JP2009033242A - Image forming apparatus and image data storage method of image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is an image forming apparatus capable of suppressing a decrease in use efficiency of memory capacity while storing all color image data in units of blocks when storing color image data representing a color image. To do.
The last block BR3 having the smallest blank capacity is selected from the last three blocks BR3, BG3, and BB3, and the image data portions of the other last two blocks BG3 and BB3 that are not selected are selected. Is moved to the minimum blank capacity of the selected last block BR3 and stored, and only the selected last block BR3 is left and stored in the HDD 15, and other unselected last blocks BG3 and BB3 are stored. It is erased from the HDD 15.
[Selection] Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that stores image data in units of blocks when storing image data, and an image data storage method for the image forming apparatus.

  Conventional image forming apparatuses often store image data in units of blocks when storing the image data. This is because if large-capacity image data is stored and managed in units of 1 byte, its management and control become complicated. Usually, 4 Kbytes, 8 Kbytes,..., 512 Kbytes are used as a block unit.

  In order to store the image data in units of blocks, for example, the image data is divided by a prescribed capacity from the beginning, a block composed of image data portions having a prescribed capacity is generated, and this block is stored. However, the last divided image data portion hardly has a specified capacity, and the last image data part becomes less than the specified capacity, and an unused blank is left in a block including the last image data part. Capacity often occurs. Moreover, since the image data is divided into blocks from the head for each image, an unused blank capacity is generated in the last block for each image.

  In the case of a color image, the image data is stored in units of blocks for each color image data such as R, G, B, etc., so that the last block including an unused blank capacity is generated for each color. . For this reason, the unused blank capacity is increased to a level that cannot be ignored, and the use efficiency of the storage capacity of the memory (HDD or the like) is lowered. For example, in the red (R), green (G), and blue (B) image data DR, DG, and DB as shown in FIG. 4, the image data having a prescribed capacity up to the second block BR2, BG2, BB2 is used. However, since the image data portions Dr3, Dg3, Db3 of the third block BR3, BG3, BB3 are less than the prescribed capacity, unused blank capacity is generated in these blocks BR3 to BB3. Since such blocks including unused blank capacity frequently occur, the use efficiency of the storage capacity of the memory is lowered.

For this reason, in Patent Document 1, the last divided image data portion is stored in units of 1 byte without allocating a block having a specified capacity so that the last block including unused blank capacity does not occur. I was doing.
JP 2003-305904 A

  However, when only the last divided image data portion is treated as in Patent Document 1 and the last image data portion is stored in units of 1 byte, the management and control of the storage of the last image data is not possible. Besides complicating, both block unit storage and 1 byte unit storage must be managed and controlled.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem. When storing image data of each color indicating a color image, the memory capacity of the memory is stored while all the image data of each color is stored in units of blocks. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus and an image data storage method for the image forming apparatus that can suppress a decrease in the use efficiency of the image forming apparatus.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus for printing a color image.
Storage means for storing image data of each color representing a color image in units of blocks of a prescribed capacity, and processing the image data for each image data of each color while dividing the image data into prescribed capacity equivalent to blocks from the beginning Then, a block composed of image data portions having a prescribed capacity is stored in the storage means, and the respective image data portions finally divided from the image data of each color become less than the prescribed capacity, and these image data portions When an unused free space occurs in each block including the image data portion of each block in which the unused free space has occurred is moved to any one of the blocks, and this one block is collected. Control means for storing the block in the storage means.

  Further, the control means moves, for each color image, the image data portion of each block in which an unused free space has occurred to one of the blocks, and combines the one block into the one block. It is stored in the storage means.

  Further, the control means selects, for each color image, one block including the image data portion having the maximum capacity from among the blocks in which unused free space has occurred, and sets the other blocks to this one block. The image data portions of the blocks are moved and gathered, and this one block is stored in the storage means.

  On the other hand, according to the present invention, in an image data storage method of an image forming apparatus that prints a color image, the image data is processed for each color image data indicating a color image, and the image data is processed from the head to a specified capacity corresponding to a block. A step of storing each block of image data portions of a prescribed capacity in a storage means, and each image data portion finally divided from the image data of each color becomes less than the prescribed capacity, When unused free space has occurred in each block including the image data portion, the image data portion of each block in which the unused free space has occurred is moved to one of the blocks, Storing the one block in the storage means.

