Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program

Claim 2

An image processing apparatus that performs a filter operation process on pixel data of an image stored in an image memory by scanning the pixel data using a filter kernel, the apparatus comprising: a receiving unit that receives a type of filter operation process to be performed; a plurality of memory units which are classified into a plurality of blocks according to types of the filter operation processes; a data supply unit that reads out a plurality of pieces of pixel data from the image memory and temporarily stores the pixel data in the plurality of memory units, and outputs the stored plurality of pieces of pixel data while sequentially shifting the pixel data; a plurality of operation units that concurrently perform filter operation processes based on filter coefficients in the filter kernel and the plurality of pieces of pixel data outputted from the data supply unit; and a selection unit that selects one of the plurality of memory units for at least one specific operation unit in the plurality of operation units, which belongs to a block corresponding to a type of the filter operation process received by said receiving unit, and outputs the pixel data stored in the selected memory unit to the specific operation unit, wherein in the case where N number of the operation units, where N is a positive integer, are provided and the filter operation process is performed by scanning the pixel data of the image with the filter kernel being shifted M pixels relative to the pixel data, where M is a positive integer, from the multiple memory units, the N number of memory units equal to the number N of operation units present every M number of places equal to the number M of pixels from a first memory unit at the time of the sequential shifting are classified to a single block.

Claim 3

The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the filter operation process is classified according to the number of pixels the filter kernel is shifted relative to the pixel data of the image during scanning.

Claim 4

The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein in the case where the filter operation process is performed by scanning the pixel data of the image with the filter kernel being shifted M pixels relative to the pixel data, the pixel data in the N number of memory units present every M number of places from the first memory unit is selected by the selection unit and outputted to the operation units.

Claim 5

An image processing method that performs a filter operation process on pixel data of an image stored in an image memory by scanning the pixel data using a filter kernel, the method comprising: a receiving step of receiving a type of filter operation process to be performed; a data supply step of reading out a plurality of pieces of pixel data from the image memory and temporarily storing the pixel data in a plurality of memory units, which are classified into a plurality of blocks according to types of the filter operation processes, and outputting the stored plurality of pieces of pixel data while sequentially shifting the pixel data; and an operation step of concurrently performing filter operation processes based on filter coefficients in the filter kernel and a plurality of pieces of pixel data outputted in the data supply step using a plurality of operation units, wherein the data supply step includes a selection step of selecting one of the plurality of memory units for at least one specific operation unit in the plurality of operation units, which belongs to a block corresponding to a type of the filter operation process received in said receiving step and outputs the pixel data stored in the selected memory unit to the specific operation unit, wherein in the case where N number of the operation units, where N is a positive integer, are provided and the filter operation process is performed by scanning the pixel data of the image with the filter kernel being shifted M pixels relative to the pixel data, where M is a positive integer, from the multiple memory units, the N number of memory units equal to the number N of operation units present every M number of places equal to the number M of pixels from a first memory unit at the time of the sequential shifting are classified to a single block.

Claim 6

An image processing method that performs a filter operation process on pixel data of an image stored in an image memory by scanning the pixel data using a filter kernel, the method comprising: a receiving step of receiving a type of filter operation process to be performed; a data supply step of reading out a plurality of pieces of pixel data from the image memory and temporarily storing the pixel data in a plurality of memory units, which are classified into a plurality of blocks according to types of the filter operation processes, and outputting the stored plurality of pieces of pixel data while sequentially shifting the pixel data; and an operation step of concurrently performing filter operation processes based on filter coefficients in the filter kernel and a plurality of pieces of pixel data outputted in the data supply step using a plurality of operation units, wherein the data supply step includes a selection step of selecting one of the plurality of memory units for at least one specific operation unit in the plurality of operation units, which belongs to a block corresponding to a type of the filter operation process received in said receiving step and outputs the pixel data stored in the selected memory unit to the specific operation unit, wherein in the case where N number of the operation units, where N is a positive integer, are provided and the filter operation process is performed by scanning the pixel data of the image with the filter kernel being shifted M pixels relative to the pixel data, where M is a positive integer, from the multiple memory units, the N number of memory units equal to the number N of operation units present every M number of places equal to the number M of pixels from a first memory unit at the time of the sequential shifting are classified to a single block.

Claim 7

The image processing method according to claim 4 , wherein the filter operation process is classified according to the number of pixels the filter kernel is shifted relative to the pixel data of the image during scanning.

Claim 8

The image processing method according to claim 4 , wherein in the case where the filter operation process is performed by scanning the pixel data of the image with the filter kernel being shifted M pixels relative to the pixel data, the pixel data in the N number of memory units present every M number of places from the first memory unit is selected in the selection step and outputted to the operation units.

Claim 9

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to execute an image processing method that performs a filter operation process on pixel data of an image stored in an image memory by scanning the pixel data using a filter kernel, the computer program causing a computer to execute: a receiving step of receiving a type of filter operation process to be performed; a data supply step of reading out a plurality of pieces of pixel data from the image memory and temporarily storing the pixel data in a plurality of memory units, which are classified into a plurality of blocks according to types of the filter operation processes, and outputting the stored plurality of pieces of pixel data while sequentially shifting the pixel data; and an operation step of concurrently performing filter operation processes based on filter coefficients in the filter kernel and a plurality of pieces of pixel data outputted in the data supply step using a plurality of operation units, wherein the data supply step includes a selection step of selecting one of the plurality of memory units for at least one specific operation unit in the plurality of operation units, which belongs to a block corresponding a type of the filter operation process received in said receiving step, and outputs the pixel data stored in the selected memory unit to the specific operation unit, wherein in the case where N number of the operation units, where N is a positive integer, are provided and the filter operation process is performed by scanning the pixel data of the image with the filter kernel being shifted M pixels relative to the pixel data, where M is a positive integer, from the multiple memory units, the N number of memory units equal to the number N of operation units present every M number of places equal to the number M of pixels from a first memory unit at the time of the sequential shifting are classified to a single block.

Claim 10

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to execute an image processing method that performs a filter operation process on pixel data of an image stored in an image memory by scanning the pixel data using a filter kernel, the computer program causing a computer to execute: a receiving step of receiving a type of filter operation process to be performed; a data supply step of reading out a plurality of pieces of pixel data from the image memory and temporarily storing the pixel data in a plurality of memory units, which are classified into a plurality of blocks according to types of the filter operation processes, and outputting the stored plurality of pieces of pixel data while sequentially shifting the pixel data; and an operation step of concurrently performing filter operation processes based on filter coefficients in the filter kernel and a plurality of pieces of pixel data outputted in the data supply step using a plurality of operation units, wherein the data supply step includes a selection step of selecting one of the plurality of memory units for at least one specific operation unit in the plurality of operation units, which belongs to a block corresponding a type of the filter operation process received in said receiving step, and outputs the pixel data stored in the selected memory unit to the specific operation unit, wherein in the case where N number of the operation units, where N is a positive integer, are provided and the filter operation process is performed by scanning the pixel data of the image with the filter kernel being shifted M pixels relative to the pixel data, where M is a positive integer, from the multiple memory units, the N number of memory units equal to the number N of operation units present every M number of places equal to the number M of pixels from a first memory unit at the time of the sequential shifting are classified to a single block.