Image processing apparatus and method

• US 20030218774A1
• Filed: 05/21/2003
• Published: 11/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Masaki, Tomoaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,304,763 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.16
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/02 using printers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/18 Conditioning data for presenting it to the physical printing elements for data conditioning specific to a type of printer see subgroups G06K15/028 - G06K15/14; print job translation or parsing G06F3/1244
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1817 Buffers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1822 Analysing the received data before processing

Abstract

Sets of pixel data obtained by dividing entered image data into a predetermined number of items of data are stored in storage means in a predetermined order, and conversion processing is executed for obtaining individual items of pixel data of an output image by applying predetermined processing to the stored pixel data. When the conversion processing is executed, it is determined whether a set of pixel data to be stored in the storage means next is used in conversion processing, and control is carried out in such a manner that a set of pixel data determined not to be used in conversion processing will not be stored in the storage means. As a result, processing for storing unnecessary data not used in conversion processing can be eliminated, thereby making it possible to raise the overall speed of image processing.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing pixel data;

storage processing means for storing sets of pixel data, which are obtained by dividing entered image data into a predetermined number of items of data, in said storage means in a predetermined order;

conversion means for subjecting the pixel data, which have been stored in said storage means, to predetermined processing, thereby obtaining individual items of pixel data of an output image;

determination means for determining whether a set of the pixel data to be stored next in said storage means in accordance with the predetermined order will be used by said conversion means; and

storage control means for controlling said storage processing means in such a manner that said set of pixel data will not be stored in said storage means in a case where said determination means has determined that said set of pixel data will not be used by said conversion means.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said determination means and said storage control means are provided within said conversion means.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said determination means and said storage control means are provided within said storage processing means.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said determination means and said storage control means are provided within said conversion means and within said storage processing means.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the set of pixel data comprises pixel data in one line of an input image.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said determination means determines whether the set of pixel data to be stored next will by used by said conversion means based upon a positional relationship of pixel data used by said conversion means in said predetermined processing.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said determination means obtains the set of pixel data used next by said conversion means.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined processing includes processing for changing magnification of an input image.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined processing includes processing for converting resolution of an input image.

10. An image processing method comprising:

a storage processing step of storing sets of pixel data, which are obtained by dividing entered image data into a predetermined number of items of data, in storage means in a predetermined order;

a conversion step of subjecting the pixel data, which have been stored in said storage means, to predetermined processing, thereby obtaining individual items of pixel data of an output image;

a determination step of determining whether a set of the pixel data to be stored next in said storage means in accordance with the predetermined order will be used by said conversion step; and

a storage control step of controlling said storage processing means in such a manner that said set of pixel data will not be stored in said storage means in a case where said determination step has determined that said set of pixel data will not be used by said conversion step.

11. An image processing apparatus for applying image processing to image data entered from pixel input means, and outputting processed image data to printing means, said apparatus comprising:

first storage means having r-number of line memories;

first storage control means for storing data in said r-number of line memories in order;

filter means, to which data read out from said r-number of line memories is input, for subjecting the data to filter processing;

second storage means having s-number of line memories for storing data that has undergone the filter processing;

second storage control means for storing data in said s-number of line memories in order whenever the filter processing is executed; and

scaling means responsive to a command from said filter means for applying scaling processing to data read out from said second storage means;

wherein said scaling means outputs a command to omit filter processing of data of a prescribed line based upon magnification.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:

third storage means having t-number of line memories; and

output means for outputting data, which has been stored in the t-number of line memories, to the printing means.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the printing means is a printing unit for printing on a print medium by scanning a printhead that ejects ink.