Abstract: An associative memory device having a high speed and good performance is provided without degrading the simple design of a peripheral circuit of a conventional associative memory. The associative memory device has an N-bit first buffer and an M-bit second buffer in which W-bit data is stored through a data input port, detection device for detecting that the W-bit data is input to the first buffer k times or to the second buffer r times, a switch for alternately switching buffers in which the W-bit data is stored, and a search control for performing a search operation for a memory region by using data in the first or second buffer. By using data in the first or second buffer, during the search operation for the memory region of the associative memory, the W-bit data for the next search operation is input to the second or first buffer.

Abstract: The contour vectors of an image are stored in a small storage capacity, and are enlarged/reduced in correspondence with a desired variable-magnification factor to be faithful to an input image. For this purpose, when a binary image is input from a binary image input unit (11), a contour vector extraction unit extracts contour vectors, and detects the positions of isolated points. The contour vectors are enlarged/reduced by a vector variable-magnification/smoothing unit (13), and a binary image is reproduced by a binary image reproduction unit (15). On the other hand, each of the isolated points is subjected to variable-magnification processing by an isolated point variable-magnification processing unit (14), so that its position is converted into a position corresponding to the variable-magnification factor, and points corresponding in number to the variable-magnification factor form the isolated point.

Abstract: A pressure control valve unit for a hydraulic brake device is provided which considerably reduces noise, vibration, and harshness, and is compact and inexpensive. The pressure control valve unit comprises a switching valve and a normally-open inlet valve sequentially located in the main brake line in a housing cavity between the master cylinder and the wheel cylinder(s). During a brake pressure control action, the difference in pressure acting on the master cylinder side and that on the wheel cylinder side causes the switching valve to switch to a constricted channel, thereby noticeably reducing the amount of noise vibration harshness.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus of this invention reads raster-scanning type binary image data, and causes an outline extraction unit to extract outline vectors of an image. When a white raster detection unit detects that one raster data consists of all white pixels, it supplies the detection result to the outline extraction unit. Upon reception of this detection result, the outline extraction unit outputs the outline vectors extracted so far as a group of data to an outline smoothing & enlarging/compressing unit as a processing unit for executing outline smoothing processing or enlarging/compressing processing. In this manner, since this invention processes an image as a group of data divided in units of white rasters, advantages such as a decrease in required memory capacity can be expected.

Abstract: One object of the present invention is to cut out areas of different natures from an image hierarchically. For encoding, an area identifier identifies areas of an input image. A multivalued area is encoded in a multivalued encoding mode. As for a bicolor area, typical-color values are computed and then encoded in a binary encoding mode. For decoding, multivalued coded data is decoded in a multivalued decoding mode. As for binary-coded data, values of pixels of a binary image resulting from binary decoding are transformed into multivalued data using associated typical-color values. The multivalued data is structured according to structural information, wherein areas of the data may be superposed mutually. Thus, an image is reconstructed.

Abstract: In an image processing apparatus, a memory stores encoded image data, and command data is interpreted and converted into image data. The encoded image data stored in the memory is decoded and synthesized with the converted image data. The resulting synthesized image data is then encoded.

Abstract: An image processor accurately executes area separation using small block size image data. The image processor includes a wavelet transforming circuit which converts input image data into a plurality of band-limited image data, and an edge detecting circuit detects edge information in the image data based upon the band-limited image data. A character-area detecting circuit detects character areas in the image data from the distribution of the edge information, and an expansion/contraction circuit unifies the character areas based upon the detected character-area information.

Abstract: There are provided an image processing apparatus and method, which are excellent in speed, quality, and memory amount by appropriately switching a portion to be subjected to extraction of outline vector data and a portion not to be subjected to such extraction on the basis of an input binary image.For example, whether an input binary image is a character/line image region or a pseudo halftone image region is roughly discriminated in units of predetermined amounts. Only image data determined as character/line image regions is extracted, and outline vector data are extracted from the extracted image data. The extracted outline vector data are stored in a memory.

Abstract: In an image processing method, contours of an image are represented in the form of vector coordinates, and calculation processing is performed based on the vector coordinate representation. In the method, noise present within the original image from which the vector coordinates are extracted is removed in the form of vector data.

Abstract: A digital color image to be processed is inputted at a color image input step, image segments are extracted from the input color image at an image-segment extraction step, and data of the extracted image segments is created. Next, image-segment components in each extracted image segment are discriminated at an image-segment discrimination step, and each extracted image segment is subjected to zoom processing, which conforms to the discriminated image-segment component, at an adaptive zoom step, thereby creating a zoomed image of the input image. The zoomed image that has been created is displayed, outputted as a hard copy or delivered to a transmission line at a color image output step. Accordingly, a color image in which image segments having different characteristics are mixed is efficiently processed.

