JP3232623B2 - Image processing device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus for inputting image data from an input means, compressing and storing the image data, and expanding the compressed image data to output it to an image output device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the spread of personal computers and word processors, various and large amounts of image information to be subjected to processing such as copying in business in offices and the like have been increasing. Along with this, even in a copying machine that creates a copy of a document, it is needless to say that the quality of the image to be copied is further improved, and that a predetermined number of copies of the document are simply copied, In addition to enlarging or reducing image information for copying, various other functions have been required. This includes, for example, an electronic RDH that electronically performs a copying operation in a state where a plurality of documents are sorted by an arbitrary number of copies.
(Electronic Recirculating Document Handler)
Edit the original image so that the original image becomes a single booklet with the image of the original in a state where pages of the original are divided into two pages on one side of the recording paper. There is a bookbinding function for copying a document. In order to realize the bookbinding function, it is necessary to provide a type of combining function of arranging two images without overlapping in the sub-scanning direction on a recording sheet.

Conventionally, as a copying machine capable of realizing this kind of function, there is, for example, the following digital copying machine. That is, this digital copying machine converts an original into an ADF (Automat
By setting the document on an ic Document Feeder, the document is automatically and sequentially conveyed to the platen of the copying machine by the ADF, and the image of the document is read by a scanner, temporarily converted into a digital signal and stored. Then, the stored image information is read out and the IOT (Image Output) is read out.
(Terminal) to record an image and realize a document copying function.

In such a digital copying machine, when storing image information of a document read by a scanner, the informational redundancy of the image information of the document is compressed so that more image information can be stored. An image storage device that stores image information in a state where the amount of information is reduced is used.

This image storage device compresses image information read from a scanner by a compressor and then stores the compressed information in a large-capacity storage device such as a hard disk. At that time, the time required to store the image information in the storage device is approximately 1 megabyte / second, including the seek time, and the normal transfer speed of the image information sent from the compressor to the storage device. Since it is slower than about 10 megabytes / second, the image compressed by the compressor cannot be directly transferred to the storage device and stored. For this purpose, a buffer memory for temporarily storing image information in page units is provided between the compressor and the storage device, and the image information transferred from the compressor is temporarily stored in this buffer memory in page units. Then, the image information temporarily stored in the buffer memory is transferred to and stored in the storage device in synchronization with the storage device.

Thereafter, when the image information is taken out from the storage device, the image data is temporarily stored in the above-mentioned buffer memory in order to absorb the speed difference in the same manner. , Sequentially decrypted, and store the image by IOT.

A decompressor capable of processing an image at a higher speed than an IOT has a FIFO (First In) at an internal output stage.
Since an image is recorded by IOT, the decompressor intermittently proceeds in accordance with the state of the FIFO memory in order to absorb the speed difference between the decompressor and the IOT. , The control device performs continuous transfer from the FIFO memory according to the synchronization progress,
The OT is configured to record image information.

The above buffer memory has a certain amount of storage capacity in consideration of good synchronization, a difference in original size, and a change in the compression ratio of image information.
Alternatively, it is desirable that it is dedicated to input and output to the storage device. However, since an increase in the memory capacity directly leads to an increase in the cost of the entire apparatus, in practice, it is often implemented as a general-purpose, multipurpose common buffer memory by devising a method of managing the buffer memory. Therefore, the buffer memory is dynamically controlled by a plurality of jobs, and each job is managed so that a minimum necessary buffer memory is allocated each time.

In the above-described image storage device, when recording image information of a plurality of pages, that is, image information of a plurality of units, an object is to reduce a recording sheet required for each unit and a time required for each recording. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 2-7770 proposes an invention in which a plurality of units of image information are combined and recorded as one unit. Also, with the aim of improving operability and shortening the operation time, a copying machine with an image editing function for combining two documents into one by feeding a document using the ADF has been proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-169081. ing. A common feature of these two inventions is that the composite image is first developed on a memory inside the device and then the composite image is output.

