JPH0414372A - Picture processing unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a picture output with high picture quality and less information quantity by providing a memory storing a character graphic picture with high resolution and a memory storing a photographic picture with low resolution and using the two kinds of the pictures while utilizing the features. CONSTITUTION:A character graphic image memory 15 stores a character graphic picture whose one picture element consists of 4-bit and whose resolution is 400dpi, and a photographic image memory 16 stores a full-color photographic picture data whose one picture element consists of 24-bit and whose resolution is 100dpi. A 1st control data to designate a contour of a photographic picture and a 2nd control data to synthesize the character picture and the photographic picture are stored in a control memory 17. A contour designation circuit 19 applies contour control to the photographic picture data (resolution 100dpi) in the memory 16 according to the 1st control data (resolution 100dpi) for designating contour in the memory 17. A selector 21 selects an output data in the memory 15 and an output data in the memory 16 and outputs the selected data according to the 2nd control data for controlling character/photograph synthesis in the memory 17.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to an image processing device that creates and outputs a color image.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in a relatively inexpensive device, an image memory for color images of an image processing device that handles color images has a memory such as that shown in FIG. The image memory 101 is composed of one pixel or one bit, as shown in FIG.

In addition, in a relatively expensive device, in order to use limited colors specified by a palette over the entire image area, an image memory 105 in which one pixel consists of 4 bits, for example, and 4096 colors, as shown in FIG. 14, is used. The color palette 106 is comprised of a color palette 106 from which 16 colors are selected.

Furthermore, when handling full-color photographic images in addition to character/graphic data in limited colors specified by a palette, a character image memory 107 with a resolution of 400 dpi and each pixel consisting of 4 bits is used as shown in FIG. , resolution 100
A photographic image memory 108 in which one pixel is composed of 24 bits in dp i, a color palette 109 for selecting 16 colors from 16.7 million colors, and a lookup table 110 for performing tone conversion and γ conversion of full-color images. ,
Synthesis circuit 11 for simple synthesis of character images and photographic images
It consists of 1.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, the above conventional example has the following drawbacks.

That is, the conventional example shown in FIG. 13 has the following drawbacks because the color is specified for each area.

(1) The number of areas that can be specified is limited.

(2) Multiple colors cannot be used together within the area.

(3) Not suitable for graphic/natural images.

Furthermore, the conventional example shown in FIG. 14 has the following drawbacks.

(1) Large memory usage (for example, if the paper size is A3 and the resolution is 400 dpi, 1 pixel or 4 bits is 1 pixel or 4 bits.
6M bytes, 32M bytes if it is 1 pixel or 8 bits).

(2) Due to limited colors, it is not suitable for natural images such as full-color photographs.

Furthermore, the conventional example shown in FIG. 15 has the following drawbacks.

(1) Since the resolution of the photographic image memory 108 is low, when composing a photograph within a photograph, the outline may become jagged in a step-like manner, so-called jaggies.

(2) Since the resolutions of the character image memory 107 and the photographic image memory 108 are different, it does not work well when combining characters into a photograph.

(3) If the resolution of the photographic image memory is increased to eliminate the drawbacks of (1) and (2) above, the memory capacity will become extremely large (for example, if the resolution is 400 dpi for A3 paper,
(96MB for full color with 8 bits each for RGB).

The present invention eliminates the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, and provides an image processing device that processes a color image obtained by combining photos or photos and text with a small memory capacity and outputs it with high quality.

[Means and effects for solving the problem] In order to solve this problem, the image processing device of the present invention is an image processing device that synthesizes a halftone image and a contrast image, and includes the following steps: a first image storage means for storing the contrast image in a multi-value format with a resolution of 1; a second image storage means for storing the contrast image in a binary format with a second resolution higher than the first image; The image forming apparatus includes a contour storage means for storing a contour with an image, and a contour creation means for creating at least a contour portion in a multi-valued manner at the second resolution based on the contour information.

The image processing apparatus of the present invention also includes a first image data storage means for storing first image data in which one pixel is represented by a first amount of information at a first resolution; a second image data storage means for storing second image data in which one pixel is represented by a second amount of information greater than the first amount of information at a lower second resolution; and a resolution that is the same as the first resolution. control data storage means for storing first control data and second control data having two bits per pixel and having different uses; image data readout control means for reading out the image data in association with the control data; and image data switching means for switching the second image data at the first resolution based on the first control data. , information amount converting means for converting first image data represented by the first information amount into image data represented by the second information amount, and the image data switching based on the second control data. The image data selecting means selectively outputs the output image data of the means and the output image data of the information amount converting means.

