JP3825796B2 - Image processing device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an image signal for an image reading device such as an original scanner or a digital camera and image information generated by an information processing device such as a personal computer or a word processor for an image for a display device or a printer, that is, for outputting a visible image. The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus that processes data. This apparatus is, for example, a document image scanner having a function of outputting information to an information processing apparatus, a digital copying machine having a function of outputting information of the information processing apparatus, and a copying machine having a facsimile function, that is, a multi-function machine. Incorporated into.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In this type of digital copying machine, correction processing of the image reading signal corresponding to the reading characteristics of the scanner, image storage in the memory, image editing processing, conversion to recording density data corresponding to the output characteristics of the printer, and correction Processing, parallel operation of a plurality of functions, and the like are presented in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-274986. These various image processes can be executed with a single image processing configuration.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the ease of peripheral unit connectivity and ease of simultaneous operation of peripheral units around the image processing apparatus (image data processing apparatus) is not provided, and the system is effectively used. The optimal control configuration has not been established. Specifically, a problem occurs when a plurality of I / O devices are connected. That is, in the conventional system, when there are a plurality of devices to be connected, image buses corresponding to the number of connected devices are prepared, or one set of image buses is shared. Since the transfer of image signals cannot often be interrupted when the device starts operating, the image bus configuration and the image data transfer method affect the overall performance of the multi-function system. So important.
[0004]
The image signal from the input device not having the memory and the image signal to the output device not having the memory cannot basically be interrupted when the image transfer is started (image data transfer condition). Therefore, when a plurality of units (for example, a document scanner and a printer) are operated at the same time, if both operate at the same speed, an image can be continuously flowed, so that a speed buffer such as a memory is not required. . In other words, if the operation speed is different, a speed buffer such as a memory is required. This seems to be disadvantageous because it requires a memory, but it is a great advantage when considering that the input and output devices can operate independently without considering each other.
[0005]
In a system including such a memory, data transfer between the memory and the device becomes a problem. When the operation speeds of the input and output devices are different, each image bus is necessary simply considering the transfer conditions of the image data. In this case, since the circuit scale simply increases, there is a problem in terms of cost when it is realized by hardware.
[0006]
When considering reducing and sharing the number of image buses, the transfer of image signals cannot often be interrupted when the device starts to operate. Problems occur.
[0007]
In addition, when the operation speeds of the input and output devices are different, there is a problem that the operation of the entire system is slowed because the data transfer conforming to all devices conforms to the slowest speed.
[0008]
A first object of the present invention is to easily control data transfer between a plurality of devices and a memory without increasing the number of image buses, and to enable data transfer easily with a set of image buses. The second object is to realize this without reducing the effective speed of the system. The fourth object is to simplify the transfer data format and increase the versatility of transfer between a plurality of devices. Objective.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
(1) system control means (6) for transmitting a control signal for controlling the entire image processing system;
Process control means (1) for controlling the image processing process;
An image signal processing means (IPP) connected to the process control means for performing image signal processing on digital image data;
Memory management means (IMAC) that is connected to the system control means and manages access to the memory (MEM),
A set of images for transmitting image data transmitted / received between the image signal processing means and the memory management means, and image data or control signals transmitted / received between the system control means and the process control means. With bus (Pb) ,
Image bus management means (CDIC) that manages the right to use the set of image buses ,
In an image processing apparatus having
The image signal processing means (IPP) is connected to the set of image buses (Pb) via the image bus management means (CDIC) ,
The image bus management means (CDIC) is connected to the memory management means (IMAC) via the set of image buses (Pb) , and the image signal processing means (IPP) and the set of image buses (Pb). ) And image data transfer between the system control means (6) and the process control means (1), and the set of image buses for transmission of control signals ( Manage the right to use Pb) ,
An image processing apparatus. In addition, in order to make an understanding easy, the code | symbol of the corresponding element of the Example shown in drawing and mentioned later is added to the parenthesis for reference.
[0010]
According to this, the interface between the images signal processing means (IPP) to the image bus (Pb), together with the image bus management unit (CDID) is physical pipe, memory management unit (IMAC) is in the memory (MEM) Since access is managed and both (CDID and IMAC) are connected by one image bus (Pb), without increasing the number of image buses, the image signal processing means (IP P) and memory (MEM) Data transfer can be easily controlled. Transfer of image data and communication of control signals between the system control means (6) and the process control means (1) can also be managed by the image bus management means (CDIC) .