[0010]

In principle, it is impossible to synthesize a plurality of pages of compressed code data output from an image compressor for compressing image information in a compressed state. Therefore, in order to combine image information of a plurality of pages already compressed and accumulated with image information of one page,
It is necessary to decompress a plurality of pieces of compressed code data to be combined and return them to readable image information, and perform the combining. For example, 2
When the above-described bookbinding function or the like for recording the image information of a page on one page is realized, the compression-encoded image information is temporarily taken out from a storage device to a buffer memory, transferred to a decompressor, and sequentially decoded. In order to combine the decoded image information, the image is developed on a newly secured buffer memory, combined with the next image, and the combined image information is transferred to a recording device and recorded. Configuration.

However, such uncompressed image information requires a large amount of information to obtain satisfactory image quality. For example, if it is assumed that each pixel is expressed by 400 pixels and each pixel has a resolution of 16 gradations, information of about 8 Mbytes is obtained for an A4 size document. As a result, a large capacity of the buffer memory is required, and the cost of the entire apparatus increases. Even if a large-capacity buffer memory is installed, if this function is executed, a large continuous area in the buffer memory is occupied in order to develop this image. Since the buffer memory cannot be used, the productivity of the entire system is greatly affected.

Accordingly, the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problem, and in order to realize the above-mentioned bookbinding function, expansion and combination of two pages of compressed code data read from a storage device are performed on a memory. Instead, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus capable of recording two pages of image information side by side in the sub-scanning direction on one page of recording paper.

[0013]

According to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, an input means 3 for inputting image data, and a storage for compressing the image data input by the input means 3 and storing the compressed data for each page, as shown in FIG. Means 6,7, output means 5,22 for expanding the compressed image data in the storage means 6,7 and outputting it to the image output device 20, input means 3, storage means 6,7 and output means 5,22 And control means 2 for controlling
The control means 2 reads out one page of compressed image data from the storage means 6 and 7 in synchronism with the page-by-page recording operation of the image output device 20, and decompresses and outputs the image data by the output means 5 and 22. Based on output mode setting information for arranging and recording a plurality of pages of images on one page of recording paper, the storage units 6 and 7 synchronize with the recording operation of each page of the image output device 20 for a plurality of pages. It is characterized in that compressed image data is continuously read out, and a plurality of images are output by expanding and outputting the output data by the output means 5 and 22.

In the image processing apparatus of the present invention, input means 3 for inputting image data, and storage means 6 and 7 for compressing the image data input by the input means 3 and storing the compressed data for each page.
And output means 5 and 22 for expanding the compressed image data in storage means 6 and 7 and outputting the decompressed image data to image output device 20, and control for controlling input means 3, storage means 6 and 7 and output means 5 and 22 The control means 2 reads out one page of compressed image data from the storage means 6 and 7 in synchronism with the page-by-page recording operation of the image output device 20 and decompresses the image data by the output means 5 and 22. Storage means 6 in synchronism with the page-by-page recording operation of the image output device 20, based on the normal output of the image output device 20 and the output mode setting information of arranging and recording a plurality of pages of images for each page of recording paper. 7, the compressed image data of a plurality of pages is continuously read out and output by the output means 5 and 22 to output a plurality of images. The expanded and decompressed image data is expanded on a memory. Like combining Even without sense, it is possible to image two pages is synthesized and outputted in parallel on one page of the recording sheet by simply sending successively the image data of two pages.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of an image processing apparatus according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, an image control device 1 inputs image data to an image reading device (scanner) 18 or a PC.
A multiplexer 3 for switching to any of external devices such as a FAX 17 and a facsimile, a compressor 4 for compressing input image data, a page buffer 6 for temporarily storing image data or compression code data obtained by compressing image data by the compressor 4. ,
A disk 7 serving as a large-capacity data storage memory, a decompressor 5 for decompressing compressed code data and restoring the original image data, and an interface circuit 22 for controlling the synchronization of image data sent from the decompressor 5 to the image output device 20 And a control circuit 2 for controlling the above circuits in the image control apparatus 1 and for controlling external devices connected to the image control apparatus.

