JPH0766969A - Picture processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain page expansion processing of received output information even when a picture data storage capacity is smaller than the output size designated by the output information. CONSTITUTION:An output medium size designated in output information received from an external device and an image expansion capacity of image memories 300-302 are compared and a CPU 303 controls selection of an optimum expansion form possible for page expansion within the capacity of the image memories 300-302 based on the comparison result as a feature.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus having a data communication function with an external device such as a computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image processing apparatus for receiving various data held by an external device such as a computer and forming an image on a page memory based on the received data is as shown in FIG.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram for explaining the data processing configuration of this type of image processing apparatus. The configuration and operation will be described below with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

FIG. 12 is a flow chart showing an example of a data processing procedure in the image processing apparatus shown in FIG. Note that (1) to (8) indicate each step.

First, data transfer is started by a trigger from an external device (not shown) to wait for data reception (1), and the data sent from the external device is temporarily received by the interface control unit 401. After being transferred to the memory 402 (2), the image generation unit 403
In (3), after undergoing image processing such as enlargement and reduction, it is developed on the page memory 404 under the control of the memory controller 408 (4). By repeating this process, when the image data transfer for the size specified in advance is completed (5), or when the image data is transferred for the page memory size, or when an output instruction from an external device is used as a trigger, Printer control unit 406,
The printer unit 407 is activated (6). The image data expanded on the page memory 404 is sequentially sent to the printer unit 407 via the output buffer 405 to form an image on the recording medium from an external device (7).

Next, the completion of printing is confirmed (8) and NO.
If so, the process returns to step (7), and if YES, the process ends.

[0007]

However, in the image processing apparatus shown in the above-mentioned conventional example, it is necessary to have a memory having a size larger than the maximum image size handled by the image processing apparatus, so that the apparatus cost becomes high.

If the image processing apparatus does not have a page memory having a size larger than the maximum size, there is a means for switching the usage mode of the storage means to the image registration memory according to the installed memory. In that case, there was a problem that images could not be overwritten and further hardware restrictions would be imposed.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and by switching the image expansion mode of the received output information according to the image data storage capacity,
An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus capable of performing page expansion processing of received output information even when the image data storage capacity is smaller than the output size designated by the output information.

[0010]

An image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes an image data storage unit for storing image data corresponding to output information received from an external device, and an image data storage unit designated in the output information received from the external device. The output medium size and the image expansion capacity of the image data storage means, and based on the comparison result, control means for switching control to an optimum expansion form capable of page expansion within the capacity of the image data storage means. It is provided.

Further, the control means is constituted so as to switch to one of the same-magnification multi-value expansion, reduced multi-value expansion, and equal-magnification binary which are capable of page expansion within the capacity of the image data storage means based on the comparison result. It is a thing.

[0012]

In the present invention, the output medium size specified in the output information received from the external device is compared with the image development capacity of the image data storage means, and based on the comparison result, the control means controls the image data. Even if the memory capacity of the on-board image data storage means is smaller than the output paper size and multi-value expansion is not possible, it is possible to expand to the storage means because the switching control is switched to the optimum expansion mode capable of page expansion within the capacity of the storage means. By performing the binary expansion of the expansion or performing the reduction processing, the image output using the page description language can be realized even when the image processing apparatus does not have a full-sized page memory.

Further, the control means switches to one of the same-magnification multivalued expansion, the reduced multivalued expansion, and the same-magnification binary capable of page expansion within the capacity of the image data storage means based on the comparison result. It is possible to realize image output using the page description language while selecting the optimum image development according to the storage capacity.

[0014]

1 and 2 are block diagrams for explaining the configuration of an image processing apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention, which corresponds to, for example, a digital color copying machine.

