JPH0922455A - Image processor and method therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform a plotting processing at high speed. SOLUTION: A mask data detection part 217 divides the mask data of a plotting object by 4-bits and outputs a decision result as to whether data is included ('1' is included) in each section. A CPU 202 performs a logical operation for each code information on the plotting object stored in a plotting arithmetic register 216 and destination data in accordance with the arithmetic instruction included in inputted image information and stores the obtained outputted image in a bit map memory 205. Only when the output of a mask data detection part 217 is '1' (shows that data is included), the logical operation is executed by using the mask data extended to a picture element and a background pattern.

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 and a method thereof, for example, an image processing apparatus and a method thereof for processing data described in a page description language.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an output device of a computer, an information recording device using an electrophotographic system such as a laser beam printer is widely used. These information recording devices are factors that rapidly expand the field of desktop publishing due to many advantages such as high quality printing, quietness and high speed. In addition, electrophotographic color printers have been developed, and not only monochrome printing but also handling and printing of color images have been put into practical use due to the high performance of the host computer and the controller that is the image generation unit of the printer. I am doing it.

When the color image data is transmitted from the host computer to the printer, the data format is RGB or C.
Although there are MYK etc., color printers use YMC or YMCK color elements to form color images by subtracting color toner and color inks on recording paper by subtractive color mixing.

There are roughly two types of methods for sending color image data from a host computer to a printer.
The first method is to develop image data into bitmap data on a host computer in advance and send it to the printer as bitmap data of RGB or YMCK colors. The second method is to divide the image on the host computer into drawing sources, and use the page description language (hereinafter referred to as "PDL").
This is a method in which the data of each object described in (3) is sent to the printer in the RGB or YMCK format, and the drawing source data sent to the printer is sequentially expanded on the bitmap memory. The outline of the procedure for receiving and printing out the image data described in PDL by the second method will be described below.

Since the color image data in the printer is composed of 8-bit data for each pixel for each YMCK color, RG created on the host computer.
The B-format image data is converted into YMCK-format image data and stored in the page memory having each YMCK plane for each color. When one page of image data of each color is stored in the page memory, drawing source data described in PDL is read from one of the planes and replaced with a code called a drawing object. This drawing object is prepared separately for each YMCK plane data before printing.
It is configured as shown in 1. Mask pattern M: Defines the "shape" of the drawing object Background pattern P: Defines the fill pattern of the drawing object Background color C: Defines the color of the drawing object Destination D: Drawing destination

Next, the drawing object of each of the mask and the paint pattern, the drawing object of color (source), and the background image of color (destination) are read out, and the drawing logic of the destination data and the drawing object is read according to the drawing calculation instruction. Calculate. At this time, as shown in FIG. 2, the mask pattern (M) and the background pattern (P) are given as 1-bit information per pixel. Further, the background color (C) and the destination data (D) that is the drawing destination are given as 8-bit information per pixel. Therefore, when performing the drawing logical operation for each bit of M, P, C, D data, the bit size of M and P data is expanded to 8 bits per pixel and The drawing logical operation of will be performed.

In this way, when the drawing for one page is completed, the data is sent to the printer engine and printing is performed.

[0008]

However, the above-mentioned technique has the following problems.

For example, when the drawing operation instruction is to overwrite the destination data (off-pixel transmission) as shown in the following equation, as shown in FIG. 3, the M and P data are simply set to 8 bits. It is expanded to 8 bits per pixel, and drawing logic operation is performed with C and D data. M & P & C &! D + D… (1) where & is AND operation, + is OR operation, and! Is NOT operation.

If the 1st to 4th bits in one word (32 bits) of M are "1" and all the 5th to 32nd bits are "0", M is expanded to 8 bits / pixel. Then, the first 1 word becomes FFFFFFFFH, and all 2 to 8th words are 0H.
become. The drawing operation of Expression (2) is the same as the case where nothing is drawn as a result of the destination data being transparent when M = 0.