The scanner 18 is an image reading device that reads a document by using, for example, a CCD sensor and inputs a document image. The scanner 18 performs offset adjustment and gain adjustment of a read signal to convert analog image data into digital image data. , Gap correction, shading correction and the like. Further, in the case of reading a color image, R
The image data of the three primary colors separated into (red), G (green), and B (blue) is extracted, and for example, EN
D (equivalent neutral density conversion), color masking, document size detection, color conversion, UCR (under color removal) and black generation,
It performs dot removal and edge enhancement, TRC (color tone correction control), reduction / enlargement processing, and editing processing. The ADF 19 is attached to the scanner 18 and automatically feeds a read original.

The PC 17 is an arbitrary personal computer, and has a graphic function, a CAD function,
The PC decomposer 16 develops code data created using a document creation function or the like into a bitmap that is readable image data for output. IOCP11 is P
C is an external device control circuit device including an image data input circuit 15, a page buffer 12, an image transfer circuit 14, and a control circuit 13. When image data input from the PC 17 is stored in the page buffer 12, the image transfer circuit 14
And the image data is transferred to the image control apparatus 1 as appropriate.

The image output device 20 can control the on / off of the laser beam for each pixel based on the binary data generated from the image data to reproduce a halftone image by a halftone dot. It is. The UI 21 is configured by a display, a control panel, and the like, and performs input of setting of various functions and editing and display output of the contents.

Next, what constitutes the image control device 1 will be described in detail below. The multiplexer 3 switches the input-side bus connected to the image bus 8 between the scanner image bus 9 and the IOCP image bus 10. The compressor 4 compresses image data by, for example, an adaptive predictive coding method, has a compression mode and a through mode, and determines whether to operate in the compression mode or the through mode according to an instruction from the control circuit 2. The determined compression operation is started in accordance with an instruction from the control circuit 2, and the completion thereof is notified to the control circuit 2.
The decompressor 5 restores the original image data before compression by decompressing the compressed code data in the decompression mode. The decompressor 5 has a decompression mode and a through mode. Whether to operate or to operate in the through mode is determined by the instruction of the control circuit 2, and the decompression operation is started by the instruction of the control circuit 2, and notifies the control circuit 2 of the end. The adaptive prediction encoding method is a method in which, for example, image data is simultaneously predicted by a plurality of predictors every eight pixels, and the predictor having the highest hit rate is used for prediction of the next eight pixels. The pixel signal

The predictor is continuously used as [0], and the pixel signal for which prediction has failed is replaced with [1], and the predictor used in a predetermined order is changed. On the other hand, the decompressor 5 restores the original image data using a plurality of types of inverse predictors.

The page buffer 6 has a storage capacity of at least one page of image data, temporarily stores write data of the disk 7 and data read from the disk 7, and stores image data for image output. Is temporarily stored without being written to the disk 7, and is used here for editing such as rewriting and replacement of image data by the control circuit 2.

The disk 7 is a large-capacity data storage memory for storing a large amount of compression-coded data that has been subjected to compression processing, and a disk controller HDC controls writing and reading. The data stored on the disk 7 includes binary and multi-valued image data and code data.
The code data is input from the IOCP image bus 10 through the multiplexer 3 and the compressor 4 without performing the bitmap processing in the PC decomposer 16, for example. Therefore, in this case, the compressor 4 enters the through mode.

The interface circuit 22 is an output control means for transferring the image data expanded by the expander 5 to the image output device 20. The interface circuit 22 converts the image data expanded by the expander 5 into a bookbinding function (page continuous shooting function). Represents image data of two pages as image data of one page;
It is sent continuously in synchronization with 0.

