Facsimile and static presentation processing – Static presentation processing – Size – resolution – or scale control
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-14
2003-05-06
Wallerson, Mark (Department: 2622)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Static presentation processing
Size, resolution, or scale control
C358S001900, C358S003270, C382S172000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06559972
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
This invention relates to an image processing apparatus for storing an image data inputted from image data inputting means in storage means as a plural image data in various resolution, and making proper use of them for the printing and the visual display.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has been proposed an image data processing apparatus wherein an image data inputted from image data inputting means such as an image scanner is stored into storage means such as a magnetic disc, an optical disc, or a magneto-optical disc, and the image data fetched from the storage means on demand is outputted from image data outputting means such as a printer.
The Japanese patent laid-open publication No. 8-180180 discloses an image data processing apparatus wherein an image data inputted from image data inputting means is stored in storage means as a plural image data of various resolution, which are made proper use for the printing the displaying and so on.
FIG. 12
is a schematic block diagram showing an example of the above-mentioned image data processing apparatuses. In the image data processing apparatus shown in
FIG. 12
, a multi-valued image data inputted from image data inputting means
10
such as an image scanner is binarized as a standard image data of high resolution for the printing by a binarization circuit
11
, and then stored in storage means
17
such as a hard disc.
A multi-valued image data inputted from the image data inputting means
10
has the resolution of 400 DPI, for example. The multi-valued image data is stored in the storage means
17
without changing the resolution as described above, and on the other hand the multi-valued image data is converted to an image data for the displaying (which is called ‘a display image data’ hereinafter) changed to low resolution, for example, 200 DPI, by a resolution converting circuit
13
, and binarized by a second binarization circuit
14
, and then stored in an image data memory
15
temporarily. First the standard image data is compressed and coded (represented by “encoded” hereinafter) by an encoding circuit
16
. After the processing the display image data is outputted from the image data memory
15
, and encoded by the encoding circuit
16
, and then stored in the storage means
17
corresponding to the standard image data.
The standard image data of high resolution stored in the storage means
17
is decoded by a decoding circuit
19
and inputted to a printer
20
for the printing.
A display screen
21
has the facility for displaying the 256 gradation because 8 bits are used for each color of RGB Red, Green, Blue), but the resolution of the display screen
21
is small relatively, for example, more or less 200 DPI. Accordingly, the display image data of the above low resolution is to be utilized mainly for the displaying on the display screen
21
in case of the searching of image data.
If it is arranged that a plural image data of various resolution are available selectively, an user can browse the preview of the outlined image data (image data of low resolution) in case of the expansion and displaying of image data, and then image data of high resolution can be obtained later on Accordingly, in case of searching image data while browsing them on the display screen
21
, it is possible to skip over an unnecessary processing of expanding the image data of high resolution. Therefore it is possible to arrange an image data processing apparatus with efficient operational performance.
In case there is remarkable difference between the resolution of the printer
20
and that of the display screen
21
, when the image data is displayed on the display screen
21
in the same resolution as the printer
20
, a part of the image data can be displayed only. Therefore, if the apparatus is constituted so as to be able to use the above-mentioned display image data, the great advantage can be given.
In case of filing an original of an intermediate-tone image data such as a photograph, however, when the original is processed by the simplified binarization for converting to binary digit, that is 1 or 0, according to a specific threshold value, it brings the remarkable deterioration of picture quality. Accordingly, the original is arranged to be binarized by the pseudo intermediate-tone processing such as the error diffusion method of reproducing the intermediate-tone in the proportion of white and black per unit area.
But the pseudo intermediate-tone processing causes the frequent change of black and white in the intermediate density area having a large change of density, so that the compression rate of the encoded data could decline. (For example, since the encoded data changing black and white periodically such as “1111000011110000. . . ”, in other words when a high density or a low density area repeats itself for several times, can be represented by the information of the repeat of 4 white & 4 black, the compression rate is high.)
Namely, there is a problem that the conventional image data processing apparatus must be provided with a mass memory because the compression rate for the encoding is low.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention is proposed to solve the above-mentioned problems in the conventional apparatus. And the objects are to reduce the size of the image data in the intermediate density area by deteriorating the gradation performance of the image data in said area to a specific degree and thereby to increase the compression rate at the encoding and to improve the storage efficiency at the filing.
Namely, in order to achieve the above objects, as shown in
FIG. 1
, an image data processing apparatus in the invention is presumed that a multi-valued image data inputted from image data inputting means
10
is encoded not only as a standard image data but also as a display image data of the lower resolution than that of the standard image data, and both of them are stored in storage means
17
, and the display image data stored in the storage means
17
is decoded and then inputted to browsing means
21
such as a display screen.
And the image data processing apparatus is provided at the preceding step of resolution converting means
13
for obtaining the display image data with first gradation converting means
12
for converting the intermediate density area of the multi-valued image data to a specific high density or specific low density.
And as shown in
FIG. 5
, the image data processing apparatus in the invention can be provided with second gradation converting means
23
for converting the intermediate density area in the multi-valued image data obtained from the image data inputting means
10
to the specific high density or the specific low density.
Therefore, it is possible in the image data processing apparatus in the invention to reduce the size of the image data in the intermediate density area by deteriorating the gradation performance of the image data in said area to a specific degree without touching the picture quality and thereby to increase the compression rate at the encoding and to improve the storage efficiency at the filing.
Moreover as shown in
FIG. 7
, the image data processing apparatus can comprise image data transferring means
30
and
31
for transferring online the decoded display image data, and browsing means
33
for displaying the display image data transferred from the image data transferring means
30
and
31
. And otherwise the apparatus can comprise image data transferring means
30
and
31
for transferring online the encoded data corresponding to the display image data stored in the storage means
17
, decoding means (not shown, for decoding the encoded data transferred from the image data transferring means
30
and
31
, and browsing means
33
for displaying the decoded image data.
To the contrary, the image data processing apparatus as an off-line state shown in
FIG. 8
can comprise image data writing means
40
for storing the decoded display image data in a removable storage media, image data reading means
41
for readin
Hisatomi Kenji
Kuwano Hideyuki
Murata Kazuyuki
Okada Yuji
Takahashi Noaki
Lamb Twyler
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
Wallerson Mark
LandOfFree
Method and apparatus for processing image data does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and apparatus for processing image data, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and apparatus for processing image data will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3085581