JP3014723B2 - Image processing device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus applied to a digital copying machine, an image scanner, and the like.

[Conventional technology]

An image processing apparatus that stores digitized image data in a page memory and performs image processing (various correction and processing) by software is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-179662.

In this technique, since all image processing is performed by software, the degree of freedom of processing is high, and desired processing can be obtained. However, a means for storing image data for one document is required, which is extremely costly. In addition, the image processing speed depends on the capacity of the CPU, and an ultra-high-speed CPU is required to ensure real-time processing, and both hardware and software have the disadvantage of increasing costs.

In order to make up for the disadvantage of the prior art, which increases the cost, a technique of implementing image processing in hardware and performing processing in a fixed order has been proposed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-215165.

In this technology, for example, black-and-white reversal processing is performed by passing image data through inverter logic, and shading processing is performed by taking a logical sum of half-tone data generated from a main scanning and sub-scanning address counter and image data. Performed by

Thus, the storage means may be only the image data storage means for several main scanning lines, and a CPU dedicated to image processing is not required, so that the cost can be reduced accordingly.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in the above-described related art, since the order of image processing is fixed by hardware, a desired processing result may not be obtained when performing a plurality of processings simultaneously. For example, when performing full black and white reversal and masking in an area (area is designated by an editor / marker pen or the like) at the same time, reversing as shown in FIG. When processing is performed in the reverse order, the obtained image is different. Further, as the number of processing elements increases to three, four, etc., the expected image types increase, and there is a problem that an image different from an image fixed by hardware may not be obtained even when expected. .

The present invention solves the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art, reduces the size of the storage means and reduces the cost by omitting a dedicated CPU, and maintains the flexibility and real-time processing order of image processing, and appropriately performs scaling and processing. It is an object to provide an image processing device capable of performing processing.

[Means for solving the problem]

An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus for reading a document image and performing image processing on the read document image, wherein the document image is read electrically in a main scanning direction and read by a scanning mechanism in a sub-scanning direction. A reading means for outputting a signal and changing the scanning speed to change the magnification in the sub-scanning direction; a magnification changing means for electrically changing the image signal from the reading means in the main scanning direction; A plurality of processing modules including at least two processing modules that are provided in series so as to perform a plurality of types of image processing on the image signal from the magnification unit and perform the same type of image processing, and an output side of the processing module. The image signal before input to each processing module and the image signal after output from the processing module are sequentially selected to change the order of image processing, and the image from the scaling unit is changed. It is achieved by providing a selector for switching No. paths.

[Action]

With this configuration, the image processing order of a plurality of processing modules that perform different image processing can be changed by switching the image signal path by the selector. At this time, since the processing module is provided on the output side of the scaling means, scaling and processing can be performed appropriately.

〔Example〕

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

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a digital copying machine to which the present invention is applied.

The copying machine main body (I) includes a scanner unit, a writing unit, a photoconductor unit, a developing unit, a paper feeding unit, and the like. Hereinafter, the units directly related to the present invention will be mainly described.

First, the scanner section will be described. A first mirror equipped with a reflecting mirror 1, a first mirror 2, and a light source 3 and moving at a constant speed;
It has a scanner and a second scanner equipped with the second mirror 4 and the third mirror 5 and moving following the first scanner at half the speed of the first scanner. This first
The original (not shown) on the contact glass 9 is optically scanned by the scanner and the second scanner, and the reflected image is guided to the lens 7 via the color filter 6 and forms an image on the one-dimensional solid-state imaging device 8. Is done.

A fluorescent lamp, a halogen lamp, or the like is used as the light source 3, and a fluorescent lamp is generally used because the wavelength is stable and the life is long. In this embodiment, the reflecting mirror 1 is attached to one light source 3, but two or more light sources 3 may be used. Since the solid-state imaging device 8 has a fixed sampling clock, the fluorescent lamp has an adverse effect on the image unless it is turned on at a higher frequency.

As the solid-state imaging device 8, a CCD is generally used. Since the image signal read by the solid-state imaging device 8 is an analog value, it is subjected to analog / digital (A / D) conversion, and various image processing (binary or multi-valued, gradation processing, (Scaling processing, editing, etc.), and converted into a digital signal as a set of spots.

In this embodiment, in order to obtain color image information, a color filter 6 that transmits only necessary color information is provided in the middle of the optical path guided from the document to the solid-state image sensor 8 so as to be able to enter and exit. The color filter 6 is moved in and out in accordance with the scanning of the document, and functions such as multiple transfer and double-sided copy are operated each time, so that various types of copies can be created.

