JPH04322384A - Method and device for storing picture data - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the capacity of a memory by successively reading out data in an unprocessed data memory part from the head side to perform the picture processing and successively storing processed data in a processed data memory part provided in the head side of the unprocessed data memory part. CONSTITUTION:An unprocessed data memory part M1 having 2MB capacity is prepared as the area, where picture data from a line sensor will be stored, in a picture data memory (I-MEN) 46. Addresses 500K to 2.5M are set to the memory part M1, and the area from address 0 to address 500K-1 is reserved as a processed data memory part M2 where processed picture data is stored. When raw picture data stored in the area M1 will be compressed, data is transferred to a compression/expansion processing part from the start address 500K of the un-processed data memory part M1, and processed data is stored in the processed data memory part M2 of the I-MEN 46 in order from its start address 0.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a memory method and a memory device for storing unprocessed image data and processed image data in an image processing apparatus.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Image processing apparatuses that read images and perform predetermined image processing using a CCD line sensor or an image sensor are well known. For example, a facsimile machine performs image processing, that is, compression/expansion processing, in which read image data is compressed and transmitted, and received data is expanded and restored. In addition, edge enhancement is applied to the raw image data read from the manuscript.
Various spatial filtering processes such as line thinning and dither processing may be performed, and image enlargement/reduction processing may also be performed. Furthermore, density gradation conversion may be performed. When performing such various image processing, conventionally, a memory area for storing unprocessed image data and a memory area for storing processed image data are separately prepared. The memory for this image data requires a large capacity; for example, an A4 size document can be stored at 400 bpi (bits per inch).
When reading at a density of , approximately 2 MB (megabytes) of memory capacity is required, so a total capacity of 4 MB is required to store image data before and after processing. Therefore, a large capacity memory is required, resulting in a problem of poor memory usage efficiency.

0003

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its primary object is to provide a memory method that can reduce the capacity of memory used to store image data in an image processing device. 1 purpose. A second object is to provide a memory device that can be used directly to implement this method.

0004

According to the present invention, the first object is to provide a processed data memory section that stores processed image data consecutively on the leading side of an unprocessed data memory section that stores unprocessed image data. , sequentially reading the data in the unprocessed data memory section from the top side and subjecting it to image processing, and sequentially storing the processed image data in the unprocessed data memory section from the top side of the processed data memory section. This is achieved by an image data memory method for an image processing device characterized by: The second purpose is to provide an unprocessed data memory section for storing unprocessed image data, and an unprocessed data memory section provided continuously at the beginning of this unprocessed data memory section in an image processing device that performs predetermined image processing on image data. a processed data memory section, an image processing section that performs predetermined image processing on the unprocessed image data, and a processed data memory section that reads the unprocessed data from the beginning of the unprocessed data memory section and stores the processed image data. This is achieved by an image data memory device characterized by comprising: a data transfer control section that controls the sending of data so that the data is sequentially stored in the processed data memory section from the beginning side. Here, it is desirable that the processed data memory section and the unprocessed data memory section that is continuous thereto be constituted by semiconductor memories.

[0005]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a microfilm reader according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the movement of data in a memory when image data is compressed.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a microfilm, which is wound up from one of two reels 12, 14 to the other and travels. Light from a light source 16 is guided to this film 10 from below, and the transmitted light of this film 10 is transmitted through a projection lens 18, an image rotation prism 20, reflection mirrors 22, 24,
26 and is led to a screen 28 from the back. A vertically long movable plate 30 is provided on the back side of the screen 28 so as to be movable in the horizontal direction, and a CCD line sensor 32 is attached to this movable plate 30. Therefore, this line sensor 32
The projected image of the screen 28 can be read by moving the movable plate 30 in the horizontal direction while reading the image incident on the screen 28 .

The apparatus of this embodiment has two parts as shown in FIG.
It has two data transfer buses 34 and 36, one bus 34
bus 36 is for the CPU, and the other bus 36 is for image data. The CPU bus 34 has a CPU (arithmetic unit chip)
38, ROM 40, and RAM 42 are connected. The image data read by the line sensor 32 is digitized and then sent to a scanner input interface (IF) 4.
4 and the image data bus 36 to each section.

Reference numeral 46 denotes an image data memory (hereinafter referred to as I-ME).
M), and a semiconductor memory capable of high-speed writing and reading is used. This I-MEM46 is bus 3
6, and has an unprocessed image data storage section A as described later, and a processed image data storage section B provided at an address continuous to the input side of this address.

48 is a compression/expansion processing section, which connects both buses 3
4 and 36. This compression/expansion processing section 48
compresses the scanned image data when transferring it to an external device such as a facsimile or other microfilm reader, and also decompresses and restores the compressed data transferred from the external device. It performs processing such as.

50 is an image processing section, which connects both buses 34 and 3.
6. The processing unit 50 performs various spatial filtering processes, such as edge enhancement by differential processing, line thinning processing, and dither processing, based on the read raw data.