However, one word of M and P data is C
Since it is simply expanded to 8 bits according to the amount of information in D and D, even if only the first word of M data that affects the operation result is the first word, all 8 words of M data are calculated. Therefore, the drawing process includes a wasteful time.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus and a method thereof capable of performing drawing processing at high speed.

[0013]

The present invention has the following configuration as one means for achieving the above object.

The image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes first storage means for storing input image information described in a page description language, second storage means for storing image data, and the first storage means. Replacement means for replacing the image information stored in the image information with code information, storage means for storing the code information and image data read from the second storage means based on the code information, and the input image information. Output image data obtained by performing a logical operation on the code information and the image data stored in the storage means in accordance with the operation instruction included in the second storage means in the place where the image data was stored. And an arithmetic unit for executing the logical operation using the code information whose bit size is expanded according to the state of the code information divided into a predetermined size. The features.

The first storage means for storing the input image information described in the page description language, the second storage means for storing the image data, and the image information stored in the first storage means. , Binary mask information per pixel defining a shape of the drawing object, binary background information per pixel defining a paint pattern, and multi-value background color information per pixel defining a color, Substitution means for substituting code information including drawing destination information designating image data to be read from the second storage means, the code information and the drawing destination information, and reading from the second storage means. Storage means for storing image data; and output image data obtained by performing a logical operation on the code information and the image data stored in the storage means in accordance with the operation instruction included in the input image information. Record Means for storing the image data of the means in the place where the image data was stored, the arithmetic means divides the continuous mask information into a predetermined size, and according to the state of each division, the background color information and It is characterized in that the logical operation is executed using the mask information and the background information which are expanded to have multiple values per pixel.

Further, the image processing method according to the present invention includes a replacing step for replacing the input image information described in the page description language stored in the first storage means with code information, the code information, and the code information. A storing step of storing the image data read from the second storing means in the storing means based on the code information, and the code information and the image data stored in the storing means according to a calculation instruction included in the input image information. A step of storing the output image data obtained by performing a logical operation on the second storage means at a place where the image data was stored, wherein the step of calculating the code divided into a predetermined size. It is characterized in that the logical operation is executed by using code information in which the bit size is expanded according to the state of information.

[0017]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the present invention will be described with reference to 600 dpi color LB.
An embodiment applied to P will be described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to an image processing apparatus such as a color printer or a color facsimile apparatus having an arbitrary recording density without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[Outline of Configuration] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an outline of a color LBP according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, a color LBP 501 receives code data and image data described in a printer language sent from a host computer 502 which is an external device,
A color image is formed on a recording paper (recording medium) based on the data.

More specifically, the color LBP500
Is composed of a video controller (hereinafter referred to as “controller”) 200 and a printer engine (hereinafter referred to as “engine”) 100. And the controller 200
Generates multi-valued image data of magenta, cyan, yellow, and black for one page based on the data input from the host computer 502. The engine 100 forms a latent image by scanning the photosensitive drum with a laser beam modulated according to the multi-valued image data generated by the controller 200, develops this latent image with toner, transfers it to recording paper, and then records it. Recording is performed by a series of electrophotographic processes for fixing toner on paper. The printer engine 100 has 6
Has a resolution of 00dpi.

[Interface Signal] FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration example of the controller 200 and the engine 100, and both are connected by an interface signal line 300. Hereinafter, main interface signals (hereinafter referred to as “I / F signals”) will be described. A signal with a symbol "/" immediately before its name indicates that the signal has negative logic.

The / RDY signal is a signal sent from the engine 100 to the controller 200. When the engine 100 receives a / PRNT signal, which will be described later, the print operation can be started at any time or the print operation can be continued. It is a signal indicating that there is.

The / PRNT signal is a signal sent from the controller 200 to the engine 100 and is a signal for instructing the start of the print operation or the continuation of the print operation.

The / TOP signal is a synchronizing signal in the sub-scanning (vertical scanning) direction and is sent from the engine 100 to the controller 200.