The control circuit 2 includes a scanner 18 connected to the image control device 1 and an ADF attached to the scanner 18.
19, cooperate with the image output device 20, the UI 21 and the like,
This is a system controller that integrates and controls each circuit and element of the image control device 1.

According to the configuration of the image control apparatus 1, when the compressor 4 is in the compression mode and the decompressor 5 is in the decompression mode, the image data input from the multiplexer 3 is 1/5 to 1/1.
The compressed code data compressed to 10 can be stored in the page buffer 6 and further stored on the disk 7. The stored compressed code data can be repeatedly read out, decompressed and restored to the original image data, and sent to the image output device 20. be able to. When the number of originals is one, when the compressor 4 and the decompressor 5 are set to the through mode, the input image data can be sent to the image output device 20 as it is, and the image data is stored in the page buffer 6 at the same time. Data 1
The image data can be repeatedly sent from the page buffer 6 to the image output device 20 simply by inputting the image data twice. Further, the code data of the PC 17 may be stored in the page buffer 6 and stored in the disk 7 as described above by setting the compressor 4 to the through mode, or the image data once stored in the page buffer 6 may be compressed. The compressed data is decompressed by the decompressor 4 and decompressed and decompressed by the decompressor 5 and re-stored in the page buffer 6, and the image data stored in the page buffer 6 is edited and re-compressed by the control circuit 2 and the UI 21. It may be configured as follows.

Next, the operation of normal output and two-image output by the image processing apparatus of the present invention will be described. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining data output control of each region in the case of normal output, FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining data output control of each region in the case of two-image output (bookbinding function), and FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram for describing control of an image data output system.

In the bookbinding function of the image processing apparatus of the present invention, image data of one page is printed on one sheet of paper as shown in FIG. 2 under the control of the interface circuit without performing synthesis processing of image data on the memory. As shown in FIG. 3, two images can be output by combining two pages of image information on one sheet as shown in FIG. 3, while expanding and outputting image data from a decompressor in the same manner as normal output. is there.

The outline of the data output operation in the case of the normal output and the two-image output will be described with reference to FIG. 4. First, when the control circuit 2 recognizes that the operator has input a job request from the UI, the control circuit 2 outputs the job. Start the system operation according to the request. When this job is a normal output, an area for one page of compressed code data is secured in the page buffer 6, and when this job is output, two pages of compressed code data are secured in the page buffer 6. Then, the desired compression code data is transferred from the disk 7 and stored. Thereafter, the control circuit 2 instructs the decompressor 5 to start decompression of the compressed code data, and outputs an image in which the compressed code data is decompressed in each area in the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction. To control the interface circuit 22 to send image data to the image output device 20. The interface circuit 22 includes a white data generation circuit 2 for outputting, as a white background, an area outside the output area of the image obtained by expanding the compressed code data in each of the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction.
2 ', the image data decompressed by the decompressor 5 and the white data generated by the white data generation circuit 22' are selected according to the area and sent to the image output device 20.

For this purpose, the control circuit 2 sends a signal to the interface circuit 22 shown in FIG.
In the case of two-image output,
'And' are set, and the interface circuit 22 starts and ends in the sub-scanning direction according to these values.
Between the pages of image output, white data is selected and output in a predetermined area at the beginning and end of each scan in the main scanning direction, and is output from the decompressor 5 in the shaded area enclosed by ~, ~, and '~'. Control is performed to select and output image data.

Further, the configuration and operation of the interface circuit 22 will be described. FIG. 5 shows the interface circuit 2
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a specific configuration example of FIG. 2, FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an operation in the case of normal output, FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an operation in the case of two-image output, and FIG.
It is a figure for explaining operation of.

