JPH10191073A - Image processing unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing unit by which a processing time is reduce by entering an image in proper mode depending on a type of a color original. SOLUTION: In 1st mode, a color image input device 21 reads an original as to all color components RGB, and in 2nd, 3rd or 4th mode, the device 21 reads the original as to any one color component of the RGB components. A binarizing means 25 applies binarizing processing to data of one gray component obtained by converting three color component RGB data stored in a temporary storage means 23 at an RGB/gray conversion means 24 in the 1st mode, and applies binarization processing to any component data as to R, G or B component received from the color image input device 21 in the case of the 2nd, 3rd or 4th mode.

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 for binarizing color multi-valued image data input from an image input device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a word processor, a DTP (electronic typesetting system), or the like is provided with a function of reading an original such as an illustration by an image input device and pasting the original in a document being edited. In recent years, the function of handling color documents has become very important.

Conventionally, when processing color multi-valued image data of an original such as an illustration input from an image input device, first, input color data of three primary colors, RGB, is converted to a gray scale representing a single color gradation. The data has been converted into multi-valued data, and the obtained gray multi-valued data has been binarized.

[0004]

In such a conventional image processing apparatus, first, the color components of all three primary colors are read, regardless of the type of the input original, and the obtained data of the three primary colors is fetched. Was converted to gray multi-valued data and binarized. Therefore, even when processing a monochromatic original, there is a problem that an unnecessarily large storage capacity is required and a long processing time is required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus capable of binarizing a color image at a higher speed with a small storage capacity.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve this problem, the present invention provides input interface means for receiving multi-value data output from an image input device for reading an image of a document for each color component, and an image input device. On the other hand, when the first mode is set by the mode setting means for setting the first mode for outputting color data of a plurality of components or the second mode for outputting color data of one component, and Reads color data of a plurality of components input from the image input device via the input interface means,
Image processing means for converting into single-color multivalued data and reading one-component color data input from the image input device via the input interface means when the second mode is set by the mode setting means; Binarization means for binarizing single-color multivalued data obtained by the image processing means or one-component color data read by the image processing means, and storage for storing data obtained by the binarization means Means.

As a result, it is possible to obtain an image processing apparatus capable of performing a binarization process on a color image at a higher speed with a small storage capacity.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is directed to an input interface means for receiving multi-value data output from an image input device for reading an image of a document for each color component, and A mode setting means for setting a first mode for outputting color data of a plurality of components or a second mode for outputting color data of one component; and a method for setting the first mode by the mode setting means. Is
The color data of a plurality of components input from the image input device is read through the input interface means, converted into single-color multivalued data, and when the second mode is set by the mode setting means, the image input device 1 input from
Image processing means for reading the component color data via the input interface means, and binary multi-valued data of single color obtained by the image processing means or one-component color data read by the image processing means Means, 2
And a storage unit for storing data obtained by the binarization unit. When reading a document composed of a plurality of colors, reading is performed for all the color components of the three primary colors of RGB, and for a monotone document. Has R
Reading can be performed for only one color component of GB.

[0009]

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

FIG. 1 is a hardware block diagram of an image processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the image processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a CPU (central processing unit) for controlling the apparatus and processing various data.
2 is a ROM (read only memory) for storing fixed information such as program data executed by the CPU 1
And has a program area 2a.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a RAM (random access memory) for storing various data and programs, and an image data area 4 for storing image data read from the color scanner 8 as multi-valued data or binary data.
And a display data area 5 for storing bitmap data to be displayed on the CRT 10, and a program area 6 for storing program data to be executed by the CPU 1.

7 is an input device such as a keyboard and a mouse;
9 is an external storage device such as a hard disk or a magneto-optical disk, 10 is a CRT for displaying and outputting image data, and 11 is a printer for printing and outputting image data.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 21 denotes a color image input device which optically reads an original, converts the original into a digital signal, and outputs it as color RGB multi-value data, which is realized by the color scanner 8 (such as a digital camera). But possible).

Reference numeral 22 denotes image control means for setting resolution and the like for the color image input device 21, specifying the type of data output from the color image input device 21, and instructing a reading request. This is realized by the CPU 1 executing a program stored in the program area 6 of the ROM 2 or the RAM 3.

Reference numeral 23 denotes a temporary storage unit for storing multi-value data output from the image control unit 22 or binarized binary data, and corresponds to the image data area 4 in the RAM 3. Reference numeral 24 denotes RGB / gray conversion means for converting RGB multi-value data into gray multi-value data.
CPU1 is a program area 2a of ROM2 or RAM
3 is realized by executing a program stored in the program area 6.

