JPH0696165A - Image processing method and device therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce time and labor in debug and waste due to the mis-addition of a debug text by clarifying the memory allocation status of the whole program of a work station, and recording while preserving a log file in a storage part. CONSTITUTION:A memory securing subroutine MS is called when memory is secured and a memory release subroutine ML when the memory is released, respectively in the program 320 of a CPU in the work station. The memory securing routine MS and the memory release subroutine ML write a function, an ID, a called time, an address, and size on the log file 321 in a binary format. In such a case, the switching of write/non-write of each information on the log file 321 is performed by a log file output instruction LF for the program 320. When a trouble occurs, the log file 321 is collected by an analyzer, and an output result 323 can be obtained in a hard copy, etc., by using a formatter 322.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing system for reading a character image and an image of a design of a layout mount (a block mount, a rough designation paper, etc.) and then laying it out and outputting it. The present invention relates to an image processing method and apparatus for reducing the labor of debugging by clarifying the memory allocation status of the entire program by writing the.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an image processing system for a printing company requiring high quality, there is no system for comprehensively integrating and editing images such as characters and pictures, or even if it exists, it has low capability and is practically used. It was not the target. In particular, the desktop publishing field is becoming possible by the page description language such as Postscript, but
Performance is low. There are systems for printers, but they are not enough to handle large amounts of data at high speed. The reason for this is that there is too much data to be processed in order to support processing by a descriptive language for collectively processing characters and images, and processing by a CPU (software), resulting in lack of performance. is there.
To output only the code data in order to create a block for printing, it is necessary to convert each character to a bit map and also to expand it into a bit map every few rasters in advance. Stores all or part of the output image in a temporary buffer and sends it to the output device. In order to reduce the memory capacity of the buffer, the output device is stored in the buffer of the output image. It is supposed to wait.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned device, characters and pictures cannot be laid out and output at the same time, and even if the character bitmap is laid out in advance on the buffer for outputting the bitmap, It has a drawback that it takes a lot of time to realize it. Alternatively, characters and pictures are output on different papers or films, and the operator cuts and pastes them on the papers or films. For this reason, a lot of repetitive work such as exposure and printing takes a lot of time, and intermediately generated photosensitive materials are wasted.

Furthermore, if the memory is used beyond the allowable range,
The problems caused by releasing the used memory are often difficult to solve because the system memory usage status is unknown. In the past, a debug statement was embedded in a program in the area where the memory was secured / released for each debug to grasp the memory usage status, but it took time and effort, and the embedding operation itself sometimes made a mistake. . That is, it is necessary to know the memory allocation free status in order to analyze the trouble due to insufficient memory allocation size, illegal address access, etc., but in the past, it was analyzed by code check and debug statement. Therefore, it is troublesome and it is difficult to understand the memory allocation status of the entire program.
It often hindered debugging.

The present invention has been made under the circumstances described above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a workstation in an image processing system for interactively editing a large amount of character and picture image data electronically at high speed. Another object of the present invention is to provide an image processing method and apparatus in which the memory allocation status of the entire program is clarified, and a log file is stored and recorded in the storage unit.

[0006]

The method of the present invention relates to an image processing method of a workstation having a storage unit for editing the screen of image data read by an input device by using an input operation unit and a display unit. The object of the present invention is to provide a memory reservation subroutine and a memory release subroutine in the storage unit, which writes a flag indicating memory reservation / release and time when the subroutine is called, target address, and size to a log file, This is accomplished by saving the file in the storage. An apparatus of the present invention includes an input controller that stores image data read by an input device, a workstation that edits the screen of the image data using an input operation unit and a display unit, and has a storage unit, the input controller, and A file server connected to the workstation for storing the image data and the edited data screen-edited by the workstation as a file in a storage means, and an image output device for reading the edited data stored in the storage means The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus including an image setter adapted to output an image to a memory, and the above object of the present invention is to provide a flag indicating memory reservation / release and a time when a subroutine is called, a target address and a size. Information is stored in a memory allocation subroutine in the storage unit, a memory solution Subroutine is achieved by including the function of writing to the log file, and a function of storing the log file in the storage unit.

