Image processor and image processing method

• US 20020012131A1
• Filed: 01/31/2001
• Published: 01/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Takahashi, Yuji, Tone, Takeharu, Yoshizawa, Fumio, Oteki, Sugitaka, Kawamoto, Hiroyuki, Miyazaki, Shinya, Ishii, Rie, Fukuda, Hiroaki, Miyazaki, Hideto, Namizuka, Yoshiyuki, Nomizu, Yasuyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,336,386 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32358 using picture signal storage, e.g. at transmitter H04N1/17 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/40 Picture signal circuits H04N1/387 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/329 Storage of less than a complete document page or image frame

Abstract

The image processor comprises a switch that divides image data into m×n pixels, having n lines with m pixels per one line; a group of line memories that store the divided image; a compression device which batch compresses the image data of m×n pixels. Further, a command control unit provides control so as to send the (n−1) lines of image data among m×n pixels of image data to the group of line memories, and the remaining one line of image data directly to the compression device 902, and to send the m×(n−1) pixels of image data stored in the line memories to the compression device.

Claims

1. An image processor comprising:

a dividing unit which divides image data into m×

n pixels, having n lines with m pixels per one line;

a storage unit which stores the image data of pixels, which are divided by said dividing unit;

a control unit which provides a control so as to send the image data of pixels divided by said dividing unit, and the image data stored by said storage unit, respectively, to a predetermined destination;

a compression unit which batch compresses the image data of m×

n pixels,

wherein said control unit sends (n−

1) lines of image data among the image data of m×

n pixels divided by said dividing unit to said storage unit, and the remaining one line of image data directly to said compression unit; and

controls sending of the image data of m×

(n−

1) pixels stored in said storage unit to said compression unit.

2. The image processor according to claim 1, wherein

said storage unit comprises (n−

1) number of FIFO (first-in first-out) memories, and

said control unit controls sending of each line of the image data divided by said dividing unit to said FIFO memories, respectively.

3. An image processor comprising:

an expansion unit which batch expands compressed data, that is, of compressed image data of m×

n pixels;

a storage unit which stores expanded image data by said expansion unit;

a control unit that provides a control so as to send the expanded image data by said expansion unit to a predetermined destination, and the image data stored by said storage unit to a predetermined output destination,

wherein said control unit sends one line of image data, which are expanded by said expansion unit, and comprise m pixels per one line, directly to said predetermined output destination, and image data with the remaining (n−

1) lines of pixels to said storage unit; and

then controls sending of the image data with (n−

1) lines of pixels stored in said storage unit to said predetermined output destination.

4. The image processor according to claim 3, wherein

said storage unit comprises (n−

1) number of FIFO memories, and

said control unit controls sending of each line of the image data expanded by said expansion unit to said FIFO memories, respectively.

5. An image processor comprising:

an input unit which inputs compressed data of image data compressed every image data of m×

n pixels;

an expansion unit which batch expands compressed data input by said input unit to the image data of m×

n pixels;

an extraction unit which extracts one line of image data, which comprise m pixels per one line, from image data of m×

n pixels expanded by said expansion unit;

an output unit which outputs one line of image data extracted by said extraction unit;

a detection unit which detects whether one line of the image data has been output or not by said output unit; and

a control unit that provides a control so as of said input and extraction unit,

wherein said control unit inputs the compressed data including the image data again by control of said input unit, when the output of the image data is detected by said detection unit;

extracts one line of image data which have not been previously extracted by said extraction unit; and

image data of the one line to the n line are sequentially output by repetition of such control.

6. An image processor comprising:

a dividing means for dividing image data into m×

n pixels, having n lines with m pixels per one line;

a storage means for storing the image data of pixels, which are divided by said dividing means;

a control means for providing a control so as to send the image data of pixels divided by said dividing means, and the image data stored by said storage means, respectively, to a predetermined destination;

a compression means for batch compressing the image data of m×

n pixels,

wherein said control means sends (n−

1) lines of image data among the image data of m×

n pixels divided by said dividing means to said storage means, and the remaining one line of image data directly to said compression means; and

controls sending of the image data of m×

(n−

1) pixels stored in said storage means to said compression means.

