Image processing apparatus, image processing method and program

• US 7,414,639 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2003
• Issued: 08/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Mutoh, Gennosuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Brier; Jeffery A.
• Application Number:
  US10/616,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20040057634A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,868 Days
• Field of Search: 345/611, 345667-671, 358/1.2, 358/451, 358/528, 382298-301, 385298-301
• US Class Current: 345/667
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4023 based on decimating pixels or lines of pixels; based on inserting pixels or lines of pixels
• 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 1/40068 Modification of image resolution, i.e. determining the values of picture elements at new relative positions H04N1/3935 takes precedence

Abstract

An image processing apparatus for changing the size of image data of an original image, includes: a comparison part comparing an image information value which indicates predetermined image information of the original image, with a corresponding predetermined reference value which is previously set for each of the predetermined image information; and a sharing-ratio determining part which, based on a comparison result of the comparison part, determines a sharing ratio in processing for changing the size of the image data between a first processing way and a second processing way different from the first processing way.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus, comprising:

a comparison part comparing an image information value which indicates predetermined image information of an original image, with a corresponding predetermined reference value which is previously set for each of the predetermined image information; and

a sharing-ratio determining part which, based on a comparison result of said comparison part, determines a sharing ratio for sharing processing resources between a first processing way and a second processing way different from said first processing way, for changing a size of image data, wherein;

said sharing-ratio determining part calculates the sharing ratio, and adjusts the sharing ratio in the processing between the first and second processing ways so that the entire process of a predetermined image size-change processing is completed within a given time duration, if a processing time for performing the entire processing of the predetermined image size-change processing utilizing the first processing way but not the second processing way exceeds the given time duration,

the image processing apparatus includes a print function, and

the adjustment of the sharing ratio is made in such a manner that the sharing ratio is gradually changed, a required time duration is calculated every time of the gradual changing of the sharing ratio, the thus-calculated required time duration is compared with the given time duration, and then, the sharing ratio at which the comparison result indicates that the required time duration corresponds to the given time duration is obtained.

2. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said first processing way for changing the size of the image data comprises a way for achieving a high-order image processing for controlling image degradation.

3. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said second processing way comprises a way of simply changing the number of pixels without changing the respective pixel values.

4. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said comparison part compares an image data size-change rate required with a predetermined reference value instead of comparing the predetermined image information value of the original image.

5. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the information of the image in formation value and predetermined reference value, compared by said comparison part, comprises information concerning the data size of the original image.

6. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the information of the image information value and predetermined reference value, compared by said comparison part, comprises information concerning the number of colors expressible by each pixel of the original image.

7. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the information of the image information value and predetermined reference value, compared by said comparison part, comprises information concerning the resolution of the original image.

8. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the information of the image information value and predetermined reference value, compared by said comparison part, comprises information as to whether or not the original image is a color image or a monochrome image.

9. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the sharing ratio between the first arid second processing ways is determined based in part on a predetermined attribute of the original image.

10. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

the predetermined attribute of the original image which is used for determining the sharing ratio by said sharing-ratio determining part comprises the number of used colors in the original image.

11. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the sharing ratio between the first and second processing ways is determined according to said given time duration for completing the entire process of a relevant image size-change processing.

12. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said first processing way comprises a process for preventing a jaggy from becoming conspicuous.

13. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the sharing ratio between the first and second processing ways is determined by said sharing-ratio determining part based in part on the contents of image processing in the entire process of a relevant image size-change processing.

14. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein an application of the first and second processing ways is made in such a manner that one of the first and second processing way is applied, and, after that, the other processing way is applied.

15. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the application of the first and second processing ways is made in such a manner that one of the first and second processing way, which one requires a longer processing time, is applied first, and, after that, the other processing way is applied.

16. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein an application of the first and second processing ways is made in such a manner that one of a first mode and a second mode is selected according to a comparison result of said comparison part,

wherein said first mode is such that both said first and second processing ways are applied in a combination manner, and said second mode is such that only one of the first and second processing ways is applied.

17. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said second mode is such that only one of the first and second processing way, which one requires a longer processing time, is applied.

18. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said first processing way comprises an image size-change processing for an integer size-change rate, and said second processing way comprises an image size-change processing for a size-change rate which includes a fraction.

19. An image processing method for changing the size of image data of an original image, comprising:

a comparison step comparing an image information value which indicates predetermined image information of the original image, with a corresponding predetermined reference value which is previously set for each of the predetermined image information; and

a sharing-ratio determining step, based on a comparison result of said comparison step, determining a sharing ratio for sharing processing resources between a first processing way and a second processing way different from said first processing way, in processing for changing the size of the image data, wherein;

said sharing-ratio determining step comprises calculating the sharing ratio, and adjusting the sharing ratio in the processing between the first and second processing ways so that the entire process of a predetermined image size-change processing is completed within a given time duration, if a processing time for performing the entire processing of the predetermined image size-change processing utilizing the first processing way but not the second processing way exceeds the given time duration,

said sharing-ratio determining step is performed in an apparatus having a print function, and

the adjustment of the sharing ratio is made in such a manner that the sharing ratio is gradually changed, a required time duration is calculated every time of the gradual changing of the sharing ratio, the thus-calculated required time duration is compared with the given time duration, and then, the sharing ratio at which the comparison result indicates that the required time duration corresponds to the given time duration is obtained.