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
(2) The data transferred by the image bus management means (CDID) and the memory management means (IMAC) has a predetermined transfer data format suitable for data transfer with a plurality of devices. This makes it possible to easily transfer data on a single image bus.
[0012]
(3) the transfer data format of the image bus management unit and memory management unit, changing the speed difference between multiple devices. This makes it possible to easily transfer data on one image bus without reducing the execution speed of the system.
[0013]
(4) Data transfer between the image bus management means (CDID) and the memory management means (IMAC) is performed by dividing continuously transferred image data into transfer data having an arbitrary data length. This is performed in a transfer data format in which attribute information of the division source data is added to the transferred data. Thereby, it is possible to transfer data on one image bus easily while having high expandability.
[0014]
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the drawings.
[0015]
【Example】
-1st Example-
FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a digital copying machine having a composite function according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In the document scanner SCR that optically reads a document, the reflected light of the lamp irradiation on the document is condensed on a light receiving element by a mirror and a lens in the reading unit 4. The light receiving element (CCD in this embodiment) is in a sensor board unit SBU (hereinafter simply referred to as SBU), and an image signal converted into an electrical signal in the CCD is a digital signal, that is, a read image. After being converted to data, the data is output from the SBU to the compression / decompression and data interface control unit CDIC (hereinafter simply referred to as CDIC).
[0016]
That is, the image data output from the SBU is input to the CDIC. The CDIC controls all image data transmission between the functional device and the data bus. That is, the CDIC relates to image data, a data transfer between the SBU, the parallel bus Pb, the image signal processing device IPP (hereinafter simply referred to as IPP), and a system controller 6 that controls the overall control of the digital copying machine shown in FIG. Communication regarding image data transfer and other control between the controllers 1 is performed. The system controller 6 and the process controller 1 communicate with each other via the parallel bus Pb, CDIC, and serial bus Sb. The CDIC performs data format conversion for the data interface between the parallel bus Pb and the serial bus Sb.
[0017]
The read image data from the SBU is transferred to the IPP via the CDIC, and the IPP performs signal deterioration due to quantization into an optical system and a digital signal (signal deterioration of the scanner system: read image data due to scanner characteristics). The distortion is corrected and output to the CDIC again. The CDIC, the image de - written into the memory MEM is transferred to the La MFC - other multi-focus function control. Or, return to the IPP processing system for printer output.
[0018]
That is, the CDIC stores the read image data in the memory MEM for reuse, and outputs it to the video data control VDC (hereinafter simply referred to as VDC) without storing it in the memory MEM. There are jobs that produce and output images with the printer PRR. As an example of storing in the memory MEM, when copying a plurality of originals, the reading unit 4 is operated only once, the read image data is stored in the memory MEM, and the stored data is read out a plurality of times. is there. As an example in which the memory MEM is not used, when only one original is copied, the read image data may be processed as it is for printer output, so there is no need to write to the memory MEM.
[0019]
First, when the memory MEM is not used, the image data transferred from the IPP to the CDIC is returned from the CDIC to the IPP again. In the IPP, image quality processing (15 in FIG. 2) for converting luminance data from the CCD into area gradation is performed. The image data after the image quality processing is transferred from the IPP to the VDC. With respect to the signal changed to the area gradation, post-processing relating to dot arrangement and pulse control for reproducing the dots are performed by the VDC, and a reproduced image is formed on the transfer paper in the image forming unit 5 of the laser printer PRR. To do.
[0020]
When additional processing such as rotation in the image direction, image synthesis, etc. is performed when reading from the memory MEM, data transferred from the IPP to the CDIC is transferred from the CDIC to the image via the parallel bus Pb. It is sent to the memory access control IMAC (hereinafter simply referred to as IMAC). Here, based on the control of the system controller 6, access control of image data and a memory module MEM (hereinafter simply referred to as MEM), development of print data (character code / Character bit conversion) and compression / decompression of image data for effective use of memory. The data sent to the IMAC is stored in the MEM after data compression, and the stored data is read out as necessary. The read data is expanded, returned to the original image data, and returned from the IMAC to the CDIC via the parallel bus Pb.
[0021]
After transfer from the CDIC to the IPP, image quality processing by the IPP and pulse control by the VDC are performed, and a visible image (toner image) is formed on the transfer paper in the image forming unit 5.
