JPH0461555A - Picture processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the memory capacity and to use the memory effectively by using a page memory in common for a multi-gradation data in the unit of picture and a coded data comprising a color pallet code. CONSTITUTION:A page memory 6-6 has a prescribed number of bit width, a memory control section 6-5 writes a multi-gradation color picture data without form modification and plural coded picture element data are written altogether in one address. As a result, one data is written in one address in an area in which a multi-gradation data is written and plural (normally adjacent picture elements) data are written in one address in an area where coded picture element data are written. Since one memory is used for both kinds of data, even when an inputted data form is biased to one kind, the memory is used effectively.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image processing device that stores and processes multi-gradation data in units of pixels and encoded data consisting of coats of color palettes.

[Conventional technology]

Laser beam printers and digital copiers can output binary images such as text/line drawings and multi-gradation images such as photographs using dot representation, and overlay halftone images of MMC (K), which is the primary color of subtractive color mixture. By doing so, it is possible to output a color multi-gradation image. Therefore, it is possible to synthesize and edit documents, graphs, and images created using a computer's document creation and graphics functions, and even create multi-tone images obtained by reading photographs with a scanner or copying machine's original reading section. You can compose and edit these and print them out. In other words, systems that output color images can freely perform corrections, conversions, image editing (combining, replacement, etc.), and various image processing devices have been proposed to realize these functions. .

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a conventional example of an image processing device that stores and processes multi-tone image data and encoded image data.

The image processing device shown in FIG. 4 is one that has been proposed in the past for outputting image data containing a mixture of multi-tone images and encoded images sent from a host computer 2 from a recording unit 31 (printer). (For example, JP-A-1-184
No. 142). This device includes page memories 25 and 27 that separately store multi-tone image data and coded image data, an image synthesis section 29 that synthesizes the stored image data when outputting the data, and the like.

The page memory 25 stores pixel data with gradation equivalent to the printer's reproduction ability.
Reference numeral 7 stores image data in the form of, for example, a color palette code. In addition, the page memory 27 is
The size of the area is equivalent to the maximum output area of the printer,
Page memory 25 has a smaller area size than page memory 27.

In the above image processing apparatus, when a color image 1f report written in a page description language is sent from the host computer 2I through the communication section 22, in the case of a multi-gradation image such as a natural image, the page is sent to the translation section 23. The image information developed by translating the descriptive language is stored in the multi-gradation image page memory 25 using addresses corresponding to pixel positions, and binary images such as document images where the number of colors used in a page is limited. In this case, the image signal is converted by the encoder 26 into a color code with a coat length corresponding to the number of colors, and stored in the page memory 27 using the address. It is the memory controller 24 that performs this control.

With the above configuration, image information is expanded and stored in either of the page memories 25 and 27, making it possible to reproduce natural images with a relatively small capacity memory.

[Invention or problem to be solved]

When storing multi-gradation data and encoded data as described above, the multi-gradation data consists of BGR, which is the three primary colors of additive color mixture.
If YMC, which is the three primary colors of l or subtractive color mixture, is made into full color with 8 bits and 256 gradations, one pixel has 24
The encoded data may be bit data, or if a color palette of 256 colors is prepared, one pixel will be 8 bit data, and each data size will be different.

Therefore, in the past, multi-gradation data was stored in a 24-bit page memory for multi-gradation images, and coded data was stored in an 8-bit page memory for character/line drawing images. Input data containing a mixture of multi-gradation data and encoded data is identified, sorted, and stored in each page memory.

However, in the conventional system described above, the page memory for character/line drawing images is grown with an area size equivalent to the maximum output area of the printer, whereas the page memory for multi-tone image data is Since the memory capacity is reduced by making the area size smaller than this, there may be cases where the multi-tone image data exceeds the capacity of the page memory.

In such a case, the page memory for text/line drawing images is
Normally, the maximum output area of a printer is not used to its fullest extent, and due to its depth, size, or small size, it cannot be used for storing multi-tone image data. There is a problem. In other words, memory cannot be used effectively, resulting in waste.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus in which page memory is shared, memory capacity is reduced, and operational utilization is achieved.

