Control for an image filing apparatus

• US 5,867,614 A
• Filed: 04/24/1996
• Issued: 02/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ito, Hirohiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Boudreau, Leo H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tadayon, Bijan
• Application Number:
  US08/637,054
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• Field of Search: 382/232, 382/276, 382/305, 382/306, 382/307, 382/309, 382/310, 382/311, 382/312, 382/317, 382/233, 382/234, 382/235, 382/239, 382/254, 382/282, 382/302, 382/303, 382/304 , 382/316, 382/318, 382/319, 358/444, 358/426, 358/538, 358/461, 358/500, 358/453, 358/524, 358/521, 345/1, 345/157
• US Class Current: 382/305
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/40 Scaling of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. expanding or contracting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32358 using picture signal storage, e.g. at transmitter H04N1/17 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32502 in systems having a plurality of input or output devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32512 of different type, e.g. internal and external devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32529 of different type, e.g. internal and external devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0086 Image transceiver H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0087 Image storage device

Abstract

An image of an original is read and stored into a first buffer memory and encoded. The encoded data is stored into a second buffer memory. The stored encoded data is transferred to, e.g., a magneto-optic disk drive unit. Further, the image data stored in the first buffer memory is converted into the image data of a low resolution and is encoded and stored into a third buffer memory. The stored encoded data is transferred to the magneto-optic disk drive unit. After the image data stored in the first buffer memory is encoded, the resolution conversion of the image data stored in the first buffer memory is started in a manner such that the recording of the encoded data of low resolution to a magneto-optic disk can be started just after the encoded data of high resolution was recorded to the magneto-optic disk. Thus, the image data of high resolution and the image data of low resolution can be promptly recorded onto the magneto-optic disk.

Claims

1. A control method of an image filing apparatus comprising the steps of:

a) inputting image data and storing the inputted image data into a first buffer memory;

b) causing an encoder to encode the image data stored in said first buffer memory and storing the encoded data into a second buffer memory;

c) causing an external memory medium to store the encoded data stored in said second buffer memory;

d) reducing said inputted image data;

e) causing said encoder to encode said reduced image data after the encoding in said step b has been finished and storing into a third buffer memory; and

f) causing said external memory medium to store the encoded data stored in said third buffer memory,

wherein execution start timings of said steps d and e are controlled so that the encoded data stored in said third buffer memory is stored into said external memory medium just after the end of the storage of the encoded data stored in said second buffer memory.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step d is executed after the end of said step b.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step d is executed concurrently with said step b.

4. A method according to claim 1, further having the step of inputting next image data and storing into a fourth buffer memory just after the end of the input of the image data in said step a, and

wherein said steps b to f are repeated for said next image data.

5. A method according to claim 1, further having the steps of:

reading out the reduced image data stored in said external memory medium; and

displaying the read-out image data to display means of a low resolution.

6. A control apparatus of an image filing apparatus, comprising:

input means for inputting an image;

first to third buffer memories;

encoding means for encoding image data;

resolution converting means for reducing a resolution of the image data;

storing means for storing the image data to an external memory medium; and

control means for controlling in a manner such that the image data inputted by said input means is stored into said first buffer memory, the image data stored in said first buffer memory is encoded by said encoding means, the encoded data is stored into said second buffer memory, the encoded data stored in said second buffer memory is stored into said external memory medium by said storing means, further, the resolution of said inputted image data is reduced by said resolution converting means, the image data of the low resolution is encoded by said encoding means after the image data stored in said first buffer memory is encoded, the encoded data is stored into said third buffer memory is stored into said external memory medium by said storing means,

wherein said control means controls operation start timings of said resolution converting means and said encoding means in a manner such that the encoded data stored in said third buffer memory is stored just after the encoded data stored in said second buffer memory was stored in said external memory medium.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said control means makes said resolution converting means operative just after the end of the encoding of said input image data.

8. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said control means makes said resolution converting means operative in parallel with the encoding of said input image data.

9. An apparatus according to claim 6, further having:

decoding means for decoding the encoded data of the low resolution which is read out from said external memory medium; and

display means of a low resolution for displaying the image data of the low resolution which was decoded by said decoding means.

10. A control method for an image filling apparatus, comprising the steps of:

a) inputting image data and storing the inputted image data into a first buffer memory;

b) causing an encoder to encode the image data stored in the first buffer memory and storing the encoded data into a second buffer memory;

c) causing an image memory medium to store the encoded data stored in the second buffer memory;

d) reducing the inputted image data;

e) causing the encoder to encode the reduced image data after the encoding in said step b has been finished and storing into a third buffer memory; and

f) causing the image memory medium to store the encoded data stored in the third buffer memory,

wherein execution start timings of said steps d and e are controlled so that said step e is executed concurrently with said step c.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein said step d is executed after the end of said step b.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein said step d is executed concurrently with said step b.

13. A method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of inputting next image data and storing into a fourth buffer memory just after the end of the input of the image data in said step a, and wherein said steps b to f are repeated for the next image data.

14. A method according to claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

reading out the reduced image data stored in the image memory medium; and

displaying the read-out image data to display means of a low resolution.

15. A control apparatus for an image filing apparatus, comprising:

input means for inputting an image;

first to third buffer memories;

encoding means for encoding image data;

resolution converting means for reducing a resolution of the image data;

storing means for storing the image data to an image memory medium; and

control means for controlling in a manner such that the image data inputted by said input means is stored into said first buffer memory, the image data stored in said first buffer memory is encoded by said encoding means, the encoded data is stored into said second buffer memory, the encoded data stored in said second buffer memory is stored into said image memory medium by said storing means, further, the resolution of said inputted image data is reduced by said resolution converting means, the image data of the low resolution is encoded by said encoding means after the image data stored in said first buffer memory is encoded, the encoded data is stored into said third buffer memory, and the encoded data stored in said third buffer memory is stored into said image memory medium by said storing means,

wherein said control means controls operation start timings of said resolution converting means and said encoding means in a manner such that encoding of the image data of the low resolution is executed concurrently with storing of the encoded data stored in said second buffer memory into said image memory medium.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said control means makes said resolution converting means operative just after the end of the encoding of said input image data.

17. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said control means makes said resolution converting means operative in parallel with the encoding of said input image data.

18. An apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising:

decoding means for decoding the encoded data of the low resolution which is read out from said image memory medium; and

display means of a low resolution for displaying the image data of the low resolution which was decoded by said decoding means.