Abstract: In variably magnifying and outputting an image, proper variable magnification processing is performed with respect to a character/line draw component and a pseudo-halftone component, respectively. A binary image acquired by a binary image acquiring unit is supplied to an image area separating unit, in which the binary image is separated into a character/line draw area and a pseudo-halftone area. An image in the character/line draw area is supplied to an outline variable magnification unit, which performs extraction of outline vector data, smoothing processing thereof, and reproduction processing of a binary image. An image in the pseudo-halftone area is supplied to a pseudo-halftone image variable magnification unit, in which the image is subjected to multivalue conversion processing in units of pixels, variable magnification processing by thinning or interpolation of pixels, and binarization again.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus is provided, including division means for dividing input image data into a plurality of areas. Enlargement/reduction means are provided for enlarging/reducing image data. First calculation means calculate a first image size as a sum of results from enlargement/reduction at first to i-th areas enlarged/reduced by the enlargement/reduction means at a designated enlargement/reduction ratio. Second calculation means calculate a second image size as a result from the enlargement/reduction at an image comprising the first to i-th areas at the designated enlargement/reduction ratio. Determination means determine an enlargement/reduction ratio of enlargement/reduction to be performed on the image comprising the first to i-th areas, based on the first image size and the second image size.

Abstract: Contour vectors are detected by an outline detecting unit based upon a pixel of interest and pixels adjacent thereto read in a raster scanning sequence. A vector-data creating unit receives the contour vector and input data, calculates the difference between starting-point coordinates of continuous vectors, fits the value of the difference in a data packet whose number of digits conforms to the value of the difference and stores the data packet. The data packet is additionally provided with a code representing the length of the packet. An outline smoothing/zooming unit returns the stored difference value to ordinary coordinate expression and performs smoothing or zooming processing. A binary-image reproducing unit converts the contour vector into raster representation, and the resulting data is outputted. The acquisition unit and the extraction unit or creating unit eliminate unnecessary vectors and perform smoothing by an outline (vector sensing/elimination) smoothing and zooming unit.

Abstract: An outline extraction method and apparatus which extracts a line of interest from image data in order of raster scanning and detects outline vectors of the pixels in the line of interest. The detected outline vectors are sequentially stored in a memory, a state of connection between the stored outline vectors and the other outline vectors in the line of interest is determined, and the outline of the image data is extracted based on the state. Accordingly, coordinates of an intersecting point of the outline of the image data with the coordinate axis of the outline vector is obtained and the image data is coded by generating coded data indicating a white run length and black run length for every line from the coordinates of the intersecting point.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device comprising an IC chip (8) mounted on a circuit substrate (7) and sealed with a molding resin (11), corner resist films (6a, 6b, 6c, 6d) are formed at positions corresponding to a corner A of the IC chip (8) on the circuit substrate (7), and the corner A of the IC chip (8) is bonded to these corner resist films by using a die bond (9). A die pattern (3a) is exposed outside the corner resist films, and a power supply pattern (3b) is so formed to encompass their periphery. The power supply terminal, the die pattern (3a) and the power supply pattern (3b) are connected to the IC chip (8) of the corners of the IC chip is improved and peel is prevented. Furthermore, bonding of a large number of bonding wires for supplying power can be freely made.

Abstract: In a memory-to-memory data transfer apparatus, each of a plurality of memories connected to a memory bus is sequentially selected, and data which occupy predetermined positions in the data read from the selected memory are combined into a set of data. The set of data is sequentially written while addresses in the remaining memory is being updated. Alternatively, a plurality of sets of data are sequentially read out while addresses in a memory are being updated, and data which occupy predetermined positions in the read data are combined into a set of data. The set of data is written while the remaining memories are being sequentially selected. The apparatus may have a plurality of memories connected to a data bus and address generators for generating unique addresses for each of the memories in accordance with a predetermined synchronizing signal.

Abstract: An image processing system, particularly for a color image, capable of various and precise image processings. For this purpose there are provided a memory for ordinary image processing, additional memories for expanding the memory capacity, and a system bus, an address bus and a high-speed transfer bus connecting these memories for enabling mutual data transfer and integrated use of said memories.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus comprises an input unit for inputting image data, an extracting unit for extracting outline data on the basis of the inputted image data, a deriving unit for performing size change, rotation, and movement processes to the extracted outline data and for deriving outline data corresponding to an image to be outputted, a forming unit for forming image data on the basis of the derived outline data, and an output unit for outputting the formed image.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus is composed of an image memory comprising a plurality of memory elements, and a processor unit comprising a plurality of processor elements. By suitably engineering the arrangement of the image memory of memory elements, the arrangement of the processor unit of processor elements and the connections among the memory elements and processor elements, it is possible to realize, through a simple construction, high-speed image processing such as image density conversion, image color conversion, image masking, image spatial filtering, image enlargement, image reduction, image rotation, image compression, image extension and image color correction. Also provided are an image processing apparatus for a color image, composed of a plurality of image memories and a plurality of processor elements, and a generalized, multifunctional data parallel processing apparatus capable of processing a large volume of data at high speed.

Abstract: An image processor includes an image memory which stores compressed and coded image data representing an image, the compressed and coded image data includes first data representing the image with a low resolution and second data representing the image with a high resolution. A generating unit generates image data of the low resolution and image data of the high resolution, by decoding the compressed and coded image data stored in the image memory. Area data is provided representing a partial area of the image, the area data including first area data representing the partial area with the low resolution and second area data representing the partial area with the high resolution. A first processor processes the image data of the low resolution generated by the generating unit in accordance with the provided first area data of the low resolution.