Here, the image data switching means includes an image data reading means for reading out the first image data in an m×m matrix (m is an integer larger than 2), and an image data reading means for reading out the first image data in an m×m matrix (m is an integer larger than 2); a data pattern determining means; a neighboring pixel reading means for reading out a corresponding pixel corresponding to the m×m matrix and neighboring pixels of the corresponding pixel from the second pixel data; pixel selection means for selecting the corresponding pixel and neighboring pixels for each pixel of the m×m matrix.

Furthermore, m in the m×m matrix is a value obtained by dividing the first resolution by the second resolution.

[Example] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

Configuration of the Device> FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the image processing device of this embodiment.

1 is a CPU for calculation and control that controls the entire device, 2 is a main memory (hereinafter referred to as MEM) that temporarily stores programs and is used as a work area, and 3 is a communication interface for connecting to a LAN (hereinafter referred to as communication I/I/MEM). F), 4 is a keyboard for inputting character codes, etc., 5 is a pointing device for indicating the position of the cursor on the display screen,
Reference numeral 6 denotes an input device interface (hereinafter referred to as KEY) that controls input devices such as the keyboard 4 and pointing device 5.
・I/F), 7 is a system path for transmitting address data and control signals, etc. 8 is a CRT display (hereinafter referred to as CRT) as a display device, 9 is a video RAM (hereinafter referred to as VRAM) which is a memory for CRT display, 10 is a floppy disk drive (hereinafter referred to as FD), 11 is a hard disk drive (hereinafter referred to as HD), and 12 is FDIO and HDll.
Disk interface (hereinafter referred to as DISK-I) that controls
/F), 13 is an image control unit which is a feature of this embodiment,
14 is an output device such as a printer.

15 to 22 are components of the image control section 13. 1
5, each pixel consists of 4 bits, and the resolution is 400 dpi.
16 is a photo image memory (hereinafter referred to as photo I) that stores full-color photo image data with a resolution of 100 dpi and is composed of 24 bits per pixel.
MEM), 17 is the first for specifying the outline of the photographic image.
A control memory 18 stores control data and second control data for synthesizing a character image and a photographic image, 1670 is based on character/graphic image data of character IMEM15.
19 is the first control data (resolution 10
0 dpi); 20 is a look-up table (hereinafter referred to as LUT) for performing color tone conversion and color correction; 21 is a character/character in control memory 17;
A selector 22 selects and outputs the output data of the color palette 18 and the output data of the LUT 20 according to the second control data for photo composition control, 22 is a character IMEM15 photo IME
M16. This is a read control circuit that determines the cycle of reading data from the control memory 17.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing in detail the configuration of the contour specifying circuit 19 of FIG. 1.

31a to 31d are shift registers (hereinafter referred to as SR) that input the first control data in 4-bit units and output it serially.
32a to 32p are flip-flops (hereinafter referred to as FF) constituting a 4×4 pixel matrix; 33 is a 4×4 pixel matrix pattern and a main scanning counter 34. Contour designation table ROM 34 containing table information for designating a contour using the count value of the sub-scanning counter 35 as an address;
35 is a main scanning counter that counts the pixel matrix of the 4 x 4 output image in the main scanning direction, and 35 is a sub scanning counter that counts the pixel matrix of the 4 x 4 output image in the sub scanning direction, each of which has 2 bits. Consisting of “O”
Count from ° to "3". 36a-361 is 1
A 24-bit flip-flop (hereinafter referred to as 24-bit FF) 37 constitutes a 3 x 3 pixel matrix composed of 24 bits of pixels, and a 24-bit flip-flop 37 stores photographic image data in a 3 x 3 pixel matrix according to the output specification from the contour specification table ROM 33. This is a selector for selective output.

Description of Operation> Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained using FIGS. 3 to 12.

