# US 2019/0356791 A1 · Image processing apparatus and image processing method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0356791 A1 - Document ID: US20190356791A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/397,301 - Filed: 2019-04-29 - Published: 2019-11-21 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-17 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Teruyuki Yoshida; Norio Shimura; Koji Yasuzaki; Masaki Tanabe - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190356791A1 ## CPC - H04N 1/00167: {Processing or editing (H04N1/00196 - H04N1/00201 take precedence)} - H04N 1/46: Colour picture communication systems - G06K 15/1857: {involving parallel processing in the same printing apparatus} - H04N 1/00222: {details of image data generation or reproduction, e.g. scan-to-email or network printing} - H04N 1/32309: {in colour image data} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS ## Abstract A first processing module receives image data transferred from a controller, and executes image processing and a second processing module receives the image data transferred from the controller via the first processing module and executes image processing on the image data. The controller determines color components, of the plurality of color components of the image data, to be processed by the first processing module and the second processing module, based on at least communication amounts produced between the first processing module and the second processing module. Processed data having undergone the image processing performed by the first processing module based on the determined color components is transferred to the controller, and processed data having undergone the image processing performed by the second processing module based on the determined color components is transferred to the controller via the first processing module. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image processing apparatus comprising: a controller configured to transfer image data having a plurality of color components; a first processing module configured to receive the image data transferred from the controller, and execute image processing; and a second processing module configured to receive the image data transferred from the controller via the first processing module, and execute image processing on the image data, wherein the controller determines color components, of the plurality of color components of the image data, to be processed by the first processing module and the second processing module, based on at least communication amounts produced between the first processing module and the second processing module, processed data having undergone the image processing performed by the first processing module based on the determined color components is transferred to the controller, and processed data having undergone the image processing performed by the second processing module based on the determined color components is transferred to the controller via the first processing module. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first processing module and the second processing module are connected in series. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller performs the determination such that the number of color components to be processed by the second processing module is not less than the number of color components to be processed by the first processing module. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein in a plurality of processing modules including the first processing module and the second processing module, the image data is input to a processing module in a most preceding stage of the plurality of processing modules, and sequentially transferred to processing modules in succeeding stages. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processed data is transferred to the controller via a processing module in a preceding stage. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller determines color components to be processed by the first processing module and the second processing module, based on data transfer amounts corresponding to the communication amounts of the first processing module and the second processing module. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller allocates one color component to each of the first processing module and the second processing module, and further allocates one color component to a processing module having a small communication amount with the one color component being already allocated, thereby determining color components to be processed by the first processing module and the second processing module. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller determines color components to be processed by the first processing module and the second processing module, based on a bus band of each of the first processing module and the second processing module. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first processing module and the second processing module execute image processing on the same band region of the image data. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a first group including the first processing module and the second processing module executes image processing on a first band region, and a second group connected in parallel to the first group and including a third processing module and a fourth processing module executes image processing on a band region different from the first band region. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing is a process of converting the image data from a first color space to a second color space. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein color components in the first color space include RGB, and color components in the second color space include CMYKLcLmGy. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a printing unit configured to print an image on a printing medium based on image data having undergone the image processing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first processing module and the second processing module are ASICs. ### Claim 15 An image processing apparatus comprising: a controller configured to transfer image data having a plurality of color components; a first processing module configured to receive the image data transferred from the controller, and execute image processing; and a second processing module configured to receive the image data transferred from the controller via the first processing module, and execute image processing on the image data, wherein processed data obtained by the first processing module by performing the image processing on the received image data is transferred to the controller, processed data obtained by the second processing module by performing the image processing on the image data received via the first processing module is transferred to the controller via the first processing module, and the number of color components as targets of the image processing to be executed by the first processing module is smaller than the number of color components as targets of the image processing to be executed by the second processing module. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the first processing module and the second processing module are connected in series. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein in a plurality of processing modules including the first processing module and the second processing module, the image data is input to a processing module in a most preceding stage of the plurality of processing modules, and sequentially transferred to processing modules in succeeding stages. ### Claim 18 An image processing method to be executed in an image processing apparatus comprising: a controller configured to transfer image data having a plurality of color components; a first processing module configured to receive the image data transferred from the controller, and execute image processing; and a second processing module configured to receive the image data transferred from the controller via the first processing module, and execute image processing on the image data, wherein the controller determines color components, of the plurality of color components of the image data, to be processed by the first processing module and the second processing module, based on at least communication amounts produced between the first processing module and the second processing module, processed data having undergone the image processing performed by the first processing module based on the determined color components is transferred to the controller, and processed data having undergone the image processing performed by the second processing module based on the determined color components is transferred to the controller via the first processing module. ### Claim 19 An image processing method to be executed in an image processing apparatus comprising: a controller configured to transfer image data having a plurality of color components; a first processing module configured to receive the image data transferred from the controller, and execute image processing; and a second processing module configured to receive the image data transferred from the controller via the first processing module, and execute image processing on the image data, wherein processed data obtained by the first processing module by performing the image processing on the received image data is transferred to the controller, processed data obtained by the second processing module by performing the image processing on the image data received via the first processing module is transferred to the controller via the first processing module, and the number of color components as targets of the image processing to be executed by the first processing module is smaller than the number of color components as targets of the image processing to be executed by the second processing module.