JPH05260242A - Color picture communication adaptor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To efficiently exchange picture data between various processing units by allowing a processing unit and a communication adaptor to share picture conversion processing. CONSTITUTION:A sender side processing unit 1 sets a transmission function to an adaptor 2 to make an opposite function read request. A receiver side processing unit 4 makes a reception request to an adaptor 3 to set a receiver side function. Then dialing processing is implemented and the adaptor 2 sends a transmission function to the adaptor 3, and the adaptor 3 sends sender side information to the receiver side processing unit 4. The receiver side processing unit 4 commands the selection of reception functions to the adaptor 3 and the adaptor 3 acknowledges the reception function to the adaptor 2 according to the transmission of the sender side information. Then the adaptor 2 sends resulting opposite function information to the sender side processing unit 1, the processing unit 1 implements desired communication function setting and sends color picture data to the receiver side processing unit 4 via the adaptors 2, 3.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a high-definition color digital image such as a print image handled by various color image input / output devices such as color digital copying machines, scanners and printers, and various color image processing devices such as workstations. The present invention relates to a color image communication adapter for transmitting high speed and high quality.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a transmission device of this type, there is a communication device dedicated to various processing devices. As a system for a personal computer, a system using an encoding board, a LAN, and a LAN bridge connecting a LAN and a digital line is commercially available. In this system, the personal computer is limited, and there is a drawback that communication can be performed only between the devices.

An example applied to a scanner system for printing is a system dedicated to the scanner system and does not consider connection with other devices. Therefore, it was not possible to transfer color image data between various devices.

[0004]

However, in an actual application example, there is a strong demand for communication between processing devices such as various color input / output devices or color image processing devices, and there is a communication device connecting them. It became necessary to realize.

According to the present invention, it is possible to efficiently perform optimum processing by distributing various kinds of necessary image conversion processing as a result of the negotiation processing when the processing apparatuses are connected to each other between the processing apparatus and the adapter. The purpose is to

[0006]

Therefore, according to the present invention, negotiation is performed between communication adapters, and the image attribute is determined by the conversion processing performed by the color image processing apparatus and the conversion processing performed by the adapter based on the result of the negotiation. It enables conversion and transmission of color image data between processing devices.

[0007]

As described above, since the image conversion processing is shared between the processing device and the communication adapter and optimal processing is performed to enable communication between various devices, image data can be efficiently transferred between the various processing devices. Can be exchanged.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the delivery of main signals for explaining the operation thereof. 3 is a flow chart showing the flow of processing at the transmitting side and the receiving side workstation.

In FIG. 1, reference numerals 1 and 4 are color image processing apparatuses, 2 and 3 are communication adapters of the present invention, 5 is a color scanner connected to the color image processing apparatus 1, and 6 is a color printer similarly connected. Is. Reference numerals 7 and 9 are interfaces for connecting the adapter to the color image processing apparatus, 8 is a communication line, and 10 is an interface for connecting the color image processing apparatus 1 to the color scanner 5 and the color printer 6.

As shown in FIG. 2, the transmission side processing device sets the transmission function to the adapter and makes a request for reading the partner function. The receiving side processing device makes a reception request to the adapter and sets the receiving side function.

In FIG. 2, time flows from the top to the bottom. Under this state, the calling process is performed, the adapter 2 sends the sending function to the adapter 3, and the adapter 3 sends the sending side information to the receiving side processing device. Along with this, the receiving side processing device instructs the adapter to select the reception function, and the adapter 3 sends a reception function response to the adapter 2.

The adapter 2 sends the resulting partner function information to the transmitting side processing device. Along with this, the transmission side processing device sets the desired communication function and transmits the color image data. The color image data is sent to the receiving side processing device via the adapter 2 or the adapter 3 (that is, transmitted in a state of being receivable by the receiving side processing device).

Also in FIG. 3, time flows from the top to the bottom. (S1): Communication start processing is performed, and the other party number is set. (S2): The transfer file format is acquired. (S3): The transmission function is set. (S4): The adapter 2 receives the transmission function. (S5): The communication start process is also performed in the receiving side processing device. (S6): Function setting on the receiving side is performed. (S7): The adapter 3 receives the receiving side function. (S8): The processing device on the transmission side makes a request to read the partner function. (S9): The adapter 2 creates and transfers transmission function information. (S10): The adapter 3 receives the transmission function information. (S11): The adapter 3 compares the transmission function in the transmission function information with the reception side function that has been received previously, and transfers information that is also valid in the reception side processing device to the reception side processing device. (S12): Information on the transmitting side is read by the receiving side processing device. (S13): Compare with a receivable format and select. (S14): The adapter 3 sends a reception function response. (S15): The adapter 2 receives the reception function response. (S16): A comparison is performed and valid information is transferred to the transmitting side processing device. (S17): Information on the receiving side is read by the processing device on the transmitting side. (S18): The received partner function is compared with the data format of the self side. (S19): If they match, the color image data is transferred. (S20): If they do not match, it is checked on the transmission processing device side whether conversion is possible. (S21): If possible, the transmission processing device performs conversion processing. (S22): If not possible, disconnect. (S23): Although the encoding conversion processing may be performed by the adapter, it is transferred to the receiving side processing device. (S24): Color image data is received. (S25): End processing is performed. (S26): End processing is performed.

