Image processing device and image processing method

An image processing method in an image processing device includes a memory and an image processing section, the memory and the image processing section being connected to a data bus, the image processing section including a pipeline in which a plurality of processing modules is connected in series, each processing modules being configured to perform a predetermined process on input data, and the image processing section performing pipeline processing by the processing modules sequentially performing the process, the image processing method comprising:

• a control step, by each of the processing modules, determining whether or not to store the data in a data buffer on the basis of a state of a data flow in the pipeline processing and a state of the data stored in the data buffer temporarily storing the data in unit of processing, and selecting a path within the processing module by which the data is transferred on the basis of a determination result, and to controlling an operation of the data buffer,
• wherein the control step selecting a path for reading and transferring the data after the data is temporarily stored in the data buffer and causes the data buffer to operate if the data is able to be further stored in the data buffer in a state in which the data is stored in a storage capacity of the data buffer,
• wherein the control step selecting a path for reading and transferring the data after the data is temporarily stored in the data buffer and causes the data buffer to operate so that the stored data is held if the data is unable to be further stored in the data buffer in a state in which the data flow in the pipeline processing is delayed,
• wherein the control step selecting a path along which the data is transferred by bypassing the data buffer without being stored in the data buffer and causes an operation of the data buffer to stop if the data is not stored in all the storage capacity of the data buffer in a state in which the data flow in the pipeline processing is not delayed,
• wherein the control step outputting a state notification signal indicating an operation state of the processing module executing the control step itself to the processing module of a previous stage in the configuration of the pipeline, and
• wherein the control step determining a state of the data flow in the pipeline processing on the basis of the state notification signal input from the processing module of a subsequent stage in the configuration of the pipeline.