High speed raster image processor particularly suited for use in an image management system

Apparatus for a raster image processor for use in processing a bit-mapped image, said apparatus comprising:

• an internal bus;
• source and destination image processing components for undertaking a corresponding plurality of specific bit-mapped image processing tasks, wherein each of said components is capable of undertaking a respective associated one of the bit-mapped image processing tasks in parallel with respective ones of said bit-mapped image processing tasks undertaken by and associated with other ones of said components, said source and destination components comprising:
• means, connected to said internal bus, for routing an incoming image processing command to said internal bus;
• means, connected to said internal bus, for decompressing a bit-mapped image to yield a decompressed image;
• means, connected to said internal bus and operative in response to the decompressed image, for scaling the decompressed image from one pre-defined resolution to another pre-defined resolution;
• means, connected to said internal bus, for temporarily storing a bit-mapped image;
• and
• means, connected to said internal bus, for converting a bit-mapped image appearing thereon to a raster image and for producing, in response to said raster image, a depiction of said raster image in a selected media;
• and
• wherein said raster image processor further comprises arbiter means, connected to said bus and operating at a lower processing speed than that of any of said image processing components, for arbitrating transfers that are to occur over said bus and between individual ones of said components, wherein said arbiter means receives a request from a first one of said components for service from a second one of said components and, in response thereto, both defines a data path over said internal bus and between said first and second components and initiates an information transfer over said internal bus and between said first and second components, wherein once said transfer is complete said second component undertakes the respective one of said bit-mapped image processing tasks associated with the second component independent of both the arbiter means and said first component so as to isolate the respective bit-mapped image processing task undertaken by said second component from the arbiter means and, while said second component is undertaking the respective bit-mapped image processing task associated with the second component, to permit both said arbiter means to arbitrate a subsequent one of said transfers and the first component to subsequently undertake the respective one of said image processing tasks associated with the first component for a remaining one of said components other than said second component so as to provide pipelined operation, whereby through isolating the bit-mapped image processing tasks from executing within the arbiter means and operating the image processing components to undertake multiple bit-mapped tasks on a pipelined basis the raster image processor provides an increased throughput of processed bit-mapped images.

In a raster image processor for use in processing a bit-mapped image and having an internal bus, a plurality of application specific image processing components for undertaking a corresponding plurality of specific bit-mapped image processing tasks wherein each of the components is connected to the internal bus and is capable of undertaking a respective associated one of the bit-mapped image processing tasks in parallel with respective ones of said bit-mapped image processing tasks undertaken by and associated with other ones of said components, and arbiter means connected to said internal bus and operating at a lower processing speed than that of any of said image processing components for arbitrating transfers that are to occur over said bus and between individual ones of said components, a method for increasing throughput of said raster image processor comprising the steps of:

• in said arbiter means:
• receiving a request, from a first one of said image processing components, for service from a second one of said image processing components;
• defining, in response to said receiving step, a data path over said internal bus and between said first and second components;
• and
• initiating, in response to said defining step, an information transfer over said internal bus between said first and second components;
• and
• in said second component, once said transfer is complete, undertaking the respective one of said bit-mapped image processing tasks associated with the second component independent of both the arbiter means and said first component so as to isolate the respective bit-mapped image processing task undertaken by said second component from the arbiter means and, while said second component is undertaking the respective bit-mapped image processing task associated with the second component, to permit both said arbiter means to arbitrate a subsequent one of said transfers and the first component to subsequently undertake the respective one of said image processing tasks associated with the first component for a remaining one of said components other than said second component so as to provide pipelined operation, whereby through isolating the bit-mapped image processing tasks from executing within the arbiter means and operating the image processing components to undertake multiple bit-mapped tasks on a pipelined basis the raster image processor provides an increased throughput of processed bit-mapped images.