(Synchronization of image data and control data) Figure 3 (A) is a diagram showing the storage state of character/figure 1 image data in the character IMEM 15 in Figure 1, and Figure 3 (B) is a photograph of Figure 1. FIG. 3C is a diagram showing the storage state of photographic image data in the IMEM 16, and FIG. 3C is a diagram showing the storage state of control data in the control memory 17 of FIG.

In FIG. 3(A), 41 is character/figure image data expanded to match the output paper size, and the character IMEM
The characters are stored consecutively starting from the character start address within 15. Therefore, adding the addresses of the data part of one line in the main scanning direction will result in the same column data of the next line,
This address is called a character offset.

In FIG. 3(B), 42 is photographic image data developed to match the output paper size, and 43 is photographic image data of a reference pixel with one surrounding pixel added to the reference pixel for the outline designation circuit 19. be. Normally, white data is stored in the reference pixels for one surrounding pixel. Reference pixel amateur photo image data 4
3 are stored consecutively from the reference pixel start address in the photo IMEM 16. Therefore, when the addresses of the data portions of one line in the main scanning direction are added, they become the same column of the next line, and this address is called a photo offset.

The photo image data 42 is a portion obtained by removing one surrounding pixel from the reference pixel person photo image data 43, and the photo start address is the leading address.

In FIG. 3(C), 44 is the first control data expanded according to the output paper size, and 45 is the second control data expanded in the same way.

First control data 44. Both the second control data 45 are stored consecutively from the control start address in the control memory 17. Although the character IMEM 15 and the control memory 17 have different numbers of bits per pixel, they have the same resolution, so the number of pixels per line in the main scanning direction is the same. Therefore, the offset value for control data is the same as the character offset.

By synchronously reading the character image data 41 from the character start address, the photo image data 42 from the photo start address, and the control data from the control start address, the three types of data can be read out in association with each other.

4(A) to (C) show the pixel correspondence between the character/figure image data in the character IMEM15, the photo image data in the photo IMEMlG, and the control data in the control memory 17 in FIG. 1. It is a diagram.

In FIG. 4(A), 51 is character/figure image data (
52 indicates a 4×4 pixel matrix in which the pixels are set. Figure 4 (B
), 53 is photographic image data (resolution 100dp
One pixel of i) is shown. In FIG. 4(C), 54 indicates one pixel of control data (resolution 400 dpi);
5 indicates a 4×4 matrix in which the control data for one pixel is set. In FIGS. 4A to 4C, a 4×4 pixel matrix 52 of character image data, a pixel 53 of photographic image data, and a 4×4 matrix 55 of control data correspond.

Next, using the flowcharts in FIGS. 5 and 6, the readout control circuit 22 reads the character/figure image data in the character IMEM 15, the photo image data in the photo IMEM 16, and the control data in the control memory 17. The operation of correlating and reading out will be explained.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the readout operation for the contour designation circuit 19 among the operations of the readout control circuit 22. In the figure, steps 81 to S1
3 shows a processing procedure for reading out photographic image data, and steps S14 to S25 show a processing procedure for reading out character/graphic data and control data. The two processing steps are
Step S6 and step S15. Synchronization is achieved in steps S19 and S7, and character/graphic image data, control data, photographic image data, etc. are read out in association with each other. The processing procedure will be explained in detail below.

Since the contour specifying circuit 19 requires one surrounding pixel as a reference pixel as will be described later, it is necessary to read out from the reference pixel start address shown in FIG. 3(B). Therefore, in step S1, a reference pixel start address is set to prepare for readout.

Next, in the subroutine of step S2, 2×3 pixels, 2 pixels in the main scanning direction and 3 pixels in the sub-scanning direction, are read out.
Preparation for reading three lines of photographic image data is completed. Steps 83 to S5 are processing procedures for reading out one pixel in the main scanning direction and three pixels in the sub-scanning direction. Step S3
, one pixel is read out, and it is determined in step S4 whether three rows have been completed. If No, in step S5, the photo offset shown in FIG. 3(B) is used to read out the pixels in the same column of the next row. After adding , the process returns to step S3. Step S
If YES in step S4, reading of 1×3 pixels is completed, and the process advances to step S6.

As described above, the leftmost 3×3 pixels of the photographic image data have been read out and the outline designation circuit 19 has become operational, so in step S6, the steps waiting to be activated in the text/figure image data and control data reading procedure Activate S15 to start reading out 4×4 pixels.

