Color image process system, color image apparatus, color image processing method

• US 6,731,403 B1
• Filed: 04/11/2000
• Issued: 05/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ohnishi, Tetsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Coles, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pokrzywa, Joseph R.
• Application Number:
  US09/547,345
• Time in Patent Office: 1,484 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.9, 358/1.15, 358/1.1, 358/1.13, 358/5.18, 358/523, 358/501, 358/504, 358/434, 358/440, 358/442, 358/468, 358/296, 355/206
• US Class Current: 358/1.9
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32561 using a programmed control device, e.g. a microprocessor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33307 prior to start of transmission, input or output of the picture signal only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/46 Colour picture communication systems
• 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 2201/33378 Type or format of data, e.g. colour or B/W, halftone or binary, computer image file or facsimile data

Abstract

A color image processing apparatus stores color image data, and an output device outputs the stored color image data to a connected device. A discriminator discriminates whether the connected device is a device that receives parallel image data or a device that receives color image data, and a controller controls the output device in accordance with the discrimination made by the discriminator.

Claims

1. A color image processing apparatus which interfaces an image inputting means to an image outputting means, comprising:

image inputting means for inputting color image data;

storing means for storing the color image data input by said image inputting means;

outputting means for outputting color image data from said storing means to the image outputting means;

discriminating means for discriminating a kind of color image data which the image outputting means receives based on an identification code for the image outputting means;

converting means for converting a color space of the color image data prior to output to said image outputting means based on the identification code; and

controlling means for controlling said outputting means and said converting means in accordance with a discrimination made by said discriminating means,

wherein said controlling means controls said outputting means and said converting means so that said outputting means outputs sequential color image data, the color space of which is converted by said converting means, when said discriminating means discriminates that the image outputting means is a device that receives sequential color image data, and

wherein said identification code is communicated to the color image processing apparatus depending on a type of the color image processing apparatus.

2. A color image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sequential color image data is frame sequential color image data that includes frame sequential plural color components for image forming.

3. A color image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the plural color components include a yellow component, a magenta component and a cyan component.

4. A color image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said discriminating means discriminates by bidirectional communication between said color image processing apparatus and the image outputting means.

5. A color image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said controlling means further controls said outputting means so that said outputting means outputs parallel color image data when said discriminating means discriminates that the image outputting means is a device that receives parallel color image data.

6. A color image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the parallel color image data is RGB parallel color image data.

7. A color image processing apparatus which processes images received from an interfacing means which interfaces the color image processing apparatus to an inputting means for inputting color image data, comprising:

transmitting means for transmitting an identification code to the interfacing means that represents a kind of color image data which said color image processing apparatus receives and that represents a color process function; and

receiving means for receiving color image data from the interfacing means after transmitting the identification code via said transmitting means,

wherein said receiving means receives sequential color image data, the color space of which is converted by said interfacing means, and which is output by said interfacing means when said interfacing means discriminates, based on the identification code transmitted by the color image processing apparatus, that the color image processing apparatus is a device that receives sequential color image data, and

wherein said identification code is communicated to the interfacing means depending on a type of the color image processing apparatus.