[0007]

The image processing system of the present invention comprises an input controller, a file server, an image setter, and a work station having a storage unit, and each of them has an independent CPU (microprocessor, micro computer, etc.). In addition, each part can be operated independently and in parallel, and high-speed and efficient image processing can be realized, and the memory capacity can be increased by comprehensively interactively editing the information of the layout mount and the pictures and characters. By making it smaller, it is possible to obtain a higher quality image as a hard copy or a printing plate for printing than an image output device. Moreover, in the present invention, the address, size, and time are logged in the log file every time a malloc / free system call is called. Therefore, the memory allocation status can be known by outputting and analyzing the contents of the log file.

[0008]

1 to 3 are block diagrams showing an image processing system which is a premise of the present invention. An input device 1 such as a scanner is used for a pattern, a character, a figure, and an original such as a layout mount.
The density data DD of the image obtained by reading the input density data DD is input to the input controller 100, and the input controller 100 inputs the above-mentioned density data DD via the built-in CPU 101.
Is converted into a halftone dot by the halftoning circuit 102, and the compression circuit 103
After it is compressed in the buffer 104, it is temporarily stored in the buffer 104, and then transferred via the SCSI bus to the magnetic tape 210 of the file server 200 or the hard disks 220, 221 ...
Store in ... The input controller 100 has a local disk (hard disk) 105 for temporarily storing data. File system file server 200
Has a CPU 201, and interfaces 202 to 205
It is connected to other devices via. Further, the code information CD such as characters obtained by the edit input device 2 such as a word processor or a typesetting machine is once stored in the floppy disk 3 and then read out and input to the workstation 300. The workstation 300 is a CR as a display means.
T301 and a keyboard 302 as an input operation means,
Mouse 306 and digitizer 303, hard disk 304 as storage means, floppy disk 305
Each of the workstations 300 is mutually connected to the file server 200 via ETHERNET. Image data, frame data, and contour display image data thinned out for CRT display, which are obtained by the input controller 100, are stored in the magnetic tape 210 or the hard disks 220, 221, ... Together with the unthinned high density data for image output. The thinned data is read out through the SCSI bus and transferred to the workstation 300 through the interfaces 204 and 202, and the control command and the like with the input controller 100 are stored in the file through the auxiliary data line 4. Transferred via the interface 200 of the server 200,
The file server 200 also has an image setter 400.
Are connected. CPU for the imagesetter 400
401 is provided, is connected to the auxiliary data line 5 of the file server 200 via an interface 402, and is connected to the SCSI bus via an interface 403. The imagesetter 400 further includes a sequencer 410 and a buffer 411 for storing necessary data. The imagesetter 400 outputs a high-quality image to the high-quality image output device 10 and a laser beam to output a relatively low-quality image. The printer 11 is connected. The hard disks 220, 221, ... Store fixed data (bitmap data) such as logos, emblems, and nets, and vector font data for character output in advance.

In the input device 1, a pattern (halftone image), a line drawing, and a character image (binary image) are digitized by density data (8 bits / pixel). The signal input at 8 bits / pixel is converted into a dot pattern by the input controller 100,
Information of 4 bits / pixel is generated. The binary image is converted into 1-bit / pixel information. Further, although characters are input as codes from the workstation 300, they may be input as images from the input device 1. Therefore, when input as an image, even a character is treated as an image (bitmap data). Although all images are output by the imagesetter 400, the code set and vector information are all converted to bitmap data in the imagesetter 400. Therefore, use image output to mean that bitmap data is output. become.

