JPS61157155A - Picture processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make easy the process to determine a blank by adding the blank of an optional width with the number of prescribed bits as one unit to picture information, when the picture information is transmitted from the storing part of the picture data to the picture forming part. CONSTITUTION:The picture information for one line each is transferred in parallel of 16 bit unit from a RAM34 to a RAM55 of an input output interface circuit 37. At such a time, a starting address written to the RAM55 is set from a CPU32 to an initial setting register 57. By the set value, a counter 56 generates the address of a 16 bit word. When the transfer to the RAM55 is completed, the counter 56 is cleared and a transfer starting address 0 to form a picture is generated. The counter 56 successively counts up. The serially converted picture information is transferred to a high speed printer 3. In the address space of the RAM55 in the figure, a transfer starting address from the RAM34 is 61, 60 is a transfer starting address from the RAM55 to a printer 3, and 62 and 64 parts go to be the blank of the forming picture.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an image processing system that electrically processes image information.

Conventionally, margins have been added to image information by delaying data output during the recording operation on a sheet.

In short, it is generally added at the final stage to avoid adding unnecessary data during transmission, etc.

However, providing a process for determining the margins for each recording output of an image may complicate the process, especially when processing a large number of images, and may reduce the processing speed.

The present invention eliminates the above disadvantages.

The present invention will be explained in more detail below using the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an external connection diagram of an image processing system to which the present invention is applied. Reference numeral 1 denotes a control section (referred to as a workstation) which includes a microcomputer for system control, an internal memory composed of RAM, ROM, etc., and an external memory composed of a floppy disk, a cartridge disk, etc.

2 is the input section of the digital copying machine, which converts the document information of the document placed on the manuscript table into an electrical signal using an image sensor such as a COD, and 3 is the output section of the digital copying machine, which converts the document information of the document placed on the manuscript table into an electrical signal. This is a high-speed printer that records images on a recording material based on information converted into electrical signals. 4 is an image file that has a storage medium such as an optical disk or a magneto-optical disk, and is capable of writing and reading a large amount of image information. Reference numeral 8 denotes a CRT device that displays image information photoelectrically read by an input scanner (league) of the digital copying machine, or system control information. 11,12
, 17 and 18 are cables that electrically connect each input/output device. Reference numeral 20 denotes a keyboard provided in the control unit l, and by operating this keyboard 20, commands for system operation are issued. Reference numeral 2L denotes an operation panel for issuing operation commands for the digital copying machine. It has setting keys for the number of copies, copy magnification, etc., a copy key 25 for instructing the start of copying, a numeric display, and the like.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration of the image processing system shown in FIG. Each block corresponding to that in FIG. 1 is given the same number as in FIG. First, each block within the control section l will be explained. Reference numeral 31 denotes a keyboard, which corresponds to the keyboard 20 shown in the first diagram, through which the operator inputs system operation commands. 32 is a central processing unit (CPU) consisting of a microcomputer (for example, Motorola 68000); 33 is a read-on memory ROM in which a system control program is written in advance; The controller operates according to the program written in the controller. 34 is a random access memory RAM, which is mainly used as a working memory of the CPU 32 and a page memory for storing image signals exchanged between each input/output unit.

Reference numerals 3 and 5 denote external memories consisting of floppy disks, in which system control programs and a database for image retrieval from image files, which will be described later, are stored. 36
is a communication interface that enables information to be exchanged with other similar systems or terminals using a communication line such as a local area network. 37 is an input/output interface that accomplishes information exchange between the control unit 1 and the digital copying machine 42. 38 is a bit extraction circuit that thins out the image signal according to a predetermined rate. 39 is an optical disk interface for exchanging information with the image file 4, and 40 is a CRT interface for exchanging information with the CRT 8. 41
is a 16-bit bus through which signals are transferred from each block within the control unit l. As mentioned above, 11, 12, 17, and 18 are cables that electrically connect each input/output device, and control signals and image signals are transmitted. Note that the arrows on the cables indicate the flow of image signals. The flow of control signals is also bidirectional in the cables. The image file 4 and the CRT 8 are each connected to each interface 39.40 of the control unit 1 by a cable 17.18. CRT8
A display RAM 43 is provided for storing image information to be displayed.

The image signal output from the document reader 2 is input to the input/output interface 37 of the control section 1 every l line. The input/output interface 37 converts the serially inputted image signal into a parallel signal of every 16 bits and outputs it onto the bus 41. The image signal output to bus 41E is stored in RAM3.
One page is sequentially input into the image area No. 4. The image signal stored in the RAM 34 in this way is transferred to the bus 41 again.
and output to the outside via the communication interface 36, or sent to the image file 4 via the optical disk interface 39 and written to an optical disk,
Also, the printer 3 via the input/output interface 37
An image is formed by transmitting the image to

Further, the image signal of the image file 4 read from the optical disk is written into the RAM 34 and then transmitted to the printer 3 via the input/output interface 37.

Incidentally, the image signal from the document reader 2 can also be transmitted directly to the input/output interface 37 or the printer 3 without going through the control section 1. In other words, when a simple copy operation is desired, the image file 4 and CRT 8 are not required.
For example, an image signal from a document reader 2 is directly supplied to a printer 3 without going through the control section 1, and a real-time copying operation is executed. This mode is called pass mode.

The control related to the transmission of the image signal described above is executed by the CPU 32 in accordance with the operation command input by the operator using the keyboard 31.

