JP5637962B2 - Image processing apparatus and image processing method - Google Patents

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method capable of improving development efficiency during product development and improving maintainability related to an image after product release.

Conventionally, multifunction devices that have scanning, copying, and printing functions use dedicated hardware for image signal processing, and image correction is performed on the hardware according to the characteristics of the input and output devices. Appropriate processing is performed by setting parameters. The parameters set here are calculated using dedicated calculation software, and the original parameter setting data is specialized and tuned for the target input / output device.

  It is natural that these calculation software and parameter data are incorporated as part of the software that controls the target MFP. To change part of the software later, the control software is recreated and the function test is performed again. It is necessary to go through a process such as performing. For this reason, it is very difficult to exchange data many times in a short period of time for tuning and evaluation during development. Especially, it is very troublesome to change parameter data according to customer requirements after commercialization. It took.

JP 2001-30583 A

The problem to be solved by the present invention is that the parameter setting data for image processing is not incorporated in the control software, but the data is replaced by saving the data in another area in the storage medium in which the control software is stored. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus and an image processing method that facilitate and improve development efficiency at the time of product development and improve maintainability related to images after product release.

To achieve the above object, an image processing apparatus according to the present invention, the first storage section and the parameter setting data for calculating the parameter used in the image control by the image control calculation software for storing images control calculation software storing, a second storage unit capable of rewriting, the operation key for specifying the parameter setting data for rewriting a download source and the operation panel having a display unit for displaying the contents of the instruction, by the operation panel instruction reads the parameter setting data from the specified download source in accordance with the, and a CPU to perform an operation to replace read the parameter setting data the said parameter setting data stored in the second storage unit.

1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a multifunction machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. The flowchart which shows the process process of embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the structural example of the processing block concerning embodiment of this invention. The figure for demonstrating an example of screen operation concerning embodiment of this invention. The figure for demonstrating an example of screen operation concerning embodiment of this invention.

(This embodiment)
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  In the following, embodiments applied to a multifunction machine will be described. The multifunction device is normally fixed to standard parameters at the time of shipment.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a flow of signals for electrical connection and control of the multifunction peripheral 100 according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the multifunction peripheral. The multifunction device 100 includes a main control unit 101, a scanner unit 102, a printer unit 103, and an operation panel 104.

  A shared bus 111 shown in FIG. 1 connects CPUs (Central Processing Units) and the like to be described later, whereby program I / O transfer via the CPU or a peripheral device controls the bus as a bus master, and directly to a memory or the like. Data transfer by the accessing bus master is possible.

  The main control unit 101 includes a main CPU 110, a storage unit 112, an image processing unit 116, a page memory control unit 117, and a page memory 118.

  The main CPU 110 controls the entire main control unit 101.

  The storage unit 112 performs bidirectional communication between the main CPU 110 and a printer CPU 130 of the printer unit 103 described later, and stores a control program and various data for the main CPU 110. The storage unit 112 is an aggregate of read-only memory (hereinafter referred to as ROM) and rewritable memory (hereinafter referred to as RAM), and implements the procedure of the embodiment together with a program and fixed data for executing the procedure of the first embodiment. Data that is generated or changed during the process is stored.

  The image processing unit 116 performs image processing. The page memory control unit 117 stores or reads out image information in the page memory 118. The page memory 118 has an area where image information for a plurality of pages can be stored, and is formed so that data obtained by compressing image information from the scanner unit 102 can be stored for each page.

  The operation panel 104 includes various operation keys 141, a liquid crystal display unit 142 having soft keys (touch panel), and a panel CPU 140 to which these are connected, and a user performs an operation for changing parameters, which will be described later. Panel CPU 140 is connected to main CPU 110. Various commands are input from the operation keys 141 or the soft keys of the liquid crystal display unit 142 and transmitted from the panel CPU 140 to the main CPU 110.

  A scanner unit 102, which is an image reading unit, is connected to the main CPU 110, and under the control of the scanner unit 120, controls the scanner unit 102, a storage unit 122 that stores a control program and various data, and a document for reading documents and the like. A CCD driver 123 that drives a line sensor such as a CCD; a scanning motor driver 124 that controls the rotation of a scanning motor that moves a carriage (not shown) carrying a line sensor, an exposure lamp, a mirror, and the like; an image recognition unit 125; And an image correction unit 126.

  In the scanner unit 102 configured as described above, a document is set on a conventionally known automatic document feeder (not shown) or a document table (not shown) of the multifunction peripheral 100, and an operation key 141 or a liquid crystal provided on the operation panel 104 is set. Reading of the original is instructed by a soft key of the display unit 142.

  When the panel CPU 140 detects an image reading command, the reading command is transmitted to the main CPU 110 via the shared bus 111, and an operation command is given from the scanner CPU 120 of the scanner unit 102 to the CCD driver 123 and the scanning motor driver 124. Execute. The read image data is stored in the page memory 118.

  The image correction unit 126 includes an A / D conversion circuit that converts an analog signal from the line sensor into a digital signal, and a line memory.

  The printer unit 103 illustrated in FIG. 1 has, for example, a conventionally known configuration, and includes a printer CPU 130, a storage unit 132, a fixing control unit 133, a laser driver 134, a polygon motor driver 135, a conveyance control unit 136, and a process control unit. 137. The well-known configuration described below is not shown.

  The printer CPU 130 is connected to the main CPU and controls the entire printer unit 103 under the control of the printer CPU 130.

  The storage unit 132 stores a control program and various data.

  The laser driver 134 drives a known semiconductor laser transmitter and controls the laser beam based on the read image data of the document.

  The polygon motor driver 135 drives a polygon motor of a known laser exposure apparatus having a polygon mirror, and scans the laser beam from the semiconductor laser transmitter with a rotating polygon mirror.

