Facsimile and static presentation processing – Static presentation processing – Memory
Reexamination Certificate
1997-02-04
2001-02-06
Rogers, Scott (Department: 2724)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Static presentation processing
Memory
C358S001600
Reexamination Certificate
active
06184999
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus for compressing and processing image data output from an image reading means, and is suitable for use to improve the functionality of digital copying apparatuses, facsimile apparatuses and the like.
In digital copying apparatuses, for example, memory copy mode is known, wherein image data read from a document are temporarily stored in memory, and a copy image is printed based on said stored image data. Thus, a document is read once regardless of the number of copies to be made when making a plurality of copies in memory copy mode. When the document reading speed is slower than the printing speed, therefore, the copying time can be greatly reduced by using the memory copy mode. Electronic sorting is an example of a memory copy mode application. Electronic sorting is a copy mode wherein image data read from a plurality of original documents are stored in memory, and the image data of each document are repeatedly read out from said memory and copies of a plurality of documents are sequentially made one by one. Normally, compressed image data (hereinafter referred to as “compressed data”) are stored in memory so as to allow the storage of as many documents as possible.
In conventional copying apparatuses, image data in pixel units obtained by scanning a document are stored in pixel array sequence in an image memory, a compression process starts after waiting for the image data of one page, i.e., image data corresponding to one document page, to be stored. That is, after one page of a document has been read, the process of compressing the obtained image data is started. Scanning of the next document page is accomplished after the compression processing of the previous one page is completed. In other words, after the compression processing of the image data of the read document completes, the reading of the next document begins.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to reduce the time required from the start of reading a document to the completion of the compression process to allow faster image data processing.
The present invention provides in an image processing apparatus comprising an image reader which reads image, an image memory which stores image data read by said image reader, a compressor which reads out image data previously stored in said image memory, and compresses image data reading out, and a controller which controls starting operation of said compressor so as not to complete compressing image data in said image memory before completion of storing image data into said image memory.
Furthermore, the present invention provides in an image processing apparatus comprising an image reader which sequentially reads image data of a first and a second document, an image memory which stores image data read by said image reader, a compressor which reads out image data previously stored by said image memory, and compresses image data reading out, and a controller which controls starting operation of said image reader so as not to complete storing image data of said second document before completion of compressing image data of said first document.
Therefore, the required time from the time reading of a document starts until the compression process completes can be reduced, and the image data processing can be accomplished faster.
These and other objects and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate specific embodiments of the invention.
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patent: 5519499 (1996-05-01), Saito
patent: 5619594 (1997-04-01), Melen
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Atsumi Tomoyuki
Kawasaki Eiichiro
Morikawa Takeshi
Yoshida Eiichi
McDermott & Will & Emery
Minolta Company, Ltd.
Rogers Scott
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