Next, the writing unit will be described. The image information after image processing is written on the photosensitive drum 40 in the form of a set of light points by raster scanning of laser light in an optical writing unit.

A He-Ne laser was used as a laser light source. The wavelength of this He-Ne laser is 633 nm, which has been used because it matches well with the sensitivity of conventional photocopiers. However, the laser light source itself is very expensive and the equipment cannot be directly modulated, which makes the equipment complicated. It has problems such as becoming.

In recent years, semiconductor lasers that can be directly modulated at low cost have been used due to the increase in sensitivity in the long wavelength region of photoconductors. This semiconductor laser is also used in this embodiment.

 FIG. 9 is a plan view showing the writing section.

The laser light emitted from the semiconductor laser 20 is converted into a parallel light beam by the collimator lens 21 and shaped into a light beam of a fixed shape by the aperture 32. The shaped laser light is
The light enters the polygon mirror 24 in a form compressed in the sub-scanning direction by the first cylinder lens 22. This polygon mirror 24
Is an accurate polygon, and is rotated at a constant speed in a constant direction by a polygon motor 25 (see FIG. 8). This rotation speed is determined by the rotation speed of the photosensitive drum 40, the writing density, and the number of surfaces of the polygon mirror 24.

The reflected light of the laser light incident on the polygon mirror 24 is deflected by the rotation of the mirror 24. The deflected laser light sequentially enters the fθ lenses 26a, 26b, 26c. fθ
The lenses 26a, 26b, and 26c convert the scanning light having a constant angular velocity so as to scan the photosensitive drum 40 at a constant speed.
An image is formed so as to have a minimum light spot on the top, and a surface tilt correction mechanism is also provided.

The laser light that has passed through the fθ lenses 26a, 26b and 26c is guided to the synchronization detection sensor 30 by the synchronization detection mirror 29 outside the image area, and a synchronization signal as a cue signal in the main scanning direction is output. One line of image data is output after a certain period of time from the detection of the synchronization signal, and thereafter, this operation is repeated to form one image.

Reference numeral 40 denotes a photosensitive drum, around which a charging charger 41 and two developing devices 42 for performing multifunctional color copying are provided.
a, 42b, a transfer charger 44, a separation charger 45, a cleaning blade 47, and the like. Reference numerals 60a, 60b, and 60c denote paper cassettes, and reference numerals 111a, 111b to 111x denote sorter trays. The mechanism and operation of these sorters are the same as those of a known digital copying machine, and thus description thereof is omitted.

FIGS. 10 and 11 are block diagrams of the control circuit of the entire copying machine, and both figures are obtained by dividing one block diagram.
There is an overlapping portion in the central processing unit CPU (a) 100, and when these figures are connected at that portion, one overall block diagram is obtained.

The control unit of the copier has two CPUs.
(A) 100 controls a sequence, and CPU (b) 101 controls an operation. CPU
(A) 100 and the CPU (b) 101 are connected by a serial interface.

Here, the sequence control will be described. The sequence controls the timing of paper transport,
Driver 1 such as paper size sensor 102, sensor 103 related to paper conveyance such as paper ejection detection and registration detection, double-sided unit 104, high voltage power supply unit 105, relay, solenoid, motor, etc.
06, 107, 108, a sorter unit 109, a laser beam scanner unit 110, an analog detection input and the like are connected.

As a mechanism for adjusting the power of the laser diode to be constant, an A / D converter 112 and an analog input of a CPU are used. This is controlled so that the monitor voltage when the laser diode is turned on matches the preset reference voltage.

The image control circuit 113 generates timing signals such as masking, trimming, erasing, and photo sensor patterns, counts on signals of the laser diode, and sends video signals (VDATA0 to 3) to the laser diode.

The gate array 114 synchronizes an image signal continuously transmitted in 2-bit parallel (in binary) and 8-bit parallel (in multi-value) from the scanner with a synchronization signal PMSYNC from the laser beam scanner unit 110, Furthermore, a 4-bit serial signal (ODATA0) synchronized with the image writing signal RGATE
To 3) and output to the image control circuit.

