Image processing apparatus with flexible use of memory and variable number of bits per pixel

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• first storage means for storing image data in unit of pixel;
• output means for outputting the image data in a manner of scanning an image in unit of pixel;
• second storage means for storing area information of the image data including a pixel format of the image data stored in said first storage means in accordance with an output position to said output means;
• and
• conversion means for converting the image data read from said first storage means in accordance with the output position into an output format of image data to be output to said output means, said output format being predetermined in accordance with the pixel format.

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• first storage means for storing image data having two of the plurality of areas being respectively filled with different fixed data represented by different quantities of information;
• second storage means for storage area information of the image data including quantity-data defined as a quantity of information representing one pixel and area-data defined as an output position data of each storage area with one area information per each of the plurality of areas;
• and
• means for determining an outputting order for a pixel data in accordance with the output position data and a predetermined outputting sequence of the image data.

An image processing apparatus for processing an image in which pixel data have different numbers of bits per pixel or different formats, or both, said apparatus comprising:

• first storage means for storing image data including a plurality of kinds of pixel data without a gap between every two pixel data;
• second storage means for storing area information defined as data representing an area in which each pixel is represented by the same number of bits and format, and format information defined as a number of bits and format representing one pixel in an area represented by the area information;
• and
• reading means for reading the pixel data from said first storage means in order of raster-scanning of the image on the basis of the area information stored in said second storage means.

An image processing method comprising the steps of:

• storing image data having a plurality of areas, at least two of the plurality of areas being respectively filled with different pixel data represented by different respective quantities of information;
• storing area information of the image data including quantity-data defined as a quantity of information representing one pixel and area-data defined as an output position data of each area with one area information per each of the plurality of areas;
• determining an outputting order of a pixel data in accordance with the output position data and a predetermined outputting sequence of the image data;
• reading pixel data stored in the image-data storing step in accordance with the outputting order determined in the determining step and the quantity data;
• converting the pixel data being read in the reading step into output data predetermined in accordance with the quantity-data;
• and
• outputting the output data.

An image processing method comprising the steps of:

• storing image data in unit of pixel;
• storing area information of the image data including a pixel format of the image data stored in the image-data storing step in accordance with an output position to be used in outputting the image data;
• converting the image data stored in the image-data storing step in accordance with the output position into an output format of image data to be output, the output format being predetermined in accordance with the pixel format;
• and
• outputting the image data in a manner of scanning an image in unit of pixel.

An image processing method comprising the steps of:

• storing image data having a plurality of areas, at least two of the plurality of areas being respectively filled with different pixel data represented by different respective quantities of information;
• storing area information of the image data including quantity-data defined as a quantity of information representing one pixel and area-data defined as an output position data of each area with one area information per each of the plurality of areas;
• and
• determining an outputting order of a pixel data in accordance with the output position of the pixel data and a predetermined outputting sequence of the image data.

An image processing apparatus for processing an image in which pixel data have different bits or different formats, or both, comprising the steps of:

• storing image data including a plurality of kinds of pixel data without a gap between every two kinds of pixel data;
• storing area information defined as data representing an area in which each pixel is represented by the same number of bits and format, and format information defined as a number of bits and format representing pixels in an area represented by the area information;
• and
• reading means for reading the image data stored in the image-data storing step in order of raster-scanning of the image on the basis of the area information stored in the area-information storing step.