In the figure, 102, 111, 121, 1
A control unit 12 includes a microcomputer, a program ROM, a data memory, a communication circuit, etc., and controls the scanner unit 1, the controller unit 2, the printer unit 3, and the image memory control unit (image memory control unit) 4, respectively. . The control units 102 to 111 are connected by a communication line, and when operating as a color copying machine, the control units 102 and 12 are instructed by the control unit 111.
A so-called master / slave control mode in which 1,112 operate is adopted. Reference numeral 123 is an input image processing unit, and 124 is an output image data processing unit. Also, a host machine (not shown) is connected via an external parallel interface.
In the remote mode (described later) in which various operations are performed by commands from the control unit 112, the control unit 112 serves as a master and gives each instruction to the control unit 111, and the control unit 111 instructs the control units 102 and 121 based on this. It becomes the form to perform.
The transition to the remote mode is performed by an instruction from the host machine or an operation of a key switch of the operation unit 10.

When operating as a color copying machine, the control unit 111 operates according to an input instruction from the operation unit 10 or the digitizer 114. The operation unit 10 uses, for example, liquid crystal as a display unit, and has a touch panel made of a transparent electrode on the surface thereof. By touching the touch panel, it is possible to perform instruction selection such as designation regarding color and designation of editing operation. Frequently used keys related to operation, such as a start key for instructing the start of copying operation, a stop key for instructing to stop copying operation, a reset key for returning the operation mode to the standard state, and a projector key for selecting a projector. The key is provided independently. 122 is a mechanical drive unit.

The digitizer 114 is for inputting position information necessary for trimming and masking processing, and is optionally connected when complicated editing processing is required. Further, the control unit 111 includes a multi-value synthesis unit 106, image processing units 107 and 2 that perform various types of image processing.
The binarization processing unit 108 and the binary synthesizing unit 109 are controlled.

The control unit 102 controls the mechanical drive unit 105 that controls the drive of the mechanism of the scanner unit 1, the exposure control unit 103 that controls the exposure of the lamp when reading a reflection original, and the halogen when the projector is used. The exposure control unit 104 that controls the exposure of the lamp 90 is controlled.

The control unit 102 also controls the analog signal processing unit 100 and the input image processing unit 101 which perform various kinds of image processing.

The control unit 121 absorbs variations in the mechanical operation time of the printer unit 3 and the recording heads 117 to 12 for controlling the mechanical drive of the printer unit 3.
Control is performed with the synchronous delay memory 115 that performs delay correction according to the mechanical arrangement of 0.

The image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment is an apparatus provided with data transfer with an external device, and stores information about the image type and image size with the external device and the image on the storage means. Means for communicating coordinate information for page expansion to, and information regarding the size of the output medium,
The storage means for storing these information, the communication means for communicating the image data with the external device, the storage means for storing the image data, the size of the output medium, and the capacity of the image data storage means are compared. Then, a switching means for switching the deployment mode and a control means for controlling the switching means are provided.

Next, the flow of image data in the image processing apparatus having the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described.

The image on the original 11 shown in FIG.
An image is formed on the CCD image sensor 16 via C, and C
The CD image sensor 16 converts the analog electric signal (image signal). The converted image signal is red (R)
→ Green (G) → Blue (B) are serially processed and input to the analog signal processing unit 100. The analog signal processing unit 100 performs sample / hold, dark level correction, dynamic range control, etc. for each color of red, green, and blue, and then performs analog / digital conversion (A / D conversion) to perform serial multi conversion. Input image processing unit 1 after converting into a digital image signal of a value (8 bits length for each color in this embodiment)
Output to 01. In the input image processing unit 101, correction processing necessary for the reading system such as correction of the CCD image sensor and γ correction is performed with the serial multi-valued digital image signal as it is.

The multi-value synthesis section 106 of the controller section 2
This is a circuit block for selecting and synthesizing a serial multivalued digital image signal sent from the scanner unit 1 and a serial multivalued digital image signal sent from the image memory 110. The image data that has been selectively combined is sent to the image processing unit 107 as a serial multi-valued digital image signal.

The image processing unit 107 performs smoothing processing,
This circuit performs edge enhancement, black extraction, masking processing for color correction of recording ink used in the recording heads 117 to 120, and the like. The serial multi-valued digital image signal output is input to the binarization processing unit 108 and the image memory 110, respectively. The binarization processing unit 108 is a circuit for binarizing a serial multilevel digital image signal, and can select simple binarization processing by a fixed slice level, pseudo halftone processing by an error diffusion method, or the like. it can.

Here, the serial multi-value digital signal is converted into a binary parallel image signal of four colors. The image data of four colors is sent to the binary synthesis unit 109 and the image data of three colors is sent to the image memory 110.

The binary synthesizer 109 is an image memory 110.
Binary parallel image of 4 colors by selecting or synthesizing the binary parallel image signal of 3 colors or 4 colors sent from and the binary parallel image signal of 4 colors sent from the binarization processing unit 108. It functions as a circuit for making a signal.

The control unit 112 of the image memory control unit 4
Controls the image memory 110, outputs the image data stored in the image memory 110 at a predetermined combining position by adjusting the timings of the multi-value combining unit 106 and the binary combining unit 109.

Further, the original image sent from the scanner section 1 is written in the image memory as a binary value from the image processing section 107 or the output of the binary image processing section 108 as a multi-valued image. As will be described in detail later, the input image data processing unit 123 performs enlargement processing, logarithmic conversion, palette conversion, and the like according to an instruction from the control unit 112. In addition, the control unit 1
Reference numeral 12 also controls a general-purpose parallel interface such as IEEE-488, a so-called GPIB interface, or a SCSI interface, so that input / output of image data with the host machine and remote control by the host machine can be performed via this interface. It has become.

The synchronous delay memory 115 of the printer unit 3 is
It also absorbs the time variation of the mechanical operation of the printer unit 3 and generates the timing necessary for driving the recording heads 117 to 120. The head driver 116 includes the recording heads 117 to 12
It is an analog drive circuit for driving 0, and internally generates a signal capable of directly driving the recording heads 117 to 120. The recording heads 117 to 120 respectively eject cyan, magenta, yellow and black inks to form an image on recording paper.

The image memory control unit 4 described above will be described in more detail below.

FIG. 3 shows the image memory 11 shown in FIG.
3 is a detailed block diagram illustrating the configurations of 0 and a control unit 112. FIG.

In the figure, reference numeral 303 denotes a CPU, which is a known microprocessor in this embodiment. 304
Is a ROM for storing programs, and 305 is a RAM used as a work area.

Reference numeral 308 is a GPIB controller for transmitting / receiving data to / from an external device (not shown), 309 is a SCSI controller for transmitting / receiving data to / from an external device, not shown, and the GPIB controller 308 and SCSI controller 309 are directly connected via a DMA controller 307. Data transfer with the image memories 300 to 302 is possible.

Reference numeral 320 denotes a mailbox for communicating with the control unit 111, which is a known dual port RAM.
Having the configuration, various information is exchanged using the mailbox 320. In this embodiment, the image memories 300 to 302 each have a capacity of 16 Mbytes, for a total of 48 Mbytes.

A 24-bit address bus is required to cover this image memory area, but the CPU 303 and the DMA controller 3 used in this embodiment are required.
Since 07 has only 16 bits as an address bus, the bank register 306 is used for the insufficient bits. The bank register 306 can be provided with an address value and other control information by the CPU 303.

In the image processing apparatus thus constructed, the output medium size and the image data storage means (image memory 30) specified in the output information received from the external device.
0 to 302), and based on the result of the comparison, the control means (CPU 303) controls switching to an optimum development mode capable of page expansion within the capacity of the image data storage means (see a flowchart described later). Even if the memory capacity of the on-board image data storage means is smaller than the output paper size and cannot be multi-scaled in the same size, the expansion to the storage means is performed in the same binary format or expanded. By performing the processing, image output using the page description language can be realized even when the image processing apparatus does not have a full-sized page memory.

Further, the control means switches to one of the same-magnification multivalued expansion, reduced multivalued expansion, and equal-magnification binary which can expand the page within the capacity of the image data storage means based on the comparison result. It is possible to realize image output using the page description language while selecting the optimum image development according to the storage capacity.

FIG. 4 is an external view of a digital color copying machine to which the image processing apparatus of the present invention is applied. The same components as those in FIGS. 1 and 2 are designated by the same reference numerals.

The whole is roughly divided into two parts, a scanner and a printer. The upper part of FIG. 4 reads a document image and outputs a digital color image data to a color image scanner section 1 (the scanner section) and a scanner section 1. It is composed of a controller unit 2 which performs various kinds of image processing of digital color image data built in the computer and has a processing function such as an interface with an external device.

The scanner unit 1 also has a built-in mechanism for reading a three-dimensional object or a sheet original placed below the original holder 11a. The operation unit 10 is connected to the controller unit 2 and is used to input various information as a copying machine. The controller unit 2 gives an operation instruction to the scanner unit 1 and the printer unit 3 according to the input information. Further, when it is necessary to perform a complicated editing process, a digitizer or the like is attached in place of the document holder 11 and is connected to the controller unit 2 to enable high-level processing.

The lower part of FIG. 4 shows a printer section 3 for recording the color digital image signal output from the controller section 2 on a recording sheet. In this embodiment, the printer unit 3 is a full-color inkjet printer using an inkjet recording head.

The above two parts, that is, the scanner and the printer are separable from each other, and can be installed at separate places by extending the connection cable.

Further, the data transfer between the image output device and the external device and the management of the image memory are realized by the image memory control unit 4 described above, and the control program is stored in the ROM 304.

The control will be described in detail below.
In this embodiment, GP is used as an interface with an external device.
Although the IB and SCSI interfaces are provided, which interface is selected is determined by the setting state of a hardware switch (not shown) provided in the image memory control unit 4. Specifically, the state of the hardware switch is detected by software, and determination / selection of which interface is used is executed.

Similarly, a hardware switch for identifying the page memory size is also provided, and the capacity of the currently mounted page memory is detected by the setting state of this switch. In this embodiment, two different page memories of 48 MB and 96 MB can be mounted, and the switch settings are specified so as to uniquely correspond to each other.

The above processing is executed immediately after power-on, and the interface selection information and page memory size information are held until reset.

In this embodiment, when the installed page memory is smaller than the memory required for the output medium, the image is output by using either of the following two modes (1) and (2). I do.

In the form (1), the image data is once reduced and expanded on the memory, and then the expanded contents are expanded and the image is output.

In the form (2), the RGB multi-valued image data is expanded as a binary image data on the memory at the same size and then the image is output.

Further, these switching operations can be arbitrarily selected when it is determined that the memory size detected by hardware and the output paper size cannot be expanded in the memory in the same multiple value. it can.

The switching control operation of the usage mode of the page memory in the image processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the flow charts shown in FIGS.

5 to 9 are flow charts showing an example of the switching control procedure of the usage mode of the page memory in the image processing apparatus according to the present invention. In addition, (1), (2),
…… indicates each step.

First, a command for setting parameters for individual images is issued from the external device prior to the transfer of image data. Specifically, an output designation command for setting an output area, an image type command for designating an image type from three types of images of RGB 24-bit, 8-bit palette, and binary bit map, and an image to be transferred to the image processing apparatus. Image size specification command to specify Width length and High length, color balance, gamma correction,
An image processing specification command that specifies enlargement, reduction, and rotation, an output specification command that specifies the paper size to be output, and an expansion format specification command that specifies the expansion format when expansion with equal multiple values is impossible (1) to (6). When the paper size to be output is received, the control unit of the image processing apparatus converts the size of the output paper into the number of pixels based on the output resolution of 400 dpi (7) and compares it with the installed memory size (8).

