US 2004/0169874 A1 · Data conversion system, image processing and image forming apparatus

Abstract

Disclosed is a system of image data conversion, capable of setting conversion characteristics with more ease even for data having mixed image attributes, and of reducing the amount of data and the size of memory required. The conversion system includes processing elements in a processor array, each including at least an input data register, character registers, an attribute register, and a global processor, so that a calculator in each of the processing elements operates to select, and store in the character registers, the data set, xi, yi, and ai, corresponding to attribute data stored in the attribute register, to be conversion processed subsequently according to an expression stored in the global processor. The global processor assume overall control such as writing raster image data x into each of processing elements corresponding to each attribute data from a data memory to character registers, imparting an operation instruction set to each calculator for performing the data conversion, and outputting conversion processed data yi written into an output register.

Claims44

Dependent claims

A data processing apparatus, comprising:

a data memory configured to store characteristic definition data defined for at least one data attribute;
a plurality of processing elements each configured to select a set of characteristic definition data from said characteristic definition data from a data stream to be processed and to process data from said data stream according to said set of characteristic definition data;
and
a process control apparatus configured to control at least one of:
storing process control data for controlling said plurality of processing elements,
imparting an operation instruction set based on said process control data to each of said plurality of processing elements in common,
imparting said data stream to each of said plurality of processing elements,
sending out said characteristic definition data stored in said data memory to each of said plurality of processing elements, and
outputting processed data from each of said plurality of processing elements.

6 more elements

A data processing apparatus, comprising:

a data memory configured to store characteristic definition data for defining characteristics of data processing for attribute data;
a global register configured to store a conversion program set;
a processor array comprising a plurality of processing elements, each of said plurality of processing elements including:
an input data register configured to store data to be conversion processed,
a plurality of character registers each configured to store conversion characteristic definition data,
an attribute register configured to store attribute data for said data to be conversion processed,
an output data register configured to store processed data acquired by conversion processing, and
a calculator configured to select a set of conversion characteristic definition data for subsequent storage in said character registers, said conversion characteristic definition data being assigned to attribute data stored in said character registers among conversion characteristic definition data corresponding to attribute data stored in said character registers, and to perform conversion processing on said data to be conversion processed according to a conversion operation instruction set based on said conversion control program and according to conversion characteristic definition data stored in said character registers;
a global processor configured to control at least one of:
writing a data stream to be conversion processed into said input data register included in each of said plurality of processing elements,
sending out said conversion characteristic definition data to said character registers,
imparting an operation instruction set based on said conversion process control program to each calculator in said plurality of processing elements in common, and
outputting processed data from each of output registers;
and
a program memory configured to store a process program set for said global processor to perform said control.

12 more elements

An image data processing apparatus, comprising:

a data memory configured to store conversion characteristic definition data for defining gamma conversion characteristics of image data for each attribute of said image data;
a processor array comprising a plurality of processing elements, each of said plurality of processing elements including:
an input data register configured to store image data to be conversion processed,
a plurality of character registers each configured to store gamma conversion characteristic definition data read out from said data memory,
an attribute register configured to store attribute data describing image characteristics based on said image data,
an output data register configured to store processed data acquired by conversion processing, and
a calculator configured to generate and to subsequently store in said attribute register attribute data of image data stored in said input data register according to image data stored in said input data register and according to image data assigned to picture elements in a vicinity of noteworthy image data, and to perform conversion processing on said data to be conversion processed according to gamma conversion characteristic definition data stored in said plurality of character registers;
a global register configured to store attribute detection control data for controlling generation of said attribute data in said calculator and of conversion control data for controlling said gamma conversion in said calculator;
a processor configured to control at least one of:
writing image data on one raster into said input data register included in each of said plurality of processing elements,
writing said attribute detection control data and said conversion control data into said global register,
imparting an operation instruction set to said calculator based on said attribute detection control data,
sending out said conversion characteristic definition data corresponding to each attribute data stored in said data memory to said character registers,
imparting an operation instruction set to said calculator based on said conversion control data, and
outputting conversion processed data from said output data register;
and
a program memory configured to store a conversion program set for said processor to perform said control.

14 more elements

An image data processing apparatus, comprising:

a data memory configured to store conversion characteristic definition data for defining gamma conversion characteristics of image data for each attribute of said image data;
a global register configured to store an attribute detection control program for controlling generation of attribute data describing image characteristics of said image data and a conversion control program for controlling gamma conversion on said image data;
a processor array comprising a plurality of processing elements, each of said plurality of processing elements including:
an input data register configured to store image data to be conversion processed,
a plurality of character registers each configured to store conversion characteristic definition data,
an attribute register configured to store attribute data of said image data to be conversion processed,
an output data register configured to store processed data acquired by conversion processing, and
a calculator configured to:
generate and subsequently store in said attribute register attribute data of image data stored in said input data register according to an operation instruction set to said calculator based on attribute detection control data stored in said global register, image data stored in said input data register, and image data assigned to picture elements in a vicinity of noteworthy image data,
select and subsequently store in said attribute register conversion characteristic definition data assigned to attribute data stored in said character registers among conversion characteristic definition data corresponding to attribute data stored in said data memory, and
perform gamma conversion processing on said data to be conversion processed stored in said input data register according to a conversion operation instruction set based on said conversion control program stored in said global register and conversion characteristic definition data stored in said character registers;
a global processor configured to control at least one of:
writing an image data stream into said input data register included in each of said plurality of processing elements,
imparting an operation instruction set based on an attribute detection control program set stored in said global register to each calculator in said plurality of processing elements in common,
sending out said conversion characteristic definition data corresponding to each attribute data stored in said data memory to said character registers,
imparting a further operation instruction set based on a conversion control program stored in said global register to each calculator in said plurality of processing elements in common, and
outputting conversion processed data from said output data register;
and a program memory configured to store a global control program set for said global processor to perform said control.

15 more elements

A data processing apparatus, comprising:

first means for storing characteristic definition data defined for each data attribute;
first means for selecting a set of characteristic definition data from said characteristic definition data stored in said first means for storing corresponding to each data and each data attribute out of a data stream to be processed, and for processing said data according to said group of characteristic definition data;
and
second means for storing process control data for controlling said processing of said each data, for imparting an operation instruction set based on said process control data to said first means for selecting in common, for imparting each of said data stream to each of said means for selecting, for sending out said characteristic definition data stored in said first means for storing corresponding to said each attribute data stored in said first means for storing for each of first said means for selecting, and for outputting processed data from said first means for selecting.

1 more element

An image data processing apparatus, comprising:

first means for storing conversion characteristic definition data for defining gamma conversion characteristics of image data for each attribute of said image data;
means for processing, including:
second means for storing image data to be conversion processed,
third means for storing gamma conversion characteristic definition data read out from said first means for storing,
fourth means for storing attribute data describing image characteristics revealed by said image data,
fifth means for storing processed data acquired by conversion processing, and
means for generating and for subsequently storing in said fourth means for storing attribute data of image data stored in said second means for storing according to image data stored in said second means for storing and according to image data assigned to picture elements in a vicinity of noteworthy image data, and for conversion processing said data to be conversion processed stored in said second
means for storing according to gamma conversion characteristic definition data stored in said third means for storing;
sixth means for storing attribute detection control data for controlling generation of said attribute data in said means for generating and for storing conversion control data for controlling said gamma conversion in said means for generating;
means for controlling at least one of:
writing image data on one raster into said second means for storing;
writing said attribute detection control data and said conversion control data into said sixth means for storing,
imparting an operation instruction set to said means for generating based on said attribute detection control data,
sending out said conversion characteristic definition data corresponding to each attribute data stored in said first means for storing to said third means for storing,
imparting an operation instruction set to said means for generating based on said conversion control data, and
outputting conversion processed data from said fifth means for storing;
and
seventh means for storing a conversion program set for said means for controlling to perform said control.

15 more elements

An image data processing apparatus, comprising:

first means for storing conversion characteristic definition data for defining gamma conversion characteristics of image data for each attribute of said image data;
second means for storing an attribute detection control program for controlling a generation of attribute data describing image characteristics related to said image data and a conversion control program for controlling gamma conversion on said image data;
means for processing, including:
third means for storing image data to be conversion processed,
fourth means for storing conversion characteristic definition data,
fifth means for storing attribute data of said image data to be conversion processed,
sixth means for storing processed data acquired by conversion processing, and
means for generating and for subsequently storing in said fifth means for storing, attribute data of image data stored in said third means for storing according to an operation instruction set to said for generating based on attribute detection control data stored in said second means for storing, image data stored in said third means for storing, and image data assigned to picture elements in a vicinity of noteworthy image data, for selecting and for subsequently storing in said fifth means for storing conversion characteristic definition data assigned to attribute data stored in said fourth means for storing among conversion characteristic definition data corresponding to attribute data stored in said first means for storing, and for performing gamma conversion processing on said data to be conversion processed stored in said third means for storing according to a conversion operation instruction set based on said conversion control program stored in said second means for storing and conversion characteristic definition data stored in said fourth means for storing;
means for controlling at least one of:
writing an image data stream into said third means for storing,
imparting an operation instruction set based on an attribute detection control program set stored in said second means for storing to each calculator in common,
sending out said conversion characteristic definition data corresponding to each attribute data stored in said first means for storing to said fourth means for storing,
imparting a further operation instruction set based on said conversion control program stored in said second means for storing to each calculator in common, and
outputting conversion processed data from said sixth means for storing;
and
eighth means for storing a global control program set for said means for controlling to perform said control.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Data conversion system, image processing and image forming apparatus

Life of this patent

Data conversion system, image processing and image forming apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims44