JP3297448B2 - Image processing apparatus and image processing method - 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 and method, for example, by analyzing codes and instructions that define documents and images laid out on a host computer,
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method for optimally processing a vectorized portion such as a document or an illustration and a multi-value raster image data portion such as a natural image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, based on codes and instructions defined to represent documents, images, and the like created and converted on a computer, these are analyzed inside a printer to develop an image suitable for the resolution of the printer. The number of printer systems for performing and outputting has increased.

[0003]

However, in such a printer system, a command image data portion, such as a document or illustration, in a PDL code which is a code or an instruction that defines a document or image created for a printer, and a command, are used. However, since the same processing was performed on a multi-value raster image data portion such as a natural image, it was not possible to perform synthesis by processing optimal for generating each image. For example, multi-valued raster image data is, for example, 2
Since processing such as conversion into value data and buffering in a page memory was performed, there was a problem that image quality was degraded.

In processing the above-described raster multivalued data and the command image data portion, if both are processed in accordance with the resolution of the raster multivalued data and the capacity of the image data, the image quality can be improved. The method has a problem that the configuration of the entire system is complicated and the data processing speed is reduced.

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus and an image processing method in view of such a problem.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an image processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a first input unit for inputting input page description language data, and the first input unit. Analysis and separation means for analyzing input page description language data to separate a command related to vector information, a command related to first raster image data, and the first raster image data, and separation by the analysis separation means An interpreter unit that performs expansion processing based on a command related to vector information; a second input unit that inputs raster image data different from the first raster image data at a different timing from the data in the page description language; The first raster image data separated by the analysis separation unit and the raster image data from the second input unit And selecting raster image data to be replaced from the first raster image data stored in the raster image storage unit and the second raster image data stored in the raster image storage unit. Selecting means for selecting raster image data to replace the raster image data to be replaced from raster image data from the input means, and wherein the raster image data to be replaced is replaced with the raster image data to be replaced. Synthesizing means for reading the replacement raster image data from the raster image storage unit and synthesizing the image data with the image data expanded by the interpreter unit so as to obtain an expanded image of the page description language data, It is characterized by having.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing method comprising: a first input step of inputting data of an input page description language; and a page description input in the first input step. An analysis / separation step of analyzing language data to separate a command relating to vector information, a command relating to first raster image data, and the first raster image data, and a command relating to vector information separated in the analysis / separation step A rasterizing process based on the first and second raster image data; a second inputting process for inputting raster image data different from the first raster image data at a timing different from the page description language data; Raster image capable of storing a plurality of the first raster image data separated in step 2 and the raster image data input in the second input step A storage step of storing the raster image data to be replaced from the first raster image data stored in the raster image storage section, and selecting the second raster image data stored in the raster image storage section. A selection step of selecting raster image data to replace the raster image data to be replaced from among the raster image data from the input means, and wherein the raster image data to be replaced is replaced with the raster image data to be replaced. Reading the replacement raster image data from the raster image storage unit so as to obtain a developed image of the page description language data,
And a synthesizing step of synthesizing and outputting the image data expanded in the expansion processing step.

[0008]

Embodiment 1 Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a color image forming and outputting system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the system of this embodiment has a digital color image reading section (hereinafter referred to as a "color scanner") at the top. 100), a digital color copier 1000 including a digital color image printing unit (hereinafter referred to as a color printer) 300 for printing and outputting a digital color image, an image storage / synthesizing apparatus 200, and a control computer 400. Is done.

FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the digital color copying machine.

In the scanner 100, the scanner controller 101 is the center of control and performs the following control.

The exposure system controller 103 separates the original on the original table for each of R, G, and B colors using a contact type CCD line sensor and converts it into a point-sequential analog image signal. This analog image signal is converted by the A / D converter into 8 colors.
RG which is converted to a digital image signal of
Each of the B colors is output as a line-sequential signal. This image signal (digital) is converted by the image processing unit 102 from the luminance levels of R, G, and B to levels corresponding to the toner amounts of the four colors of C, M, Y, and Bk, which are the densities. Then, at the same time, the color correction unit in the image processing unit 102 calculates and performs various image processing such as synthesis, scaling, and movement.

In the printer 300, the digital image signals of C, M, Y, and Bk sent from the scanner 100 are converted into the lighting signals of the semiconductor laser unit, and the laser is controlled by the laser drive unit 310. The laser lighting signal is output as a pulse width corresponding to the level of the digital image signal. The laser lighting level is 256 levels (corresponding to 8 bits). In accordance with the digital image signal to be output, the color image is sequentially exposed and developed 314 to the photosensitive drum 315 in a digital dot format for each color of CMYK, and is transferred 316 to a plurality of sheets.
Finally, an electrophotographic laser beam printer that fixes 322 is provided.

The color scanner 100 and the color printer 300 can control the color printer 300 under the control of the color scanner 100 to function as the digital color copier 1000.

An original image is set on an original platen of the color scanner 100, a copy start key is pressed, an image is read from the color scanner according to the above-described process, and exposure, development, and transfer are performed by the image processing color printer 300. ,
An image is formed and output through a fixing process.

FIG. 3 shows a control host computer 400.
The structure of is shown.

The host computer 400 includes an interface controller 420 for exchanging codes / commands of PDL data with the image storage / synthesizing apparatus 200,
A CPU for central control, for example, a RISC CPU 405 for processing RISC, temporary registration of image data,
Hard disk controller 4 for storing various data
50, a hard disk 451, a main memory 460, and a mouse 431, a keyboard 441, a color display 412 for layout / editing / menu display, and a display memory 41 as means for inputting instructions from an operator.
1, a display controller 410, and an image editing controller 413 that performs image layout and editing on the display memory 411.

FIG. 4 shows the image storage / synthesis apparatus 20 shown in FIG.
Indicates 0.

This apparatus is roughly divided into a main controller 210 for controlling the entire image storage / synthesizing apparatus 200.
And PDL (Page / Description / La)
command data in the PDL data (data other than the raster image), a PDL / raster image separation controller 500 for separating the raster image data, and analysis / image of the command data of the separated PDL data PDL interpreter unit 600 for developing and image input scanner 100 for inputting an image
And the separated multi-valued raster image data and its position / attribute information, and the color multi-valued raster image data from the image input unit 100 and its position / attribute information are stored / managed and laid out. , Raster image storage unit 70
0, a PDL raster / raster image synthesizing controller 800 for synthesizing a PDL raster image developed on the basis of the separated data and another multi-valued image data as an image created on the computer 400.
And divided into

The interface includes an external interface controller 220 for exchanging PDL commands / codes with the control host computer 400, and a color digital interface controller for exchanging image data and commands with the digital color copier 1000. There are 230.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of the PDL interpreter section 600.

The PDL main controller 610 includes a PD
It receives a PDL vector (non-raster image data) system command sent from the L / raster image separation controller 500 and temporarily registers the command in the buffer memory 630. Then, the PDL main controller 610 develops the PDL command into an image on the PDL raster image memory 640 based on the analysis information from the ROM 631. If a character is specified by the PDL command at the time of the image development, the font data of the outline is extracted from the ROM 650 storing the outline font data, the font image is temporarily registered to the specified size, and the PDL raster image memory is stored. Fit the image at the specified position above. In this embodiment, when the font of the same code is specified again, the RAM 63
By using the already registered font image of No. 2, it is possible to reduce the development time. Finally, the image information specified by the PDL is developed in the PDL raster image memory 640.

The PDL raster image memory 640 may store either binary data or multi-valued data.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of the raster image storage unit 700 of FIG.