FIG. 3 is a circuit block diagram of the image processing apparatus according to the present invention.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 200 denotes a document, 201 denotes a contact glass, and 202 denotes an illumination lamp. And CCD image sensor 203
An analog image signal output from the A / D converter is amplified by an analog signal processing circuit 204 and converted into a digital multi-level signal (for example, 6-bit or 8-bit) by an A / D converter 205. This signal is further subjected to shading correction by a correction processing circuit 206,
In response to corrections such as black offset correction, moiré removal, and edge enhancement, the scaling circuit 207 electrically changes the magnification in the main scanning direction. The magnification in the sub-scanning direction is performed in a scanning mechanism by changing the speeds of the first and second scanners in FIG. 8 when reading the original. The signal after scaling is subjected to various kinds of processing by an image processing circuit 208. The types of processing include, for example, black-and-white reversal, masking / trimming, shading / netting, hollowing, italic, and gradation. Among these, examples of image processing circuits for black-and-white inversion, masking / trimming, and shading / shading are shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, respectively.
After the processing, the signal is processed by a binary / multi-level processing unit 209 to obtain a signal.
The data is digitized or multi-valued (on / off of the laser of the printer unit and coding for modulating the phase, power, etc.) and sent to the printer unit.

In FIG. 4, reference numeral 210 denotes an inverter.

In FIG. 5, reference numeral 211 denotes an area signal generation circuit;
Is an AND gate for performing masking and trimming by ANDing the image signal and the area signal.

Further, in FIG. 6, reference numeral 213 denotes a net pattern generation circuit;
Numeral 14 denotes an OR gate, which performs shading on the image signal and the OR of the halftone pattern, thereby realizing netting.

As shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 5, and FIG. 6, each processing circuit in the image processing circuit 208 is a single module having, for example, an input and output of a 6 or 8 bit image signal. Can be caught.

FIG. 7 shows that each of the above-mentioned processing circuits is integrated into one processing module 21.
Shown as 5.

In the present embodiment, at least one image processing module among a plurality of types of processing modules 215 for performing a specific image processing is arranged at least at two or more different positions on an image signal path, so that the processing order can be freely determined. Have a degree.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a processing module portion which is a main part of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and performs image processing (2) at the next stage of the processing module 215a for performing image processing (1). A processing module 215b is arranged, and a processing module 215c for performing image processing (1) again is arranged next to the processing module 215b. Then, selectors 216a, 216b, 216c for selecting either the output A or the output B of the preceding stage are provided on the output side of each processing module 215a, 215b, 215c, respectively.

For example, when processing is performed in the order of image processing (1) → image processing (2), the selector 216a is set to the A side and the selector 216b
Is selected on the A side, and the selector 216c is selected on the B side, the image signal becomes the processing module 215a → the processing module 21
Since the image is output in the path of 5b, the processing is executed in the order of image processing (1) → image processing (2).

Conversely, when processing is performed in the order of image processing (2) → image processing (1), the selector 216a is moved to the B side and the selectors 216b, 216b
If 16c is selected on the A side, the image signal is output in the path of the processing module 215b → the processing module 215c, so that the processing is performed in the order of the image processing (2) → the image processing (1). .

FIG. 2 shows an example in the case where the number of processing modulo rules 215a, 215b, 215c, 215d increases, and the operation is the same as described above.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, on the output side of the scaling unit, the processing modules for performing the same image processing are arranged at a plurality of different positions on the image signal path, and the image signal path is switched by the selector. Since the image processing order can be changed, when performing a plurality of image processings simultaneously, a desired processed image can be obtained, and scaling and processing can be appropriately performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 and 2 are block diagrams of a processing module portion which is a main part of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a circuit block diagram of the entire image processing apparatus.
5 and 6 are circuit diagrams showing an example of an image processing circuit, FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a processing module for performing a plurality of image processing, and FIGS. 8 to 11 are general diagrams to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 8 is an overall configuration diagram, FIG. 9 is a plan view of a laser writing system, FIGS. 10 and 11 are circuit block diagrams of a whole control unit, and FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the defect of the conventional example when the order of a process is different. 203: CCD image sensor, 204: Analog signal processing circuit, 205: A / D converter, 206: Correction processing circuit, 207:
… Magnification circuit, 208… image processing circuit, 215… processing module, 216 …… selector.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An image processing apparatus for reading a document image and performing image processing on the read document image, wherein the document image is electrically read in a main scanning direction and read by a scanning mechanism in a sub-scanning direction. Reading means for outputting an image signal and changing the scanning speed to change the magnification in the sub-scanning direction; and changing the image signal from the reading means electrically in the main scanning direction. A plurality of processing modules including at least two processing modules that are provided in series so as to perform a plurality of types of image processing on the image signal from the scaling unit and perform the same type of image processing; and an output side of the processing module. The image signal before input to each processing module and the image signal after output from each processing module are sequentially selected to change the order of image processing, and the image from the scaling means is changed. An image processing apparatus, comprising: a selector for switching an image signal path.