  According to the present invention, image data is processed for each color of image data, and the image data is divided into prescribed capacities corresponding to the blocks from the head, and a block composed of image data portions having the prescribed capacities is stored in the storage means. I remember it. Therefore, the block filled with the image data portion having the prescribed capacity is stored as it is. Then, when the image data portion finally divided from the image data of each color becomes less than the prescribed capacity, and an unused free space is generated in each block including these image data portions, the image of each color The data portions are combined into one block, and this one block is stored in the storage means. Therefore, it is not necessary to store each block for the image data portion of each color less than the predetermined capacity divided last, and only one block needs to be stored, and the number of blocks to be stored is reduced. The unused free capacity is also reduced, and the decrease in the utilization efficiency of the storage capacity of the storage means can be suppressed. In addition, since all the image data of each color is managed in units of blocks, it is easy to manage and control the image data.

  For example, for each color image, the image data portion of each block in which unused free space is generated is moved to any one of the blocks. Alternatively, for each color image, one block including the image data portion having the maximum capacity is selected from the blocks in which unused free space is generated, and the image data portions of the other blocks are selected as one block. Move and summarize.

  Further, the image data storage method of the present invention has the same operations and effects as the image forming apparatus of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an image forming apparatus of the present invention. The image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is a digital multi-function peripheral that functions as, for example, a copying machine, a printer, and a facsimile machine. The image forming apparatus 1 reads an original image by a scanner, generates image data of the original image, and generates various image data. After the image processing is performed, the image data is printed or the image data is transmitted by facsimile communication. Alternatively, image data is received by facsimile communication, and this image data is printed.

  Such a multifunctional image forming apparatus 1 includes a communication unit 11, a scanner unit 12, a printing unit 13, a control unit 14, a hard disk device (hereinafter referred to as HDD) 15, and the like. The communication unit 11 is connected to a network such as a LAN or the Internet, and transmits / receives image data indicating a monochrome image or a color image to / from an external terminal device through this network. The scanner unit 12 reads an original image, can read either a monochrome image or a color image, and outputs image data indicating a monochrome image or a color image. The printing unit 13 prints a monochrome image or a color image indicated by the image data on a recording sheet. The HDD 15 stores image data read by the scanner unit 12 and stores image data transmitted / received by the communication unit 11. The control unit 14 controls the image forming apparatus 1 in an integrated manner, drives and controls the communication unit 11, the scanner unit 12, and the printing unit 13, and performs storage control and management of image data in the HDD 15.

  For example, the control unit 14 inputs image data read by the scanner unit 12 or image data received by the communication unit 11, temporarily stores this image data in the built-in memory 14 a, and outputs the image data to the image data. After performing various image processing, the image data is transferred to the HDD 15 and stored. Then, the control unit 14 reads out this image data from the HDD 15 and outputs it to the printing unit 13. When the image data is input, the printing unit 13 records the image indicated by the image data on a recording sheet. For example, the printing unit 13 performs image recording by an electrophotographic method, exposes the photosensitive member by LSU, forms an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the image data on the photosensitive member, and electrostatics on the photosensitive member. The latent image is developed to form a visible image on the photoreceptor, the visible image is transferred from the photoreceptor to the recording paper, and the visible image on the recording paper is fixed.

  Further, when the image data is transmitted by the communication unit 11, the control unit 14 reads out the image data from the HDD 15 and outputs the image data to the communication unit 11. The communication unit 11 transmits this image data to the external terminal device through the network.

  In such an image forming apparatus 1, if large-capacity image data is stored in the HDD 15 in units of 1 byte, management and control of the image data by the control unit 14 become complicated. For this reason, image data is stored and managed in units of 512 Kbyte blocks.