In step S7, startup is waited, character/graphic image data and control data are read out in 4×4 pixels, and when step S7 is activated in step S19, the process advances to step S7a and the main scanning counter 34 is set to "3". wait until it becomes During this time, 3 x 3 pixel photo image data, 4 x 4 pixel character/graphic image data, and control data are used to create a 1 x 4
Image data of pixels is output.

When the output of IX4 pixels is finished, the process advances to step S8, and in step S8 it is determined whether it is the last pixel in the row. If No, the address is set in step S9 to read out the 1×3 pixels for three rows in the next column. is incremented to make the address of the next column, and the photo offset shown in FIG. 3(B) is subtracted by two lines to make it the address of the first row of three lines of the next column, and then the process returns to step S3. YES in step S8
If so, reading of one line is completed and step SIO
Proceed to.

As explained in FIGS. 4(A) to 4(C), 4×4 pixels of character/graphic image data and control data correspond to one pixel of photographic image data.

For this reason, the same 3×3 pixel photo image data is referenced to output image data for 4 lines and is used four times, but the photo image data is temporarily stored line by line in the outline specifying circuit 19. Does not have a line buffer. Therefore, the readout control circuit 22 needs to repeat the scanning process in the main scanning direction for reading out the same three lines of photographic image data four times. It is determined in step SIO whether or not it has been read repeatedly four times, and if NO, the address is incremented in step Sll in order to read it repeatedly, so that the address wraps around to the leftmost address of the next row and becomes the first address of the row, By subtracting the photo offset by 3 lines, it returns to the same reading start address as the previous time, and step S2
Return to

If YES in step S10, the process has finished four times, so the process advances to step S12 to determine whether it is the last line, and if NO, the process advances to step S13. After reading the same data four times, it is necessary to read data shifted by one row. Therefore, in step S13, by incrementing the address, the address wraps around to the leftmost address of the next row, making it the first address of the row, and by subtracting the photo offset by two rows, the address is 1 more than the previous time.
After setting the line to the first address of the shifted line, step S2
Return to If YES in step S12, the process ends.

The above describes the procedure for reading photographic image data.
Next, a procedure for reading character/graphic image data and control data will be explained. Since the steps are similar, the following description will be based on character/graphic image data.

In step S14, a character start address (control start address) is set to prepare for reading, and in step S15
Waiting for activation from the photo image data reading side.

When the startup is started, the process advances to step S16, and step 316
In the processing steps from S18 to S18, a 4×4 pixel matrix of 4 pixels in the main scanning direction and 4 pixels in the sub-scanning direction is read out.

When the reading is completed, the reading side of the photographic image data is activated in step S19, and the process proceeds to step 519a. In step 519a, the process waits until the main scanning counter 34 reaches "3", as in step S7a described above. This is to wait for the completion of outputting the image data of IX4 pixels as described above.

When the output of IX4 pixels is completed, the process advances to step S20.

The processing procedure from steps 320 to 325 corresponds to steps 88 to S13 for reading photographic image data.
On the graphic image data and control data side, since four lines are used as a unit, the same processing is performed except that the character offset is subtracted by one line more. Step S20. In step S21, one pixel is read out in the main scanning direction in units of four rows, and in step S22. In S23, the scanning process in the main scanning direction is repeated four times, and in step 824S25, the above process is performed up to the last line, and the processing procedure ends.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the 2×3 pixel ret subroutine of step S2 in FIG. In step S31, one pixel is read out, and in step S31, one pixel is read out.
In step S32, it is determined whether or not three rows have been completed. If NO, in step S33, a photo offset is added to make the address of the same column in the next row, and then the process returns to step S31.

If YES in step S32, the process advances to step S34 to determine whether the second column is to be read, and if NO, the process advances to step S35. In order to read from the first row of the next column, the address is incremented in step S35,
Subtract the photo offset by two lines. If YES in step S34, the process of this subroutine ends and returns.

(Composition of Two Types of Photographic Images) Next, the operation of the outline designation circuit 19 shown in FIG. 2 will be explained in detail using FIGS. 7 and 8.

