23 together with character data
Stored as In step S3, the mode is determined to be the image input mode.
Then, the process proceeds to step S8, and in step S8,
Enter the block area data to which the page data is input.
You. In step S9, the data is read by the reader 10.
Input the image data of the scanned manuscript,
5 sequentially and image data from the reader 10
PMEM2 based on the image area data sent with
In step 3, an image area separation table is created. Reader 10, for example
For example, if a document like that shown in FIG.
Address data of the image through the interface 21
Data (X, Y) and image attribute data (for example,
Or halftone image data) together with the image data
Output to The CPU 27 stores the image data in the IMEM2
5 sent from reader 10 while storing in
Image based on image data and image attribute data
A region separation table is created in the PMEM 23. In step S10, the PMEM 23
Set pointer to first block of image area separation table
You. In steps S11 and S12, the corresponding block
The image is a binary image or a halftone image.
If there is, in step S15, the compression processing of the binary image, for example, MH
(Modified Huffman) coding, MR (Modified
Id read) coding, MMR (Modified Modif)
(Read read) encoding and the like. And step
In S16, the encoding attribute data of the block (for example, M
H, MR data).
And the process proceeds to step S17. In step S12, this block is set to a half tone.
If the image is determined to be an image, in step S13 the halftone image
Compression processing, for example for dither patterns, or
Performs no compression (non-compression). And
In step S14, the coding attribute data of the block is
Set in the same way as 16 and set the table point in step S17.
Is incremented, and in step S18, the next block is incremented.
If it is determined that there is a lock, the process returns to step S11. Thus, the compression processing of the image data is completed.
Then, when the block data is created, from step S18
Return to S2. The data created in this way is named after the original.
And stored in the hard disk device 50. As described above, steps S2 to S18
When one page of manuscript data is created by the
1 page by board 61 and pointing device 62
Input the completion of the original, and prepare the original for the next page.
In this case, steps S2 to S18 are repeated.
Create by. And the creation of the transmission data is completed.
Then, the end of data creation is input from the keyboard 61. In step S4, data creation end input
Is determined, the process proceeds from step S4 to step S19. The data communication mode is selected by the operator.
If selected, the process proceeds from step S19 to step S20.
To determine whether the data is transmitted,
If there is, go to step S21. If data is received, receive
Proceed to routine. When transmitting data, the operator sends
Enter the name of the original to be stored
Specify the original to be sent from the original data. Soshi
And enter the telephone number of the
You. In step S21, the operator
In order to connect the line with the input destination,
The CCU 30 performs a calling operation of a telephone number. And
Confirm that the line is connected to the other party in step S22
Then, in step S23, CCIT is performed with the other device.
The communication procedure (protocol) of the T recommendation is performed. This protocol
Of character code data and image data
Determine whether mixed data can be received, and
Then, data transmission is performed. In steps S24, S25 and S26
First, the transmission original is read one page at a time from the hard disk 50.
Then, one page of data is transmitted in block units. like this
When the transmission of the original data is completed,
Release the line. FIG. 6 shows the control of the CPU 27 when receiving data.
It is the flowchart figure which showed the control operation. It is determined that data is received in step S20 of FIG.
Then, the process proceeds to the reception routine of FIG.
Performs the protocol recommended by the CCITT. And this
If the protocol is determined to be receivable,
Steps R2 and R
3. Receive data at R4 and sequentially receive data
The data is stored in the hard disk 50. And the data reception
After the communication is completed, release the line
Print out the received data. In step R5, the received data is
One page is read from the hard disk 50, and the PMEM 23 is read.
In step R6, and the data of one page
A block structure that indicates whether the block
Input data, and the data is
First, the data of one block
Enter The block data input in step R7
If the data is character code data, in step R8
Address data and format added to block data
Based on the data, the character code is
Expanded into dot data by the character generator,
The data is stored in an area of the MEM 25 corresponding to the block. The block input in step R9 is
Is determined to be image data, and
In R10 and R12, the image data is binary image data.
