JPH05151351A - Color image synthesizing/printing output system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the increase of the memory capacity required for a processing by synthesizing, printing and outputting color information of two formats of color code data and color image data displayed on a display device. CONSTITUTION:Color image data of two formats, that is, color code information and three primary colors dot information are handled simultaneously, and in order that they can be printed as a single color image, color code data 14 is subjected to size conversion in accordance with image size for printing. Subsequently, the three primary colors dot information is also subjected to size conversion to the image size for printing. On the other hand, in a printing means, the color code data 14 subjected to size conversion is converted to density data for showing the respective density of the three primary colors, and the three primary colors dot information 13 is also converted to three primary colors density data in the same way. Next, by using color code priority display area information 16, two three-primary colors density data are selected and outputted, and a color image shown by a color code, and a color image shown by the three primary colors dot information are synthesized and printed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for performing color image processing by using color image information in both formats of dot information and color code information, and more particularly to a color image processing apparatus suitable for color display and printing. ..

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a known example of converting a plurality of color graphic data into raster data at a workstation and superimposing them on a color printer, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Sho 64-64 is known.
-68064 "Color image recording device" is available.

[0003]

The prior art has shown that the host side performs the process of creating raster data (multi-valued or analog signal by scanning line signal) from a plurality of color graphic data. It does not recognize to send dot data as transmission data between printers.

Generally, when the color image information of the color image processing is used as it is in the process of storing and transmitting the multi-valued data of the three primary colors, there is a problem in that the memory capacity increases and the transfer speed decreases. Therefore, it is desirable that the color image information be stored (including compression processing) and transmitted as binary data (dot data) that is dithered with the three primary colors.

On the other hand, the color display information is often in the form of a color code considering the display data on the workstation. Therefore, the display screen data of the color image processing apparatus having the workstation has two formats of dot data and color code data, and a hard copy (display screen printing) of the display screen in which both these data are combined and displayed.
However, it takes time to combine the two data due to the difference in the data format, which causes an extreme decrease in processing speed.

Further, since one pixel of color code data is represented by a plurality of bits (for example, 8 bits), a memory capacity which is a multiple of the image data is required to combine with the image data, which also causes an increase in the memory capacity. I will end up.

An object of the present invention is to provide a color image synthesizing method capable of simultaneously handling two types of color information, dot data and color code, and synthesizing and outputting them to a color printer.

Another object of the present invention is to prevent an increase in the memory capacity that occurs during the combining process of color information in both dot data and color code formats.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a means for converting color code information into a print output corresponding size, a means for converting dot information represented by three primary colors into a print output size, and a color. By the means for creating the code priority display area and the information created by the above three means,
A means for combining and printing the three primary color dot information and the three primary color dot information created by converting the color code, and a means for dividing the above four means are provided.

[0010]

According to the present invention, two types of color image data, that is, color code information and three-primary-color dot information are handled at the same time, so that these can be printed as a single color image. The size is converted according to the size. Next, the size conversion is performed so that the dot information of the three primary colors is also printed.

Then, color code priority display area information indicating the color code area displayed on the display screen is created.

On the other hand, in the printing means, the size-converted color code data is converted into density data indicating the density of each of the three primary colors using a color code dictionary (look-up table: LUT).

Similarly, the dot information of the three primary colors is also converted into density data of the three primary colors.

Next, by using the color code priority display area information to selectively output the two three primary color density data, a color image represented by a color code and three primary color dot information are displayed. Combine with a color image and print.

The color code data and 3
The primary color dot information and the color code priority display area information are all unified to correspond to the print size, and are divided in the raster (scanning line) direction of the printing unit, and the size conversion processing, the color code priority display area information creation processing, 3 Primary color density data creation processing and color image composition printing processing are performed.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the overall construction of an image filing apparatus which is an embodiment of the present invention.

The configuration is such that 1. Host device, which is an image input / output unit 10. 1. Color scanner / color printer, temporarily storing images 2. 8. Image memory, optical disk as image storage means 3. Image storage unit, performs image processing such as image transfer / enlargement / reduction / encoding / decoding. Image processors, 7. 4. It is connected by an image bus and is a means for displaying images. 2. Color display device and controlling it It is composed of a display controller.

1. The higher-level device is a workstation, a personal computer, or the like, and controls the above-mentioned components constituting the entire filing device.

10. Color scanner / color printer is 1. 1. An image is color-separated into three primary colors and digitized by a command from a host device. Store in image memory.

Similarly, 1. 1. According to a command from the host device
The image data stored in the image memory is printed out.

4. The image processor is 1. 1. According to a command from the host device 2. Convert the image data in the image memory to the display size. Enlargement / reduction transfer to the display control unit.

In addition, the image is 9. Image processing such as image encoding required for registration in the image storage unit and image decoding required for image retrieval is performed.

3. The display control unit has a built-in memory dedicated to display images. Image processor is 7. Via the image bus 2. Image data transferred from the image memory and 1. From upper device 6. After converting the color code data transferred via the code data bus into the same pixel format, the color code data is combined and synthesized as 8.3 primary color density data. Transfer to color display. 3. The display image memory in the display control unit is
There are 3 planes of G and B, and the 3 planes are 7. It is connected to the image bus.