Apparatus for a raster image processor for use in processing a bit-mapped image, said apparatus comprising:

• an internal bus;
• a plurality of application specific image processing components for undertaking a corresponding plurality of specific bit-mapped image processing tasks, wherein each of the components is connected to the internal bus and is capable of undertaking a respective associated one of the bit-mapped image processing tasks in parallel with respective ones of said bit-mapped image processing tasks undertaken by and associated with other ones of said components, wherein said image processing components comprise:
• means, connected to said internal bus, for routing an incoming image processing command to said bus, wherein said image processing command further comprises a header portion, for invoking a corresponding one of said image processing tasks, followed by a data portion which is comprised of data for use in providing the corresponding image processing task;
• means, connected to said internal bus, for decompressing a bit-mapped image to yield a decompressed image;
• means, connected to said internal bus and operative in response to the decompressed image, for scaling the decompressed image from one pre-defined resolution to another pre-defined resolution;
• means, connected to said internal bus, for temporarily storing a bit-mapped image;
• and
• means, connected to said internal bus, for converting a bit-mapped image appearing thereon to a raster image and for producing, in response to said raster image, a depiction of said raster image in a selected media;
• and
• arbiter means, connected to said bus and operating at a lower processing speed than that of any of said image processing components, for arbitrating transfers that are to occur over said bus and between individual ones of said components, wherein said arbiter means receives a request from a first one of said components for service from a second one of said components and, in response thereto, both defines a data path over said internal bus and between said first and second components and initiates an information transfer over said internal bus and between said first and second components, wherein once said transfer is complete said second component undertakes the respective one of said bit-mapped image processing tasks associated with the second component independent of both the arbiter means and said first component so as to isolate the respective bit-mapped image processing task undertaken by said second component from the arbiter means and, while said second component is undertaking the respective bit-mapped image processing task associated with the second component, to permit both said arbiter means to arbitrate a subsequent one of said transfers and the first component to subsequently undertake the respective one of said image processing tasks associated with the first component for a remaining one of said components other than said second component so as to provide pipelined operation, whereby through isolating the bit-mapped image processing tasks from executing within the arbiter means and operating the image processing components to undertake multiple bit-mapped tasks on a pipelined basis the raster image on a pipelined basis the raster image processor provides an increased throughput of processed bit-mapped images.

Apparatus for a raster image processor for use in processing a bit-mapped image, said apparatus comprising:

• an internal bus;
• a plurality of application specific image processing components for undertaking a corresponding plurality of specific bit-mapped image processing tasks, wherein each of the components is connected to the internal bus and is capable of undertaking a respective associated one of the bit-mapped image processing tasks in parallel with respective ones of said bit-mapped image processing tasks undertaken by and associated with other ones of said components, wherein said image processing components comprise:
• means, connected to said internal bus, for routing as an incoming image processing command, an incoming image, text, note or print command, to said internal bus, wherein said image processing command comprises a header portion, for invoking a corresponding one of said bit-mapped image processing tasks, followed by a data portion which is comprised of data for use in providing the corresponding bit-mapped image processing task;
• means, connected to said internal bus, for decompressing a bit-mapped image to yield a decompressed image;
• means, connected to said internal bus and operative in response to the decompressed image, for scaling the decompressed image from one pre-defined resolution to another pre-defined resolution;
• a second data path connected between an output of said decompressing means and an input of said scaling means such that information can be transferred thereover between said decompressing means and said scaling means and without appearing on said internal bus;
• a memory, connected to said internal bus, for temporarily storing a bit-mapped image;
• and
• means, connected to said internal bus, for converting a bit-mapped image appearing thereon to a raster image and for producing, in response to said raster image, a depiction of said raster image in a selected media;
• and
• arbiter means, connected to said bus and operating at a lower processing speed than that of any of said image processing components, for arbitrating transfers that are to occur over said bus and between individual ones of said components, wherein said arbiter means receives a request from a first one of said components for service from a second one of said components and, in response thereto, both defines a data path over said internal bus and between said first and second components and initiates an information transfer over said internal bus and between said first and second components, wherein once said transfer is complete said second component undertakes the respective one of said bit-mapped image processing tasks associated with the second component independent of both the arbiter means and said first component so as to isolate the respective bit-mapped image processing task undertaken by said second component from the arbiter means and, while said second component is undertaking the respective bit-mapped image processing task associated with the second component, to permit both said arbiter means to arbitrate a subsequent one of said transfers and the first component to subsequently undertake the respective one of said image processing tasks associated with the first component for a remaining one of said components other than said second component so as to provide pipelined operation, whereby through isolating the bit-mapped image processing tasks from executing within the arbiter means and operating the image processing components to undertake multiple bit-mapped tasks on a pipelined basis the raster image processor provides an increased throughput of processed bit-mapped images, and
• said apparatus further comprising:
• means, responsive to the image command, for storing an incoming bit-mapped image in the memory;
• means, responsive to the text command, for storing incoming textual data in the memory;
• means, responsive to the note command, for overlaying incoming textual data over selected locations in the bit-mapped image previously stored in the memory;
• means, responsive to the print command, for converting the bit-mapped image to said raster image, and for producing said depiction of said raster image a specified number of times in said selected media;
• and
• means for storing pre-selected font data in the memory;
• and
• wherein said overlaying means comprises means for converting a textual character in said incoming textual data into bit-mapped character data and copying each bit of said pattern to a pre-defined position of a bit-mapped image stored within a memory frame situated within the memory.