Reference numeral 25 denotes a display unit realized by the control of the CPU 1, the display data area 5 in the RAM 3, and the CRT 10 (a display device such as a liquid crystal display);
Reference numeral 27 denotes a control unit and a storage unit realized by the external storage device 9, and 27 denotes an instruction input unit realized by the control and input unit 7 of the CPU 1.

The operation of the image processing apparatus configured as described above will be described below. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the color image input device 21
The signal is decomposed into signals of three primary colors of GB and output as multivalued image data digitized into data of 8 bits or 12 bits per pixel for each color component. Whether to use 8-bit data or 12-bit data is set by the image control means 22. In the case of 8-bit data, multi-valued image data has 256 gradations, and in the case of 12-bit data, Is data having 4096 tones. In the case of the present embodiment, a description will be given by taking the case of 8 bits as an example.

There are four modes for reading the original image by the color image input device 21. The first mode is to read all three primary colors of RGB, and to obtain R-component multi-value data, G-component multi-value data, and B-component multi-value data. Output data.
In the second mode, only the R component of the original image is read, and only the R component multi-value data is output. The third mode reads only the G component and outputs only the G component multi-value data, and the fourth mode reads only the B component and outputs only the B component multi-value data.

The image control unit 22 sets the reading mode and the like of the color image input device 21 in accordance with the instruction from the instruction input unit 28, and sets the color image input device 2
The multi-value data output from 1 is written to the temporary storage means 23.

That is, when the first mode is set, the R-component multi-value data, the G-component multi-value data, and the B-component multi-value data output from the color image input device 21 are stored in the temporary storage device 23, respectively. R component area, G component area,
Write to the B component area. When the second, third, and fourth modes are set, the multi-value data corresponding to each mode output from the image input device 21 is stored in the temporary storage device 23.
Write to the area of the gray component in.

The RGB / gray conversion means 24 reads the multi-value data of each color component from the R component area, the G component area, and the B component area in the
The data is converted into data of a coordinate system, and the data of the L component is written to the gray component area in the temporary storage means 23 as multivalued image data of gray values.

The binarizing means 25 performs a binarizing process based on a threshold value set by the instruction input means 28 in accordance with the flowchart of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the binarizing means in one embodiment of the present invention, showing the procedure of the binarizing process of the binarizing means 25.

As shown in FIG. 3, first, the instruction input means 2
8 is set as a threshold value (step 4).
1) One pixel is read from multi-valued image data to be binarized (step 42), and the read pixel value is compared with a threshold (step 43).

In step 43, if the pixel value is larger, the process proceeds to Yes, and the pixel value is output as "1" (step 44). On the other hand, if the pixel value is smaller,
To output the value "0" as a pixel (step 4).
5).

The above processing is performed on all pixels of the multi-valued image data (step 46). This threshold is limited to a value from “1” to “255” for 8-bit data, and to a value from “1” to “4095” for 12-bit data.

The display means 26 reads out the binary image data stored in the temporary storage means 23, converts it into display data, and then displays. The storage unit 27 stores the binary image data stored in the temporary storage unit 23 together with a file name as an image data file. The instruction input unit 28 receives an instruction from the operator and controls the image control unit 22, the binarization unit 25, and the storage unit 2.
7 is input.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The operation of the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

Here, the color image input device 21 uses RG
The case where all the B color components are read and the case where only one color component of RGB is read and regarded as gray multi-value data will be described separately.

As shown in FIG. 4, first, the instruction input means 2
When a reading mode and an image input instruction are input from step 8 (step 1), a determination is made on the input reading mode (step 2).

If it is determined in step 2 that the input reading mode is the first mode (reading of all RGB color components), the process proceeds to step 3 and the image control means 22
Sets the first mode for the color image input device 21 and makes a reading request (step 3). The color image input device 21 that has received the read request converts each of the three primary colors of RGB into 8-bit digital data and outputs it to the image control means 22. The image control means 22 stores each data in the temporary storage means 23. Are written to the R component area, the G component area, and the B component area (step 4). The RGB / gray conversion unit 24 stores the temporary storage unit 2
The data of each color component written in the area of the R component, the area of the G component, and the area of the B component in 3 are converted into gray multi-valued data, and written in the gray component area in the temporary storage unit 23 ( Step 5). The multi-value data stored in the gray component area is binarized by the binarization unit 25 in accordance with the above-described flowchart of FIG. Are stored in a binary area in the temporary storage means 23 (step 9). Thereafter, the display means 26 reads out the binary image data from the binary area in the temporary storage means 23, converts the binary image data into display data corresponding to the display resolution, and displays it (step 10). After the display is made,
Waiting for a file save instruction from the instruction input means 28, the storage means 27 stores the two-valued area in the temporary storage means 23 in the binary area.
The value image data is read out and stored as an image data file together with the file name input from the instruction input means 28 (step 11).