The raster image storage unit 700 is capable of storing a plurality of color images, and the stored image data is read out at each memory in order to perform a plurality of layouts in accordance with an instruction from the control computer 400. , And are combined to produce a color printer 30
0, and a color print image can be obtained.

At this time, the color image data is input to the control computer 400 and the color scanner 100 as input destinations.
Can be arbitrarily switched by a command from the control computer 400.

The image data and instructions of the control computer 400 and the image storage / synthesis device 200 are based on a specific format.

The raster image storage unit 700 includes an image controller 710 for controlling color raster image data.
A memory management controller 720 for efficiently arranging and managing color raster image data in a plurality of registered raster image memories 760-761, and an image for performing image conversion relating to the color of the registered image data An editing controller 730 and a layout controller 750 for performing layout editing are mainly configured.

In addition, there is a bus controller 740 for controlling the raster image memory 760 and the main bus of the image storage / synthesizing apparatus 200. Further, the layout controller 760 can perform a plurality of layouts in one page. In response to an instruction from the controller 710, it operates in conjunction with the bus controller 740, and can transmit a plurality of laid-out images to the PDL raster / raster image synthesis controller 800 shown in FIG.

The operation procedure of the color image forming / outputting system having the above configuration will be described below with reference to FIG.

(A) Processing on Host Computer On the computer 400 of FIG.
Top publishing software is loaded onto the main memory 460 from the hard disk 451 shown in FIG. 3 and executed by the CPU 405. The user uses the mouse 431 and the keyboard 441 to lay out a document and various types of image data (illustrations formed by vectors / natural images captured by a scanner or the like). Note that such a layout is performed directly while checking on the display 412. The image editing controller 413 registers the processing procedure / image data and the like of an arbitrary document image created during that time on the main memory 460 as needed.
When the page format is completed, the hard disk controller 450 is controlled and registered as one page format on the hard disk 451.

During this time, the document image developed on the display memory 411 is thereby displayed on the display 41.
2, and at the time of final completion, various information of the laid out document image on the hard disk is defined by the CPU 405 by the device driver software in the ROM by the PDL (Page) which defines the laid out document or image.・ Descriptio
n · Language) code.

The PDL code thus converted includes vector-based information such as characters and illustrations and raster image data such as a laid-out natural image.

Here, the computer 400 communicates with the interface controller 420 with the external interface controller 220 in the image storage / synthesis apparatus 200 shown in FIG. 4 and transfers the PDL code to the image storage / synthesis apparatus 200 side. .

(B) Separation of PDL Data In the image storage / synthesis apparatus 200, the transferred PDL code is stored in the buffer memory 240 as needed. When the accumulated amount reaches a certain size, the main controller 210 sends the PDL / raster image separation controller 5
00 is instructed to separate and analyze the PDL code stored in the buffer memory.

PDL / raster image separation controller 50
0 determines the content of the PDL code line by line. If the command is not a command related to raster image data (vector system), the PDL code is sent to the PDL interpreter 600 as it is. The information of the raster image data in the layout position of the image, the image size, the number of bits per pixel, and the transfer order of the raster data is analyzed from the PDL code, and the information is transferred to the raster image storage unit 700. Further, the entity of the raster image data sent subsequent to the above-mentioned raster PDL code is read from the PDL code, and only the raster image data is read in the image size / size of the previously sent image.
Following the information such as the position, the data is transferred to the raster image storage unit 700.

Here, the raster command and parameters of the separated PDL and the substance of the raster image are stored in the raster image storage unit 70 by the PDL / raster image separation controller 500.
It is sent only to 0 and not sent to the PDL interpreter. As a result, the PDL interpreter 600 develops the PDL image with an image excluding the raster image. At this time, in the present embodiment, all the PDL interpreter sections are image-developed as binary data.