In FIG. 5, a counter 301 counts the number of data points (number of pixels) in the main scanning direction, and a counter 304 counts the number of data points (number of lines) in the sub-scanning direction. The register 302
The start position for sending out the expanded image data from the expander 5 in the main scanning direction, that is, the value shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is set. The register 303 stores the expanded image data from the expander 5 in the main scanning direction. The end position where image data is stopped, that is, the value shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is set. The registers 305 and 306 are also provided with a start position and an end position for sending out the expanded image data from the expander 5 in the sub-scanning direction, that is, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG.
'And' are set. Comparator 3
07 and 308 are a counter 301 and a register 3 respectively.
02, the counter 301 and the register 303 are compared, the comparators 309 and 310 compare the counter 304 and the register 305, and the counter 304 and the register 306, respectively. The flip-flop 311 is set by the coincidence output of the comparator 307, 308
And the flip-flop 312
Are set by the coincidence output of the comparator 309 and reset by the coincidence output of the comparator 310. The multiplexer 314 is connected to the flip-flop 31
When the AND circuit 313 satisfies the AND condition in the set state, the image data from the expander 5 is selected by the output of the AND circuit 313 and sent to the image output device 20.

According to the interface circuit 22, the counter 301 counts the video clock of the pixel unit in the main scanning direction synchronized with the image output device 20 and is reset by a horizontal synchronization signal line by line. 311 is set and reset. Similarly, the counter 304 counts, for example, the rise or fall of the flip-flop 311 and is reset by a horizontal synchronization signal that completes image recording of one sheet, during which the flip-flop 312 is set and reset. If all of the flip-flops 311, 312 are in the set state, the multiplexer 314 selects the image data from the decompressor 5, and if at least one of the flip-flops 311, 312 is in the reset state, the multiplexer 314 outputs Since the white data of the data generation circuit 22 'is selected, the data shown in FIGS.
When 'and' are set in each register, the image data from the decompressor 5 can be output in the hatched area in the figure, and the white data can be output in other areas.

Next, the operations of the normal output and the two-image output and the operation of the interface circuit 22 will be described with reference to FIGS. In the case of the normal output shown in FIG. 2, the operator first inputs a job request from the UI in the control circuit 2 as shown in FIG. 6 (step S30).
0), the operation of the system is started in accordance with the request of the job, an area for one page of compressed code data is secured in the page buffer 6, and the desired compressed code data is transferred from the disk 7 and stored. (Step S3
01). After that, the registers 302, 303, 305, 3
06 is set as shown in FIG.
The decompressor 5 is started (steps S302 to S304).
Then, the image output ends when the image decompression ends (steps S305 and S306).

In the case of the two-image output shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7, in the control circuit 2, first, the operator
Upon recognizing that a job request has been input from step I (step S400), the operation of the system is started in accordance with the job request, and areas for the compressed code data of two images A and B are secured in the page buffer 6. The desired compressed code data is transferred from the disk 7 and stored (step S40).
1). Thereafter, the registers 302, 303, 305, 3
06 is set as shown in FIG. 3, and the image output device 20 is activated by a feed instruction of the recording paper in which the length of the image information to be output in the sub-scanning direction is doubled.
The decompressor 5 that starts the decompression operation of the compressed code data is started at a timing inside the image control device 1 in time for the image output timing to the image output device 20 (steps S402 to S404). When the output of image data from the decompressor 5 is started in external synchronization with the image output device 20,
The restored image A is output on recording paper, and the image A
When the decompression process is completed, the first half of the recording paper is recorded. Waiting for the completion of the expansion of the first image A, the registers 305 and 306 are reset to the positions shown in FIG.
', The decompressor 5 is restarted, and the decompression of the image B is started continuously (steps S405 to S407). As a result, the image B is recorded on the second half of the recording paper continuously from the image A of the first half of the recording paper. Then, the image output is completed by the completion of the expansion of the second image B (steps S408 and S409). At this point, the image B has been recorded on the second half of the recording sheet. Thus, in the case of the two-image output shown in FIG. 3, when the value exceeds the value in the sub-scanning direction, the register 305 is rewritten from the value shown in FIG. The control of the interface circuit can be realized by rewriting from the value of to.