[0022]
In the flow of image data, the composite function of the digital copying machine is realized by the bus control by the parallel bus Pb and the CDIC. FAX transmission function, which is one of the multiple engagement features, the image processing performed to read image data of the scanner SCR at IPP, (hereinafter referred to as simply FCU) FAX control unit FCU via the CDIC and the parallel bus Pb to Forward. The FCU performs data conversion to a public line communication network PN (hereinafter simply referred to as PN), and transmits the data to the PN as FAX data. In FAX reception, line data from the PN is converted to image data by the FCU, and transferred to the IPP via the parallel bus Pb and CDIC. In this case, special image quality processing is not performed, dot rearrangement and pulse control are performed in the VDC, and a visible image is formed on the transfer paper in the image forming unit 5.
[0023]
In a situation where a plurality of jobs, for example, a copy function, a FAX transmission / reception function, and a printer output function operate in parallel, the system controller 6 allocates the reading unit 4, the image forming unit 5, and the parallel bus Pb usage right to the job . It is controlled by good beauty process controller 1.
[0024]
The process controller 1 controls the flow of image data, and the system controller controls the entire system and manages the activation of each resource. Function selection of the digital multi case function copying machine, the operation board - select input in de OPB, sets the processing content, such as a copy function, FAX function.
[0025]
FIG. 2 shows an outline of the image processing function of IPP. The read image data is transmitted from the IPP input I / F (interface) 11 to the scanner image processing 12 via the CDIC from the SBU. The scanner image processing 12 performs shading correction, scanner γ correction, MTF correction, and the like mainly for the purpose of correcting deterioration of image information due to reading. Although not correction processing, enlargement / reduction scaling processing is also performed. After the read image data correction processing is completed, the image data is transferred to the CDIC via the output I / F 13. For output to the transfer paper, image data from the CDIC is received from the input I / F 14, and area gradation processing is performed in the image quality processing 15. The data after the image quality processing is output to the VDC via the output I / F 16. The area gradation processing includes density conversion, dither processing, error diffusion processing, and the like, and mainly performs area approximation of gradation information.
[0026]
Once the image data subjected to the scanner image processing 12 is stored in the memory MEM, various reproduced images can be confirmed by changing the processing performed in the image quality processing 15. For example, the atmosphere of the reproduced image can be changed by changing the density of the reproduced image or changing the number of lines in the dither matrix. At this time, it is not necessary to read the image again by the scanner SCR every time the process is changed, and different processes can be performed again and again on the same data by reading the stored image from the MEM.
[0027]
FIG. 3 shows an outline of the functional configuration of the CDIC. The image data input / output control 21 inputs the read image data from the SBU and outputs the data to the IPP. The image data input control 22 receives image data that has been subjected to scanner image correction by the scanner image processing 12 using IPP. The input data is subjected to data compression in the data compression unit 23 in order to increase the transfer efficiency on the parallel bus Pb. The compressed image data is sent to the parallel bus Pb via the parallel data I / F 25. Image data input from the parallel data bus Pb via the parallel data I / F 25 is compressed for bus transfer and is expanded by the data expansion unit 26. The expanded image data is transferred to the IPP by the image data output control 27. CDIC has both parallel data and serial data conversion functions. The system controller 6 transfers data to the parallel bus Pb, and the process controller 1 transfers data to the serial bus Sb. For communication between the two controllers 6 and 1, the data conversion unit 24 and the serial data I / F 29 perform parallel / serial data conversion. The serial data I / F 28 is for IPP, and serial data transfer is performed with the IPP.
[0028]
FIG. 4 shows an outline of the functional configuration of the VDC. The VDC performs additional processing on the image data input from the IPP according to the characteristics of the image forming unit 5. Dot rearrangement processing by edge smoothing processing and pulse control of image signals for dot formation are performed, and image data is output to the image forming unit 5. Apart from image data conversion, parallel data and serial data format conversion functions 33 to 35 are also provided, and a single VDC can support communication between the system controller 6 and the process controller 1.