[Means to solve the problem]

To this end, the present invention provides an image processing apparatus configured to store each image data of a multi-tone image and a coded image pixel by pixel, and to read out, synthesize and output the stored image data. A page memory with the bit width of image data, and in the case of encoded image data in pixel units, multiple data are concatenated and converted into multi-gradation image data width and stored in the page memory, and the storage location of each data,
Equipped with a memory control means that retains information on data attributes and data synthesis conditions and reads out stored data based on information on storage location, data attributes, and data synthesis conditions, and stores multi-tone image data in vane memory. The present invention is characterized in that it is configured to be able to store image data in which coded image data and coded image data coexist. Furthermore, an image processing means for processing image data and an image output means for outputting the image data processed by the image processing means in dot representation are connected to the memory control means, and the data read out to the image processing means and the compositing conditions are adjusted. The image processing means is configured to transmit information, and the image processing means is configured to be connected to the document reading means so that image data inputted from the document reading means can be transferred to the memory control means. The memory control means also includes a translation means for developing image data other than pixel data into pixel data, and is connected to the data processing system through the translation means, so that the image data other than the pixel data is transmitted from the data processing system. The present invention is characterized in that, when the data is sent, the data expanded by the translation means is written into the vane memory. A feature is that the page memory is divided into blocks so that a plurality of blocks can be simultaneously read and processed in an overlapping manner.

[Effect]

In the case of encoded image data, the image processing device of the present invention concatenates a plurality of pieces of data, converts it into a multi-tone image data width, and writes it to a page memory of the bit width of the multi-tone image data in pixel units. Storage location of each data, data attributes,
Since information on data synthesis conditions is held, image data can be stored at any klh location in the page memory. Then, since it is read out based on the information on the storage location, data attributes, and data composition conditions, image data containing a mixture of multi-tone image data and encoded image data is stored in the page memory, and they are composited and output. be able to. Furthermore, the image data input from the document reading means is configured to be transferable to the memory control means, and the read data and information on the compositing conditions are sent to the image processing means, so that the image data can be synthesized according to the settings of the compositing conditions. It becomes possible. In addition, when image data other than pixel data is sent from a data processing system, the data expanded by the translation means is written to the page memory, so for example, image data sent in the Vane description language format can also be used. It can be written, read and output in the same way as image data in units of pixels.

〔Example〕

Examples will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing one embodiment of an image processing apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the state of data stored in a page memory. In the figure, l is IIT (image input terminal), 2 is IPs (image processing system), and 3 is l0T.
(image input terminal), 4 is a workstation, 5 is an image scanner, 6-1 is a communication system unit, 6-2
6-3 is a translation unit, 6-3 is a color information conversion unit, 6-4 is a communication control unit, 6-5 is a memory control unit, 6-6 is a page memory, 6-
7 represents a selector, and 6-8 represents a decoder.

In FIG. 1, the image scanner 5 and llTl are
It reads documents containing various images such as photographs, prints, characters, and line drawings, and outputs multi-gradation image data. The workstation 4 reads the image read by the image scanner 5,
Documents created using the document creation function and image information such as graphs and patterns created using the graphic function can be converted into multi-tone color image data, multi-tone monochrome image data, binary image data, encoded image data, and codes. The data is sent to the communication control unit 6-1 in the format of pixel unit data or a page description language using converted character data or the like.

The translation unit 6-2 interprets the image information received by the communication control unit 6-1, and develops, for example, multi-tone pixel data, encoded pixel data, run-length encoded information, etc. into a bitmap.

The color information converter 6-3 is a color palette that stores BGR values for, for example, 256 colors. Set.

The page memory 6-6 has a predetermined bit width. For example, if the page memory 6-6 and the multi-tone color image data have a bit width of 24 bits, and the encoded pixel data has a bit width of 8 bits. , the memory control unit 6-5 stores the multi-tone color image data in the same format as the vane memory 6-6.
The encoded pixel data is written in three pieces at one address. That is, in the case of encoded data having a short data length, the memory control unit 6-5 writes a plurality of pieces of data into one piece into the page memory 6-6 in accordance with the bit width of the page memory 6-6.

The memory control unit 6-5 stores the image data input through the communication control units 6-1 and 6-4 in the page memory 6 pixel by pixel.
-6, and when outputting image data,
Image data is read from the page memory 6-6 and sent to the IPS 2 through the communication control section 6-4. Also,
When writing image data to page memory 6-6,
Information on the storage location (starting address, final address, etc.) and data attributes is held, thereby allowing any data to be stored at any location on the page memory 6-6. Furthermore, in the memory control unit 6-5, -
There is also a function to read and rewrite the image data once written to the page memory 6-6.

The IPS 2 receives multi-gradation color image data, multi-gradation single color image data, 2
It performs correction, conversion, and editing processing on image data such as value image data, and sends output data in dot representation to 10T3, or sends image data input from 11T1 to communication control section 6-4. In other words, the conventional digital copying machine has a configuration including 11TI, IPS2, and 10T3.

