US5420693A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
High-speed color image processing
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1992-04-01
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Granted: 1995-05-30
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Expires: 2012-04-01
Abstract
Abstract This invention is to process a large quantity of color image data at high speed with minimum deterioration of image quality. One-color image data input to or output from a reader/printer unit (40) is divided into a plurality of blocks. A CPU (26) performs parallel processing of transfer of block data to an IMEM (24) of a main body (20) or transfer from the IMEM (24) to an IMEM (42) of the reader/printer unit (40), and compression of the block data from the IMEM (24) by an ICU (22) or expansion of the block data received through a CCU (30) by the ICU (22) and storage of the expanded data in the IMEM (24), thereby processing the color image data at high speed.
Inventors
- 👤 Masanobu Horiuchi
- 👤 Yoshinori Takagishi
- 👤 Naohiko Takemoto
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 12:46
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/0035; H04N1/00352; H04N1/00384; H04N1/00405; H04N1/00408; H04N1/00477; H04N1/32; H04N1/32101; H04N1/32106; H04N1/32122; H04N1/32358; H04N1/32363; H04N1/32368; H04N1/333; H04N1/33307; H04N1/46; H04N1/64; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/32; H04N2201/3201; H04N2201/3278
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
65 words
An image processing apparatus comprising: dividing means for dividing an input image into N block images; encoding means for encoding the block images divided by said dividing means; and setting means for setting the number N before said dividing means divides the input image, wherein said dividing means divides the input image so that at least two of the block images are overlapping each other.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
65 words
An image processing apparatus comprising: dividing means for dividing an input image into N block images; encoding means for encoding the block images divided by said dividing means; and setting means for setting the number N before said dividing means divides the input image, wherein said dividing means divides the input image so that at least two of the block images are overlapping each other.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said setting means sets the number N in accordance with a size of the input image.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said setting means sets the number N in accordance with a resolution of the input image.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said encoding means performs irreversible compression.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for transmitting, through a communication line, the input image encoded by said encoding means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
An image processing method comprising the steps of: dividing an input image into N block images; encoding the block images divided in said dividing step; and setting the number N before said dividing step is performed, wherein, in said dividing step, the input image is divided so that at least two of the block images are overlapping each other.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
59 words
An image processing method comprising the steps of: dividing an input image into N block images; encoding the block images divided in said dividing step; and setting the number N before said dividing step is performed, wherein, in said dividing step, the input image is divided so that at least two of the block images are overlapping each other.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
63 words
An image processing apparatus comprising: receiving means for receiving a plurality of encoded block images, at least two of the block images overlapping each other; decoding means for decoding the encoded block images; reducing means for reducing the block images decoded by said decoding means; and output means for integrating the block images reduced by said reducing means and outputting a reproduction image.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
63 words
An image processing apparatus comprising: receiving means for receiving a plurality of encoded block images, at least two of the block images overlapping each other; decoding means for decoding the encoded block images; reducing means for reducing the block images decoded by said decoding means; and output means for integrating the block images reduced by said reducing means and outputting a reproduction image.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising image forming means for forming the reproduction image on a medium.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said image forming means comprises a laser beam printer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the block images are encoded using an irreversible compression method.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
54 words
An image processing method comprising the steps of: receiving a plurality of encoded block images, at least two of the block images overlapping each other; decoding the encoded block images; reducing the block images decoded in said decoding step; and integrating the block images reduced in said reducing step and outputting a reproduction image.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
54 words
An image processing method comprising the steps of: receiving a plurality of encoded block images, at least two of the block images overlapping each other; decoding the encoded block images; reducing the block images decoded in said decoding step; and integrating the block images reduced in said reducing step and outputting a reproduction image.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
118 words
A color image data processing system comprising input means for dividing color image data of one page into a plurality of block data and inputting the plurality of block data, compressing means for converting input data into compressed data, means for causing said input means and said compressing means to input the input data and compress the block data functionally parallelly, first storage means for storing the input block data and second storage means for storing the block data from said first storage means, wherein the block data in said second storage means is converted into compressed data by said compressing means while the block data from said input means is being stored in said first storage means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
118 words
A color image data processing system comprising input means for dividing color image data of one page into a plurality of block data and inputting the plurality of block data, compressing means for converting input data into compressed data, means for causing said input means and said compressing means to input the input data and compress the block data functionally parallelly, first storage means for storing the input block data and second storage means for storing the block data from said first storage means, wherein the block data in said second storage means is converted into compressed data by said compressing means while the block data from said input means is being stored in said first storage means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system according to claim 12, wherein said first and second storage means are constituted by a common memory.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
79 words
A color image data processing system comprising input means for dividing color image data of one page into a plurality of block data and inputting the plurality of block data, compressing means for converting input data into compressed data, means for causing said input means and said compressing means to input the input data and compress the block data functionally parallelly, and an external memory device for storing the color image data which is compressed by said compressing means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
79 words
A color image data processing system comprising input means for dividing color image data of one page into a plurality of block data and inputting the plurality of block data, compressing means for converting input data into compressed data, means for causing said input means and said compressing means to input the input data and compress the block data functionally parallelly, and an external memory device for storing the color image data which is compressed by said compressing means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
141 words
A color image data processing system comprising: receiving means for receiving color image data of one page divided into a plurality of blocks; expanding means for expanding the block data received by said receiving means; output means for outputting the data expanded by said expanding means; means for causing said expending means and said output means to expand the block data and output the expanded data functionally parallelly; first storage means for storing the received block data; and second storage means for storing the block data expanded by said expanding means, wherein processing for causing said expanding means to expand the reception data stored in said first storage means and storing the expanded data in said second storage means is performed functionally parallelly with the processing for causing said output means to output the expanded data from said second storage means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
141 words
A color image data processing system comprising: receiving means for receiving color image data of one page divided into a plurality of blocks; expanding means for expanding the block data received by said receiving means; output means for outputting the data expanded by said expanding means; means for causing said expending means and said output means to expand the block data and output the expanded data functionally parallelly; first storage means for storing the received block data; and second storage means for storing the block data expanded by said expanding means, wherein processing for causing said expanding means to expand the reception data stored in said first storage means and storing the expanded data in said second storage means is performed functionally parallelly with the processing for causing said output means to output the expanded data from said second storage means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system according to claim 15, further comprising means for integrating the block data output from said output means to generate one-page color image data.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system according to claim 15, further comprising an external memory device for storing the color image data received by said receiving means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
127 words
A color image data processing system comprising: receiving means for receiving color image data of one page divided into a plurality of blocks; expanding means for expanding the block data received by said receiving means; output means for outputting the data expanded by said expanding means; means for causing said expending means and said output means to expand the block data and output the expanded data functionally parallelly; an external memory device for storing the color image data received by said receiving means; and recording means for integrating the block data output from said output means, forming one-page color image data, and recording the one-page color image data, the received color image data being stored in said external memory device when said recording means is not usable.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
127 words
A color image data processing system comprising: receiving means for receiving color image data of one page divided into a plurality of blocks; expanding means for expanding the block data received by said receiving means; output means for outputting the data expanded by said expanding means; means for causing said expending means and said output means to expand the block data and output the expanded data functionally parallelly; an external memory device for storing the color image data received by said receiving means; and recording means for integrating the block data output from said output means, forming one-page color image data, and recording the one-page color image data, the received color image data being stored in said external memory device when said recording means is not usable.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-05-29 | 1998-11-28 | 1999-05-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-05-29 | 2002-11-28 | 2003-05-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-05-29 | 2006-11-28 | 2007-05-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |