JP3550979B2 - Image processing device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus that interprets image data sent from a host computer or the like, performs predetermined processing, and outputs the processed image data.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, due to technical advances in multimedia and DTP (Desk Top Publishing) hardware / software, very complex documents have been created in office documents and various documents for other uses.
[0003]
For example, even if various elements such as title characters, sentences, figures, line drawings, and full-color photographic images are complicatedly combined in one page, it can be easily performed by a device having general performance such as a personal computer. It is becoming possible to create.
[0004]
With such improvements in document creation technology, there is an increasing demand for easy output of created documents with high speed and high image quality. Among them, a typical one is that a document generated by PDL (Page Description Language) or the like is converted by various standard interfaces (for example, Ethernet (registered trademark) / SCSI / GPIB / serial / Centronics / AppleTalk (registered trademark)). An image processing apparatus which receives and interprets the received PDL file and faithfully reproduces it in a target image forming apparatus has been considered. Further, as this image processing apparatus, an apparatus using an electrophotographic method for image formation is generally widely used.
[0005]
Here, as typical examples of the PDL, PostScript (registered trademark) from Adobe and Interpress (registered trademark) from Xerox are listed.
[0006]
In recent years, the spread of color electrophotographic printers and the like has been remarkable, and among the above-described image processing apparatuses that interpret PDL files and generate images, a number of printers compatible with color printers have been announced. . Their basic configuration is to have image expansion means for interpreting PDL and performing expansion processing, and a binary or multivalued full-page image memory, and temporarily form a raster image in this image memory. To send the raster image to the printer.
[0007]
In a general image processing apparatus, a memory of 400 dpi (dot / inch) and a full-color image for one page of A3 (JIS standard) size is 32 megabytes when binary 4 megabytes and 1 pixel is multilevel 8 bits. In the case of a color image, since a page of four colors of K (black), Y (yellow), M (magenta), and C (cyan) is required, a large image of 128 megabytes in total is required. Memory is required.
[0008]
Further, when developing / generating a multi-valued image by an image processing apparatus having a general binary image memory, an area gradation method such as a halftone dot, dither or error diffusion method is often used. In an image forming apparatus that handles a multi-valued image, each of the 8 bits has 256 gradations, and in the case of a color image, a K, Y, M, and C color 8 bits each having a configuration of 32 bits per pixel is typical. It is a target.
[0009]
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a main part in a conventional image processing apparatus. That is, in this image processing apparatus, the image interface / tag interpretation / selector 301, the γ correction unit 302, the color space conversion unit 303, the filter 304, the UCR / black generation unit 305, the gradation control unit 306, the screen processing unit 307, the laser It has various image processing functions such as a drive circuit 308, a synchronous control / system control / UI control / image processing control / communication control circuit 309, and performs processing by connecting all of these image processing functions via a pipeline. .
[0010]
Here, the image interface / tag interpretation / selector 301 interprets the tag bits sent from the tag bit data output signal 40e simultaneously with the image data sent from the image data output signals 40a to 40d, and Tell the image processing function.
[0011]
Further, the γ correction unit 302, the color space conversion unit 303, the filter 304, the UCR / black generation unit 305, the gradation control unit 306, and the screen processing unit 307 are each a LUT for performing different image processing according to the instruction of the tag bit. (Lookup table), and performs image processing by pipeline processing according to the instruction of the tag bit for the transmitted image data.
[0012]
Among them, for example, the screen processing unit 307 performs screen processing having two types of line screens of 200/400 lines. That is, the tag bits sent from the image processing apparatus are classified into the natural image area (3), the graphic area (2), the character / line image area (1), and the other area (0). In the case of (1), processing is performed so as to output with 400 lines, and in the other cases (0), (2) and (3), processing is performed so as to output with 200 lines.