20. The image processing method as claimed in claim 19, wherein:

said first processing way for changing the size of the image data comprises a way for achieving a high-order image processing for controlling image degradation.

21. The image processing method as claimed in claim 19, wherein:

said second processing way comprises a way of simply changing the number of pixels without changing the respective pixel values.

22. The image processing method as claimed in claim 19, wherein:

in said comparison step, an image data size-change ratio required is compared with a predetermined reference value instead of comparing the predetermined image information value of the original image.

23. The image processing method as claimed in claim 19, wherein:

the information of the image information value and predetermined reference value which is applied in said comparison step for comparison comprises information concerning the data size of the original image.

24. The image processing method as claimed in claim 19, wherein:

the information of the image information value and predetermined reference value which is applied an said comparison step comprises information concerning the number of colors expressible by each pixel of the original image.

25. The image processing method as claimed in claim 19, wherein:

the information of the image information value and predetermined reference value which is applied in said comparison step comprises information concerning the resolution of the original image.

26. The image processing method as claimed in claim 19, wherein:

the information of the image information value and predetermined reference value which is applied in said comparison step comprises information as to whether or not the original image is a color image or a monochrome image.

27. The image processing method as claimed in claim 19, wherein:

the sharing ratio between the first and second processing ways is determined based in part on a predetermined attribute of the original image.

28. The image processing method claimed in claim 27, wherein:

the predetermined attribute of the original image which is used for determining the sharing ratio in said sharing-ratio determining step comprises the number of used colors in the original image.

29. The image processing method as claimed in claim 19, wherein:

the sharing ratio between the first and second processing ways is determined according to said given time duration for completing the entire process of a relevant image size-change processing.

30. The image processing method as claimed in claim 19, wherein:

said first processing way comprises a process for preventing a jaggy from becoming conspicuous.

31. The image processing method as claimed in claim 19, wherein:

the sharing ratio between the first and second processing ways is determined in said sharing-ratio determining step based in part on the contents of image processing in the entire process of a relevant image size-change processing.

32. The image processing method as claimed in claim 19, wherein an application of the first and second processing ways is made in such a manner that one of the first and second processing way is applied, and, after that, the other processing way is applied.

33. The image processing method as claimed in claim 32, wherein the application of the first and second processing ways is made in such a manner that one or the first and second processing way, which one requires a longer processing time, is applied, and, after that, the other processing way is applied.

34. The image processing method as claimed in claim 19, wherein an application of the first and second processing ways is made in such a manner that one of a first mode and a second mode is selected according to a comparison result of said comparison step,

wherein said first mode is such that both said first and second processing ways are applied in a combination manner, and said second mode is such that only one of the first and second processing ways is applied.

35. The image processing method as claimed in claim 34, wherein said second mode is such that only one of the first and second processing way, which one requires a longer processing time, is applied.

36. The image processing method as claimed in claim 19, wherein:

said first processing way comprises an image size-change processing for an integer size-change rate, and said second processing way comprises an image size-change processing for a size-change rate which includes a fraction.

37. A computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions causing a computer to execute each step of the method claimed in claim 19.

38. A computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions causing a computer to execute each step of the method claimed in claim 20.

39. A computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions causing a computer to execute each step of the method claimed in claim 21.

40. A computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions causing a computer to execute each step of the method claimed in claim 22.

41. A computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions causing a computer to execute each step of the method claimed in claim 23.

42. A computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions causing a computer to execute each step of the method claimed in claim 24.

43. A computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions causing a computer to execute each step of the method claimed in claim 25.

44. A computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions causing a computer to execute each step of the method claimed in claim 26.

45. A computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions causing a computer to execute each step of the method claimed in claim 27.

46. A computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions causing a computer to execute each step of the method claimed in claim 28.

47. A computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions causing a computer to execute each step of the method claimed in claim 29.

48. A computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions causing a computer to execute each step of the method claimed in claim 30.

49. A computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions causing a computer to execute each step of the method claimed in claim 31.

50. A computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions causing a computer to execute each step of the method claimed in claim 32.

51. A computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions causing a computer to execute each step of the method claimed in claim 33.

52. A computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions causing a computer to execute each step of the method claimed in claim 34.

53. A computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions causing a computer to execute each step of the method claimed in claim 35.

54. A computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions causing a computer to execute each step of the method claimed in claim 36.