7. The image processor according to claim 6, wherein

said storage means comprises (n−

1) number of FIFO (first-in first-out) memories, and

said control means controls sending of each line of the image data divided by said dividing means to said FIFO memories, respectively.

8. An image processor comprising:

an expansion means for batch expanding compressed data, that is, of compressed image data of m×

n pixels;

a storage means for storing expanded image data by said expansion means;

a control means for providing a control so as to send the expanded image data by said expansion means to a predetermined destination, and the image data stored by said storage means to a predetermined output destination,

wherein said control means sends one line of image data, which are expanded by said expansion means, and comprise m pixels per one line, directly to said predetermined output destination, and image data with the remaining (n−

1) lines of pixels to said storage means; and

then controls sending of the image data with (n−

1) lines of pixels stored in said storage means to said predetermined output destination.

9. The image processor according to claim 8, wherein

said storage means comprises (n−

1) number of FIFO memories, and

said control means controls sending of each line of the image data expanded by said expansion means to said FIFO memories, respectively.

10. An image processor comprising:

an input means for inputting compressed data of image data compressed every image data of m×

n pixels;

an expansion means for batch expanding compressed data input by said input means to the image data of m×

n pixels;

an extraction means for extracting one line of image data, which comprise m pixels per one line, from image data of m×

n pixels expanded by said expansion means;

an output means for outputting one line of image data extracted by said extraction means;

a detection means for detecting whether one line of the image data has been output or not by said output means; and

a control means for providing a control so as of said input and extraction means,

wherein said control means inputs the compressed data including the image data again by control of said input means, when the output of the image data is detected by said detection means;

extracts one line of image data which have not been previously extracted by said extraction means; and

image data of the one line to the n line are sequentially output by repetition of such control.

11. An image processing method comprising the steps of:

dividing image data into m×

n pixels, having n lines with m pixels per one line;

storing the image data of pixels, which are divided by said dividing step;

providing a control so as to send the image data of pixels divided by said dividing step, and the image data stored by said storing step, respectively, to a predetermined destination;

batch compressing the image data of m×

n pixels,

wherein said providing step sends (n−

1) lines of image data among the image data of m×

n pixels divided by said dividing step to said storing step, and the remaining one line of image data directly to said compressing step; and

controls sending of the image data of m×

(n−

1) pixels stored in said storage step to said compressing step.

12. An image processing method comprising the steps of:

batch expanding compressed data, that is, of compressed image data of m×

n pixels;

storing expanded image data by said expanding step;

providing a control so as to send the expanded image data by said expanding step to a predetermined destination, and the image data stored by said storing step to a predetermined output destination,

wherein said providing step sends one line of image data, which are expanded by said expanding step, and comprise m pixels per one line, directly to said predetermined output destination, and image data with the remaining (n−

1) lines of pixels to said storing step; and

then controls sending of the image data with (n−

1) lines of pixels stored in said storing step to said predetermined output destination.

13. An image processing method comprising the steps of:

inputting compressed data of image data compressed every image data of m×

n pixels;

batch expanding compressed data input by said inputting step to the image data of m×

n pixels;

extracting one line of image data, which comprise m pixels per one line, from image data of m×

n pixels expanded by said expanding step;

outputting one line of image data extracted by said extracting step;

detecting whether one line of the image data has been output or not by said outputting step; and

providing a control so as of said inputting and extracting steps,

wherein said providing step inputs the compressed data including the image data again by control of said inputting step, when the output of the image data is detected by said detecting step;

extracts one line of image data which have not been previously extracted by said extracting step; and

image data of the one line to the n line are sequentially output by repetition of such control.