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US5295000A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

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

Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1993-07-19
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Granted: 1994-03-15
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Expires: 2013-07-19
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Abstract

Abstract An image processing apparatus is disclosed which inputs/outputs an image in which image data items having different quantities of information for each pixel are mixed with one another. The information quantity for each of the image data items and information about the I/O positions are stored in a corresponding manner. When data is input, data is converted into the proper information quantities in accordance with input position, for storage. When data is output, the stored image data is converted into output data in accordance with the respective information quantities. As a result, the memory capacity can be reduced, the flexibility can be improved at the time of use and the memory can be used efficiently.

Inventors

  • 👤 Hiroshi Nonoshita
  • 👤 Yasuhisa Ishizawa
  • 👤 Yoshitsugu Yamanashi
  • 👤 Kenjiro Cho

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-25 04:45
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/32; H04N1/32101; H04N1/32106; H04N1/32122; G; G06; G06T; G06T11/00; G06T11/60; H04N1/41; H04N1/46; H04N1/64; H04N1/642; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/32; H04N2201/3201; H04N2201/3225; H04N2201/3243

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim 166 words
An image processing apparatus comprising: first storage means for 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 quantities of information; second storage means for 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 storage area with one area information per each of the plurality of areas; means for 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 means for reading pixel data from said first storage means in accordance with the outputting order determined by said determining means and the quantity-data; and output means for converting the pixel data read by said reading means in the outputting order into output data predetermined in accordance with the quantity-data and for outputting the output data.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 166 words
An image processing apparatus comprising: first storage means for 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 quantities of information; second storage means for 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 storage area with one area information per each of the plurality of areas; means for 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 means for reading pixel data from said first storage means in accordance with the outputting order determined by said determining means and the quantity-data; and output means for converting the pixel data read by said reading means in the outputting order into output data predetermined in accordance with the quantity-data and for outputting the output data.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 47 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said output mean includes a lookup table for converting said pixel data read by said reading means into data which corresponds to the output in accordance with information about a type of image data in each storage area.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 34 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image data includes binary data, and plural-bit gradation data or color data which expresses each color component by a plurality of bits per pixel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 114 words
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.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 114 words
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.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 50 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising input means for inputting said image data and conversion means for converting said image data inputted from said input means into data to be written in said first storage means in accordance with said information in said second storage means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 34 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the image data includes binary data and plural-bit gradation data or color data which expresses each color component by a plurality of bits per pixel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 104 words
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.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 104 words
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.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 34 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the image data includes binary data, and plural-bit gradation data or color data which expresses each color component by a plurality of bits per pixel.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 132 words
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.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 132 words
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.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 150 words
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.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 150 words
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.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 34 words
An image processing method according to claim 10, wherein the image data includes binary data, and plural-bit gradation data or color data which expresses each color component by a plurality of bits per pixel.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 103 words
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.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 103 words
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.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 56 words
An image processing method according to claim 12, further comprising the steps of: inputting the image data to be stored in said image-data storing step; and converting the image data input in said inputting step into data to be written in said image-data storing step in accordance with the information stored in said area-information storing step.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 34 words
An image processing method according to claim 12, wherein the image data includes binary data, and plural-bit gradation data or color data which expresses each color component by a plurality of bits per pixel.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 106 words
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.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 106 words
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.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 34 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the image data includes binary data, and plural-bit gradation data or color data which expresses each color component by a plurality of bits per pixel.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 123 words
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.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 123 words
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.

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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) 1997-03-14 1997-09-13 1998-03-15 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2001-03-14 2001-09-13 2002-03-15 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2005-03-14 2005-09-13 2006-03-15 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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