  The conveyance control unit 136 controls the driving motors of various rollers to control conveyance of the recording medium accommodated in a known paper cassette from the paper cassette along the paper conveyance path.

  The process control unit 137 controls a known charging charger, developing device, and transfer charger. The charging charger, for example, charges the surface of a drum-shaped photoconductor and forms an electrostatic latent image of a document image read by a laser beam scanned by the polygon mirror on the photoconductor. The developing device contains toner, and develops the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member into a visible image (toner image) with the toner. The transfer charger transfers the toner image on the photosensitive member to a recording medium supplied from the paper cassette via the paper conveyance path.

  For example, the fixing control unit 133 performs heating control of a known heating roller, and passes a recording medium having a toner image transferred between the heating roller and a pressure roller in pressure contact with the roller. The toner image transferred to the recording medium is thermally fixed.

The details of the replacement of the parameter setting data will be described below.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a parameter setting data replacement operation.

As shown in this figure, the power is turned on (200), and it is determined whether there is a command for changing parameter setting data via the operation panel or the like from the user (201). When it is recognized that there is an instruction to change the parameter setting data (201: Y), the control software for controlling the multifunction machine is activated (202), and the image control calculation software is activated (203). Further, the download source of the parameter change data is designated by the user (204). The image control calculation software reads the designated parameter setting data via an external interface (not shown) (205), performs necessary calculations at startup (206), writes the parameter setting data to the hard disk RAM (207), and parameters After the setting data is replaced, a standby state is entered (208). In addition, when performing the calculation in step 206 of the series of rewriting operations, the parameter setting data may be appropriately processed using the image control calculation software.

  The control software and the image control calculation software are executed by the main CPU, and the minimum data necessary for processing is stored in the storage unit 112.

The image control calculation software reads the necessary parameter setting data every time the user selects and designates different operations and adjustments from the panel, driver screen, etc., calculates parameters that meet the desired operations, and sets them in the multifunction device 100. .

The image control parameters to be read when performing the calculation here are in the form of objects in the control software, but are read as parameter setting data according to the user's specification even if they are saved as a file and outside the control software I can do it.

The parameter setting data may be a file described in a text format, or by providing it as a binary file, it can be provided in a format that is difficult to modify for those who do not know the details. Further, in the text format, it is possible to embed a comment together with parameter setting data in the file.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the function of this apparatus.

  A scanner unit 102 for inputting image data signals; a processing unit 116 for processing image signals; a printer unit for outputting image signals; a main CPU 110 for controlling these processing units; a storage unit 112 for storing control software and comprising a ROM; The HDD 400 is configured to store product data, user-specific setting data, and the like, and an external interface 401.

As described in the flow of FIG. 2, when the user designates replacement of parameter setting data on the operation panel after the power is turned on, the main CPU gives a command for starting the control software stored in the storage unit 112. Thereafter, when the download source of the parameter setting data is designated on the operation panel, the data is read via an external interface or the like, and the result calculated using the calculation software stored in the storage unit 112 is stored in the RAM 300 in the hard disk 300. Are written in the image quality control parameter area.

  Here, the parameter setting data is stored as a file in the rewritable HDD. Therefore, the parameter setting data can be easily changed by replacing this file via the external interface. From the viewpoint of the control software and calculation software, there is no problem where the parameter setting data is placed as long as access to the parameter setting data is always secured.

  FIG. 4 shows an example of an adjustment screen for changing parameter setting data.

As shown in this figure, for example, if the color reproduction is to be vivid, the top download button may be pressed. When the button is pressed, a dialog or the like for prompting input of the parameter setting data download source as shown in FIG. 5 is displayed on the screen, and the user designates the download source.

  In accordance with the designation on this screen, the parameter setting data is read through the interface corresponding to the selected reproduction, and the image control parameters are set in the multifunction peripheral 100.

  As described above, the configuration that puts the parameter file for image control outside the control software shown in Fig. 3 makes it easy to replace data during tuning, evaluation, etc. during product development, and responds to customer requests even after commercialization. Parameters can be provided easily.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this embodiment is shown as an example and is not intending limiting the range of invention. The novel embodiment can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. This embodiment and its modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

104 ... Operation panel 110 ... Main CPU
112 ... Storage unit 116 ... Image processing unit 140 ... Panel CPU
141 ... operation keys 142 ... liquid crystal display

Claims (7)

A first storage unit for storing images control calculation software,
A rewritable second storage unit for storing parameter setting data for calculating parameters used for image control by the image control calculation software ;
An operation panel having a display unit for displaying the contents of the instruction and the operation key for specifying the parameter setting data for rewriting a download source,
The read parameter setting data from the download source specified in accordance with an instruction from the operation panel, and said second CPU to perform an operation to replace the parameter setting data stored in the storage unit in the parameter setting data read the ,
The image processing apparatus Ru comprising a. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the CPU performs an operation of replacing the parameter setting data when a change of the parameter setting data is input on the operation panel . Said second storage unit the image processing apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 Ru hard der in the image processing apparatus. The image processing apparatus according to the download source any one of claims 1 to 3 Ru Oh connection data server via the external interface of the parameter. The image processing apparatus according to the download source or a hard disk is connected, such as by USB, any one of Ru removable storage medium der claims 1 to 3 of the parameters. Instructing the parameter setting data change for calculating the parameters used for image control by the image control calculation software and the download source of the parameter setting data,
Read the parameter setting data from the specified download source according to the instructions on the operation panel,
An image processing method for replacing parameter setting data set in advance in the apparatus main body with the read parameter setting data. When the change of the parameter setting data is input on the operation panel,
The image processing method according to claim 6, wherein the parameter setting data is replaced .

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