Image communication apparatus and method

• US 20020051148A1
• Filed: 12/26/2000
• Published: 05/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Izumi, Michihiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,016,076 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.9
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00212 Attaching image data to computer messages, e.g. to e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33307 prior to start of transmission, input or output of the picture signal only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/64 Systems for the transmission or the storage of the colour picture signal; Details therefor, e.g. coding or decoding means therefor H04N19/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0022 Selecting or switching between an image communication mode and a non-image communication mode H04N2201/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/33378 Type or format of data, e.g. colour or B/W, halftone or binary, computer image file or facsimile data

Abstract

Color facsimile communication uses image data obtained by JPEG-compressing data having a CIE Lab color space. To attach a JPEG image to e-mail, image data obtained by JPEG-compressing data having an Internet standard YCbCr color space is desirable. When an image transmission method is selected, color space conversion (conversion to a CIE Lab or YCbCr color space) corresponding to the selected transmission method (facsimile transmission or transmission by attaching to e-mail) is performed for an image to be transmitted. This image subjected to the color space conversion is encoded by JPEG, and the encoded image is transmitted by the selected transmission method.

Claims

1. An image communication apparatus comprising:

a selector, arranged to select an image transmission method;

a converter, arranged to perform color space conversion corresponding to the selected transmission method for an image to be transmitted;

an encoder, arranged to encode the image subjected to the color space conversion; and

a transmitter, arranged to transmit the encoded image by the selected transmission method.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said selector can select at least one of a method of transmitting an image by facsimile and a method of transmitting an image by attaching the image to e-mail.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when the method of transmitting an image by facsimile is selected, said converter converts the color space of an image to be transmitted into a CIE Lab color space.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when the method of transmitting an image by attaching the image to e-mail is selected, said converter converts the color space of an image to be transmitted into a YCbCr color space.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said encoder performs JPEG coding.

6. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said transmitter comprises:

a modulator, arranged to modulate a signal on the basis of the encoded image when the method of transmitting an image by facsimile is selected; and

a generator, arranged to generate e-mail data containing the encoded image when the method of transmitting an image by attaching the image to e-mail is selected.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said transmitter further comprises:

a PCM encoder, arranged to encode the modulated signal by PCM when the method of transmitting an image by facsimile is selected; and

a sender, arranged to send a PCM code to a digital communication line and send e-mail data to the Internet.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a reader, arranged to read an image to be transmitted from an original and output an RGB-color-space image.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an inputter, arranged to input an image recorded in a memory medium as an image to be transmitted.

10. An image communication method comprising the steps of:

manually selecting an image transmission method;

performing color space conversion corresponding to the selected transmission method for an image to be transmitted;

encoding the image subjected to the color space conversion; and

transmitting the encoded image by the selected transmission method.

11. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having a computer program code, for an image communication method, comprising process procedure code for:

manually selecting an image transmission method;

performing color space conversion corresponding to the selected transmission method for an image to be transmitted;

encoding the image subjected to the color space conversion; and

transmitting the encoded image by the selected transmission method.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the transmission method includes at least a method of transmitting an image by facsimile and a method of transmitting an image by attaching the image to e-mail.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein when the selected transmission destination corresponds to the method of transmitting an image by facsimile, said converter converts the color space of an image to be transmitted into a CIE Lab color space.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein when the transmission destination corresponds to the method of transmitting an image by attaching the image to e-mail, said converter converts the color space of an image to be transmitted into a YCbCr color space.

16. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said encoder performs JPEG coding.

17. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said transmitter comprises:

a modulator, arranged to modulate a signal on the basis of the encoded image when the transmission destination corresponds to the method of transmitting an image by facsimile; and

a generator, arranged to generate e-mail data containing the encoded image when the transmission destination corresponds to the method of transmitting an image by attaching the image to e-mail.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said transmitter further comprises:

a PCM encoder, arranged to encode the modulated signal by PCM when the transmission destination corresponds to the method of transmitting an image by facsimile; and

a sender, arranged to send a PCM code to a digital communication line and send e-mail data to the Internet.

19. The apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a reader, arranged to read an image to be transmitted from an original and output an RGB-color-space image.

20. The apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising an inputter, arranged to input an image recorded in a memory medium as an image to be transmitted.

12. An image communication apparatus comprising:

a selector, arranged to select an image transmission destination;

a converter, arranged to perform color space conversion corresponding to the selected transmission destination for an image to be transmitted;

an encoder, arranged to encode the image subjected to the color space conversion; and

a transmitter, arranged to transmit the encoded image by a transmission method corresponding to the selected transmission destination.

21. An image communication method comprising the steps of:

manually selecting an image transmission destination;

performing color space conversion corresponding to the selected transmission destination for an image to be transmitted;

encoding the image subjected to the color space conversion; and

transmitting the encoded image by a transmission method corresponding to the selected transmission destination.

22. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having a computer program code, for an image communication method, comprising process procedure code for:

manually selecting an image transmission destination;

performing color space conversion corresponding to the selected transmission destination for an image to be transmitted;

encoding the image subjected to the color space conversion; and

transmitting the encoded image by a transmission method corresponding to the selected transmission destination.