IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF, COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM

• US 20100309511A1
• Filed: 04/30/2010
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ito, Tadayuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,477,383 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00965 using a plug-in memory module, e.g. memory card, memory stick
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2158 using a detachable storage unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32358 using picture signal storage, e.g. at transmitter H04N1/17 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32598 Bus based systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3288 Storage of two or more complete document pages or image frames

Abstract

An image processing apparatus that applies image processing to image data read from a memory, the image processing apparatus including: an image processing input circuit that acquires a command list from the memory by direct memory access and that outputs a command based on the command list; and an image processing circuit that is connected to the image processing input circuit and that sets a register or executes processing of the image data in accordance with the command outputted from the image processing input circuit. The image processing input circuit uses an address instructed by a register control command to acquire image data from a memory by direct memory access if a data acquisition command for instructing data acquisition is acquired from the command list, generates a data processing command including the acquired image data, and outputs the command to the image processing circuit.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

an input unit configured to acquire a command list from a memory and to output a command based on the command list; and

a processing unit configured to execute a process based on the command outputted from said input unit, wherein

said input unit is configured to

output a register control command indicating an instruction to a register to said processing unit if the register control command is acquired from the command list, and to

acquire image data from the memory based on the register control command and generate a data processing command including the acquired image data to output the data processing command to said processing unit if a data acquisition command for instructing data acquisition is acquired from the command list.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

an output unit connected to said processing unit, said output unit configured to pack processed image data, which is obtained by said processing unit processing the data processing command, into a predetermined format and to execute direct memory access using an address instructed by the register control command outputted by said input unit to transfer the processed image data to the memory.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said processing unit comprises a plurality of image processing circuits including different pieces of circuit identification information, the register control command outputted by said input unit includes circuit identification information for identifying the image processing circuit that needs to execute the command, and each of said plurality of processing circuits executes a register control command including circuit identification information coinciding with identification information of the processing circuit if the command is inputted, then outputs the command to a subsequent circuit, and outputs a register control command including circuit identification information not coinciding with the identification information of the processing circuit to a subsequent circuit without change if the command is inputted.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the data processing command outputted by said input unit includes data processing identification information for identifying a process for data included in the command, and

each of the plurality of image processing circuits uses the data included in the data processing command including the data processing identification information to execute the process corresponding to the data processing identification information if data processing identification information registered in the image processing circuit coincides with the data processing identification information included in the inputted data processing command.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

a buffer for temporarily storing data read by said input unit is constituted by a double-bank system, and reading from the memory and command generation from the buffer are executed in parallel.

6. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a command register for holding data for command generation set from the outside;

a buffer for holding data to be processed read from the outside;

an input unit configured to generate and output a command in accordance with the data set to said command register; and

a processing unit configured to process image data in accordance with the command outputted from said input unit, wherein

said input unit comprises

a PUSH-type command generation unit configured to generate a register control command for controlling a register of said processing unit or a data processing command for instructing data processing based on the command acquired from said command register and the data to be processed acquired from said buffer and output the command to said processing unit.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

said input unit further comprises a PULL-type command generation unit configured to acquire a command list from a memory, generate a command in accordance with the command list, and output the command to said processing unit,

said PULL-type command generation unit is configured to output a register control command for instructing writing or reading of data to and from the register to said processing unit if the register control command is acquired from the command list and

to use an address instructed by the register control command to acquire image data from the memory, generate a data processing command including the acquired image data, and output the data processing command to said processing unit if a data acquisition command for instructing data acquisition is acquired from the command list,

said processing unit comprises a plurality of image processing circuits, and

said PUSH-type command generation unit and said PULL-type generation unit are configured to generate a command to use the plurality of image processing circuits mutually exclusively from one another.

8. A control method of a processing apparatus that applies a process to data to be processed read from a memory, said processing apparatus comprising:

an input unit configured to output a command based on a command list; and

a processing unit connected to said input unit, said processing unit configured to set a register or execute processing of image data in accordance with the command outputted from said input unit, said control method comprising;

a step by said input unit to acquire a command list from the memory;

a step by said input unit to output a register control command for instructing writing or reading of data to and from the register if the register control command is acquired from the command list; and

a step by said input unit to use an address instructed by the register control command to acquire data to be processed from the memory if a data acquisition command for instructing data acquisition is acquired from the command list and to generate a data processing command including the acquired data and output the command to said processing unit.

9. A control method of a processing apparatus that applies a process to data to be processed, said processing apparatus comprising:

an input unit comprising a command register for holding a command set from the outside and a buffer for holding data to be processed set from the outside; and

a processing unit connected to said input unit, said processing unit configured to process the data to be processed in accordance with the command outputted from said input unit, said control method comprising;

a step of receiving writing of data for command generation to the buffer and writing of data to be processed to the buffer; and

a step by said input unit to generate a register control command for controlling a register of said processing unit or a data processing command for instructing data processing based on the command acquired from the command register and the data to be processed acquired from the buffer and to output the command to said processing unit.

10. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for operating a processing apparatus that applies a process to data to be processed, said processing apparatus comprising:

an input unit comprising a command register for holding a command set from the outside and a buffer for holding data to be processed set from the outside; and

a processing unit connected to said input unit, said processing unit configured to process the data to be processed in accordance with the command outputted from said input unit, wherein said program executes steps of;

writing data for command generation to the buffer;

receiving writing of data to be processed to the buffer;

generating, by said input unit, a register control command for controlling a register of said processing unit or a data processing command for instructing data processing based on the command acquired from the command register and the data to be processed acquired from the buffer and outputting the command to said processing unit.