  For example, every time image data indicating one monochrome image is input, the control unit 14 divides the image data by 512 Kbytes from the head to generate a block including a 512 Kbyte image data portion. Is stored in the HDD 15. Alternatively, when the control unit 14 inputs image data of each color such as red (R), green (G), and blue (B) indicating one color image, the image data is 512K from the head for each image data of each color. By dividing each byte, a block composed of 512 Kbytes of image data is generated, and this block is stored in the HDD 15.

However, the last divided image data portion is hardly conveniently 512 Kbytes, and this last image data portion is often less than 512 Kbytes, and the block including this last image data portion is not yet included. Uses empty space. In the case of a color image, image data is stored in units of blocks for each color image data such as R, G, B, etc., so that the last block including unused blank capacity is generated for each color.

  In the case of a color image, since the last block including an unused blank capacity is generated for each color image data, if these blocks are stored in the HDD 15 as they are, the unused blank capacity cannot be ignored. The use efficiency of the storage capacity of the HDD 15 decreases.

  For example, in the R, G, and B image data DR, DG, and DB as shown in FIG. 4, the image data portions Dr3, Dg3, and Db3 of the third blocks BR3 to BB3 are less than 512 Kbytes. Unused blank capacity occurs in the blocks BR3 to BB3. If these blocks BR3 to BB3 are stored in the HDD 15 as they are, the unused blank capacity is large, and the utilization efficiency of the storage capacity of the HDD 15 is reduced.

  Therefore, in the image forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, when storing image data of each color indicating a color image in the HDD 15, the number of last blocks including unused blank capacity is reduced, and the storage capacity of the HDD 15 is used. Reduces efficiency.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the image data portions Dg3 and Db3 of the third blocks BG3 and BB3 related to the image data DG and DB are moved to the third block BR3 related to the image data DR, The block BR3 is stored in the HDD 15, and the third blocks BG3 and BB3 related to the image data DG and DB are erased from the HDD 15. As a result, the storage capacity (512 Kbytes × 2 = 1024 Kbytes) corresponding to the two blocks BG3 and BB3 can be saved, and a decrease in the utilization efficiency of the storage capacity of the HDD 15 can be suppressed.

  Next, a processing procedure for reducing the number of the last blocks including such unused blank capacity will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  First, the control unit 14 performs various processes on the image data for each of the image data DR, DG, and DB indicating one color image, and then divides the image data by 512 Kbytes from the beginning, thereby obtaining 512 Kbytes. A block composed of the image data portion is generated, and this block is stored in the HDD 15. Various processes for image data include shading correction and data compression.

  Then, after each image data DR, DG, DB of one color image is stored in the HDD 15 in units of 512 Kbyte blocks, the control unit 14 transfers the blocks from the HDD 15 for each block. It is read (step S101), and it is confirmed that the block is related to the color image (“Yes” in step S102). Whether or not (step S103). If the block is not the last block (“No” in step S103), this block is not selected. If the block is the last block (“Yes” in step S103), this block is selected.

  As a result, the three last blocks including the image data portion finally divided from the image data DR, DG, and DB are selected. For example, the last three blocks BR3, BG3, and BB3 related to the respective image data DR, DG, and DB as shown in FIG. 2 are selected.

Then, the control unit 14 compares the unused blank capacity of the last blocks BR3, BG3, and BB3, selects the last block having the minimum blank capacity, and the minimum blank capacity is 15
It is determined whether or not the total capacity of the respective image data portions included in the other two last blocks that are equal to or larger than 0 Kbytes and not selected is equal to or smaller than the minimum blank capacity (step S104).

  The minimum blank capacity of the last selected block is less than 150 Kbytes, or the total capacity of the image data portions included in the other two last blocks not selected exceeds the minimum blank capacity. If so (“No” in step S104), the processing of FIG. 3 is terminated. If the minimum blank capacity of the last selected block is less than 150 Kbytes, it is difficult to move the image data portions of the other two last blocks not selected to the blank capacity of the selected block. Yes, if the total capacity of the image data parts of the last two other blocks not selected exceeds the minimum blank capacity, the image data parts of the other last two blocks not selected are selected This is because it is impossible to move to the blank capacity of the last block.

