Image input/output control method and image input/output apparatus

• US 7,307,762 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2004
• Issued: 12/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yaguchi, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Kimberly A.
• Application Number:
  US10/784,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20040169902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• Field of Search: 358/524, 358/1.15, 358/1.9, 358/426.02, 358/1.13, 358/1.16, 358/444, 382/250, 709/206
• US Class Current: 358/444
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32358 using picture signal storage, e.g. at transmitter H04N1/17 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32448 Controlling data flow to or from the memory in relation to the available memory capacity
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/41 Bandwidth or redundancy reduction by scanning H04N1/17 ; methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3288 Storage of two or more complete document pages or image frames

Abstract

In the case in which an image processing mode is a high-speed copy mode in which follow-up control is possible, setting is made to perform “follow-up control” for setting a mode for not compressing an image or a fixed length compression mode for an image read by a scanner, storing an inputted image in a memory in accordance with the setting, and outputting the image stored in the memory to a printer during scanning. Consequently, image input/output processing from input and storage of an image in the memory until output of the stored image can be performed at high speed.

Claims

1. An image input/output control method for a device that transfers an input image to a memory and outputs the input image from the memory, the method comprising:

a step of, in the case of a color copy mode, compressing an input image using variable length compression, transferring the compressed input image to the memory, and initiating output of the compressed input image from the memory after the transfer of the compressed input image terminates; and

a step of, in the case of a black-and-white copy mode, transferring an input image to the memory without compressing the input image, and initiating output of the transferred input image from the memory while the input image is being transferred to the memory.

2. The image input/output control method according to claim 1, wherein the step to be performed is determined in accordance with a setting concerning a copy job including the black-and-white copy mode.

3. An image input/output control apparatus that transfers an input image to a memory and outputs the input image from the memory, said apparatus comprising:

means for, in the case of a color copy mode, compressing an input image using variable length compression, transferring the compressed input image to the memory, and initiating output of the compressed input image from the memory after the transfer of the compressed input image terminates; and

means for, in the case of a black-and-white copy mode, transferring an input image to the memory without compressing the input image, and initiating output of the transferred input image from the memory while the input image is being transferred to the memory.

4. The image input/output control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the means to be used is determined in accordance with a setting concerning a copy job including the black-and-white copy mode.

5. An image input/output control method for a device that transfers an input image to a memory and outputs the input image from the memory, the method comprising:

a step of, in the case of a color copy mode, compressing an input image using variable length compression, transferring the compressed input image to the memory, and initiating output of the compressed input image from the memory after the transfer of the compressed input image terminates; and

a step of, in the case of a black-and-white copy mode, compressing an input image using fixed length compression, transferring the compressed input image to the memory, and initiating output of the transferred compressed input image from the memory while the compressed input image is being transferred to the memory.