[0013]
Also, the γ correction unit 302 switches γ correction coefficients, the color space conversion unit 303 switches LUTs during color space conversion processing, the filter 304 switches filter coefficients during filter processing, and the UCR / black generation unit. At 305, the coefficient is switched at the time of UCR / black generation, and at the gradation control unit 306, the gradation control LUT is switched at the time of gradation control.
[0014]
A synchronization control / system control / UI control / image processing control / communication control circuit 309 is a circuit that performs synchronization control, system control, UI (user interface) control, image processing control, and communication control. Instructions such as what kind of image processing should be performed in accordance with the software are also provided before the operation is started.
[0015]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-247163 discloses an image processing apparatus capable of performing specific image processing on color images of various image data input forms and performing desired image synthesis.
[0016]
In this image processing apparatus, various image processing functions such as color conversion, gamma correction, masking, UCR, and dither generation are prepared as fixed hardware resources for various image data inputs.
[0017]
On the other hand, in recent years, with the technical advance of DTP hardware / software, various input devices (scanners / video still cameras, etc.) and document editors have been used to convert image elements having various spatial resolutions or gradation resolutions into one document (one page). It is becoming possible to take it inside.
[0018]
Such documents can be easily expressed in PDL, and can be generated as files. At the time of generating the PDL file, various spatial resolutions and gradation resolutions included in the document are described in a unique logical coordinate space determined by the PDL and not depending on the input / output device.
[0019]
The image processing apparatus interprets these PDL descriptions and performs expansion processing at the spatial resolution and the gradation resolution of the image memory of the image processing apparatus. Normally, the spatial resolution and the gradation resolution at which the expansion processing is performed are the same as the spatial resolution and the gradation resolution of the target image forming means such as a printer.
[0020]
As described above, a large amount of image memory is required when handling a color image or the like, and therefore, an image processing method using various information compression methods and encoding methods has been proposed.
[0021]
In such a situation, in recent years, technological innovation of an image information processing apparatus typified by a personal computer or the like has been remarkable, and an image information processing environment having low cost and high performance has been provided. Was.
[0022]
With this background, the printing architecture in a printing environment uses a drawing method that runs on the operating system of a computer, and performs most of the image expansion processing on a personal computer or the like in a format in which a display (output) device is extended to a printer. A printing format for outputting to a marking engine has been considered.
[0023]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the image processing apparatus disclosed in JP-A-3-247163, various image processing functions to be applied to image data input are all configured as fixed hardware resources. There is a problem that it is necessary to prepare the image data, and processing is performed on image data that does not require image processing. Further, since all image processing functions are prepared as fixed hardware resources, the cost of the system is increased.
[0024]
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus capable of constructing only necessary image processing functions for input image data and eliminating unnecessary execution of image processing.
[0025]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention is an image processing device made to achieve the above object. That is, the image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a storage unit in which setting information of an image processing function is stored for each processing content of a job; Determining means for determining the corresponding setting information; and function constructing means for constructing an image processing function based on the setting information decided by the determining means, wherein one image processing function constructed by the function constructing means is provided. The data is processed, and the data is processed again by another image processing function reconstructed by the function construction means.
[0026]
In the present invention, since the setting unit determines the setting information corresponding to the content of the job, and the image processing function based on the setting information is built by the function building unit, the image processing adapted to the content of the job is performed. Only the functions can be prepared and the processing can be executed.
[0027]
In addition, the present invention provides a plurality of storage units in which setting information of an image processing function is stored for each processing content of a job, and the setting information stored in the plurality of storage units to store the content of a job to be processed next. Determining means for determining corresponding setting information; and a plurality of function building means for building an image processing function based on the setting information determined by the determining means, wherein one image processing function built by the function building means is provided. An image processing apparatus that processes data by a function and processes the data again by another image processing function reconstructed by the function constructing unit .
[0028]
According to this aspect of the invention, since the setting unit determines the setting information corresponding to the content of the job, and the image processing function based on the setting information is constructed by the plurality of function constructing units, it is adapted to the content of the job. Only the image processing function can be prepared, and the image processing function can be executed by parallel processing.