(C) Processing of PDL (Non-Raster Image System) Data The PDL main controller 610 receives a PDL vector (non-raster image data) system command sent from the PDL / raster image separation controller 500, The command is temporarily registered on the buffer memory 630 shown in FIG. And the PDL main controller 6
Reference numeral 10 denotes a PDL raster image memory 64 based on the received PDL command based on the analysis information from the ROM 631.
Image development on 0. If the character is specified by the PDL command at the time of the image development, the font data of the outline information is extracted from the outline font ROM 650 and developed into the font image of the designated size, and the developed font image is temporarily registered in the RAM 632. The image is set at the designated position on the PDL raster image memory. As described above, when the font of the same code is specified again, by using the already registered font image in the RAM 632,
It is possible to shorten the deployment time.

The vector image information finally specified by the PDL is developed as a binary image in the PDL raster image memory 640 in accordance with the resolution of the printer unit 300 from the same image created on the computer 400. Will be.

(D) Processing of Raster Image Data The image main controller 710 of the raster image storage unit 700 shown in FIG. 6 first receives an instruction from the main controller 210 of the image storage / synthesizing apparatus 200 via the bus controller 740. An arbitrary image ID is allocated to identify the raster image based on the image file name / layout designation position information and attribute information of the raster image data sent from the PDL / raster image separation controller 500, and the memory management controller 720 Pass that information on. The memory management controller 720 then issues a PD
L / The entity of raster image data sent from the raster image separation controller 500 and its image ID, image size, and attributes are efficiently stored in the raster image memory 760, and the storage position and size of the raster image at that time are stored. The attribute information and the image ID given earlier are linked and stored in the position / attribute information memory 770 together with the layout position information / image attribute information. This information is used when printing is actually performed. These processes can be performed on a plurality of images, and a plurality of raster image data can be stored in the raster image memory 760.

In this manner, the raster image data separated from the PDL data is converted into a multi-valued color image by one color.
As many as the number of pages laid out on the page are registered in the raster image storage unit 700.

(D ') Input of Raster Image Next, a case where the raster image laid out on the host 400 is replaced with another image or an image with a higher resolution will be described. In such a case, first, the original image to be replaced is scanned by the scanner 10 of the digital color copier 1000.
Put on 0.

The host computer 400 shown in FIG.
The scanner 100 of the digital color copying machine 1000 is
To read the maximum area that can be read, the reading at that time is read at a low resolution corresponding to the resolution of the display memory 411, and the display memory is read from the image storage / synthesis device 200 via the interface controller 420 as a pre-scanned image. Is taken up. CPU 405 displays the pre-scanned image on display 412.

Further, a mouse / keyboard 431/44
1, the area to be actually scanned and the resolution are designated, and the raster image storage unit 700 in the image storage / synthesis apparatus is designated.
Specify the image ID when registering in.

The CPU 405 controls the image storage / synthesis device 200
Of the above information to the main controller 210 of the I / O
The data is transmitted via the F controller 220 to issue an instruction to capture an image. This instruction is transmitted to the scanner unit 100 of FIG. 1 via the I / F controller 230, whereby the scanner unit 100 of the digital color copier fetches image data in the designated area and resolution and reads the read image data. The data is registered in the raster image storage unit 700 with the specified image ID. Then, as described above, attribute information such as the storage position and size of the raster image is also stored together with the image data.

Here, a raster image position / attribute information memory 770 at the time of output separated from the PDL code first
The host computer displays a list of the laid-out image file names, image sizes, and layout positions on the display based on the information. Then, the user selects the image data to be replaced at the time of output with other image data or high-resolution data read from the scanner.

Then, a list of image data registered in the raster image storage unit 700 is displayed, and an alternative image to be output is selected from the list with the mouse / keyboard.
At that stage, the image ID of the selected position / attribute information memory 770 is replaced with the selected image ID.

(E) Synthesis of PDL Image / Raster Image At the time when the image development for one page in the PDL interpreter unit 600 and the above-described raster image exchange registration in the raster image storage unit 700 are completed, the host computer 400 The main controller 210 shown in FIG. 4 receives the instruction via the I / F controller 220 and sends the instruction to the PDL raster / raster image synthesis controller 800 shown in FIG. 4 from the respective bus controllers 620 and 720. Request transfer of image data that has been developed.