The / LSYNC signal is a synchronizing signal in the main scanning (horizontal scanning) direction and is sent from the engine 100 to the controller 200.

The / VDO7 to / VDO0 signals are 8-bit image signals sent from the controller 200 to the engine 100 and indicate image density information to be printed by the engine 100. / VD
O7 represents the most significant bit and / VDO0 represents the least significant bit. The engine 100 sets the toner color being developed to the maximum density when the / VDO7 to / VDO0 signals are 00H, and sets the minimum density when FFH, that is, does not print.

The / IMCHR signal is a signal indicating an image attribute and is sent from the controller 200 to the engine 100. When this signal is "true", it indicates that the image represented by the image signals / VDO7 to / VDO0 is an image that emphasizes gradation.
In the case of "false", it indicates that the image emphasizes resolution. When the / IMCHR signal is "true", the engine 100 sets the number of PWM lines (unit for expressing the concentration) to 200 lines / inch (hereinafter "/ inch" is abbreviated and described as "line"). In the case of "false", the number of PWM lines is 600.

The VCLK signal is a transfer clock signal of the image signals / VDO7 to / VDO0 and the image attribute signal / IMCHR.
It is sent from the controller 200 to 0. The controller 200 synchronizes with / VDO7 on the rising edge of the VCLK signal.
~ Send out / VDO0 signal and / IMCHR signal.

[Image Forming Process] Next, the process of forming a color image in this embodiment will be described.

In FIG. 5, 201 is a host interface (hereinafter referred to as "host I / F"), which is the host computer 5
It communicates with 02 and receives the code data and image data of each RGB plane described in the page description language. The received code data of each RGB plane is processed by the image processing unit 207.
Is converted into data in the YMCK format and stored in the page memory 211 having a capacity capable of storing one page of code data for each YMCK plane.

Reference numeral 202 denotes a CPU, which controls the controller 20 via the CPU bus 210 in accordance with a control program stored in advance in the ROM 203.
Controls the overall control of 0. The RAM 204 is used as a work area for the CPU 202. The ROM 203 also stores font data, etc., and the CPU bus 210 uses the controller 200
It is also used for exchanging data between each block inside.

An operation panel 209 includes a CRT, an LCD, etc., a display section for displaying the operating state and operating conditions of the apparatus by the CPU 202, an input section for inputting operator's instructions, including a keyboard, a touch panel, etc. Is equipped with. That is, the operator operates the operation panel 209 to set various settings for the color LBP501.
It can be done directly.

A compression / expansion circuit 206 has a function of compressing and expanding YMCK 8-bit multivalued image information. Reference numeral 205 denotes a bitmap memory, which stores the YMCK multi-valued image data for one page which is expanded by the CPU 202 and compressed by the compression / expansion circuit 206 with the code data stored in the page memory 211. 207
Is an image processing unit, which is the RGB expanded by the compression / expansion circuit 206.
Converts multi-valued image information to multi-valued image information of magenta (M), cyan (C), yellow (Y), and black (K), which are toner colors of engine 100, and converts it to 600 dpi smoothed information. It has a function of converting and generating an image attribute signal / IMCHR.

Reference numeral 208 denotes a printer interface (hereinafter referred to as "printer I / F"), which is an interface circuit with the engine 100 (hereinafter referred to as "I / F circuit").
The above-mentioned I / F signals are exchanged with the.

In the above-mentioned configuration, the code data input from the host I / F 201 is expanded into the RGB multi-valued image data of 300 dpi, 8 bits of each color of the character, figure or image by a predetermined drawing algorithm, and the compression / expansion circuit 206 Are compressed and stored in the bitmap memory 205. The compression / expansion circuit 206 can compress the input image data by, for example, the JPEG algorithm, and can output the compressed data while decompressing the compressed data in real time. As described above, when one page of compressed image data can be prepared in the bitmap memory 205, the controller 200
Is / PRNT if the / RDY signal from engine 100 is true.
The signal is set to "true" to instruct the engine 100 to start the printing operation.