[0029]
FIG. 5 shows an outline of the functional configuration of the IMAC. In the parallel data I / F 41, input / output of image data to / from the parallel bus Pb is managed, storage / reading of image data to / from the MEM, and code data input mainly from an external PC to the image data. Control deployment. Code data input from the PC is stored in the line buffer 42. That is, the data in the local area is stored, and the code data stored in the line buffer 42 is received by the video control 43 based on the expansion processing instruction from the system controller 6 input via the system controller I / F 44. Expand to image data. The developed image data or the image data input from the parallel bus Pb via the parallel data I / F 41 is stored in the MEM. In this case, the data conversion unit 45 selects image data to be stored, the data compression unit 46 performs data compression to increase the memory usage efficiency, and the memory access control unit 47 manages the MEM address. The image data is stored in the MEM. When reading out the image data stored in the MEM, the memory access control unit 47 controls the read destination address, and the data expansion unit 48 expands the read image data. When the decompressed image data is transferred to the parallel bus Pb, the data is transferred via the parallel data I / F 41.
[0030]
FIG. 6 shows an outline of the functional configuration of the FCU. The FAX transmission / reception unit FCU converts the image data into a communication format and transmits it to the external line PN, and returns the data from the external line PN to the image data and creates it via the external I / F unit 51 and the parallel bus Pb. Recording is output in the image unit 5. The FAX transmission / reception unit FCU includes a FAX image processing 52, an image memory 53, a memory control unit 55, a facsimile control unit 54, an image compression / decompression 56, a modem 57, and a network control unit 58. Among these, regarding the FAX image processing 52, the binary smoothing processing on the received image is performed in the edge smoothing processing 31 of the VDC. Regarding the image memory 53, the output buffer function is partially limited by IMAC and MEM.
[0031]
In the FAX transmission / reception unit FCU configured as described above, when the transmission of image information is started, the facsimile control unit 54 instructs the memory control unit 55 to sequentially read out the image information accumulated from the image memory 53. The read image information is restored to the original signal by the FAX image processing 52, subjected to density conversion processing and scaling processing, and added to the facsimile control unit 54. The image signal applied to the facsimile control unit 54 is code-compressed by the image compression / decompression unit 56, modulated by the modem 57, and then sent to the destination via the network control unit 58. Then, the image information that has been transmitted is deleted from the image memory 53.
[0032]
At the time of reception, the received image is temporarily stored in the image memory 53. If the received image can be recorded and output at that time, the received image is recorded and output when reception of one image is completed. Also, when a call is started during a copying operation and reception is started, the image memory 53 is accumulated until the usage rate of the image memory 53 reaches a predetermined value, for example, 80%, and the usage rate of the image memory 53 is increased to 80%. When it reaches, the writing operation being executed at that time is forcibly interrupted, and the received image is read from the image memory 53 and recorded. At this time, the received image read from the image memory 53 is deleted from the image memory 53, the writing operation that was interrupted when the usage rate of the image memory 53 has decreased to a predetermined value, for example, 10%, is resumed, and the writing operation is resumed. When all the processing is completed, the remaining received images are recorded and output. In addition, various parameters for the writing operation at the time of interruption are internally saved so that the writing operation can be resumed after the interruption of the writing operation, and the parameters are internally restored at the time of resumption.
[0033]
In the above example, the CDIC that is the image bus management means and the IMAC that is the memory management means are connected by the parallel bus Pb that is a set of image buses. Since each independent SBU that is an image reading means, VDC that is a writing means, and IPP that is an image signal processing means are not directly connected to the image bus Pb but are connected to the image bus management means CDIC, in effect, the image bus Pb Is managed only by the image bus management means CDIC and the memory management means IMAC. Therefore, arbitration and transfer control of the bus Pb is easy and efficient.
[0034]
Next, an embodiment of a transfer format of image data is shown. In the first mode, data is transferred in the data frame shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B. Data A indicates read data, data B indicates image processing data, and data C indicates write data. Data B has bidirectional transfer, but data A and data C are one-way and opposite directions. In the example of FIGS. 7A and 7B, in the transfer from the input / output device side to the memory (from CDIC to IMAC), in the order of ABABABAB..., Conversely, from the memory to the input / output device side ( (Transfer from IMAC to CDIC), the data is arranged in the order of BCBCBCBC..., The length of each data (A, B, C) is determined in advance, and the length of the entire data string is also determined. It has been. For convenience, two data are arranged in a 1: 1 ratio, but this may be arbitrarily determined by the memory management means IMAC and the image bus management means CDIC. Further, the number of data is not limited to two, and more data may be used. If the data format is determined in advance in this way, it is possible to accurately restore each data from the received data.