The image from the PDL interpreter unit 600 transfers data line by line as it is for one page. In the raster image storage unit 700, the layout controller 750 shown in FIG. 6 in the raster image storage unit 700 is replaced with a scanner image as described above in accordance with the timing of each line from the PDL raster / raster image synthesis controller 800. Based on the contents of the position information / attribute information memory 770, the registered raster image data is enlarged / reduced to a designated size laid out using the image editing controller 730.

Then, a PDL raster / raster image synthesizing controller 8 is connected via a bus controller 740 shown in FIG.
00 is transferred.

The PDL raster / raster image synthesizing controller 800 synthesizes the two raster images, and the main controller 210 of the image storage / synthesizing apparatus 200 shown in FIG. Interface controller 23
0 to the digital color copier 1000.

At this time, the bits O of the binary image such as characters and illustrations developed by the PDL
N / OFF is converted into the maximum density / minimum density data of the multivalued image data, respectively, and combined with the color multivalued data in the raster image storage unit.

(F) Printer Output by Digital Color Copier On the digital color copier 1000 side, a print operation start command from the main controller 210 of the image storage / synthesizing apparatus 200 is sent to the color digital interface controller 230 shown in FIGS. / 104, and executes the above-described copying process in accordance with the instruction to obtain an output of an image in which a binary image such as a PDL character / illustration and a multi-valued color raster image are combined. It has become.

In the above embodiment, the computer 400
Is not a programmable type such as PDL, but can be applied to a character code control code system.

The character code data sent from the computer 400 is transmitted to the external interface 420
Is temporarily stored in the buffer memory 240 of the image storage / synthesis apparatus 200 in FIG. The data is the PD
L / a character-based control code corresponding to the raster image separation controller 500 and a controller that separates the raster image data, in the order of the stored character data.
It is checked sequentially whether it is a control code or a simple character code. In the case of a control system code, the code is sent to an interpreter unit 600 for developing an image corresponding to the control, and
Performs an image developing operation based on the processing of the control system code on the ROM 631.

In the case of the image control code, the data size / position information of the image is specified, and then the actual image data is sent as image data. Is possible.

(Embodiment 2) The configuration of a color image forming / outputting system according to another embodiment of the present invention and the image storage / synthesizing apparatus 200
8 and 9 show the details of the block.

The differences from the first embodiment will be described below.

In the present embodiment, the separation of the vector system and the raster system of the PDL code, which was performed inside the image storage / synthesizing apparatus 200 in the embodiment of FIG. The configuration can be simplified.

For this reason, in the second embodiment, the interface controller 420 has different interfaces, for example, GP-IB and Apple Tal.
It has two interfaces, such as k.

In this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the user uses the mouse 431 and the keyboard 441 on the computer 400 to input a document and various image data (illustrations formed by vectors, scanners, etc.). This is performed directly while laying out a captured natural image or the like and checking it on the display 412. The image editing controller 413 registers the processing procedure / image data of an arbitrary document image created in the meantime on the main memory 460 as needed, and controls the hard disk controller 450 when the appearance of one page is completed. It is registered as a format for one page above.

When the appearance is finally completed, various information of the document layout image stored on the hard disk 451 is laid out by the device driver software in the ROM according to the procedure shown in FIG. PDL (Page / Descript) that defines
(t.language) code. At this time, color multivalued image data such as a natural image is
The image data and image file name, layout position, image size,
It is registered in the hard disk together with the attribute information.

On the other hand, the PDL code converted in this way is converted into Ap-based information of the interface controller 420 as vector-based information such as characters and illustrations for one page.
The data is sent to the PDL interpreter unit 600 in the image storage / synthesis device 200 via pleTalk. As in the first embodiment, the PDL image for one page is developed as a binary image in the PDL raster image memory 640 in the PDL interpreter.