[Operation of Printer Engine] FIGS. 6 and 7
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration example of the engine 100, and the operation of the engine 100 will be described using these diagrams.

When the engine 100 receives the / PRNT signal, the photosensitive drum 106 and the transfer drum 1 are driven by driving means (not shown).
Rotate 08 in the direction of the arrow shown. Then, charging of the roller charger 109 is started, and the surface potential of the photosensitive drum 106 is charged substantially uniformly to a predetermined value.

Next, the recording paper 128 stored in the recording paper cassette 110 is supplied to the transfer drum 108 by the paper feed roller 111. The transfer drum 108 is a hollow support provided with a dielectric sheet and rotates at the same speed as the photosensitive drum 106 in the arrow direction. The recording paper 128 supplied to the transfer drum 108 is
It is held by the gripper 112 provided on the support of the transfer drum 108, and is attracted to the transfer drum 108 by the attraction roller 113 and the attraction charger 114. At the same time, by rotating the support 115 of the developing device, the development containing the magenta (M) toner which is the first toner among the four developing devices 116M, 116C, 116Y, and 116K supported by the support 115 is performed. Device 116M to photosensitive drum 1
Face 06. Note that 116C is a developing device containing cyan (C) toner, 116Y is a developing device containing yellow (Y) toner, and 116K is a developing device containing black (K) toner.

On the other hand, the engine 100 detects the front end of the recording paper 128 adsorbed on the transfer drum 106 by the paper front end detector 117, generates a vertical synchronization signal / TOP at a predetermined timing and sends it to the controller 200. When the controller 200 receives the first / TOP signal for the print page, it starts reading the compressed image data stored in the bitmap memory 205. The read data is expanded in real time by the compression / expansion circuit 206 into YMCK 8-bit image data of 32 bits in total, and input to the image processing unit 207. The image processing unit 207 is
From the 8-dpi YMCK 8-bit input image data, the first print color magenta (M) data is generated at 300 dpi, 8-bit, and further converted to 600 dpi, 8-bit smoothed data. Image attribute signal / IMC for pixel
Generate HR. The details of the processing in the image processing unit 207 will be described later.

The image signal of 600 dpi generated by the image processing unit 207 is converted into an image attribute signal / IDO as image signals / VDO7 to / VDO0.
Together with MCHR, it is sent to the engine 100 in synchronization with the VCLK signal. / VDO7 to / VDO0 output from the controller 200
Signal and / IMCHR signal are pulse width modulation circuit 1 shown in Figure 9.
It is input to 01, converted into a laser drive signal VDO having a pulse width corresponding to the level, and input to the laser driver 102. The details of the pulse width modulation will be described later.

The laser driver 102 has a laser drive signal VDO.
In response, the laser diode 103 is caused to emit light, and the laser beam 127 is emitted. The laser beam 127 is deflected by the rotary polygon mirror 104 that is rotationally driven in the arrow direction by a motor (not shown), scans the photosensitive drum 106 in the main scanning direction via the imaging lens 105 disposed on the optical path, A latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum 106. At this time, the beam detector 107 detects the scanning start point of the laser beam 127, and the / LSYNC signal which is a horizontal synchronization signal for determining the image writing timing of the main scanning is generated from this detection signal.

The latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 106 is developed by the developing device 116M containing magenta (M) toner to form a magenta (M) toner image, and the transfer charging device 119 transfers the transfer roller 108. It is transferred to the recording paper 128 adsorbed on the recording paper 128. At this time, the toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 106 without being transferred is removed by the cleaning device 125. By the above operation, a magenta (M) toner image for one page is formed on the recording paper 128.

