Method and means for converting image data in encoded format

• US 8,320,018 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2012
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hagiwara, Katsuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Tieu, Benny Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): Payer, Paul F
• Application Number:
  US13/351,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20120113447A1
• Time in Patent Office: 315 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 358/1.9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1205 resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1208 resulting in improved quality of the output result, e.g. print layout, colours, workflows, print preview
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1247 by conversion to printer ready format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1284 Local printer device

Abstract

An output device which outputs pixel data corresponding to a color material used by a printing unit to the printing unit includes an image buffer which stores image data, a generation unit which generates density data corresponding to the color material based on image data read out from the image buffer, a print buffer which stores density data generated by the generation unit, and a conversion unit which converts density data read out from the print buffer into pixel data corresponding to the resolution of the printing unit synchronously with the printing unit.

Claims

1. An output device which outputs quantized data, corresponding to a color material used by a printing unit, to the printing unit, the output device comprising:

a registration unit configured to register the color information of pixel data in a dictionary;

an encoding unit configured to encode image data by generating a code which indicates the length of a plurality of contiguous pixel data having identical color information and a dictionary index at which said color information is registered;

an extraction unit configured to extract the color information as the index of the dictionary from the encoded image data;

a conversion unit configured to convert each of the extracted color information registered in the dictionary into a color space of the printing unit by using a look-up table;

a decoding unit configured to decode the encoded image data having the converted color information based on the code; and

a quantization unit configured to convert a part of the decoded image data into quantized data corresponding to a resolution of the printing unit and output the quantized data to the printing unit.

2. An output method of outputting quantized data, corresponding to a color material used by a printing unit, to the printing unit, the output method comprising:

registering the color information of pixel data in a dictionary;

encoding image data by generating a code, which indicates the length of a plurality of contiguous pixel data having identical color information and a dictionary index at which said color information is registered;

extracting the color information as the index of the dictionary from the encoded image data;

converting each of the extracted color information registered in the dictionary into a color space of the printing unit by using a look-up table;

decoding the encoded image data having the converted color information based on the code;

quantizing a part of the decoded image data into quantized data corresponding to a resolution of the printing unit; and

outputting the quantized data to the printing unit.

3. An output device which outputs pixel data, corresponding to a color material used by a printing unit, to the printing unit, the output device comprising:

a count unit configured to count contiguous first pixel data having an identical value and generate a compressed code sequence including the count value and identification information which indicates the first pixel data;

a conversion unit configured to convert each of the first pixel data counted by the count unit into second pixel data of a color space of the printing unit by using a look-up table;

a registration unit configured to register the first pixel data and the second pixel data in a dictionary;

an output unit configured to receive the registered second pixel data, which corresponds to the identification information included in the compressed code sequence, among the second pixel data registered by the registration unit in accordance with the count value included in the compressed code sequence, and output the received second pixel data a number of times to the printing unit, wherein the number corresponds to the count value.

4. An output method of outputting pixel data, corresponding to a color material used by a printing unit, to the printing unit, the output method comprising:

counting contiguous first pixel data having an identical value;

generating a compressed code sequence including the count value and identification information which indicates the first pixel data;

converting each of the first pixel data counted in the counting step into second pixel data of a color space of the printing unit by using a look-up table;

registering the first pixel data and the second pixel data in a dictionary;

receiving the registered second pixel data, which corresponds to the identification information included in the compressed code sequence, among the second pixel data registered in the registering step in accordance with the count value included in the compressed code sequence; and

outputting the received second pixel data a number of times to the printing unit, wherein the number corresponds to the count value.