Then, as in the first embodiment, the scanner unit 100 of the digital color copying machine is controlled on the host computer 400 to read the original to be laid out at a high resolution, and the raster image storage unit 700 of the image storage / synthesizing apparatus 200 is read. Register with. This is repeated for the required number of images.

Next, as described in the first embodiment, all of the layout position, image file name, image size, and attribute information stored in the hard disk are read out and displayed as a list on the display. The user selects an image whose image data is to be exchanged with an image previously input from the scanner, and selects a substitute image from a list of images already registered in the raster image storage unit 700. This makes it possible to replace the low-resolution image laid out on the host computer with a high-resolution image read from the scanner 100. There is no need to transfer large data with high resolution, leading to high speed and simplification. When outputting high-resolution data from the host computer to the raster image storage unit 700 in FIG. 8, if the data is transmitted via the GP-IB of the interface controller 420 in the host computer, the image data is output at high speed. be able to.

That is, when the replacement is completed, the raster image data that is not the replacement target is called from the hard disk and is sent to the raster image storage unit 700 in the image storage / synthesis apparatus 200 via the interface GP-IB. The layout position information, image size,
It is sent together with information such as attributes, and is registered in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

The data for one page is stored in the image storage / synthesis device 2.
00, the CP of the host computer 400
U405 is a command GP for synthesizing a PDL / raster image.
RINT is sent to the image storage / synthesis device 200.

With this command, the main controller of the image storage / synthesizing apparatus 200 uses the PDL raster / raster image synthesizing controller 800 in the same procedure as in the first embodiment to generate a two-series character image (binary image). It is possible to combine and output images of a natural image (color multivalued image).

(Embodiment 3) The configuration of a color image forming / outputting system according to another embodiment of the present invention and the image storage / synthesis apparatus 20
Details of block 0 are shown in FIGS.

The difference from the first embodiment will be described below.

In the present embodiment, the raster image development of the PDL code performed inside the image storage / synthesizing apparatus 200 is performed by using a PDL interpreter external to the image storage / synthesizing apparatus 200 and converting the PDL rasterized image from the external PDL interpreter. By having the device conversion unit 890 for scaling up / down to the resolution of the output device, the configuration of the image storage / synthesizing apparatus can be simplified and other external PDs can be used.
It becomes possible to use the L interpreter.

In the case of this embodiment, the user uses the mouse 431 and the keyboard 441 on the computer 400 as in the first embodiment to input a document and various types of image data (illustrations formed by vectors, scanners, etc.). An arbitrary document image is created while laying out a captured natural image or the like and checking it on the display 412.

When the appearance is finally completed, various information of the layout image stored on the hard disk 451 as described above is stored in the device driver / ROM in the ROM.
The software converts the document into a PDL code that defines a document created by layout.

As described above, the converted PDL code includes vector-based information such as characters and illustrations and raster image data such as a laid-out natural image. 420, the image storage / synthesis device 20
0 and communicates with the external interface controller 220 to transfer the PDL code to the image storage / combination apparatus 200 side.

The P sent to the image storage / synthesis apparatus 200
The DL code is separated into vector-based PDL commands and information such as raster image data and position by a PDL / raster image separation controller as in the first embodiment. The raster image is stored in the raster image storage unit 70 described above.
0 and is processed as in the first embodiment. The vector PDL command is transferred to the external PDL interpreter 600 shown in FIG.
The PDL image for one page is developed as a binary image in the PDL raster image memory 640 of the interpreter unit.

Then, similarly to the first embodiment, the scanner unit 100 of the digital color copying machine is controlled on the host computer 400 to read the original to be laid out at a high resolution, and the raster image storage unit 700 of the image storage / synthesizing apparatus 200 is read. Register with. This is repeated for the required number of image fractions.