Data or halftone image data. So
If it is binary image data, block
Expansion processing (for example, M
H, MR, MMR decoding) and decompressed image
The data is stored in the block in the one-page memory of the IMEM 25.
Is stored in the area corresponding to the lock. In step R12, it is determined that the image is a halftone image
Then, in step R13, the halftone is performed similarly to step R11.
Performs expansion processing according to the image and expands the expanded data to IMEM.
(Halftone image is uncompressed)
At this time, it is stored in the IMEM 25 as it is). Thus, the character code data,
Develop image data into dot data in block units
Then, in step R14, the data of all the blocks constituting one page are read.
Is completed and the dot of one page original
When the data is stored, in step R15 the IMEM
Dot data is sequentially read out from the
Print out. And print one page of data
When the printout is completed, the next page of data is printed out.
U. As described above, in the present embodiment, the character
For documents where code data and image data are mixed
Block character code data and image data respectively.
And send (or receive) the image data.
In binary images and halftone images (or very fine images)
Image, complex image) is divided into blocks,
Since compression processing is performed according to the image or binary image,
Divided into page data and character code data
Thus, more efficient data transmission can be performed.
In the present embodiment, binary image data
The image area and the halftone image area are automatically divided
Data to keyboard 61 and pointing device 62
It is also possible to configure so as to divide manually. FIG. 7 shows a binary image area and a halftone image area.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of automatic division.
You. Hereinafter, the binary image area and the halftone image area
The dynamic division will be described. Document data read by reader 10
Is a small block data unit shown in FIGS.
(For example, a block composed of 4 × 4 = 16 dots)
Output from the reader 10. At this time, the reader 10
Medium small block data S in addition to small block data S
Identification data small block indicating whether it is a halftone image or a binary image
Output the address data (X, Y) of the
You. The small block S by the reader 10 is a halftone image.
The determination as to whether the image is a binary image or not is made by the P shown in FIG. ₁ ~ P
₁₆ (Data indicating pixel density) from the maximum value Pmax
Whether the value obtained by subtracting the small value Pmin is larger than the predetermined level α
This is done by determining whether For example, if the density level is 8
If α is set to 4 as a level, Pm = 6 and Pm
When in = 5, it becomes smaller than α = 4, and the small block S becomes
It is determined to be a halftone image block, and Pmi = 7 and Pmi
If n = 1, α is larger than 4 and the small block S is 2
It is determined to be a value image block. In step M1 of FIG.
Is a small file for creating the PMEM23 image area separation table.
Initialize the block table. And step M2
The small block data S from the reader 10 _{n, m} Enter
And stores it in the IMEM 25. In step M3, the small block data S
_{n, m} Small block based on the identification data added to
Data S _{n, m} Is a halftone image,
If the image is an image, the process proceeds to step M4.
Proceed to step M8. At step M3, the small block data S _{n, m} But
When the image is determined to be a halftone image and the process proceeds to step M4, the current block
Determines whether the area is a halftone area and determines whether the current block area is
If it is a halftone area, the process proceeds to step M12 where the current block
If the area is not a halftone area, the process proceeds to step M5. In steps M5 and M6, small block data
S _{n-1, m} , S _{n, m-1} Is a halftone image, and
Lock data S _{n-1, m} , S _{n, m-1} When both are halftone images
Proceed to step M7, and the subsequent data is a halftone image
Indicates that Data is the address data of the small block
And store it in the small block table of PMEM23.
You. At step M3, the small block data S _{n, m} But
If it is determined that the image is a binary image and the process proceeds to step M8, the process proceeds to step M8.
In block M8, the current block area is a binary image area
Is determined, and if it is a binary image area, step M
Proceed to 2 and proceed to step M9 if it is not a binary image area.
No. In steps M9 and M10, the small block data
Data S _{n-1, m} , S _{n, m-1} If both are binary images,
In step M11, a flag indicating that the subsequent data is a binary image
Put the lug on the small block table of PMEM23
Stored together with the address data of the lock. Then, in step M12, the small block
Increment the pointer and determine the next small block data
Head to another. Output from the reader 10 in this way
The small block data is identified and the small block
Create a table. This completes the determination of all data
Then, in step M14, the small block table
Divide the image into block regions based on it. Step M1
The block division in 4 is performed as follows. That is, one halftone of the small block table
Indicates that the area has changed from a binary image to halftone
Minimum within address data (X, Y) with flag
Xmin and the minimum Ymin are selected.