When outputting the image data written to the page memory 6-6 with the above configuration from the l0T2, the image data is read from the memory control section 6-5 or the page memory 6-6 and passed through the communication control section 6-4. ['Send to S2. At this time, the memory control unit 6-5 refers to the storage information of the image file held internally. Then, if it is necessary to convert the data format to a format that can be accepted on the IPS 2 side, the selector 6-7 causes the image data to pass through the decoder 6-8, and if no conversion is necessary, the image data is passed through the selector 6-7. 6-7 directly to the communication control unit 6-4. At the same time, the memory control section 6-5 sends the data attributes to the IP'S2 through the communication control section 6-4.

['S2 uses the attributes of this data to set image processing parameters.

When compositing images, for example, workstation 4
Synthesis conditions (parameters) set from an external source such as a computer or an operation panel of a copying machine (not shown) are held in the memory control unit 6-5. The memory control section 6-5 reads out necessary data based on the synthesis conditions during the synthesis output operation and sends it to the communication control section 6-4, and at the same time transmits the attributes of the data through the communication control section 6-4. 'Sent to S2 and used for parameter setting on the IPS2 side.

As mentioned above, data is sent from the workstation 2 to the communication control unit 6-1 in the form of pixel-by-pixel data or Vane description language, so the processing in each case will be explained below.

First, the characters/line drawings edited on Workstation 4 (
A case where an encoded image and a multi-gradation image are sent to the communication control unit 6-4 as pixel-by-pixel data will be described.

Since the data width of the page memory 6-6 is composed of the data width of the multi-tone pixel data as described above, the multi-tone pixel data is written in the page memory 6-6 in its original format. On the other hand, the encoded pixel data is stored in the page memory 6-
Concatenate multiple data within the range of data width of 6,
Write to one address. As a result, as shown in Figure 2, in the area on the page memory 6-6 where multi-gradation data is written, one piece of data is written to one address, but encoded pixel data is written. In a region, multiple pieces of data (usually adjacent pixels) are written to one address.

In the case of data sent in pixel units, it is generally sent in the order of consecutive pixel addresses.

Therefore, when writing such data to the page memory 6-6, it is sufficient to write the data from an arbitrary address while continuously changing the address according to each data format.

When writing is completed, the start address of the area,
The final address, capacity, attributes of the data file, etc. are held in the memory control unit 6-5 and used when outputting the image data file.

A case will be described in which the data file written in the vane memory 6-6 as described above is output to the IPS 2.

In this case, the memory control unit 6-5 refers to the starting address of each held data file, reads data sequentially from that address in the page memory 6-6, and sends it to IF's2. At this time, in the case of multi-gradation pixel data, the read addresses are changed one by one in synchronization with the pixel synchronization signal of IPS2. Alternatively, a method may be adopted in which the information is read out in advance using a buffer memory. On the other hand, in the case of encoded pixel data, the concatenated data read from one address is decomposed into the original encoded pixel data, coated as necessary, and the result is sent to IF'S2. . For example, each encoded pixel data indicates one color bullet Nα, and the decoder 6-8 converts the encoded pixel data into a color l-axis degree conversion unit 6-3.
The color conversion ff stored in N and the corresponding RG
Read and output the B value. In the decoder,
8-bit width RGB value from 8-bit width encoded data,
Converted to a total of 24 bits wide.

Next, a case will be described in which an image data file edited on the workstation 4 is sent in a page description language format.

The image data file sent in the page description language format is expanded into a frame of a predetermined size (in a virtual frame memory) by the translation unit 6-2. At this time, the expanded addresses are often discontinuous.

Therefore, when the memory control unit 6-5 writes multi-gradation pixel data to the page memory 6-6, the translation unit 6-2 writes an arbitrarily determined data file write area at the address of the expanded virtual frame memory. The value obtained by adding the start address of 2 as an offset is written to the address on the page memory 6-6.

Even when the encoded pixel data is developed in the virtual frame memory f2, the addresses are discontinuous (random). Furthermore, the memory control unit 6-5 or the page memory 6-6
When writing multiple pixel data to one address, the address on the expanded virtual frame memory, the number of pixel data per address in the vane memory 6-6, and the number of pixel data per address in the page memory 6-6 are required. Page memory 6 from the start address of the write area of the data file.
The address to be stored on -6 is calculated, the data at that address is read out, and only the bit corresponding to the corresponding pixel is rewritten and written to the same address. Regarding the output of the image data file of page memory 6-6,
The same processing as when text/line drawing (encoded) images and multi-tone images edited on the workstation 4 are sent as pixel-by-pixel data is performed.