Next, a method for adding margins when inputting image information will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the image reading method of the document reader 2. The 0 image is read as one row of pixels in the main scanning direction a, and as image information as shown in FIG. Transferred to 37. Such main scanning is repeated and reading progresses in the sub-scanning direction.The size of the pixel to be read is 1/16 mmX depending on the spacing in the main scanning direction a and the spacing between the rows in the sub-scanning direction.
1/16m+s or 1/8 mmX 1/8 +a++
It can be determined as + etc. The image information of each pixel is transferred to the input/output interface 37 as a serial signal as shown in FIG.

ff55 is a block diagram of the image information transfer circuit of the input/output interface 37. Image information from the document reader 2 is transferred to the input/output interface via a cable 11. When 5W-E of 51 and 5W-F of 52 are both connected to the B side, image information is directly transferred to the high-speed printer via cable 12, and image formation is performed by the printer. When 5W-E and 5W-F are connected to the B side in this way, the pass mode has the same function as that of a normal copying machine. When storing 0 image information in the RAM 34, 5W-E is connected to the A side. The 0 image information connected to the side is transferred to the serial-parallel conversion circuit 53, and converted from serial data to 16-bit parallel data using the synchronous clock shown in FIG. RA when the image information is 16 bits
Stored in M55. The capacity of RAM55 is 1 in the main scanning direction.
This is the capacity for the line. The counter 56 generates an address for storing 16-bit data as one word. The counter 56 reads the count start address from the initial setting register 57, and starts from that address by 1.
The value of the initial setting register 57, which generates an address by counting up one by one, is set by the CPU 32 to a corresponding value depending on the width of the margin to be added to the image information. Its value can be preset via the keyboard 20. When one line of image information in the main scanning direction is written to the RAM 55, transfer of the image information to the RAM 34 via 44 is started. At the beginning of this transfer, the counter 5
6 is cleared and the starting address becomes O. The difference between the image input start address and the image information transfer start address to the RAM 34 becomes a blank space.

The amount of margin in units of 16 bitlls is determined. With a resolution of 16 pels, you can set an arbitrary amount of margin in units of 1 mm.

FIG. 6 schematically shows the address space of the RAM 55. Reference numeral 61 indicates an input start address of image information from the document reader 2. 60 is RAM55 to RAM34
The transfer start address is 0. 63 is the actual image information sent from the document reader 2, and 65 is the RAM 3
This is the amount of information transferred to 4. 62 and 64 are margins added to the image information. Before inputting the image information, the RAM 55 must be cleared to all white. In this way, portions 62 and 64 become blank spaces added to the image information. In the above manner, the document reader 2
It becomes possible to add margins in the width direction while transferring the image information from the image information to the RAM 34.

Next, a method of adding margins to the image information in the RAM 34 and forming an image such as a print will be described. Image information for 1947 minutes in the main scanning direction is transferred in parallel in units of 16 bits from the RAM 34 to the RAM 55 through the RAM 44. At this time, the start address for writing to the RAM 55 is CPU3.
2 to 58 to the initial setting register 57.

Immediately after this setting, the counter 56 counts up by 1 and generates an address of 1 and 16 bit words.

When the transfer of image information for one column in the main scanning direction to the RAM 55 is completed, the counter 56 is cleared and a transfer start address O for image formation is generated. The counter 56 sequentially counts up the data and transfers it one word at a time to the parallel-serial conversion circuit 54, where it is converted into serial data. The image information converted into serial data is transferred to the high-speed printer 3 through 12 to form an image. To explain using the address space of the RAM 55 in FIG.
The start address for transfer from 34 to RAM 55 is 61, and 63 is the amount of image information to be transferred. 60 is RAM5
5 is the transfer start address of the information transferred to the high-speed printer 3, and 65 is the amount of image information transferred to the high-speed printer 3. Furthermore, by making the portions 62 and 64 a margin of 0 or more, it is possible to add an arbitrary margin during image formation.

It is also possible to preset the register 52 to automatically set the address 61 so that the margin amount 62.64 in FIG. It is calculated from the capacity of

In the above embodiment, the contents of the RAM 55 are all made white before the image information is transferred, so when the image is formed, it is added as a margin, but if the contents of the RAM 55 are all black, the portion that was the margin will be made black. It can be done. Furthermore, if a certain address in the RAM 55 is made black in advance, it becomes possible to add an 11-width vertical straight line or the like to the image.

Although 16 bits are used as one unit in the above, 8 bits can also be used as one unit, and by determining the amount of blank space based on the number of bits having a predetermined relationship with the resolution, it is possible to cope with a processing system using a microcomputer or the like at high speed.

Further, the image stored in the RAM 34 can be transmitted with a margin through the communication interface 36, or can be transferred to the file 4 or the CRT 8.

In an image processing system that inputs image information and stores it, or reads stored information and forms an image as described above, necessary margins are added and stored when inputting an image, and necessary margins are added when outputting. becomes possible.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external connection diagram of an image processing system to which the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration of the image processing system, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the reading method of the image reading device, and FIG.
The figure is a timing chart of image information and synchronization clock, Figure 5 is a block diagram of the image information transfer circuit, and Figure 6 is a RAM
This is a schematic diagram of the address space of 1, where 1 is a control unit, 2 is a manuscript league, 3 is a high-speed printer, and 4 is an image file.

Claims (1)

[Claims] An image processing system characterized in that when image information is transmitted from a storage unit storing a plurality of image data to an image forming unit, a margin of an arbitrary width is added to the image information with a predetermined number of bits as one unit.