Next, as described in the first embodiment, all of the layout position, image file name, image size, and attribute information stored in the position / attribute information memory of the image storage / synthesis apparatus 200 are read out and displayed on the display. Display as a list.

The user selects the image data whose image data is to be exchanged with the image previously input from the scanner, and selects a substitute image from a list of images already registered in the raster image storage unit 700. This makes it possible to replace the low-resolution image laid out on the host computer with a high-resolution image read from the scanner 100. Therefore, there is no need to transfer large data of high resolution, which leads to high speed and simplification.

The data for one page is stored in the image storage / synthesis device 2.
00 and the external PDL interpreter unit, the CPU 405 of the host computer 400 sends a PDL / raster image synthesizing command GPRINT to the image storage / synthesis apparatus 200.

In response to this command, the main controller of the image storage / synthesis apparatus 200 sends an output command for one page to the external PDL interpreter unit 600 via the PDL / raster image separation controller 500, and the external PDL interpreter unit sends a PDL raster When an image output command is sent to the raster image synthesis controller 800, the device conversion unit 890 enlarges / reduces the external PDL expanded image to the output resolution of the digital color copying machine 1000, and performs the same procedure as in the first embodiment. , Two series of character image (binary image) and natural image (color multi-valued image)
Can be combined and output.

The device conversion section 890 has a buffer memory, and can perform enlargement / reduction by controlling the relationship between writing and reading in the buffer memory.

(Embodiment 4) FIGS. 13 and 14 show the structure of a color image forming / outputting system according to still another embodiment of the present invention and details of blocks of the image storage / synthesizing apparatus 200. FIG.

The differences from the first embodiment will be described below.

In the present embodiment, a plurality of PDL interpreters are provided in the image storage / synthesizing apparatus 200 so that the raster image development of the PDL code performed in the image storage / synthesizing apparatus 200 can be supported by the plurality of PDL interpreters. It is prepared so that it can correspond to various types of PDL commands.

As a result, the host computer 400 can respond to various types of PDL commands to be converted, and various PDLs registered in an external storage medium can be output via the host computer 400. It becomes possible.

In the case of this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, various information of the layout image stored on the computer 400 is converted by the device driver software in the ROM into a PD which defines a document laid out and created.
L code, and the converted PDL code is
It is possible to convert not only one type of PDL command but also another type of PDL command by changing the device driver. Further, another PDL code registered in an external storage medium can be taken in and outputted to the host computer.

Accordingly, in order to cope with the plurality of PDLs, the present embodiment has a plurality of PDL interpreters.

The PDL code created in this way is transferred from the host computer to the PDL / raster image separation controller 500 in the same procedure as in the first embodiment. Then, the PDL / raster image separation controller 50
0 determines the contents from the transferred PDL code, and incorporates the built-in PDL interpreters 600-1 and 600-6.
Judging which type of PDL code is 00-2, the PDL separation units 500-1 and 500-2 perform processing on the PDL vector system / raster system corresponding to each PDL type.

Then, similarly to the first embodiment, the scanner unit 100 of the digital color copying machine is controlled on the host computer 400 to read the original to be laid out at a high resolution, and the raster image storage unit 700 of the image storage / synthesizing apparatus 200 is read. Register with. This is repeated for the required number of images.

Next, as described in the first embodiment, all of the layout position, image file name, image size, and attribute information stored in the position / attribute information memory of the image storage / synthesis apparatus 200 are read out and displayed on the display. Display as a list.

From among these, the image data to be exchanged with the image previously input from the scanner is selected, and a substitute image is selected from a list of images already registered in the raster image storage unit 700. This makes it possible to replace the low-resolution image laid out on the host computer with a high-resolution image read from the scanner 100.

After that, the processing is performed by each PDL interpreter unit in the same manner as in the first embodiment.
It becomes possible to combine and output images of a series of character images (binary images) and natural image images (color multi-value images).