In addition, 2. Also in the image memory 10. Images imported from color scanners / color printers,
9. Stores the images retrieved from the image storage unit, RG
・ There is a B plane.

Next, the combination and printing of the color code and the color image displayed on the color display device, which is a feature of the present invention, will be described.

FIG. 2 shows a process of creating data for synthesizing a color code and a color display image.

In the process of creating the data for combining the color code and the color display image, 2. A dictionary for converting a color code into color pixels in the image memory. LUT table, R / G / B plane data for display image 1
3.3 Primary color dot image, converted to the same size as the three primary color dot image Color code data, 14. 1 for combining color code and 13.3 primary color dot image
5. Create a color code priority display area information area.

12. The LUT table is 1. From host device 11. LUT data is 7. Transferred via the image bus.

13.3 The primary color dot image is 3. The R / G / B display plane data in the display control unit is 4. 6. Converted to print output size by image processor, Transferred via the image bus.

14. Color code data is 3. In the display control unit 17. Display color code data is 4. The image processor enlarges or reduces the print output size for transfer. Since the color code data expresses one pixel by 8 bits, it is 8 for color image data.
The amount of data is doubled.

15. The color code priority display area information area is 4. The image processor is 1. From the host device 16.
Receives and creates color code priority display area number, position, and size information.

Above, 2. 1 created in image memory
2. LUT table, 13.3 primary color dot image, 14.
Color code data, 15. 10. Use the color code priority display area information area. Color scanner / color printer 1. It is printed out according to an instruction from the host device.

FIG. 3 shows an internal block diagram of the color printer.

The structure is as follows. Color printer interface section, 19. Printer image memory, 21. LU
T memory, 25. Density data conversion unit, 28. Selector circuit, 30. It is a color printer printing unit.

First, 2. Located in image memory 12. LU
The T table is 7. Image bus and 18. 21. Through the color printer interface section. Stored in LUT memory. Similarly, 2. 13.3 primary color dot image in image memory, 14. Color code data, 15. The color code priority display area information area is 7. Via image bus Stored in printer image memory.

19. Stored in the printer image memory,
3 primary color dot image data is 24. 2 as image data
5. It is sent to the density data conversion unit and is color density multi-valued data 31. Color image converted to RGB density data 28. It is sent to the selector circuit.

19. The color code data stored in the printer image memory is also 22. 21. As color code data. Sent to LUT memory, 21. The LUT table in the LUT memory is used to display 26. Color code converted to RGB density data,
28. It is sent to the selector circuit.

19. The color code priority display area information stored in the printer image memory is 26. Color code R
GB concentration data and 31. 27. This is a selection signal for color image RGB density data. As switching data, 28. It is sent to the selector circuit.

28. The selector circuit is 27. According to the switching data, 26. Color code RGB density data and 3
1. Select the RGB density data of the color image and select 29. Print data 30. Send to color printer printing section, 30. 26. In the color printer printing section Color code RGB density data and 31. A composite image of the color image RGB density data is printed.

By the above processing, the color image data displayed on the display device and the color code data are combined and printed out. In the present invention, the memory capacity required for the processing, that is, 2. 13.3 primary color dot image in image memory, 14. Color code data, 15. Color code priority display area information area, 19. A series of processes to reduce the printer image memory capacity Split processing is performed by host device management.

That is, in 2. 13.3 primary color dot image in image memory, 14. Color code data, 15. Creation of the color code priority display area information area, and 19. In the color printer device in FIG. 13.3 primary color dot image to printer image memory, 1
4. Color code data, 15. 28. Transfer of color code priority display area information area and 28. 26. By selector circuit Color code RGB density data 31. Select the RGB density data of the color image and select 30. 1. Print output processing by the color printer printing unit. The upper device manages the memory capacity and performs division processing.

[0043]

As described above, according to the present invention, the color code data displayed on the display device and the color information in the two formats of the color image data can be combined and printed out, and is required for the processing. It is possible to prevent the memory capacity from increasing.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a process for creating data for synthesizing a color code / color display image.

FIG. 3 is an internal block diagram of a color printer device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Host device 2 ... Image memory 3 ... Display control unit 4 ... Image processor 5 ... Color display device 6 ... Code data bus 7 ... Image data bus 8 ... 3 Primary color density data 9 ... Image storage unit 10 ... Color scanner / color printer

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A method of synthesizing and printing out a color image represented by color code information and a color image represented by dot information of three primary colors, wherein the color image represented by dot information of the three primary colors is Similarly, the color code information is converted to a print output size, the color code information is also converted to a print output compatible size, the size-converted color code information is converted to three primary color dot information, and the converted three primary color dot information is also converted. By the color code priority area information showing the priority display of
3 primary color dot information generated by converting the color code and 3
A color image composition print output method characterized by composing and printing a color image represented by primary color dot information. 2. The color image synthesizing printout method according to claim 1, wherein a size conversion process of a color image represented by dot information of three primary colors, a size conversion process of color code information, and a color code priority region information creation process. as well as,
A color image composite print output method characterized in that a process of combining and printing a color image generated by converting a color code and a color image represented by dot information of three primary colors is divided into process unit sizes.