An ad with a flag indicating that it has changed to a binary image
Maximum Xmax and maximum Yma of address data (X, Y)
Select x. This (Xmin, Ymin) is applied to the halftone
Set as the start address of the lock area (Xmax, Ymax)
Is the end address of the halftone block area. In this way
Start address and end of the obtained halftone image block area
Based on the address, as shown in FIG.
Create a similar image area separation table. Note that the automatic division of the image area described above
This is just an example, and is limited to the automatic division described above.
is not. The halftone image data is transmitted from the reader 10.
A / D conversion of data and 8-bit gradation code per pixel
Halftone block consisting of these sets
Is transmitted, a packet is sent for each data of a predetermined number of bits.
Transmitted, and the receiving side receives
Assemble the bucket data and create an 8-bit pixel halftone image
The block plays. Therefore, luminance modulation or pulse width
Modulation can reproduce halftones corresponding to the above gradation codes
Having a so-called multi-value printer as the reception recording unit 70
If it is the same, the transmitted halftone image block is faithfully received and recorded.
Can be recorded. In the above embodiment, the image area is a binary image.
Data is transmitted by dividing the area into halftone image areas
However, depending on the function of the receiving device, halftone images can be processed.
May not work. Therefore, as another embodiment,
Hand (recipient) device processes multi-level code of halftone image
If not possible, convert the halftone image (multi-valued code) to a binary image
Image (“1”, “0”), ie, pseudo intermediate 2 by dither method or the like
Converted into a value signal and converted into a character as one binary image area
Block and the binary image block are sent, and the destination
If a halftone image can be received, a character block and 1
Binary image block represented by one bit per pixel and one pixel 8
Transmitting a halftone image block indicated by bits
Will be described. In another embodiment, a hard disk drive
50 for transmitting the data stored in the
Since the creation of the data has already been described above, it is omitted here.
Abbreviate. The configuration of the other embodiment is the same as that of FIG.
Thus, the control program of the CPU 27 is different. FIG. 9 shows a CPU 27 according to another embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the control operation of FIG. In step N1 of FIG.
Indicates that a transmission command of the keyboard 61 is input by the operator.
It is determined whether or not it has been
Proceed to step N2, and in step N2, the operator
Of the destination of the data input by the
A call is made to the line 40 based on the talk number. And su
Until the predetermined time elapses at step N3,
Determines whether the line is connected, and
Then, the process proceeds to step N4. In step N4, communication with the partner device is performed.
Exchange of communication procedures (protocols)
Therefore, the type of the destination device (the destination is G4 facsimile
Or mixed mode terminal or teletex etc.)
Hand communication function (can receive character code, halftone
Process is possible), and based on this destination information,
To determine the communication mode. And based on the information of the other party
Data in a format that can be received by the destination device.
Data conversion. For example, the destination is a G4 facsimile
If only one camera can receive image data,
Expand the character code into photo data and
After converting to 1-bit 1-bit image data
Then, it is compressed and encoded and transmitted. Also, the destination is a halftone image
Processing (halftone multi-value code processing) is not possible
Indicates that all halftone images are converted to pseudo halftone binary images such as dither.
Convert and send. Next, in step N4, the protocol with the partner
Is completed, the process proceeds to step N5, and the process proceeds to step N5.
The destination device based on the protocol result
Determines whether data reception is possible, and
If the data can be received, the process proceeds to step N10 to transmit the data.
Data from the hard disk drive 50 and step
The block data is transmitted in N11, and the halftone image data is transmitted.
If no data can be received, the process proceeds to step N6. Halftone
The transmission of image data is performed in parallel in the CCU 30 by 8 bits.
Code signal to a serial 8-bit code signal
To the line. At step N6, the transmission data is
Read out from the disk device 50, and in step N7, a halftone image
Whether the block exists is added to the beginning of the transmission data.