For each of the above operations, the interface circuit 22 activates the output device as shown in FIG. 8 (step S5).
01), the counter 301 is counted up by the video clock (step S502), and the value of the counter 301 is compared with the value of the register 302, and if they match, the output of the flip-flop 311 is changed from "L" to "H". afterwards,
The value of the counter 301 is compared with the value of the register 303 and if they match, the output of the flip-flop 311 is changed from “H” →
The counter 304 is set to "L" and counted up (steps S503 to S507). And the counter 304
Similarly, the comparison processing with the registers 305 and 306 and the control of the flip-flop 312 are performed (steps S508 to S511). As described above, the counter 301 is reset every line, and the counter 30 is reset.
4 is reset by the end of the image output in FIGS.

As described above, when the job instruction from the UI 21 is the above-described bookbinding function or the like that outputs two pages of image information in A4 horizontal direction to one page of A3 recording paper,
After securing the area of the page buffer 6, the control circuit 2
A4: The compressed code data for outputting two pages in the horizontal direction is transferred from the disk 7 to the page buffer 6. At this time, the compressed code data stored in the page buffer 6 does not need to be particularly adjacent areas. Therefore, instead of securing a large area at once, the area of the compressed code data of the image A is first secured in the page buffer 6 and read from the disk 7, and then the area of the compressed code data of the image B is stored in the page buffer. For example, the area having the necessary capacity may be secured immediately before reading the area, such as securing the area at 6 and reading from the disk 7. Moreover, two pages of image information can be output on one page of recording paper without expanding the restored image information in the buffer memory.

[0037]

As described above, according to the present invention, the transfer of image data to the image output device is controlled, and the transfer of the image data is continuously performed.
Since a two-image output mode in which the compressed code data of the page is decompressed and the image data is sent to the image output device in synchronization with the recording operation of one page is executed, a buffer memory is not required for synthesizing the image of two pages. Is also good. Therefore, two pages of image information can be combined and output in parallel on one page of recording paper without imposing a large load on the buffer memory. An advantage is provided that an image processing apparatus equipped with the above-described bookbinding function and the like can be provided at a low cost.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of an image processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining data output control of each area in the case of normal output.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining data output control of each area in the case of two-image output (bookbinding function).

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining control of an image data output system.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a specific configuration example of an interface circuit 22.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an operation in the case of a normal output.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining an operation in the case of outputting two images.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining an operation of the interface circuit 22;

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image control apparatus, 2 ... Control circuit, 3 ... MPX (multiplexer), 4 ... Compressor, 5 ... Decompressor, 6 ... Page buffer, 7 ... Hard disk, 8 ... Image bus, 9 ... Scanner image bus, 10 ... IOCP image bus, 11 ... IOCP
(Input / Output Coprocessor), 12: IOCP page buffer, 13: IOCP control circuit, 14: Image transfer circuit, 15: PC data input circuit, 16: PC decomposer, 17: PC (personal computer), 18
... Scanner, 19 ... ADF (Auto Document Termina)
l), 20 ... Image output device (IOT Image Output T)
erminal), 21 ... UI (User Interface), 201 ...
Input device, 202: compressor, 203: buffer memory,
204: storage device, 205: decompressor, 206: output device, 207: control device

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An input unit for inputting image data; a storage unit for compressing the image data input by the input unit and storing the compressed image data for each page; and an image obtained by expanding the compressed image data in the storage unit. Output means for outputting to an output device, and control means for controlling the input means, the storage means and the output means, wherein the control means stores the data in synchronization with a page-by-page recording operation of the image output device. Means for reading out one page of compressed image data from the means and expanding and outputting the data by the output means, and output mode setting information for arranging and recording a plurality of pages of images for each page of recording paper. A plurality of pages of compressed image data are continuously read from the storage means in synchronism with a page-by-page recording operation of the image output device, and are decompressed and output by the output means. An image processing apparatus for outputting a plurality of images.