Next, the support 115 of the developing device is rotated to
Developer 1 containing cyan (C) toner, which is the second toner
16C is opposed to the photosensitive drum 106. Next, magenta
As in the case of (M), the recording paper 12 attracted to the transfer drum 106
The leading edge of 8 is detected by the paper leading edge detector 117, a vertical synchronizing signal / TOP is generated at a predetermined timing, and the controller 20
Send to 0. Upon receiving the / TOP signal, the controller 200 starts reading the compressed image data stored in the bitmap memory 205. The read data is decompressed in real time by the compression / decompression circuit 206 into CMYK 8-bit image data of 32 bits in total, and input to the image processing unit 207. The image processing unit 207, from the input image data of each CMYK 8-bit,
Data of cyan (C), which is the second print color, is generated at 300dpi, 8 bits, and at the same time, the image attribute signal / I for each pixel is generated.
Generate MCHR.

Thereafter, by the same operation as in the case of magenta (M), the cyan (C) toner image is transferred so as to be superimposed on the magenta (M) toner image on the recording paper 128. Further, by the same operation, the toner image of yellow (Y) which is the third toner and the toner image of black (K) which is the fourth toner,
It is transferred onto the recording paper 128 in an overlapping manner.

Recording paper on which all four color toner images have been transferred
128 is separated from the transfer drum 108 by the separation claw 121 through the separation charger 120, and is fixed by the conveyance belt 122.
Sent to 1. At this time, the transfer drum cleaner 126
Thus, the surface of the transfer drum 108 is cleaned. Recording paper 128
The upper toner image is heated and pressed by the fixing device 123 and melted and fixed to form a full-color image. Then, the recording paper 128 on which the full-color image is recorded is ejected to the paper ejection tray 124.

[Pulse Width Modulation] FIG. 8 shows a pulse width modulation circuit 1
Block diagram showing a configuration example of 01, Figure 9 is a pulse width modulation circuit 1
6 is a timing chart showing an operation example of 01.

In FIG. 8, reference numeral 129 is a line memory, which is configured in a toggle buffer format and is capable of simultaneously performing writing and reading with independent clocks. 130 is a clock generation circuit, which is a horizontal synchronization signal / LSYNC
To generate a clock signal 1 / 3PCLK, which is obtained by dividing the pattern clock signal PCLK and PCLK which are synchronized with. PCLK is 6
It has a period corresponding to printing one dot of 00dpi.

Further, 131 is a γ correction circuit, 132 is a D / A conversion circuit, 133 is a phase control circuit, 134 and 135 are triangular wave generation circuits, 136 and 137 are comparators, 13 respectively.
8 is a selector, 139 is a D-flip flop (hereinafter "DF /
"F").

The operation of the pulse width modulation circuit 101 will be described below. First, the / VDO7 to / VDO0 signals and / IMCHR signals for one main scan line are converted into line memory by the clock signal VCLK.
Written in 129. When the writing of the first line is completed, the write bank of the line memory 129 is switched by the next horizontal cycle signal / LSYNC, and the signal of the next second line is written, and at the same time, the already written first line is written. The data on the line is read by the pattern clock signal PCLK.
The read / VDO7 to / VDO0 signals and the / IMCHR signal are subjected to the γ correction optimum for the process conditions of the engine 100 by the γ correction circuit 131 according to the number of PWM lines designated by the / IMCHR signal. . γ-corrected 8-bit image signal / VD7 to / VD0
Is converted into an analog voltage by the D / A conversion circuit 132 and becomes the analog video signal AVD. At this time, the D / A conversion circuit 13
2 outputs the minimum voltage when the value of the image signals / VD7 to / VD0 is 00H and outputs the maximum voltage when the value is FFH. The analog video signal AVD is input to one terminal of the comparators 136 and 137. The output TRI1 of the triangular wave generating circuit 134 and the output TRI2 of the triangular wave generating circuit 135 are input to the other terminals of the comparators 136 and 137, respectively.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the triangular wave generation circuit 134. The changeover switch 152 receives a clock signal PCLK ′ obtained by changing the phase of the pattern clock signal PCLK by the phase control circuit 133, and inputs the clock signal PCLK ′. Is at the H level, the a terminal and the c terminal are connected to guide the current I from the current source 150 to the capacitor 153 and charge the capacitor 153, so that the terminal voltage V of the capacitor 153 increases linearly. To do. Next, when the clock signal PCLK 'becomes L level, the b terminal and the c terminal are connected, the current I is led from the capacitor 153 to the current source 151, and the charge of the capacitor 153 is discharged, so that the terminal voltage V is linear. Decrease to. As described above, the triangular wave signal having the same period as the clock signal PCLK
TRI1 is obtained. The triangular wave generation circuit 135 is also configured in the same manner, but since the input clock signal is 1 / 3PCLK ', the cycle of the output triangular wave signal TRI2 is equal to the clock signal 1 / 3PCLK, that is, three times the cycle of the triangular wave signal TRI1. Is.