Judgment based on transmitted data block configuration information
If there is no halftone image block, the process proceeds to step N11.
If there is a halftone image block, go to steps N8 and N9.
The halftone image is converted into a binary image. This halftone
The binary image conversion of the image is performed when the image is stored in the hard disk 50.
Run. In this way, all the halftone image blocks are converted into a binary image.
Convert to a block and change the attribute of the block from the halftone image to 2
When the value image is changed, the process goes from step N9 to step N11.
move on. Steps N11, N12, N13, N14
In steps S24, S25, S26, and S in FIG.
Data transmission is performed in the same manner as 27. As described above, in another embodiment, the destination is
If transmission of halftone images is possible,
Tacode block, binary image block, halftone image block
And the destination has no halftone image processing function.
To convert a halftone image block into a binary image block
Send data as character code block, binary image block
Data, so that data can be sent according to the
Can be sent. In the other embodiments described above, the character
Code block, binary image block, halftone image block
Conversion of transmission data divided into three blocks of lock
But the other party cannot perform halftone image processing in advance
If it is known that the
Without dividing the area into a binary image area and a halftone image area,
Line drawings such as characters are sliced at predetermined intervals, and halftone drawings such as photographs are
Binarization with dither pattern
It may be. By the way, the color original is converted into B, G, and R components.
Decompose, read, and divide one pixel into those components for transmission
May be. The block consisting of this color component
It can be mixed and transmitted in one page of the sent document. So
It allocates 8 bits for each color component in one pixel,
Constructs a color block with a total of 24 bits for pixels
And the identification code (attribute) of the color block.
Transmission, so that the receiver has a color reproduction function.
If only the block is colored based on each component data
Performs calculations, selects Y, M, and C color materials and selects a color printer
Can be recorded. On the other hand, instead of the color reproduction function,
If there is only the Nokuro function, the transmitting
Similar to the case, color blocks are simply objects based on partner information.
Convert to black halftone block. This is B, G, R
Minute data to Y, I, Q component data,
Extracts only Y data and converts it to monochrome halftone data
You. And the same as other original monochrome halftone blocks
The block boundary information (the block size)
Size, attribute data for each block, etc.)
It is converted to a lock and transmitted. As described above, according to the present invention, a color image
And a communication image for one communication including a monochrome image,
And whether the other party can process color images.
After converting the color image part to a monochrome image
Therefore, a communication image suitable for a communication partner can be transmitted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a data communication device of the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of image data. 4 shows an image area separation table. FIG. 5 is a flowchart of this embodiment. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a reception routine. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing automatic division of an image area. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing small block data. FIG. 9 is a flowchart of another embodiment. Explanation of reference numerals 10 reader 20 facsimile apparatus main body 30 CCU 40 line 21 reader / printer interface 22 ICU 23 PMEM 24 BMU 25 IMEM 26 VRAM 27 CPU 29 bus 50 hard disk device 51 floppy disk device 60 CRT 61 keyboard 62 mouse 70 Linter

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1.1 Dividing means for dividing a communication image for communication into a monochrome image and a color image, and generating means for generating information as to whether a communication partner can process the color image. A conversion unit configured to convert the color image into a monochrome image when the information generated by the generation unit indicates that the communication partner cannot process the color image; and data indicating the monochrome image converted by the conversion unit. And a transmitting means for transmitting the data to the communication partner. 2. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an adding unit configured to add, to the data, position information that specifies a position in the communication image of each of the monochrome image and the color image obtained by the division by the division unit. Data communication equipment. 3. 2. The data communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an adding unit for adding type information indicating each type of a monochrome image and a color image obtained by the division by the division unit to the data. 4.1 a dividing step of dividing a communication image for one communication into a monochrome image and a color image; a generating step of generating information as to whether a communication partner can process the color image; A conversion step of converting the color image into a monochrome image when the communication destination indicates that the color image cannot be processed; and transmitting the data indicating the monochrome image converted in the conversion step to the communication destination. And a data communication method.