52 is an image data transfer (I-DMA;
Image Direct Memory Access
ss) This is a control unit that performs control when directly transferring data between various input/output interfaces and memories or between memories. That is, in this embodiment, image data is transferred using a DMA method that is performed without going through the CPU 38.
After predetermined parameters such as the transfer start memory address and the number of transfers are set for the I-DMA control unit 52, there is no need to perform any processing until the transfer is completed.

A disk input/output interface 54 connects an external memory device 56 such as an optical disk and the bus 36.
intervening between. A printer output interface 58 is interposed between the printer 60 and the bus 36.

Next, a memory method in the I-MEM 46 will be explained based on FIGS. 2 and 3. The I-MEM 46 includes, for example, an unprocessed data memory section M with a capacity of 2 MB as an area for accommodating raw image data read from the line sensor 32.
Prepare 1. The address of this memory section M1 is, for example, 2.5M from address 500K (=500×103).
(=2.5×106) address. An area M2 from address 0 to address (500K-1) is a processed data memory section M2 that stores processed image data.
(See state A in Figure 2).

The case of compressing the raw image data stored in this area M1 will be explained. First, I-DMA
The control unit 52 controls the top side of the unprocessed data memory unit M1,
That is, the data is transferred from the 500K address side to the compression/decompression processing section 48 through the bus 36, where the data is compressed, and then the processed data is transferred to the beginning of the processed data memory section M2 of the I-MEM 46, that is, 0. Memory is performed from the address side (state B in FIG. 2).

By continuing the above operations, the unprocessed data is processed sequentially from the head side, that is, from address 0, and enters the memory section M2 (state C), but the unprocessed data is transferred from the memory section M1 to the processing section 48. Then, memory section M1
This transferred area will become empty inside. i.e. 5
The area starting from 00K will become vacant. Therefore, by continuing the above operations, the processed data will be stored in the area starting from the final address (500K-1) of the memory section M2 and starting from the 500K address of the memory section M1 (
Condition D).

By arranging the memory sections M2 and M1 consecutively in this way, it is possible to read data from the memory section M1 and use the vacant area in the memory section M1 to continuously store processed data from the memory section M2. This is what I did.

Although the above embodiment performs compression processing, the operation is exactly the same for decompression processing. However, in this case, it is desirable to secure a larger area in the processed data memory section M2 than in the case of compression processing. In this way, it is desirable that the capacity secured in the processed data memory section M2 be changed depending on the content to be processed.

In addition, when performing various image processing such as image edge enhancement, line thinning processing, dither processing, image enlargement or reduction, etc., it is sufficient to prepare an image processing section 50 with contents corresponding to the processing contents. In this case as well, the I-MEM 46 can be used in the same manner as described above. Note that the data stored in the unprocessed data memory section in the present invention is stored in the line sensor 32.
It is not limited to raw image data read from
Of course, it is sufficient to use data before processing.

[0019]

As described above, the invention of claim 1 provides a processed data memory section (M2) on the start address side of the unprocessed data memory section (M1), and stores the processed data in the processed data memory. The unprocessed data is input to the memory section (M2), and the unprocessed data is read out and becomes vacant (M1).
This processed data is also sequentially stored in the memory area of . Therefore, less memory capacity is required than in the case where separate areas are provided for storing data before and after processing, and memory usage efficiency is improved. Also, claim 2
According to the invention, a memory device is obtained which can be used directly for implementing this memory method. Here these memory parts (M1
, M2) is preferably provided in a semiconductor memory capable of high-speed data writing and reading (Claim 3).

[Brief explanation of drawings]

[Fig. 1] Configuration diagram of one embodiment of the present invention

[Figure 2] Diagram explaining operations in memory during image data compression

[Explanation of symbols]

46 Image data memory (I-MEM) 48 Compression/expansion processing section 50 as an image processing section Image processing section 52 Data transfer control section M1 Unprocessed data memory section M2 Processed data memory section

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A processed data memory section for storing processed image data is provided consecutively at the head side of an unprocessed data memory section for storing unprocessed image data, and the data in the unprocessed data memory section is placed at the beginning of the unprocessed data memory section for storing processed image data. An image data memory of an image processing device, characterized in that the image data is sequentially read out from the side and subjected to image processing, and the processed image data is sequentially stored in the unprocessed data memory section from the top side of the processed data memory section. Method. 2. An image processing device that performs predetermined image processing on image data, comprising: an unprocessed data memory section that stores unprocessed image data; and a processing device that is provided continuously at the beginning of the unprocessed data memory section. completed data memory section;
an image processing unit that performs predetermined image processing on the unprocessed image data; and an image processing unit that transfers the unprocessed data from the beginning of the unprocessed data memory unit to the image processing unit and converts the processed image data into processed data. 1. A memory device for image data, comprising: a data transfer control unit that controls sending of data so that data is sequentially stored in the processed data memory unit from the beginning of the memory unit. 3. The image data memory device according to claim 2, wherein the processed data memory section and the unprocessed data memory section are formed of semiconductor memories.