Here, if the mounted memory size ≧ output paper size, the transferred memory is expanded to the page memory and the transferred data is expanded to the same size (9), and the process proceeds to step (10) where the mounted memory size ≦ output. If it is the paper size, the process proceeds to step (26) shown in FIG. 7 to check the parameter of the expansion format designation command to determine whether it is the same size binary expansion (27). If NO, the transferred data is reduced once. Then, after executing the processing to expand it on the memory (29),
The processing shifts to the flow shown in FIG.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step (27) that the image is binary with the same size, the RGB multi-valued image data is developed as a binary image data in the memory with the same size (28), and FIG. Go to step (30) and subsequent steps shown in.

Next, the control operation in the case of expanding the contents of the image memory in the same multiple value will be described with reference to FIG.

First, the write address on the page memory is calculated based on the output coordinates notified from the external device (10). Next, the setting for image transfer is executed for the DMA controller 307 (11), and when the processing device is completed, this is notified to the external device (1).
2). When the external device receives this notification (13), the transfer of the image data is started (14). The image memory control unit 4 determines whether the transferred image is an 8-bit palette, binary bit image (15). If YES, the process proceeds to step (17) and thereafter, and if NO, RGB24.
After conversion to a bit image (16), if there is enlargement / reduction processing for the transferred image, or if image processing is specified by an external device, the corresponding processing work RAM
After being executed in 305 (17), the image data transferred from the external device is expanded on the page memory (1
8). Then, when there are a plurality of images to be laid out on the page, the above process is repeated for the number of images to complete the layout.

There is no limit to the number of images that can be laid out, and when the image output overlaps another image, the image last developed on the page memory is overwritten on the previously developed image.

In this way, an equivalent layout image is completed on the page memory for the output paper designated by the external output device.

Then, it is judged that the expansion into the page memory is completed (19), and if NO, the process returns to step (14), and YE
If S, it is judged whether or not all image development is completed (2
0), if NO, the process returns to step (10), and if YES, waits for the print start command (21). When the print start command is instructed, the image completed on the page memory starts the print from the external device. The command is used as a trigger to activate the printer unit 3 (22), and the image data expanded in the image memory is binarized and sequentially sent to the printer unit 3.

On the other hand, the control unit 121 of the printer unit 3 which has received the activation sequentially prints out the image data sent subsequently (23).

This output operation is repeatedly executed until the end of printing is instructed from the external device (24) or the output of the number of output sheets designated by the external device is completed (25).

Since the contents of the page memory are retained until a new rewrite is performed, the external device need only issue a print command when outputting the same image thereafter.

Next, the control operation when the installed memory size is smaller than the output paper size will be described with reference to FIG.

This case corresponds to the flow of control when the enlarging process is performed when the mounted memory is smaller than the output medium size.

First, the image memory control section 4 calculates the ratio (1: N) between the size of the mounted memory and the output paper size designated by the external device (45). Next, the write address on the page memory is calculated based on the output coordinates notified from the external device (46). Next, DM
When various settings for image transfer to the A controller 307 (including setting to reduce output area information to 1 / N times and expand to page memory) are executed (47), when this processing device is completed Then, this is notified to the external device (48). When the external device receives this notification (49),
The transfer of image data is started (50). In the image memory control unit 4, the transferred image is an 8-bit palette, 2
It is determined whether it is a value bit image (51), YES
If so, proceed to step (53) and subsequent steps, and if NO, RGB
After conversion to a 24-bit image (52), if the image to be transferred has enlargement / reduction processing, or if image processing is specified by an external device, the corresponding processing work R
After executing in the AM 305 (53), the image data transferred from the external device is expanded on the page memory (54). Then, when there are a plurality of images to be laid out on the page, the above process is repeated for the number of images to complete the layout.

There is no limit to the number of images that can be laid out, and when the image output overlaps another image, the image last developed on the page memory is overwritten on the previously developed image.

In this way, an equivalent layout image is completed on the page memory for the output paper designated by the external output device.