On the other hand, if it is determined in step 2 that the input reading mode is the second, third or fourth mode, the process proceeds to step 6.

In step 6, the image control means 22 sets the mode specified in step 1 and requests the color image input device 21 to read. Step 7
Then, the color image input device 21 receiving the reading request
Of the B3 primary colors, color components corresponding to the set mode (R component in the second mode, G component in the third mode,
In this mode, only the B component is read), and one component of the read RGB three primary color data is converted into 8-bit digital data and output. The data output from 21 is written to the gray component area in the temporary storage means 23.

The stored multi-valued data is binarized based on the threshold value set by the instruction input means 28 (step 8) according to the flowchart of FIG. (Step 9). Further, the display means 26 is used as the temporary storage means 23.
The binary image data is read from the binary area of
The data is converted into display data corresponding to the display resolution and displayed (step 10). After the display is performed, the instruction input means 2
In response to the file save instruction from the storage unit 8, the storage unit 27 reads out the binary image data from the binary area in the temporary storage unit 23, and stores it as an image data file together with the file name input from the instruction input unit 28 ( Step 11).

As described above, in the present embodiment, when a color image is read, a mode for reading all color components of the three primary colors RGB, a mode for reading only the R component, a mode for reading only the G component, and a mode for reading only the B component. Since four modes can be selected, reading can be performed in an appropriate mode according to the document.

In particular, when the original to be read is a monotone illustration or the like, there is no need to discriminate the colors. Therefore, if one color component of the three primary colors of RGB is read as gray multi-valued image data, the image can be processed much faster than if binary image data is created from all the RGB components, and the capacity of the storage device is also increased. Less is needed.

Further, since the R, G, and B individual components are used as a gray component, if the R (red) component is gray image data, the red portion of the original can be skipped.
If the (green) component is gray image data, the green portion of the document can be skipped. The same applies to B (blue).
This makes it possible to binarize an image without reading only the red portion stamped with vermilion, for example, in a document having black characters on a white paper. Red,
Although it is limited to green and blue, it is also possible to remove a specific color.

[0039]

According to the present invention, input interface means for receiving multivalued data output from an image input device for reading an image of a document for each color component, and color data of a plurality of components are supplied to the image input device. A mode setting means for setting a first mode for outputting or a second mode for outputting color data of one component, and when the first mode is set by the mode setting means, the mode is inputted from the image input device. When the second mode is set by the mode setting means, the color data of one component is read from the image input device. Image data which is read through the input interface means, and monochromatic multi-valued data obtained by the image processing means or image processing means. And a storage means for storing the data obtained by the binarization means, thereby making it possible to copy an original composed of a plurality of colors. When reading, RG
The color components of all three primary colors B are read, and in the case of a monotone document, only one of the RGB color components can be read. In the case of a monotone document, all the RGB components are read. In comparison, the processing time is 1/3 of the data amount from the image input device.
And the data transfer processing time is shortened accordingly. Also,
The time required for processing for converting to gray image data is not required. Further, the capacity of the storage device does not require the capacity of a portion for storing all of the RGB components, so that a considerable reduction can be achieved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a binarizing unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 CPU 2 ROM 3 RAM 7 Input device 8 Color scanner 9 External storage device 10 CRT 11 Printer 21 Color image input device 22 Image control means 23 Temporary storage means 24 RGB / Gray conversion means 25 Binarization means 26 Display means 27 Storage means 28 Instruction input means

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An input interface means for receiving multi-value data output from an image input device for reading an image of a document for each color component, and a first mode for outputting color data of a plurality of components to the image input device Or a second output of one-component color data
Mode setting means for setting a mode, and when the first mode is set by the mode setting means, reads the color data of a plurality of components input from the image input device via the input interface means, Image processing means for converting into single-color multivalued data and reading one-component color data input from an image input device via the input interface means when the second mode is set by the mode setting means A binarization unit for binarizing the single-color multi-value data obtained by the image processing unit or the one-component color data read by the image processing unit; Storage means for storing the obtained data.