It should be noted that it is "convertible" whether the above-mentioned "conversion" is performed in the processing device on the transmitting side or in the adapter.
It depends on the type of product. The workstation and the adapter of this embodiment share the functions according to the following policy. (I) If an adapter tries to perform interleaved conversion, for example, conversion from pixel interleaved RGB to component interleaved RGB, all RGB data of pixel interleaved are once stored in the adapter, and while reading the data, each of R, G, and B is read. It is necessary to perform encoding processing for each component. On the other hand, on the processing device side, since it has already been stored in a file or the like, it is sufficient to transfer only one color in the data read by the processing device side three times, and it is not necessary to store it in the adapter. It has the advantage that it can be encoded and transferred. (Ii) On the contrary, when converting from component interleave to pixel interleave, even if the RGB data is contained in the same file on the processor side,
Since it is possible to read from the middle of the file, it is possible to read RGB data almost at the same time and supply it to the adapter as pixel interleaved data. Therefore,
It has advantages such as high-speed processing without the need for storage in the adapter. (Iii) On the other hand, luminance / chromaticity separation processing (RG
(B → YCrCb) is a process closely related to encoding, and when data comes in by pixel interleaving, it is more efficient to process it by an adapter.

As described above, the optimal place to perform the process differs depending on the type of process, and it is important to set this type of process to the optimal place in the negotiation process. As a setting method, the adapter can have a table in which the ranking is made according to the format of the accumulated data of the processing device.

The specific operation will be described below. The color image processing apparatus 1 inputs a color image using the color scanner 5, performs various kinds of processing, and outputs the color image to the color printer 6. An image subjected to such processing is processed by a different type of color image processing device 4 (for example,
In the case of transfer to a digital color copier, etc., it is customary that the two devices have different image attributes.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram summarizing image attributes.
As shown in the figure, for (A) color space (symbolized as C), RGB, R
One is selected from GB ', YCrCb, CIELAB, YMCK .... For (B) interleaving (symbolized as I), one is selected from pixel (P), component (c), block (B), line (L) .... (C) RAW for the data format (symbolized as D)
(Uncoded data), JPEG, JBIG, MMR ....
One is selected from the following. (D) Regarding the data transfer format (symbolized as CD),
RAW (uncoded data), JPEG, JBIG, MM
One is selected from R ....

FIG. 5 shows an example of processing when the image attributes are different. RGB, P, RAW, JPEG, etc. in the information given by C, I, D shown in the rectangular frame in FIG. It corresponds to the representation of the rectangular frame shown and can be considered as the selected one of the options shown on the right side of FIG.

FIG. 5 shows an example in which the image attributes are different.
It is assumed that the transmitting side has an RGB, pixel interleaved (b), and raw (RAW) data format as an image file. On the other hand, it is assumed that the receiving side can receive only in the formats of RGB ', component interleave (c), and raw (RAW) data.

As described above, color space conversion is easier to perform in the pixel interleaved state. The interleaved conversion can be easily realized by changing the file reading method in the processing device having the file, but the adapter requires a single screen memory, which is a difficult process.

Therefore, in the case of the present invention, the transmission side processing device performs color conversion and interleave conversion, and the adapter performs JPEG encoding and decoding of the component interleaved image.

The negotiation process in this case is the collation of the transmission function and the reception function shown in FIG.
The processing device on the transmission side sends to the adapter 2 the format of the file it has and the function that can be converted from the file format, and information on whether or not to encode during communication (transmission function setting). The adapter adds a function that can be processed by the adapter, for example, color conversion to YCrCb, and transfers it as "transmission function information" to the reception side adapter. In the example of FIG. 3, the transfer timing of this information is the time when a partner function reading request is received from the transmitting side processing device. A data format that can be received when the reception request is set is set in the adapter on the reception side (reception side function setting), and the data suitable for it is listed as "transmission side information".

In response to this, the receiving side processing device selects the receiving function. In the case of FIG. 5, one type of information that has come up as the “sender information” matches the receivable format, so that it is selected (reception function selection). As a result, the reception function response information is determined and transferred to the transmission side adapter (reception function response information). Based on this information, the information necessary for the determination in the transmission processing device is sent to the transmission side processing device as “partner function information”.

According to this, the "communication function setting" is performed, and the transmitting side processing device performs the color conversion (RGB conversion) of the image data.
→ RGB ') and interleave conversion (P → C) while transferring data to the adapter (image data transfer). The adapter 2 uses the data to perform JPEG encoding,
Transfer to the adapter 3 on the receiving side via the communication line. The reception side adapter 3 decodes the data and transfers it to the reception side processing device to enable communication of color image data.

The present embodiment is an example for explaining the present invention, and the items to be negotiated and the number of items are not limited to this. Further, on the reception side, the transmission side information is sent to the processing device and selected, but this part may be processed by the reception side adapter upon receiving the result of the reception side function setting. Further, the setting of this kind of function may be set in advance instead of being set every time communication is performed.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to perform the optimum processing at the optimum place, and to properly share the conversion processing on the processing device side and the conversion processing on the adapter side. Can be made

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a communication system.

FIG. 2 shows a main part of communication control.

FIG. 3 shows a flowchart.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating image attributes.

FIG. 5 shows an example of actual negotiation control.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Color Image Processing Device (Transmission Side Processing Device) 2 Adapter (Transmission Side Adapter) 3 Adapter (Reception Side Adapter) 4 Color Image Processing Device (Reception Side Processing Device) 5 Color Scanner 6 Color Printer 7 Interface 8 Communication Line 9 Interface 10 interface

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A color image communication adapter that is connected to a color image processing device and is also connected to the other party via a digital line to transmit a color image. The color image communication adapter transmits its own communication function by a communication protocol. The color image processing has the function of receiving the communication function of the other party, and the function of allowing the communication function of the adapter on its own side to be set from the color image processing device, and the communication function of the other party receiving the function. The color image processing device and the adapter have a function of transmitting to the device, and when the image attribute of the color image processing device is different from the communication function of the other side, the process of converting the image attribute is performed in a predetermined manner. A color image communication adapter characterized in that it is divided into two parts and executed to transmit color images.