In the above embodiment, one interface is AppleTalk and the other interface is G
Although the P-IB is used, the present invention is not limited to this, and another interface such as a CapSL or SCSI interface may be used.

Further, the PDL in the present embodiment may be a language called PostScript or another language, for example, a language called PCL.

The command image data portion is data other than raster image data for transmitting data for each pixel, such as code data indicating a character and data indicating its color. If a multi-valued color image memory is used as a memory for handling raster image data according to the present embodiment, and a color binary image memory is used for command image data, binary data described in PDL can be used. Each of the multivalued data can be synthesized as a color image.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS.
DL interpreter 600 and raster image storage 700
Are provided in the same housing, but the invention is not limited to this, and they may be configured as separate devices.

[0097]

According to the present invention described above, a process of replacing raster image data in page description language data can be performed efficiently. Further, since a plurality of image data for replacing the raster image data in the data of the page description language can be prepared in advance, even if the image data has a large data amount, the replaced synthesized image is output at high speed. be able to.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a digital color copying machine according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a control host computer according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of an image storage / synthesizing apparatus according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a PDL interpreter unit according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a raster image storage unit according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for synthesizing PDL data and a separated raster image according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a system configuration diagram of a second embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of an image storage / synthesizing apparatus according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a view showing another example of FIG. 7;

FIG. 11 is a system configuration diagram of a third embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a configuration diagram of an image storage / synthesis device according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a system configuration diagram of a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a configuration diagram of an image storage / synthesizing apparatus according to a fourth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 200 image storage / synthesis device 400 host computer 600 PDL interpreter 700 raster image storage 800 image synthesis

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-2-296466 (JP, A) JP-A-2-16867 (JP, A) Encapsulated Post Script Files Specialization, PostScript (R) Developers Guidebooks , January 16, 1989, Version 2.0 (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 1/38-1/393 B41J 29/38 G06F 13/38 320 G06T 1/60 450

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] A first input unit for inputting data of the input page description language; analyzing the data of the page description language input by the first input unit;
Analysis / separation means for separating a command relating to the raster image data and the first raster image data; an interpreter unit for performing expansion processing based on a command relating to the vector information separated by the analysis / separation means; Second input means for inputting raster image data different from image data at a timing different from the data of the page description language; first raster image data separated by the analysis separation means and the second input A raster image storage unit capable of storing a plurality of raster image data from the unit; and selecting raster image data to be replaced from the first raster image data stored in the raster image storage unit; Out of the raster image data from the second input means stored in the storage unit, Selecting means for selecting raster image data to be replaced with image data, wherein the raster image data to be replaced is replaced with the raster image data to be replaced so that a developed image of the page description language data is obtained, A synthesizing unit that reads the replacement raster image data from a raster image storage unit, synthesizes the raster image data with the image data developed by the interpreter unit, and outputs the synthesized image data. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second input means inputs image data output from a scanner.
The image processing apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims. 3. A first input step of inputting input page description language data, analyzing the page description language data input in the first input step, and executing a command related to vector information and a first An analysis separation step of separating a command related to raster image data and the first raster image data; a development processing step of performing expansion processing based on a command related to vector information separated in the analysis separation step; A second input step of inputting raster image data different from image data at a timing different from that of the page description language data; first raster image data separated in the analysis separation step and the second input A storage step of storing a plurality of raster image data input in the step in a raster image storage unit capable of storing a plurality of raster image data; Raster image data to be replaced is selected from the first raster image data thus obtained, and is replaced from the raster image data from the second input means stored in the raster image storage unit. A selection step of selecting raster image data to replace the raster image data, and a rasterized image of the page description language data obtained by replacing the raster image data to be replaced with the raster image data to be replaced is obtained. A synthesizing step of reading out the raster image data to be replaced from the raster image storage unit, and synthesizing the raster image data with the image data expanded in the expansion processing step, and outputting the synthesized image data.