Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
1997-11-18
2001-07-31
Black, Thomas G. (Department: 2771)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C709S200000, C375S240000, C375S240010, C375S240020, C375S240030, C348S236000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06269357
ABSTRACT:
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
The disclosures of the following priority applications are herein incorporated by reference: Japanese Patent Application No. 9-23487, filed Feb. 6, 1997 and Japanese Patent Application No. 9-82560, filed Apr. 1, 1997.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing system, apparatus, method and recording medium for controlling same and in particular to such apparatus and methods in which data, such as image data, is transferred in an efficient manner.
2. Description of Related Art
With the progress of semiconductor technologies, recording apparatus such as electronic cameras that record images or sound as digital data, and electronic notebooks that record images in the form of memos have become wide-spread among the public. Many of the apparatus include an interface so that the apparatus can be connected to external apparatus, such as a personal computer (PC), to output data such as recorded images and sound to the PC. Some of these recording apparatus include a plurality of interfaces.
The external apparatus (e.g., PC) can perform display of the images and/or reproduce the sound stored in the above mentioned recording apparatus. The recording apparatus that have a plurality of interfaces send data in the same way regardless of the interface that is actually being used. When an interface having a slow transfer speed is used, there is a problem that if the capacity of the transferred data is large, the transferring of the data takes an extremely long time.
For example, when an electronic camera transfers 30 KB of image data (640×480 pixels) via an SCSI interface, and when the computer changes the size of that image data to 106×80 pixels for display, since the transfer time of the data is approximately 160 milliseconds, and the time required to change the size of the image data and to display is approximately 173 milliseconds, it only takes a total of 333 milliseconds to display the image stored in the recording apparatus. On the other hand, when a serial interface having a transfer speed of 19,200 bps (bits per second) is used, the transfer time of the data is approximately 16 seconds, and the time for the size change of the image data and displaying of the image is approximately 173 milliseconds, and thus an extra 16 seconds is required to transfer and display the image stored in the recording apparatus.
When some of these recording apparatus transfer image data to a computer, it is common that the image data that is transferred has been compressed by, for example, the JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) method.
In order to further decrease the data amount to be transferred, it is possible to reduce the picture image data by decreasing the number of pixels of picture image data to be sent. However, because the transfer speed is slow when using a serial interface and the like, it is preferred that the data amount be further reduced when sending even a reduced-size picture image. For this reason, the reduced-size picture image also can be compressed.
However, with the JPEG compression method, since the compression process is performed on blocks of, e.g., 8×8 pixels, it is preferable that the number of pixels on each side of the compression process (i.e., before compression and after decompression) are in multiples of 8. Thus, when compressing by the JPEG method after reducing the picture image data, depending on the number of pixels of the post-reduction picture image, it may be necessary to adjust the number of pixels on each side of the compression process thereby creating the problem where the process of reducing the data amount becomes complicated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to shorten the time required for transferring image data by reducing the amount of image data to be transferred according to the type of the interface that will be used.
According to one aspect of the investigation, an information processing system includes a first information processing apparatus coupled to a second information processing apparatus via either a first interface having a first transfer speed or via a second interface having a second, slower transfer speed. When coupled via the first interface, image data is transferred to the second information processing apparatus. When coupled via the second interface, image data is transferred to the second information processing apparatus after the image data is reduced.
The first information processing apparatus of this system includes evaluating means for evaluating whether the interface to be used is the first interface having the first transfer speed or the second interface having the second transfer speed. A reducing means reduces the data amount of the image data when the second interface having the second transfer speed is used. Transfer means transfers the image data via the first interface having the first transfer speed, or transfers the image data reduced by the reducing means via the second interface having the second transfer speed.
In the information processing system, when the first information processing apparatus (for example, an electronic camera) is connected to the second information processing apparatus (for example, a PC) via the interface having the first transfer speed (for example, the SCSI interface), it transfers the image data to the second information processing apparatus via the first interface. When the first information processing apparatus is connected to the second information processing apparatus via the second interface having the second transfer speed (for example, an RS-232C interface), the data amount of the image data is reduced, and the reduced image data is transferred to the second information processing apparatus via the second interface.
An information processing system according to another aspect of the invention includes a first information processing apparatus having reduction means for reducing prescribed image data to reduced image data having a number of pixels suited to the compression process of a prescribed compression method. A compression means compresses the reduced image data by the prescribed compression method, and a transfer means transfers the compressed reduced image data to a second information processing apparatus through an interface. The second information processing apparatus includes decompressing means for decompressing the compressed reduced image data that was transferred through the transfer means.
As an alternative to reducing the image data to obtain image data having a number of pixels suited to the particular compression process, the first information processing apparatus can include dummy data attachment means that makes the number of pixels of the image data suitable for the compression process by adding dummy data when the prescribed image data has a number of pixels that are not suited to the compression process. The compression means then performs the compression process of the prescribed image data together with the dummy data that was attached by way of the dummy data attachment means.
A recording medium includes a control program having computer-readable instructions so that the first information processing apparatus selectively reduces image data based on the type of interface being used and/or reduces or attaches dummy data to the image data prior to compression.
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Kimura Keita
Nakayama Mayumi
Nakayama Tadashi
Yamazaki Makoto
Black Thomas G.
Coby Frantz
Nikon Corporation
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
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