# US 2008/0186541 A1 · Image processing method and apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2008/0186541 A1 - Document ID: US20080186541A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/026,587 - Filed: 2008-02-06 - Published: 2008-08-07 - Earliest claimed: 2007-02-06 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Michiaki Takasaka; Hisashi Ishikawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080186541A1 ## CPC - H04N 1/32358: {using picture signal storage, e.g. at transmitter (H04N1/17 takes precedence)} - H04N 1/32475: {Changing the format of the data, e.g. parallel to serial or vice versa} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An image processing apparatus stores, in a buffer, an image data of c bits in the main scanning direction and y lines in the sub scanning direction, and reads out a pixel data of p bits that configures the image data stored in the buffer, in accordance with the completion of the storage of the image data. Note that c is a common multiple of m, which is the number of bits in the unit of memory access, and p, which is the number of bits in a single pixel. Note further that the number of bits in the unit of memory access m is not itself a multiple of the number of bits in a single pixel p. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image processing method configured to store, in a buffer, an image data of a prescribed bit quantity in a main scanning direction and a prescribed line quantity in a sub scanning direction, and to read out the image data stored in the buffer, the method comprising: storing, in the buffer, an image data of a quantity of c bits in a main scanning direction, wherein c is a common multiple of a number of bits m of a unit of memory access and a number p of bits in a single pixel, and the number of bits m of the unit of memory access is not a multiple of the number p of bits in the single pixel, and a quantity of y lines in a sub scanning direction; and reading out a pixel data, in the sub scanning direction, of p bits that configure the image data stored in the buffer, in response to a completion of the storage of the image data of the quantity of c bits in the main scanning direction and the quantity of y lines in the sub scanning direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein the storing step repeats, for a number of c/m iterations, the storage process of storing, in the buffer, the image data of m bits in the main scanning direction, in the quantity of y lines. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein the reading out step reads out, for a number of c/p iterations, the pixel data of p bits that configure the image data stored in the buffer, for every y elements in the sub scanning direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein the storing step repeats the storage process of storing, in the buffer, the image data of every m bits; and wherein the reading out step computes a readout address so as to output the pixel data stored in the buffer by way of the storage process of a portion of a pixel data that configures a single pixel and a remainder that is two iterations of m bits, as a pixel data that configures a single pixel. ### Claim 5 An image processing apparatus configured to store, in a buffer, an image data of a prescribed bit quantity in a main scanning direction and a prescribed line quantity in a sub scanning direction, and to read out the image data stored in the buffer, the apparatus comprising: a storage unit configured to store, in the buffer, an image data of a quantity of c bits in a main scanning direction, wherein c is a common multiple of a number of bits m of a unit of memory access and a number p of bits in a single pixel, and the number of bits m of the unit of memory access is not a multiple of the number p of bits in the single pixel, and a quantity of y lines in a sub scanning direction; and a readout unit configured to read out a pixel data, in the sub scanning direction, of p bits that configure the image data stored in the buffer, in response to a completion of the storage of the image data of the quantity of c bits in the main scanning direction and the quantity of y lines in the sub scanning direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the storage unit repeats, for a number of c/m iterations, the storage process of storing, in the buffer, the image data of m bits in the main scanning direction, in the quantity of y lines. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the readout unit reads out, for a number of c/p iterations, the pixel data of p bits that configure the image data stored in the buffer, for every y elements in the sub scanning direction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the storage unit repeats the storage process of storing, in the buffer, the image data of every m bits; and wherein the readout unit computes a readout address so as to output the pixel data, stored in the buffer by way of the storage process of a portion of a pixel data that configures a single pixel and a remainder that is two iterations of m bits, as a pixel data that configures a single pixel. ### Claim 9 A recording medium configured to store a computer program configured to execute an image process configured to store, in a buffer, an image data of a prescribed bit quantity in a main scanning direction and a prescribed line quantity in a sub scanning direction, and to read out the image data stored in the buffer, the computer program comprising: storing, in the buffer, an image data of a quantity of c bits in a main scanning direction, wherein c is a common multiple of a number of bits m of a unit of memory access and a number p of bits in a single pixel, and the number of bits m of the unit of memory access is not a multiple of the number p of bits in the single pixel, and a quantity of y lines in a sub scanning direction; and reading out a pixel data, in the sub scanning direction, of p bits that configure the image data stored in the buffer, in response to a completion of the storage of the image data of the quantity of c bits in the main scanning direction and the quantity of y lines in the sub scanning direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The recording medium according to claim 9, wherein the storing step repeats, for a number of c/m iterations, the storage process of storing, in the buffer, the image data of m bits in the main scanning direction, in the quantity of y lines. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The recording medium according to claim 9, wherein the reading out step reads out, for a number of c/p iterations, the pixel data of p bits that configure the image data stored in the buffer, for every y elements in the sub scanning direction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The recording medium according to claim 9, wherein the storing step repeats the storage process of storing, in the buffer, the image data of every m bits; and wherein the reading out step computes a readout address so as to output the pixel data stored in the buffer by way of the storage process of a portion of a pixel data that configures a single pixel and a remainder that is two iterations of m bits, as a pixel data that configures a single pixel.