Image processor

• US 5,867,634 A
• Filed: 11/15/1995
• Issued: 02/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd. (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd. (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Kasamatsu, Toru, Suzuki, Hiroyuki, Hirota, Yoshihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Evans, Arthur G.
• Application Number:
  US08/559,313
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 395/102, 395/101, 395/109, 382/254, 382/256, 382/270, 382/271, 382/272, 358/451, 358/428, 358/444, 358/448
• US Class Current: 358/1.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4007 based on interpolation, e.g. bilinear interpolation image demosaicing G06T3/4015; edge-driven or edge-based scaling G06T3/403
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3935 with modification of image resolution, i.e. determining the values of picture elements at new relative positions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4072 dependent on the contents of the original
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4092 Edge or detail enhancement

Abstract

In an image processor, an image of document is read by an image sensor. A reduction ratio of the image is set. Then, interpolation is performed on the image data between a pixel under interest and a pixel adjacent to the pixel under interest according to the reduction ratio. After the interpolation, pixel data in the image data are thinned out to an image data having a size determined by the reduction ratio, and an image is formed on a sheet of paper based on the thined-out data. Because the interpolation is performed before the thinning-out of the image data, defects in a reduced image such as vanishment of a narrow line are reduced, and image quality is improved.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

image reading means for reading an image of a document to provide pixel data;

setting means for setting a reduction ratio;

interpolation means for adjusting a density level of the pixel data provided by said image reading means in accordance with the reduction ratio set by said setting means and the density level of the pixel data adjacent to one pixel data to be adjusted;

thinning-out for thinning out the pixel data adjusted by said interpolation means to image data having a size determined by the reduction ratio set by said setting means; and

image forming means for forming an image on a sheet of paper based on the image data after being thinned out by said thinning-out means.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a number of the adjacent pixel data used by said interpolation means changes with the reduction ratio set by said setting means.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said thinning-out means comprises a first memory and a second memory for storing image data subjected to the adjustment by said interpolation means, said thinning-out means stores the image data in one of said memories while outputs the image data from the other of said memories.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said thinning-out means stores image data subjected to the adjustment by said interpolation means after thinning out the pixel data in correspondence to the reduction ratio.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said thinning-out means changes write clock signals supplied to said first or second memory according to the reduction ratio when the image data are stored.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said interpolation means adjusts the density level of the pixel data as a sum of the one pixel data times the reduction ratio L and an average of the pixel data adjacent to the one pixel data times (1-L).

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said thinning-out means comprises a first memory and a second memory for storing image data subjected to the adjustment by said interpolation means, said thinning-out means stores the image data in one of said memories while outputs the image data from the other of said memories.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said thinning-out means changes write clock signals supplied to said first or second memory according to the reduction ratio when the image data are stored.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said thinning-out means stores image data subjected to the adjustment by said interpolation means after thinning out the pixel data in correspondence to the reduction ratio.

10. The apparatus to claim 1, wherein said thinning-out means comprises a first memory and a second memory for storing image data subjected to prescribed adjustment by said interpolation means, said thinning-out means stores image data in one of said memories while outputting image data stored in the other of said memories.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said thinning-out means stores image data subjected to the adjustment by said interpolation means after thinning out the pixel data in correspondence to the reduction ratio.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said thinning-out means changes write clock signals supplied to said first or second memory according to the reduction ratio when the image data are stored.