For image synthesis output when there is no overlap between images during image synthesis, memory control unit 6-5 i: Outputs a necessary image file based on the stored synthesis conditions (parameters) at the time of output. In this case, since there is no overlap between the images, the memory control unit 6-5 always outputs one of the image data files instead of switching between them. The switching timing is calculated and managed by the memory control unit 6-5 from the synthesis conditions (parameters). Such image synthesis is applied, for example, when a photograph (multi-gradation color pixel data) is to be incorporated into a text document (binary data).

When it is necessary to write or read data in different formats simultaneously, for example, when there is a portion where multiple images overlap when outputting an image composite, the page memory 6-6 is used.
By dividing the data into blocks in predetermined units and providing each block with a turnout selection mechanism corresponding to the number of types of data, writing to or reading from a plurality of blocks can be performed in parallel at the same time. This makes it possible to simultaneously write and read multiple image data files, including those with different data formats. At this time, the minimum unit for writing the image data file is one block, and writing a plurality of image data files to the same block is prohibited.

The above processing can be applied to the case where a photographic image file (multi-gradation color image data) and a character manuscript file (binary pixel data) are output in a superimposed manner.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an example of processing when there are multiple images or overlapping portions during image synthesis output.

In Figure 3, a photo image file is written in blocks 11-1 and 11-2, and a text manuscript file is written in block 1.
After 1-3, for example, if we write only to block 11-3, selector of block 111.11-2]2
-1.12-2 is connected to bus 8, and selector 12-3 of block I+-3 is connected to bus B. Then, the memory control unit 6-5 reads both at the same time, superimposes (combines) them, and sends them to the IPS2 through the communication control unit 6-4.
Output to. Bus C is used when further compositing a third image. Therefore, the illustrated example shows a configuration in which three images can be targeted as overlapping images, and in order to further increase the number of images, it is sufficient to increase the number of buses.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, the memory for multi-tone image data and encoded image data is shared, so even if the input data format is biased toward one side, the memory can be used effectively. I can do it. For example, compared to a system that has 24 Mbytes of memory for multi-tone image data and 8 Mbytes of memory for encoded image data,
In the present invention, in which both are shared and used as a 32M byte memory, approximately 1°33
In the case of encoded image data, 4 times the capacity can be used. Generally, the memory capacity allocated for encoded image data as described above is not very large compared to the memory capacity allocated for multi-tone image data. Therefore, it becomes clear whether there is an advantage in sharing the memory when image data or encoded image data is biased.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the image processing device according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the state of data stored in the page memory, and Fig. 3 is a diagram showing whether there are multiple images or overlapping parts when outputting an image by combining them. FIG. 4, which is a diagram for explaining an example of processing in a certain case, is a diagram showing a conventional example of an image processing apparatus that stores and processes multi-tone image data and encoded image data. 1. IIT (image input terminal), 2...I
PS (image processing system), 3...10T (image output terminal), 4. Workstation,
5... Image scanner, 6-1... Communication control unit,
6-2... Translation section, 6-3... Color information conversion section, 6-
4... Communication control unit, 6-5... Memory control unit, 6-
6...Page memory, 6-7...Selector, 6-8...
··decoder. Applicant Fuji Serotox Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] (1) An image processing device configured to store each image data of a multi-tone image and a coded image in pixel units, and to read out the stored image data, synthesize it, and output it, at least Bit-width page memory for multi-tone image data,
In the case of coded image data, multiple pieces of data are concatenated, converted to multi-gradation image data width, and stored in page memory in pixel units, as well as the storage location of each data, data attributes,
Equipped with a memory control means that holds information on data synthesis conditions and reads the stored data based on information on storage location, data attributes, and data synthesis conditions, and stores multi-tone image data and encoded image data in page memory. An image processing device characterized in that it is configured to be able to store image data containing a mixture of. (2) An image processing means for processing image data and an image output means for outputting the image data processed by the image processing means in dot representation are connected to the memory control means, and the data read out to the image processing means and synthesis conditions are 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing apparatus is configured to send the information. (3) The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image processing means is connected to the original reading means so as to be able to transfer image data inputted from the original reading means to the memory control means. (4) The memory control means is connected to a data processing system through the translation means for developing image data other than data in units of pixels into data in units of pixels, and the image data other than data in units of pixels is 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the data is sent from a translator, the translation means expands the data and writes it into the page memory. (5) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the page memory is divided into blocks so that a plurality of blocks can be simultaneously read and processed in an overlapping manner.