In FIG. 2, 4×
The first control data is stored in the 4 pixel matrix, and the photographic image data corresponding to this 4×4 pixel matrix is stored in the 24-bit FF 36e. Since reference pixels are required when specifying the outline, the photographic image data for the surrounding 8 pixels is 24-bit FF 36a to 36d, 36f.
~36g, and forms a 3×3 pixel matrix together with the 24-bit FF36e. The first control data read by the read control circuit 22 is stored in the SR31.
A to 31d are stored in 4x4 pixel matrix units, and F
When the processing of the 4×4 pixel matrix composed of F32a to 32p is completed, the processing of FF32 from 5R31a to 31d is completed.
The next data is transferred to a to 32b.

The contour specification table ROM 33 contains table information for outputting a selection signal of the selector 37 using a 4×4 pixel matrix pattern and the count values of the main scanning counter 34 and the sub-scanning counter 35 as addresses,
It is determined which pixel to select from the 3×3 pixel matrix of photographic image data for each pixel of the image data output, and the pixel information selected by the selector 37 is output as 24-bit image data. That is, 1x4 pixel image data is output from the same 3x3 pixel photographic image data and 4x4 pixel first control data. Therefore,
When this is scanned -, image data for one line is outputted, and by repeating this scanning four times, image data for four lines is outputted.

FIGS. 7(A) to 7(T) are diagrams showing an example of contour designation processing, in which the contour designation processing after the contour designation processing is performed from the first control data of 4×4 pixel matrix and the photographic image data of 3×3 pixel matrix. An example in which image data output of a 4×4 pixel matrix is obtained is shown.

In the same figure, 4x filled with “O”, °゛1”
The matrix of 4 corresponds to FF32a to 32p in FIG.
The ×3 matrix corresponds to 24-bit FFs 36a to 361. The 4×4 matrix filled with alpha heads of a to i is the image data output after contour designation.

In the example shown in FIG. 7(A), all of the output data of the 4×4 pixel matrix is replaced with center pixel data e, and in the example shown in FIG. 7(T), the output data of the 4×4 pixel matrix is replaced with c , e, and g. In this way, the pattern of the first control data of the 4×4 pixel matrix is determined, and the optimal replacement process is performed for each pattern.

FIG. 8 shows an example of the outline designation process of this embodiment. In the figure, 61 shows an example of outline designation using the first control data, 62 shows an example in which two types of photographic images are combined, and 63 shows the result of outline designation processing. As is clear from the figure, by performing contour processing on photographic image data with a resolution of 100 dpi, the resolution can be reduced to 400 dpi.
It is possible to combine two types of photographic images.

(Composition of text/figures and photograph) Next, using FIG. 9, the selector 21 combines text/figure image data and photographic image data based on the second control data in the control memory 17 of FIG. The operation of selective output will be explained. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a specific process for inserting a leader line for annotation using an arrow in the photographic image B shown in FIG. 10.

In FIG. 9, 71 is an example of an arrow of character/figure image data (resolution 400 dpi), 72 is an example of a photographic image data (resolution 100 dpi), and 73 is an example of an arrow of the above two kinds of image data according to the second control data. This is an example of a synthesis specification for synthesizing data. The black portions of the composite designation example 73 indicate photographic image areas, and the white portions indicate text/graphic image areas.

The selector 21 selects and outputs the arrow example 71 and the photographic image example 72 based on the combination designation example 73, and outputs composite image data 74. The example shown in FIG. 9 is an example in which a white frame is added to increase the distinguishability of the arrow when composing the arrow within a photographic image, and it can be seen that the compositing is performed at a resolution equivalent to 400 dpi.

(Example of Print Output) Finally, the operation of obtaining a print output by the image control section 13 of FIG. 1 will be explained using FIGS. 10 to 12.

Figure 10 is an example of the printout, with the heading section marked with blue characters 1
Black text for the main text, red text for the cautionary text, white text on a red background, a photo image that combines photo image A with photo image B, an image that combines photo image C with an arrow leader line and annotation,
and a color graph. Photo image B
The part where the photographic image A is combined with the photographic image A uses the outline specification using the first control data, and the part where the leader line with the arrow is combined with the photographic image C uses the image combining according to the second control data,
The other parts are created using text and graphic data.

FIGS. 11 and 12 are diagrams showing examples of settings for obtaining the print example shown in FIG. 10.