Apparatus for a raster image processor for use in processing a bit-mapped image, said apparatus comprising:

• an internal bus;
• a plurality of application specific image processing components for undertaking a corresponding plurality of specific bit-mapped image processing tasks, wherein each of the components is connected to the internal bus and is capable of undertaking a respective associated one of the bit-mapped image processing tasks in parallel with respective ones of said bit-mapped image processing tasks undertaken by and associated with other ones of said components, wherein said image processing components comprise:
• means, connected to said internal bus, for routing as an incoming image processing command, an incoming image, text, note or print command, to said bus, wherein said image processing command further comprises a header portion, for invoking a corresponding one of said bit-mapped image processing tasks, followed by a data portion which is comprised of data for use in providing the corresponding bit-mapped image processing task;
• means, connected to said internal bus, for decompressing a bit-mapped image to yield a decompressed image;
• means, connected to said internal bus and operative in response to the decompressed image, for scaling the decompressed image from one pre-defined resolution to another pre-defined resolution, wherein said scaling means comprises:
• means, responsive to a value of a stream of incoming pels for producing a window formed of the values of a present incoming pel and a plurality of previous incoming pels and for applying the values as a portion of an address;
• a look up table for storing pre-defined values of an output pel for a plurality of different combinations of the values of the pels that form said window and for each one of a plurality of pre-defined scaling factors and for producing, in response to said address, a particular pre-defined output pel value as a value of a scaled output pel;
• and
• means for storing a plurality of said scaled pel output values and for applying said plurality of scaled pel output values to said internal bus;
• a memory, connected to said internal bus, for temporarily storing a bit-mapped image;
• and
• means, connected to said internal bus, for converting a bit-mapped image appearing thereon to a raster image and for producing, in response to said raster image, a depiction of said raster image in a selected media;
• and
• arbiter means, connected to said bus and operating at a lower processing speed than that of any of said image processing components, for arbitrating transfers that are to occur over said bus and between individual ones of said components, wherein said arbiter means receives a request from a first one of said components for service from a second one of said components and, in response thereto, both defines a data path over said internal bus and between said first and second components and initiates an information transfer over said internal bus and between said first and second components, wherein once said transfer is complete said second component undertakes the respective one of said bit-mapped image processing tasks associated with the second component independent of both the arbiter means and said first component so as to isolate the respective bit-mapped image processing task undertaken by said second component from the arbiter means and, while said second component is undertaking the respective bit-mapped image processing task associated with the second component, to permit both said arbiter means to arbitrate a subsequent one of said transfers and the first component to subsequently undertake the respective one of said image processing tasks associated with the first component for a remaining one of said components other than said second component so as to provide pipelined operation, whereby through isolating the bit-mapped image processing tasks from executing within the arbiter means and operating the image processing components to undertake multiple bit-mapped tasks on a pipelined basis the raster image processor provides an increased throughput of processed bit-mapped images, and
• said apparatus further comprising:
• means, responsive to an image command, for storing an incoming bit-mapped image in the memory;
• means, responsive to a text command, for storing incoming textual data in the memory;
• means, responsive to a note command, for overlaying incoming textual data over selected locations in the bit-mapped image previously stored in the memory;
• means, responsive to a print command, for converting the bit-mapped image to said raster image, and for producing said depiction of said raster image a specified number of times in said selected media;
• and
• means for storing pre-selected font data in the memory;
• and
• wherein said overlaying means comprises means for converting a textual character in said incoming textual data into bit-mapped character data and copying each bit of said pattern to a pre-defined position of a bit-mapped image stored within a memory frame situated within the memory.