[0029]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of an image processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the overall configuration of the image processing apparatus, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating main components of the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment.
[0030]
First, the overall configuration of the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, the image processing apparatus 1 includes a data communication unit 11, a data interpretation unit 12, a font memory 13, an image data conversion unit 14, a control circuit 15, image memories 16a to 16d, and a tag bit memory. An image storage unit 18, an image interface 19, and an image processing resource 20 are provided.
[0031]
The data communication unit 11 is a part that receives a PDL file sent from the host computer 10. The data interpretation unit 12 interprets the PDL file received by the data communication unit 11 and creates an object list of image elements.
[0032]
The object list to be created includes information about where each object exists in the image coordinate space of the image processing apparatus 1, what kind of configuration the image element has, and what attributes the image element has. This is a structure that indicates the object and what color the object has.
[0033]
Here, the position on the image coordinate space can be represented as (Xmin, Ymin), (Xmax, Ymax). Further, the configuration can be represented as a character, a rectangular figure, a circle, a line, and other image elements. The attribute is represented by a character, a line drawing, a natural image, an image element, and the like, and the color is represented by designating the data interpretation unit 12 using a color palette internally provided.
[0034]
The font memory 13 is a part in which font data referred to when performing font development at the time of image development is stored.
[0035]
The image data conversion unit 14 receives the image data that has been converted into the object list by the data interpretation unit 12, and performs processing for expanding or converting the data into various data (for example, raster image data). The control circuit 15 controls each unit such as the data communication unit 11, the data interpretation unit 12, the image data conversion unit 14, the image storage unit 18, and the image interface 19.
[0036]
The image memories 16a to 16d are assumed to have full-color capacities. For example, in a case where expansion processing is performed in the K, Y, M, and C color spaces, each pixel is 8 bits, has a resolution of 400 dpi, and can store an A3 (JIS standard) image for one color. 32 MB, 128 MB for 4 colors.
[0037]
The image memories 16a to 16d temporarily store respective data of K, M, Y, and C, which have been subjected to rasterization / conversion processing as a byte map rasterized for each page.
[0038]
That is, when the image data conversion unit 14 performs the expansion / conversion process as a byte map rasterized based on the object list, one scan is performed in the x direction from the smallest position (x = 0, y = 0) in the image coordinate space. The existence of the object is checked for each line, and if the existence of the object is confirmed, the object is subjected to expansion processing to calculate data necessary for one scan line in the x direction.
[0039]
By performing the same processing for all objects existing in one scan line, a byte map of one scan line is obtained, and the one scan line byte map is written into the image memories 16a to 16d, and then the next scan is performed. Line expansion processing will be performed.
[0040]
Then, rasterization processing is performed on all scan lines of one page, and rasterized image data is written into the image memories 16a to 16d. The image data conversion unit 14 generates an object tag at the same time as performing the expansion processing. The generated object tag is stored in the tag bit memory 17.
[0041]
The image interface 19 issues an image data output instruction to the control circuit 15, and transmits the image data in the image memories 16a to 16d and the tag bits in the tag bit memory 17 via the communication / synchronization signal 19a to the image processing resources. Send to 20.
[0042]
At that time, the image data and the tag bit are output to the image processing resource 20 by the image data output signal 19b and the tag data output signal 19c of the image interface 19, respectively.
[0043]
The image data and the tag bits are sent line by line in the x direction from the smallest position (x = 0, y = 0) in the image coordinate space of the image memories 16a to 16d for each scan line. Here, the image memories 16a to 16d for storing image data and the tag bit memory 17 for storing tag bits have the same image coordinate space. That is, since the size of one surface is the same, the image data and the tag bit are output in completely synchronized form for each same coordinate data.
[0044]
The processing in the image processing resources 20 is instructed by the control circuit 15 in a synchronized manner.
[0045]
Next, an image processing resource, which is a main part of the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment, will be described with reference to FIG. That is, the image processing resources 20 include the image interface / tag interpretation / selector 201, the first function construction unit 202, the first function reconstruction control unit 203, the second function construction unit 204, the second function reconstruction control unit 205, A function reconstruction control / synchronization control / system control / communication control circuit 206 and a laser drive circuit 207 are provided.
[0046]
In this example, two sets of a first function constructing unit 202 and a second function constructing unit 204 and a first function restructuring control unit 203 and a second function restructuring control unit 205 are provided. Although parallelization and parallel processing are attempted, one set or three or more sets may be used as necessary.
[0047]
The first function constructing unit 202 and the second function constructing unit 204 are configured by an integrated circuit (for example, an FPGA: Field Programmable Gate Array) in which a logic circuit is reconstructed based on predetermined setting information. This eliminates the need to configure various image processing functions as hardware resources.
[0048]
Further, the first function restructuring control unit 203 and the second function restructuring control unit 205 include setting information (configuration information) used when the first function constructing unit 202 and the second function constructing unit 204 construct the image processing function. Data) is configured by a fixed ROM or rewritable RAM, control command encoding, a reconfiguration control circuit, and the like.
[0049]
That is, by selecting from the setting information stored in the first function reconstruction control unit 203 or the second function reconstruction control unit 205 in accordance with the processing of the image data, the image processing function corresponding to the processing is performed in the second manner. It is built in the first function building unit 202 and the second function building unit 204.
[0050]
By rewriting or adding this setting information, a new image processing function can be realized. Therefore, new image processing functions can be designed without changing hardware, and new image processing functions can be set or added in a short time only by rewriting or adding the settings. It becomes.
[0051]
The first function construction unit 202 and the second function construction unit 204 construct and execute an image processing function (internal circuit) corresponding to the input image data (job). Although this internal circuit is changed depending on the processing content, K / Y / M / C 10-bit image input / output signals 19a to 19d, 4-bit tag signal 19e and various synchronous input / output signals 19f (Clock / Line Sync / The Page Assign of Pin Sync is fixed.
[0052]
Each signal output of the first function construction unit 202 and the second function construction unit 204 is connected to an image interface / tag interpretation / selector 201. The data can be input again to the first function construction unit 202 and the second function construction unit 204 via the interface / tag interpretation / selector 201.
[0053]
Here, as a color image processing sequence necessary for normal printing, first, color conversion processing is performed to obtain YMC output data from RGB input data, and then YMCK output data is obtained from YMC input data by UCR processing. Then, tone correction processing is performed on each YMCK output data to obtain a desired YMCK output signal.
[0054]
In order to perform such an image processing sequence in the image processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, first, a color change processing function circuit is constructed by the first function construction unit 202 using the setting information of the first function reconstruction control unit 203. Then, the UCR processing function circuit is constructed by the second function construction unit 204 using the setting information of the second function reconstruction control unit 205. Then, the input RGB data is read from the image interface / tag interpretation / selector 201, and the first function structuring unit 202 and the second function structuring unit 204 perform processing.
[0055]
That is, the RGB data input from the image interface / tag interpretation / selector 201 to the first function construction unit 202 is converted into YMC data by the color conversion processing function circuit constructed in the first function construction unit 202, and the second function It is passed to the construction unit 204.
[0056]
The YMC data passed to the second function construction unit 204 becomes YMCK data by the UCR processing function circuit constructed in the second function construction unit 204. The YMCK data generated by the second function construction unit 204 returns to the image interface / tag interpretation / selector 201, and is temporarily looped back to the image memories 16a to 16d (see FIG. 1) and stored.
[0057]
After that, the first function construction unit 202 is reconstructed into the gradation correction processing function circuit based on the setting information of the first function reconstruction control unit 203. Then, the YMCK data stored in the image memories 16 a to 16 d after looping back is sent to the first function construction unit 202 via the image interface / tag interpretation / selector 201.
[0058]
At this stage, the first function constructing unit 202 has been reconstructed into the gradation correction processing function circuit, so that the YMCK data sent via the image interface / tag interpretation / selector 201 can be gradation corrected here. .
[0059]
After performing this processing, the YMCK data after the gradation correction processing is sent to the laser drive circuit 207 to obtain a target print output.
[0060]
In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the image processing function corresponding to each page is constructed by the first function construction unit 202 and the second function construction unit 204 has been described. You may make it change the image processing function of 202 and the 2nd function construction part 204. In this case, the first function restructuring control unit 203 and the second function restructuring control unit 205 determine necessary setting information by using a tag bit and a command in a script format, and based on the setting information, The image processing functions of the first function construction unit 202 and the second function construction unit 204 are constructed in pixel units.
[0061]
When performing a plurality of image processing recursively in units of lines or bands, a buffer memory for input / output lines or bands is provided inside the first function construction unit 202 and the second function construction unit 204. It is configured anew, and a plurality of image processes are recursively executed for each buffer memory.
[0062]
Further, in the above embodiment, one image processing function is built in each of the first function building unit 202 and the second function building unit 204. However, a circuit configuration that satisfies a plurality of image processing functions is provided in one function building unit. It may be performed. Furthermore, although separate image processing functions are constructed in the first function construction unit 202 and the second function construction unit 204, respectively, the same image processing functions may be constructed and processed in parallel.
[0063]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the image processing apparatus of the present invention has the following effects. That is, only necessary image processing functions can be constructed for input image data, and it is not necessary to prepare various image processing functions as unique hardware resources. As a result, it is possible to provide an image processing apparatus that can realize necessary image processing functions with a simple configuration.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a main part of the image processing apparatus.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a main part of a conventional image processing apparatus.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image processing apparatus, 10 ... Host computer, 11 ... Data communication part, 12 ... Data interpretation part, 13 ... Font memory, 14 ... Image data conversion part, 15 ... Control circuit, 16a-16d ... Image memory, 17 ... Tag bit memory, 18 image storage unit, 19 image interface, 20 image processing resources, 202 first function construction unit, 203 first function reconstruction control unit, 204 second function construction unit, 205 second 2-function reconstruction control unit

Claims (15)

Storage means for storing setting information of the image processing function for each processing content of the job;
Determining means for determining setting information corresponding to the content of a job to be processed next from setting information stored in the storage means;
A function constructing means for constructing an image processing function based on the setting information determined by the determining means ,
An image wherein data is processed by one image processing function constructed by the function construction means, and the data is processed again by another image processing function reconstructed by the function construction means. Processing equipment. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the function constructing unit constructs an image processing function corresponding to each page in the job. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the function constructing unit constructs an image processing function corresponding to each object in one page of the job. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the function constructing unit constructs an image processing function corresponding to each pixel in the job. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the function constructing unit constructs a plurality of image processing functions for the processing content of the job. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the function constructing unit reconstructs a plurality of image processing functions corresponding to processing contents of the job one by one. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determining unit determines the setting information based on a processing command assigned to the job. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines the setting information based on tag data corresponding to the job. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determining unit determines the setting information based on an image data format transmitted from a host computer. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said function constructing means comprises an integrated circuit in which a predetermined logic circuit is reconstructed based on said setting information. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit includes a memory for fixedly storing the setting information. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit includes a memory capable of rewriting the setting information. A plurality of storage means for storing setting information of the image processing function for each processing content of the job;
Determining means for determining setting information corresponding to the content of a job to be processed next from setting information stored in the plurality of storage means;
A plurality of function construction means for constructing an image processing function based on the setting information determined by the determination means ,
An image wherein data is processed by one image processing function constructed by the function construction means, and the data is processed again by another image processing function reconstructed by the function construction means. Processing equipment. 14. The image processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein separate image processing functions are constructed by the plurality of function construction units. 14. The image processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the same image processing function is constructed by each of the plurality of function constructing units.

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