Next, it is judged that the expansion into the page memory is completed (55), and if NO, the process returns to step (50), and YE
If S, it is judged whether the development of all images is completed (5
6) If NO, return to step (46), and if YES, wait for a print start command (57). When the print start command is instructed, the image completed on the page memory starts printing from an external device. The printer unit 3 is activated by a command as a trigger (58), and the image data expanded in the image memory is binarized and sequentially sent to the printer unit 3.

On the other hand, the control section 121 of the printer section 3 that has received this activation successively prints out the image data sent from the page memory by N times (59).

This output operation is repeatedly executed until the end of printing is instructed from the external device (60) or the output of the number of output sheets designated by the external device is completed (61).

As a result, the image memory control unit calculates the ratio (1: N) of the mounted memory size to the output paper size specified by the external device, and stores the memory in the same manner as the above-mentioned equal-magnification multivalue. After performing various settings for expansion into the page memory, the output area information is reduced by 1 / N, expanded into the page memory, and the image expanded on the page memory is transferred to the image output device. It is multiplied by N and is output in the same manner as the above-described equal-magnification multivalue.

Next, the control operation when the installed memory is smaller than the output medium size and converted into binary image data and expanded on the memory will be described with reference to FIG.

First, the write address on the page memory is calculated based on the output coordinates notified from the external device (30).

Next, the setting for image transfer is executed for the DMA controller 307 (31), and when this processing is completed, this is notified to the external device (3).
2). When the external device receives this notification (33), transfer of image data is started (34). The image memory control unit 4 determines whether the transferred image is a binary image (35). If NO, that is, the transferred image is 8
In the case of bit palettes and RGB 24-bit images, these are converted into YMCK density signals (36), and binarization processing is performed to convert them into binary bit map images.

After that, when image processing is designated by the external device, the corresponding process is performed in the work RAM, and the image data transferred from the external device is processed by YMCK4.
The colors are sequentially developed on the page memory (37).

When there are a plurality of images to be laid out on the page, the above process is repeated for the number of images to complete the layout (38). Note that there is no limit to the number of images to be laid out, and when the image output area overlaps with another image, the image developed last in the page memory is overwritten on the image previously developed. This is the same as in the case of 1 × multivalue.

In this way, an equivalent layout image is completed on the page memory for the output paper designated by the external output device.

On the other hand, if the determination in step (55) is YES, then it is determined whether the development of all images is completed (3
9) If NO, the process returns to step (30), and if YES, waits for a print start command (40), and the image completed on the page memory is triggered by the print start command from the external device and is output from the printer unit 3. While starting up (41), the image data expanded in the image memory is sequentially sent to the printer unit 3 (42).

On the other hand, the control unit 121 of the three printers that has received this activation sequentially prints out the image data that is subsequently sent. This output operation is repeatedly executed until there is an instruction to end printing from the external device (43) or until output of the designated number of output sheets from the external device is completed (44).

In the above embodiment, the software stored in the ROM is used to judge the image data on the image memory based on the output medium size specified by the external device and the mounted memory size. The case of automatically switching between expansion by multiple values, expansion by using binary expansion, or reduction processing has been described. However, as shown in FIG. 10, this may be switched by the judgment of an external device. It is possible. As a result, a plurality of pages that cannot be held in the normal size expansion may be secured in the memory.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing an example of another development method switching instruction control procedure in the image processing apparatus of the present invention. Note that (1) to (3) indicate each step.

In this embodiment, the control flow in the case of arbitrarily switching the expansion method to the image memory according to the designation from the external device is shown. First, the external device is controlled by the image memory control unit 4. On the other hand, a command requesting memory size information of the current free space of the image memory is issued (1). Next, the image memory control unit 4 that receives this command returns the memory size of the free space to the external device (2).

After receiving the memory size information, the external device displays a command for designating whether the expansion format of the image data to be transferred next is equal-magnification multi-value expansion, reduction processing or binary expansion. It is issued to the memory control unit 4 (3).

Upon receiving this command, the image memory control unit 4 starts the control from the above step (10) when the same-magnification multivalue expansion is designated, and the reduction processing or 2
When the value expansion is designated, the control is started from the step (26).

Further, in the above embodiment, when the installed memory size is smaller than the output paper size, it is determined by the command from the external device whether the image is multivalued expanded using the reduction processing or expanded as a binary image. Although the case of switching by the above has been described, the following criteria (1),
You may comprise so that it may switch automatically using (2).

Criterion (1) As a result of converting the number of pixels of a multi-valued image into the number of pixels of a binary image,
If this is larger than the installed memory capacity, the image is expanded on the image memory using the reduction processing.

Criterion (2) When the on-board memory has a capacity equal to or greater than the number of pixels converted by binary conversion, a certain reduction ratio is set to avoid deterioration of image quality, and the size ratio of the on-board memory and the output medium is set to this value. If it exceeds the reduction ratio, the reduction processing is used, and if it is less than the reduction ratio, the image is developed on the image memory using the binary binary expansion.

Further, such a reference is built in the ROM 304, and the image processing apparatus is thus configured to be able to automatically switch the expansion format.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the case where the image processing such as the enlargement / reduction processing, the color balance and the rotation when the image is expanded in the page memory is processed by the CPU is explained. By providing a circuit, the CPU can be configured to select only a processing path, and it is possible to realize higher-speed processing.

Further, in the above embodiment, the case where the image processing apparatus of the present invention is mounted in the image output apparatus has been described. However, by making the above-mentioned image memory control unit 4 independent of the image output apparatus, an arbitrary external device can be provided. The device and the image input device may be configured to realize the same function.

Furthermore, the present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of one device. Further, it goes without saying that the present invention is also applied to the case where it is achieved by supplying a program to a system or an apparatus.

[0094]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The output medium size specified in the output information received from the external device is compared with the image expansion capacity of the image data storage means, and the control means can expand the page within the capacity of the image data storage means based on the comparison result. Even if the memory capacity of the on-board image data storage means is smaller than the specified paper size and cannot be expanded in the normal multiple values, the expansion to the storage means is expanded in the same binary format. Alternatively, by performing reduction processing, image output using the page description language can be realized even when the image processing apparatus does not have a full-sized page memory.

Further, since the control means switches to one of the same-magnification multivalued expansion, reduced multivalued expansion, and equal-magnification binary which can expand the page within the capacity of the image data storage means based on the comparison result, the image data It is possible to realize image output using the page description language while selecting the optimum image development according to the storage capacity.

Therefore, even if the image data storage capacity is smaller than the output size specified by the output information, the page expansion process of the received output information can be performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processing apparatus showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a detailed block diagram illustrating the configurations of an image memory and a control unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is an external view of a digital color copying machine to which the image processing apparatus of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a switching control procedure of a usage mode of a page memory in the image processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a switching control procedure of a usage mode of a page memory in the image processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a switching control procedure of a usage mode of a page memory in the image processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of a switching control procedure of a usage mode of a page memory in the image processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of a switching control procedure of a usage mode of a page memory in the image processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of another development method switching instruction control procedure in the image processing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating a data processing configuration of an image processing apparatus of this type.

12 is a flowchart showing an example of a data processing procedure in the image processing apparatus shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 300 image memory 301 image memory 302 image memory 303 CPU 304 program ROM

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An image processing apparatus having a data communication function with an external device, comprising image data storage means for storing image data corresponding to output information received from the external device,
The output medium size specified in the output information received from the external device is compared with the image expansion capacity of the image data storage means, and the optimum page expansion is possible within the capacity of the image data storage means based on the comparison result. An image processing apparatus, comprising: a control unit that controls switching to a different development mode. 2. The control means switches to one of a normal multi-valued expansion, a reduced multi-valued expansion, and a normal-magnification binary capable of expanding the page within the capacity of the image data storage means based on the comparison result. The image processing device according to claim 1.