  Further, the minimum blank capacity of the last selected block is 150 Kbytes or more, and the total capacity of the respective image data portions included in the other two last blocks not selected is less than the minimum blank capacity. If there is (“Yes” in step S104), the control unit 14 stores the selected last block as it is in the HDD 15 (step S105), and is included in the other two last blocks not selected. Is moved to the minimum blank capacity of the selected last block and stored (step S106). In addition, the control unit 14 erases the other two last blocks not selected from the HDD 15 (step S107).

  For example, in FIG. 2, the last block BR3 having the smallest blank capacity is selected from the last three blocks BR3, BG3, and BB3, and the other last two blocks BG3 and BB3 that are not selected are selected. The image data portions Dg3 and Db3 are moved and stored in the minimum blank capacity of the selected last block BR3, and only the selected last block BR3 is left and stored in the HDD 15, and the other last selected. Blocks BG3 and BB3 are erased from the HDD 15. As a result, the storage capacity corresponding to the two blocks BG3 and BB3 is saved, and a decrease in the utilization efficiency of the storage capacity of the HDD 15 is suppressed.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, when each image data portion finally divided from each image data DR, DG, and DB becomes less than 512 Kbytes, and unused free space is generated in each last block. Since the image data portions of the respective colors are grouped into one last block, this one last block is stored in the HDD 15 and the other two last blocks are erased from the HDD 15, so that the storage capacity of the HDD 15 is used. Reduction in efficiency is suppressed.

  Further, since all the image data of each color can be managed in units of blocks, the management and control of the image data is facilitated.

  Furthermore, after various processing is performed on the image data and the storage capacity of the image data is determined, the image data is temporarily stored in units of blocks, and then the image data portion of each last block is combined into one block. Therefore, there is no waste in processing for storing image data in units of blocks.

  Since the last block having the smallest blank capacity is selected, the last block including the image data portion having the largest capacity is selected, and the small capacity image data of the other last block not selected is selected. The part will be moved to the last selected block. For this reason, the capacity of the image data portion to be moved is reduced, and the processing is simplified.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, It can deform | transform variously. For example, each piece of image data representing a color image may not represent red, green, and blue, but may represent each color defined in another type of color space. Alternatively, the last block having the largest blank capacity may be selected, and the image data portion of the other last block not selected may be moved to the selected last block.

1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an image forming apparatus of the present invention. It is a figure which shows typically the state which memorize | stored the image data of each color which shows the color image in the apparatus of FIG. 1 per block. 3 is a flowchart showing processing for storing image data of each color indicating a color image in units of blocks in the apparatus of FIG. 1. It is a figure which shows typically the state which memorize | stored the image data of each color which shows a color image in the block unit by the conventional method.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 11 Communication part 12 Scanner part 13 Printing part 14 Control part 15 Hard disk drive (HDD)

Claims (4)

In an image forming apparatus that prints a color image,
Storage means for storing image data of each color indicating a color image in units of blocks of a prescribed capacity;
For each color image data, while processing the image data, the image data is divided into a predetermined capacity corresponding to the block from the head, and a block consisting of the image data portion of the specified capacity is stored in the storage means. When the image data portions finally divided from the image data of each color become less than the prescribed capacity, and unused free space occurs in each block including these image data portions, the unused space An image forming apparatus comprising: a control unit that moves an image data portion of each block in which the capacity is generated to any one of the blocks and stores the block in the storage unit .   The control means moves, for each color image, the image data portion of each block in which unused free space has occurred to any one of the blocks, and collects the one block as the storage means. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:   The control means selects, for each color image, one block including an image data portion having the maximum capacity from among the blocks in which unused free space has occurred, and sets the other blocks to this one block. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image data portions are moved together and stored in the storage unit. In an image data storage method of an image forming apparatus for printing a color image,
For each color image data representing a color image, the image data is processed while being divided into a predetermined capacity corresponding to a block from the head, and a block composed of image data portions having a predetermined capacity is stored in the storage means. Step to go and
If the image data part that was last divided from the image data of each color is less than the specified capacity, and there is unused unused capacity in each block that includes these image data parts, the unused unused capacity And moving the image data portion of each block in which each block has occurred into any one of the blocks and storing the block in the storage means. Data storage method.

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