Comparators 136 and 137 compare the voltage levels of the analog video signal AVD and the triangular wave signal TRI1 or TRI2 and output pulse width modulation signals PWM1 and PWM2, respectively. Therefore, the number of lines of the pulse width modulation signal PWM1 is 600
The number of lines of PWM2 becomes 200 lines. Pulse width modulation signal PWM
1 and PWM2 are image attribute signals / IMCHR by selector 138
It is selected according to. Here, the selector 138 is / IMCHR
When is true or L level, select PWM2 which is excellent in gradation, and when / IMCHR is false or H level, select PWM1 which is excellent in resolution. The selected signal is sent to the laser driver 102 as the laser drive signal VDO, and in the developing process, the gradation of the image according to the pulse width of the laser drive signal VDO is reproduced.

The above-described operation in the main scanning direction is repeated,
A magenta (M) latent image for one page is formed on the photosensitive drum 106. When the phase of the pattern clock signal PCLK is the same in each main scan, the images formed are connected in the vertical (sub-scan) direction, and vertical stripes are particularly noticeable when the number of PWM lines is 200. Therefore, the phase control circuit 133 shown in FIG. 5 shifts the phase of the pattern clock signal PCLK in each main scan within the range of one cycle of the clock to prevent vertical streaks from standing out.

[Drawing Calculation Processing] FIGS. 11A and 11B are flowcharts showing an example of a processing procedure for receiving and printing out the image data described in PDL, which is executed by the CPU 202.

In the printer 501, color image data is composed of, for example, 8-bit data per pixel for each YMCK color, so the RGB format image data created on the host computer 502 is stored in the host interface. It is input to the image processing unit 207 via the face 201, converted into image data in YMCK format, and stored in the page memory 211 having each plane of YMCK for each color.

When one page of image data of each color is stored in the page memory 211 (step S1), the CPU 202 reads the drawing source data described in PDL from one of the planes and converts it into a code called a drawing object. Replace with RAM2
Store in 04 (step S2). Before printing, this drawing object is divided into RAM2 data for each YMCK plane.
Prepared on 04.

As shown in FIG. 1, this drawing object has the following structure. Mask pattern M: Defines the "shape" of the drawing object Background pattern P: Defines the fill pattern of the drawing object Background color C: Defines the color of the drawing object Destination D: Drawing destination

NO for each of these four data
Logical operations of T, AND, OR, and XOR are possible, and the combination of these operations will lead to the final drawing result. For example, in the case of overwrite (off pixel non-transparency),
The drawing operation is as follows. M & P & C… (2)

The processing after step S2 is all YM.
CK is processed sequentially.

The CPU 202 burst-reads the drawing objects of the mask (M) and the paint pattern (P) stored in the RAM 204 up to the 4-word delimiter address of the memory address and stores them in the drawing calculation register 216. Then, the color drawing object (source) is burst read up to the 4-word delimiter address of the memory address and stored in the drawing arithmetic register 216 (step S4). Next, the CPU 202 burst-reads the color background image (destination data) from the bitmap memory 205 and stores it in the drawing calculation register 216 (step S5). This destination data is, for example, 8 bits per pixel (for each YMCK plane)
Have information on. Note that reading data in bursts is for high-speed reading, and one burst read is performed from the specified read start address to the 4-word delimiter (128-bit boundary) address, up to a maximum of 4 bytes.
The word data is read by one read sequence.