The details of the input controller 100 will be described with reference to FIG. 4. The input controller 100 converts the density data DD input from the input device 1 into high density data for the high image quality output machine 10 and a laser beam printer. 11
For CRT3 on workstation 300
Two sets of data for displaying 01 and five sets of rough image data enough to show the contour are simultaneously generated. Overall speed can be realized by performing parallel processing at the same time.
This is because the data generation calculation load of 101 can be reduced.
That is, the high-density data for the high-quality image output device 10 is converted into a halftone dot by the halftone dot conversion circuit 1021, compressed by the compression circuit 1031, and the compressed data is temporarily stored in the buffer 1041. Further, as data for outputting an image by the laser beam printer 11 having a relatively low image quality, the density data DD is thinned out at a predetermined interval (for example, 1/3) (110), and the rough data is halftone-dotted by a halftone dot dot circuit 1022. And compresses them in the compression circuit 1032, and then the buffers 1042
Temporarily stored in. Further, two types of coarser data to be displayed on the CRT 301 are thinned by the halftone dot conversion circuits 1023 and 1024 after thinning out the density data DD at a predetermined interval, and the buffers 1043 and 1044 are respectively added.
In the case of a line drawing in which a clipping mask is created from a halftone image, the image data after the Laplacian processing or the unsharp mask processing showing the contour data is thinned out (113), and then the binarization circuit. 102
It is adapted to be binarized by 5 and temporarily stored in the buffer 1045.

In such a configuration, the CPU 101 communicates with the input device 1 via a data line (not shown), and also the auxiliary data line 4 and the dual port RA.
It communicates with the file server 200 via M (not shown). Then, when there is a data transmission request from the input device 1, the CPU 101 sets necessary data in each circuit shown in FIG. 4, stores the setting data in the local disk 105, and further sets the setting values related to the sub-scanning. set. The density data DD from the input device 1 is input line by line, and the circuits shown in FIG.
It is stored in (1041 to 1045). CPU1 during this time
01 checks the SCSI bus switching, the data compression output buffer 1041 switching, and the presence or absence of error information from various circuits. The data once stored in the buffer 104 and the local disk 105 is sorted by a command from the CPU 101 and output to an external SCSI bus.

The configuration of the file server 200 that constitutes the file system is as shown in FIG. 2. This file server 200 has common file management functions such as file management and file sharing, and communication for network communication and unit communication. It has a control function. That is, the file server 200 is connected to the hard disk (220, 221, ...) And the magnetic tape 2 via the SCSI bus.
10 file management, having a software interface function with the workstation 300 via ETHERNET, and further providing file management information service to the input controller 100 and the imagesetter 400 and a file management utility via the SCSI bus. Perform the function. For example, font registration and garbage collection of SCSI disk (dust removal processing). There are two types of font registration here. One is registration of fonts possessed by the system. This registration stores vector fonts created by another font creation system in the form of magnetic tape in the hard disk of the image processing system. The other is the registration of external character fonts. Gaiji font is a character that does not exist in the system.
In this case, the font created in another system is registered in this system from a floppy disk or magnetic tape.

The file server 200 stores services and data for transferring data between the workstation 300, the input controller 100 and the imagesetter 400, and the input controller 100 stores the auxiliary data line 4 and the dual port RAM. Then, necessary information is obtained from the file server 200 for securing and deleting areas of various files. Input controller 100
To register the data once stored in the internal buffer 104 as a file of the image processing system, information such as the file name and the file capacity is transferred to the file server 200, and S
Access the hard disks 220, 221, ... On the CSI bus. As a result, the file server 200 manages directory communication and disk area management. Further, the file server 200 transfers file data to the workstation 300 via ETHERNET,
Receive data from workstations. At this time, in accordance with the instruction from the workstation 300, the file server 200 causes the hard disk (2
20, ...) and the magnetic tape 210, and updates necessary information such as directories. Also, imagesetter 4
The command for 00 and the command for the magnetic tape 210 are obtained, and the service is performed according to the command. Further, a predetermined command is sent to the imagesetter 400 via the auxiliary data line 5 and the dual port RAM, file management information is sent in response to a request from the imagesetter 400, and disk data on the SCSI bus is sent. As a result, the imagesetter 400 is directly accessed. Furthermore, utility information related to the entire image processing system is managed by the hard disks 220, 221, ... on the SCSI bus, and font information,
Common files on the system correspond to such information.

Next, the operation of the workstation 300 will be described with reference to the flow chart of FIG. 5. The document data edited by the edit input device 2 and stored is read from the floppy disk 3 (step S310).
The code information CD of the document data is converted in data format (step S311). And CRT
One page of document contents is displayed on 301 (step S3
12) The image data output position of the image read from the layout mount or the like is designated by the mouse 306, the keyboard 302, and the digitizer 303 (step S313), and page description data for each page is created together with the frame of the layout mount (step S314). ). Such data creation is performed for all pages (step S315), and then an imposition instruction for creating a printing block is issued using the keyboard 302 (step S316) to create impositioned page description data (step S317). ). Then, the file server 20
The created data is transferred to 0 (step S318).
The image setter 400 is instructed to output an image, and the operation ends (step S319).

Next, with reference to FIG. 6, an operation example at the time of imposition will be described. The workstation 300 reads the image data thinned out from the hard disks 220, 221, ... Of the file server 200 (step S33).
0), read the document data from the floppy disk 3 (step S331), C of the workstation 300
Display necessary information on RT301 and mouse 30
6, the keyboard 302 and the digitizer 303 are operated to lay out images, documents and frames page by page (step S332). Then, the type of imposition registered in advance is designated by the keyboard 302 (step S33).
3) Each page is laid out and displayed on the CRT 301 together with the number of pages in the instructed imposition state (for example, A to D in the figure) (step S334). Here, the imposition registration is stored with the number of pages attached in advance in consideration of folding at the time of bookbinding of a plurality of pages, for example, 4 pages of A4 version or 8 pages of A5 version. 6A to 6D, the imposition state is determined by the number of pages (“1”, “8”, “5” in B,
It is displayed together with "4". As described above, the contents such as images and characters are not displayed, and the image setter 400 generates and outputs a bitmap according to the page description data (step S335).

FIG. 7 shows an example of the configuration of the imagesetter 400. The sequencer 410 is connected to a CPU bus 412 and an image data bus 413, and is also connected to a logical operation circuit 420 and a first memory 421. Further, the main memory 430 for the CPU 401 is connected to the CPU bus 412, the common memory 424 is connected between the common memory 424 and the image data bus 413, and the interface 4
The outputs of 02 and 403 are input to the CPU bus 412. CPU bus 412 and image data bus 413
A buffer 433, a decompressor 440, and a third memory 423 are connected between the two, and a buffer 434, a raster image converter 431, and a second memory 422 are connected.
The buffer 435 and the output control circuit 436 are connected. The CPU bus 412 has a vector font memory 43.
2 is connected to the output control circuit 436 and the output buffer 4
The high image quality output device 10 and the laser beam printer 11 are connected via 36A. Vector font memory 4
In 32, a vector font required for generating a character bitmap by the raster image converter 431 is stored. Usually vector font is disk (22
0,221, ...), but it is inefficient to read the vector font via the SCSI bus every time the character bitmap is generated, so all the necessary vector fonts are stored in the vector font memory 432 in advance. By reading it in, the speed of character bitmap generation is improved.

In such a structure, the operation is as shown in FIG.
First, an output instruction request is output from the file server 200 to the imagesetter 400 via the auxiliary data line 5 using the file name in the hard disks 220, 221, ... As a parameter. Specifications to be output from that file are written in that file. The specifications are sequentially decoded, code data and compressed data are subjected to address calculation for each unit image, and overlay processing by logical operation is repeated for that address, The processing result is stored in the first memory 421. The imagesetter 400 calls the parameter file via the SCSI bus and repeats this operation. For example, for code data, character code and instruction information such as position, typeface, size, etc. are input via the SCSI interface 403 (step S400), and converted into a raster image by the raster image converter 431 via the buffer 434 (step S401). ), The raster image data is stored in the second memory 422 (step S402). The image data that has been compressed is input via the interface 403 via the SCSI bus (step S403), decompressed by the decompressor 440 via the buffer 433 and restored (step S40).
4) The restored image data is stored in the third memory 423 (step S405). Further, the bitmap data such as logos stored in the hard disks 220, 221, ... Is input via the interface 403 (step S406) and stored in the common memory 424 (step S407). The data stored in the second memory 422 to the common memory 424 are all bitmap data, and these stored data are logically operated by the logical operation circuit 420 via the CPU 401 (step S41).
0), the data logically operated so as to synthesize, edit, or image-process a picture or a document is stored in the first memory 421 (step S411). After the data is stored in the first memory 421, it is judged whether or not it is finished, that is, whether there is no correction or addition (step S412), and the above operation is continued until the logical operation such as correction is finished. The logical operation circuit 420 performs logical operations such as sum, product, difference and exclusive OR of bit map data generated from code data such as characters, bit map data obtained by expanding compressed image data, and bit map data. The image information to be output to the high-quality output device 10 or the laser beam printer 11 is generated in cooperation with.