[0035]
The second mode of the image data transfer format is shown in FIG. This is an improvement of the first mode to further increase the efficiency of data transfer, and is characterized in that the ratio of each data is changed in consideration of the transfer data speed difference when forming a data string. . FIG. 7C shows an example in which the transfer speed to the image signal processing means IPP is required to be twice the transfer speed to the writing means (VDC, 5). In this case, the transfer data format is , BBCCBBCBCBCBC... In this way, B can restore twice the amount of data compared to C from one data string, and as a result, B can be transferred at twice the speed of C.
[0036]
A third mode of the image data transfer format is shown in FIG. Unlike the first and second modes, this does not strictly define the data transfer format in advance by the image bus management means CDIC and the memory management means IMAC, and the size and attributes are information predetermined at the beginning of the data string. This is done by adding H. In this example, the additional information H includes a data type and a size. According to the third aspect, data can be identified without any problem on the receiver side even if the amount of transfer data is arbitrary.
[0037]
-Second Example-
FIG. 8 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. This is a single scanner capable of interfacing with a PC, and the system configuration differs greatly from the multi-function digital copier of the first embodiment in that there is no image forming unit 5, that is, the printer function. It is not. Since the image forming unit 5 is unnecessary, the VDC is not mounted.
[0038]
The image read in the scanner SCR is converted into image data in the SBU, transferred to the IPP via the CDIC, and then subjected to image processing required by the single scanner. The IPP performs scanner image processing and gradation processing together and outputs them to the CDIC. Deterioration correction of the read image is mainly performed, but display output gradation processing suitable for a display device as an output screen of a PC is performed. There are many processes that are different from the image quality process for print output for transfer paper. At this time, by configuring the IPP with a programmable arithmetic processing unit, it is sufficient to set only necessary processing procedures for image quality processing for print output and gradation processing for display output. It is possible to have a configuration in which it is not always necessary to have both procedures.
[0039]
The image data after gradation processing is transferred to the CDIC and sent to the IMAC via the parallel bus Pb. A scanner function is realized by using MEM as a buffer memory and transferring image data to a driver attached to the PC. As with the digital copying machine of the multi-focus function, performs resource management of image data and the system by the system controller 6 and the process controller 1. The image data transfer format between IMAC / CDIC is performed in the above-described first mode, second mode, or third mode.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a first embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of an image signal processing device IPP shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a compression / decompression and data interface control unit CDIC shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the video data control VDC shown in FIG. 1;
5 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of an image memory access control IMAC shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
6 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a FAX transmission / reception unit FCU shown in FIG. 1; FIG.
7 is a plan view showing a frame configuration of image data transfer between the CDIC and the IMAC shown in FIG. 1, and (a) and (b) show the first mode, (c) FIG. ) Shows the second embodiment, and (d) shows the third embodiment.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
IPP: Image signal processing device CDIC: Compression / decompression and data interface control unit VDC: Video data control IMAC: Image memory access control FCU: FAX transmission / reception unit SBU: Sensor board unit PN: Public line

Claims (4)

System control means for transmitting a control signal for controlling the entire image processing system;
Process control means for controlling the image processing process;
Image signal processing means connected to the process control means for performing image signal processing on digital image data;
Memory management means connected to the system control means for managing access to the memory;
A set of images for transmitting image data transmitted / received between the image signal processing means and the memory management means, and image data or control signals transmitted / received between the system control means and the process control means. Bus ,
Image bus management means for managing the right to use the set of image buses ;
In an image processing apparatus having
The image signal processing means is connected to the set of image buses via the image bus management means,
The image bus management means is connected to the memory management means via the set of image buses, transmits image data between the image signal processing means and the set of image buses, and the system control means. Managing the right of use of the set of image buses when transferring image data between the control means and the process control means, and transmitting control signals;
An image processing apparatus.   2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data transferred by the image bus management means and the memory management means is in a predetermined transfer data format suitable for data transfer with a plurality of devices. Wherein the transfer data format of the image bus management unit and memory management unit, an image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the changing the speed difference between multiple devices.   Data transfer between the image bus management means and the memory management means is performed by dividing continuously transferred image data into transfer data having an arbitrary data length, and dividing the transfer data into attribute information of divided data, etc. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transfer processing is performed in a transfer data format including

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