FIG. 11(A) is an example of setting character/graphic image data for the character I MEM l 5, and basically all character/image information is set. FIG. 11(B) is an example of setting of photographic image data in the photographic IMEM 16, in which a photographic image Δ is synthesized in a photographic image B at a resolution of 100 dpi. FIG. 12(A) is an example of setting the first control data in the control memory 17, and shows an example of setting the outline of the photographic image A. FIG. 12(B) is an example of setting the second control data in the control memory 17, where the white part indicates the area of character/graphic images;
The black part indicates the area of the photographic image, and in particular, the part where the arrow is combined with the photographic image C indicates that the arrow part is designated as the character/graphic image area. By setting as described above, the printing example shown in FIG. 10 can be obtained.

In this embodiment, since the contour designation circuit 19 does not have a line buffer, the readout control circuit 22 controls reading the same data multiple times. The configuration of the read control circuit 22 may be simplified.

In addition, various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image processing device that processes a color image obtained by combining photos or photos and text with a small memory capacity and outputs it with high quality.

In other words, there is a memory for storing character/graphic images with high resolution and a small amount of information per pixel, a memory for storing photographic images with low resolution and a large amount of information per pixel, and a memory for controlling the above two types of images. By effectively utilizing the characteristics of the two types of images, it is possible to provide an image processing apparatus that can obtain high-quality image output with a small amount of information. This makes it possible to reduce the number of elements that store information and reduce costs.

Furthermore, deterioration in image quality caused by reducing the amount of information can be minimized.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the image processing apparatus of this embodiment, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the contour specifying circuit 19 in FIG. 1, and FIGS. Text IMEM15, photo IMEM16. A diagram showing the data storage state in the control memory 17. FIGS. 4(A) to (C) are diagrams showing the correspondence between pixels of character/graphic image data, photographic image data, and control data. FIGS. 7A to 7T are diagrams showing an example of contour designation processing. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of contour designation processing. FIG. 9 is a diagram explaining the operation of selectively outputting character/graphic image data and photographic image data, FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of print output obtained by this embodiment, and FIGS. Figures 13 to 15 are diagrams showing examples of configurations of conventional image control units. In the figure, 1...CPU, 2...Main memory, 3...
・Communication I/F, 4...Keyboard, 5...Pointing device, 6...KEY I/F, 7...System bus, 8...CRT, 9...VRAM, 10
...FD, 11...HD, 12...DISK・I
/F, 13... Image processing unit, 14... Output device, 15... Character IMEM, 16... Photo IMEM,
17... Control memory, 18... Color palette, 1
9... Contour specification circuit, 20... LIJT, 21...
-Selector, 22... It is a read control circuit.

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) An image processing device for synthesizing a halftone image and a contrast image, the device comprising: a first image storage means for storing the halftone image in multivalued form at a first resolution; a second image storage means for storing the contours of the halftone image and the contrast image in binary format with a second resolution higher than the first image; and a contour storage means for storing the contours of the halftone image and the contrast image; An image processing apparatus comprising: contour creation means for creating a multivalued contour at a second resolution. (2) a first image data storage means for storing first image data in which one pixel is represented by a first amount of information at a first resolution; and at a second resolution lower than the first resolution; 1
second image data storage means for storing second image data in which pixels are represented by a second amount of information greater than the first amount of information; and control of 2 bits per pixel at the same resolution as the first resolution. control data storage means for storing first control data and second control data that have different uses; the first image data, the second image data, and the control data; image data readout control means for reading out the second image data in correspondence with the first resolution; and image data switching means for switching the second image data at the first resolution based on the first control data; information amount converting means for converting the first image data represented into image data represented by the second information amount; and based on the second control data, the output image data of the image data switching means and the information An image processing apparatus comprising: image data selection means for selectively outputting output image data of the quantity conversion means. (3) The image data switching means converts the first image data into m×m (m is an integer larger than 2).
image data reading means for reading out the image data in a matrix; image data pattern determining means for determining the image data pattern of the m×m matrix; Neighboring pixel reading means for reading out neighboring pixels of the pixel; and based on the determination result of the image data pattern determining means,
3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising pixel selection means for selecting the corresponding pixel and neighboring pixels for each pixel of the m×m matrix. (4) m in the m×m matrix is the first resolution
Claim 3, characterized in that the value is divided by the resolution of
The image processing device described in Section 1.