Then, a drawing logical operation is performed on the destination data and the drawing object according to the drawing operation instruction. At this time, as shown in FIG. 2, the mask pattern (M) and the background pattern (P) are given as 1-bit information per pixel. The background color (C) and the destination data (D) are given as 8-bit information per pixel. Therefore, when performing drawing logical operation for each bit of M, P, C, D data, the data of M and P is expanded to 8 bits per pixel (step S
6), drawing logic operation is performed with C and D data (step S7). The drawn images of the YMCK planes thus obtained are respectively stored in the bitmap memory 205 (step S8).

Subsequently, in step S9, it is determined whether or not the drawing of all the objects is completed. If not completed, it is determined in step S10 whether or not the drawing of the current object is completed. If so, it is determined in step S11 whether or not the background color data in the drawing calculation register is empty. If it is not empty, it is determined in step S12 whether the mask data in the drawing calculation register is empty. Return to S6.

If the background color data is empty in step S11, the process returns to step S4. If the drawing of the current object is completed in step S10, the process returns to step S3, and all objects are drawn in step S9. When the drawing is completed, the process proceeds to step S13, and it is determined whether or not the drawing for one page is completed. If the drawing is not completed, the process returns to step S2.

When the drawing of one page is completed, the step
In S14, the data is sent to the engine 100 via the printer I / F 208 for printing.

As described above, the processing procedure shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B is such that the M and P data of one word is simply expanded to 8 bits in accordance with the information amounts of C and D. Even if only the first word affects the operation result, the operation is performed on all 8 words of M data. Therefore, a processing procedure in which only words that affect the operation result are operated will be described below.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure for receiving and printing out the image data described in PDL, which is executed by the CPU 202.
The same steps as those shown in 11A and FIG. 11B are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

That is, in step S5, a color background image (destination data) is burst read from the bit map memory 205 and stored in the drawing calculation register 216, and then expanded by the mask data detection unit 217 in step S21. One word (32 bits) of the previous mask data (M) is divided into 8 sections of 4 bits each, and for example, each 4 bits are ORed to detect which section contains "1". Then, in step S6, the M and P data is expanded to 8 bits per pixel, and in step S22, the output of the mask data detection unit 217 is referred to, and the output is "1".
If it is (category including "1"), the process proceeds to step S7 and thereafter, and if the output is "0" (category not including "1"), jumps to step S9.

That is, according to the processing procedure shown in FIG.
Except when there is data in all eight sections (including '1'), the operation is not performed for all M and P data expanded to 8 words. For example, as in the example above, if only the 1st to 4th bits of M data are '1',
Since the mask data detection unit 217 detects that only the first division has "1", only the output of the mask data detection unit 217 corresponding to the first division is "1", as shown in an example in FIG. And the output corresponding to other divisions becomes '0'. Therefore, when the processing of the first word is completed, the process proceeds to the processing of the next mask data. At this time, for the destination data (D), an address corresponding to 7 words is idly fed, and the background color data corresponding to the position of the next mask data (M) is newly read from the RAM 204.

As described above, according to this embodiment,
A word of mask data (for example, 32 bits), for example, 4
Bits are divided into 8 sections, which section contains '1' is detected, and drawing calculation processing is performed only on the section containing '1', so there is data in all 8 sections ('1' is Except the case (included), the write-back process to the bitmap memory can be completed without performing the calculation for all of the mask data M and the paint pattern data P extended to 8 bits. Therefore, the drawing process can be speeded up.

In the above description, the background color
Although the case where the data of (C) and the destination (D) is 8 bits for each color per pixel has been described, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention can be applied to the case where each pixel has an information amount of 1 color, 2 bits, 4 bits, 5 bits, etc.