In the image processing system described above, in the present invention, the program 320 of the CPU 310 in the workstation 300 is provided with a program upper subroutine SS, a memory reservation subroutine MS and a memory release subroutine ML as shown in FIG. In order to secure memory, the memory securement subroutine MS
To release the memory, the memory release subroutine ML is called. The memory reservation subroutine MS and the memory release subroutine ML write the function (indicating reservation or release) ID, the time when called, the address, and the size in the log file 321 in binary format. In this case, the log file output instruction LF to the program 320 is used to switch between writing and not writing the above information in the log file 321. When a trouble occurs, the person in charge of analysis collects the log file 321 and uses the formatter 322 to obtain the output result 323 as a hard copy or the like. By examining the output result 323 in this manner, the memory use status at each time point can be surely known.

The memory use log program used in the present invention operates as shown in FIG. 10, performs the operations of the processes # 1 to #N (steps S1 and S2), and at the same time, executes the memory allocation subroutine (step S10). ), A memory release subroutine (step S20) is executed. The memory reservation subroutine (step S10) executes the operation shown in FIG. 11, first calls the memory reservation system call (step S11), and receives the external variable of the log output ON / OFF flag (step S12). Then, it is determined whether or not the log is output (step S13), and in the case of the log output, the time is received (step S14), and then the time, address, and size are output as the log (step S15), and the operation is ended. . In addition, a memory release subroutine (step S
20) executes the operation shown in FIG. 12, first calls the memory release system call (step S21), and receives the external variable of the log output on / off flag (step S2).
2). Then, it is determined whether the log is output (step S2
3) In case of log output, the time is received (step S2
4) Next, log out time and address (step S
25), the operation ends.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, a large amount of character and picture image data can be edited at high speed, and a high-quality printing image with a layout-designated appearance can be output. In an image processing system capable of easily converting a bit map of vector information by hardware, image processing, processing, and editing, and laying out and outputting characters and pictures, it has been conventionally incorporated in each program. By providing the standard function as standard, it is possible to reduce the trouble at the time of debugging and waste due to an error in adding a debug statement. In other words, by writing information in the log file and clarifying the memory allocation status of the entire program, it is possible to reduce the debugging effort when trouble occurs.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram (workstation, input controller) showing a configuration example of an image processing system.

FIG. 2 is a block configuration diagram (file server) showing an example configuration of an image processing system.

FIG. 3 is a block configuration diagram (image setter) showing a configuration example of an image processing system.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an input controller.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation example of a workstation.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining an imposition operation.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of an imagesetter.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an operation example of a memory allocation subroutine.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an operation example of a memory release subroutine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Input Device 2 Editing Input Device 3 Floppy Disk 10 High Quality Output Device 100 Input Controller 200 File Server 300 Workstation 301 CRT 302 Keyboard 303 Digitizer 306 Mouse 400 Imagesetter 101 CPU 201 CPU 401 CPU

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. In a workstation having a storage unit for editing a screen of image data read by an input device by using an input operation unit and a display unit, memory reservation /
A flag indicating release and a time when the subroutine is called, a target address, and size information are written in a log file by the memory securing subroutine and the memory releasing subroutine in the storage unit, and the log file is stored in the storage unit. An image processing method characterized by the above. 2. An input controller that stores image data read by an input device, a workstation that edits the screen of the image data using an input operation unit and a display unit, and has a storage unit, the input controller and the work. A file server connected to the station for storing the image data and the edit data screen-edited by the workstation as a file in the storage means; and the edit data stored in the storage means for reading out to the image output device. In an image processing apparatus equipped with an image setter for outputting an image, a memory reservation subroutine and a memory release subroutine in the storage unit are provided with information on a flag indicating memory reservation / release, time when a subroutine is called, target address and size. The function to write to a log file Image processing apparatus having a function of saving a file in the storage unit. 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a function of dumping the contents of the log file and outputting the dump to the display unit.