Apparatus for a raster image processor for use in processing a bit-mapped image, said apparatus comprising:

• an internal bus;
• source and destination image processing components for undertaking a corresponding plurality of specific bit-mapped image processing tasks, wherein each of said components is capable of undertaking a respective associated one of the bit-mapped image processing tasks in parallel with respective ones of said bit-mapped image processing tasks undertaken by and associated with other ones of said components, said source and destination components comprising:
• means, connected to said internal bus, for routing an incoming image processing command to said internal bus, wherein said image processing command comprises a header portion, for invoking a corresponding one of said bit-mapped image processing tasks, followed by a data portion which is comprised of data for use in providing the corresponding bit-mapped image processing task;
• means, connected to said internal bus, for decompressing a bit-mapped image to yield a decompressed image;
• means, connected to said internal bus and operative in response to the decompressed image, for scaling the decompressed image from one pre-defined resolution to another pre-defined resolution;
• means, connected to said internal bus, for temporarily storing a bit-mapped image;
• and
• means, connected to said internal bus, for converting a bit-mapped image appearing thereon to a raster image and for producing, in response to said raster image, a depiction of said raster image in a selected media;
• and
• wherein said raster image processor further comprises arbiter means, connected to said bus and operating at a lower processing speed than that of any of said image processing components, for arbitrating transfers that are to occur over said bus and between individual ones of said components, wherein said arbiter means receives a request from a first one of said components for service from a second one of said components and, in response thereto and to the availability of said internal bus and said second component, both defines a data path over said internal bus and between said first and second components and initiates an information transfer over said internal bus and between said first and second components, wherein once said transfer is complete said second component undertakes the respective one of said bit-mapped image processing tasks associated with the second component independent of both the arbiter means and said first component so as to isolate the respective bit-mapped image processing task undertaken by said second component from the arbiter means and, while said second component is undertaking the respective bit-mapped image processing task associated with the second component, to permit both said arbiter means to arbitrate a subsequent one of said transfers and the first component to subsequently undertake the respective one of said image processing tasks associated with the first component for a remaining one of said components other than said second component so as to provide pipelined operation, whereby through isolating the bit-mapped image processing tasks from executing within the arbiter means and operating the image processing components to undertake multiple bit-mapped tasks on a pipelined basis the raster image processor provides an increased throughput of processed bit-mapped images.

In a raster image processor for use in processing a bit-mapped image and having an internal bus, a plurality of application specific image processing components for undertaking a corresponding plurality of specific bit-mapped image processing tasks wherein each of the components is connected to the internal bus and is capable of undertaking a respective associated one of the bit-mapped image processing tasks in parallel with respective ones of said bit-mapped image processing tasks undertaken by and associated with other ones of said components, and arbiter means connected to said internal bus and operating at a lower processing speed than that of any of said image processing components for arbitrating transfers that are to occur over said bus and between individual ones of said components, a method for increasing throughput of said raster image processor comprising the steps of:

• in said arbiter means:
• receiving a request, from a first one of said image processing components, for service from a second one of said image processing components;
• defining, in response to said receiving step, a data path over said internal bus and between said first and second components;
• and
• initiating, in response to said defining step, an information transfer over said internal bus between said first and second components;
• and
• in said second component, once said transfer is complete, undertaking the respective one of said bit-mapped image processing tasks associated with the second component independent of both the arbiter means and said first component so as to isolate the respective bit-mapped image processing task undertaken by said second component from the arbiter means and, while said second component is undertaking the respective bit-mapped image processing task associated with the second component, to permit both said arbiter means to arbitrate subsequent one of said transfers and the first component to subsequently undertake the respective one of said image processing tasks associated with the first component for a remaining one of said components other than said second component so as to provide pipelined operation, whereby through isolating the bit-mapped image processing tasks from executing within the arbiter means and operating the image processing components to undertake multiple bit-mapped tasks on a pipelined basis the raster image processor provides an increased throughput of processed bit-mapped images;
• wherein said method further comprises the steps of:
• routing incoming image processing commands to said internal bus;
• decompressing an incoming bit-mapped image to yield a decompressed image;
• scaling the decompressed image from one pre-defined resolution to another pre-defined resolution to yield a scaled bit-mapped image and storing the scaled bit-mapped image as a bit-mapped image in a memory;
• storing, in response to an image command, an incoming bit-mapped image in the memory;
• storing, in response to a text command, incoming textual data in the memory;
• overlaying, in response to a note command, incoming textual data over selected locations in a bit-mapped image previously stored in said memory;
• converting, in response to a print command, a bit-mapped image appearing on said internal bus to a raster image;
• producing, in response to the raster image, a depiction of said raster image in a selected media;
• and
• producing said depiction of the raster image a specified number of times.