Even if the present invention is applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices (for example, host computer, interface, printer, reader, etc.), one device (for example, copying machine, facsimile machine, etc.) It may be applied to a device consisting of.

Further, the present invention can be achieved by supplying a storage medium having a software program for achieving the present invention recorded thereto to a system or apparatus, and the system or apparatus reading and executing the program stored in the storage medium. It goes without saying that it can be applied to cases where As a storage medium for supplying the program, for example, a floppy disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a magnetic tape, a non-volatile memory card, a ROM or the like can be used.

[0072]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to provide an image processing device and a method thereof that perform drawing processing at high speed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a drawing object,

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a drawing object and destination data,

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a drawing logic operation when a drawing operation instruction overwrites destination data (transmission of off-pixels);

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an outline of a color LBP according to an embodiment of the present invention,

5 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration example of a controller and an engine shown in FIG. 4;

6 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration example of the engine shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration example of the engine shown in FIG. 5;

8 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the pulse width modulation circuit shown in FIG. 7,

9 is a timing chart showing an operation example of the pulse width modulation circuit shown in FIG.

10 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the triangular wave generation circuit shown in FIG.

FIG. 11A is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure when receiving image data described in PDL and printing it out;

FIG. 11B is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure for receiving and printing out image data described in PDL;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure for receiving and printing out image data described in PDL;

FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the process shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 100 Printer engine 200 Video controller 201 Host interface (Host I / F) 202 CPU 205 Bitmap memory 206 Compression / decompression circuit 207 Image processing unit 208 Printer interface (Printer I / F) 209 Operation panel 211 Page memory 216 Drawing operation register 217 Mask data detector

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A first storage means for storing input image information described in a page description language, a second storage means for storing image data, and image information stored in the first storage means. Substitution means for substituting with code information, the code information, storage means for storing image data read from the second storage means based on the code information, according to the operation instruction included in the input image information, Output information obtained by performing a logical operation on the code information and the image data stored in the storage means, and an operation means for storing the image data in the second storage means in the place where the image data was stored, An image processing apparatus, wherein the arithmetic means executes the logical operation using code information with an expanded bit size according to the state of the code information divided into a predetermined size. 2. A first storage means for storing input image information described in a page description language, a second storage means for storing image data, and image information stored in the first storage means. , Binary mask information per pixel defining a shape of the drawing object, binary background information per pixel defining a paint pattern, and multi-value background color information per pixel defining a color, Replacing means for replacing the image data read from the second storage means with code information including drawing destination information designating the image data; and reading from the second storage means based on the code information and the drawing destination information. Storage means for storing image data; output image data obtained by performing a logical operation on the code information and the image data stored in the storage means according to the operation instruction included in the input image information, Memory And a calculation unit that stores the image data in a step at a place where the image data was stored, the calculation unit divides the continuous mask information into predetermined sizes, and according to the state of each division, the background color information and An image processing apparatus, characterized in that the logical operation is executed using the mask information and the background information expanded to multiple values per one pixel. 3. The arithmetic unit according to claim 2, wherein the arithmetic unit executes the logical operation on the section containing data by using the expanded mask information and the background information. Image processing device. 4. The operation unit according to claim 1, wherein the operation unit executes each logical operation of negation, logical product, logical sum, and exclusive logical sum, and a logical operation combining them. The image processing device described in 2. 5. A replacing step of replacing the input image information described in the page description language stored in the first storage means with code information, the code information, and the second information based on the code information. A storage step of storing the image data read from the storage means in the storage means, and an output obtained by performing a logical operation on the code information and the image data stored in the storage means according to the operation instruction included in the input image information. A step of storing the image data in a location of the second storage means where the image data was stored, the step of calculating the bit size according to a state of the code information divided into a predetermined size. An image processing apparatus, wherein the logical operation is executed by using code information obtained by expanding the above.