IMAGE PROCESSOR

Abstract: The image processor has a look-up table (LUTW) which comprises two reference tables (TBLO, TBL,) and an arithmetic unit. The two reference tables store two different operators (Gij,Fij) for each pixel (Xij), corresponding to its position (i,j) given by the address data (A0-A4). A window-effect selection of table is made by inputting window data (Wij) or its inverse to the chip select terminals (CS) of the tables. Therefore, the first table is selected and the first operation is given for Wij=0, whilst the second table is selected and the second opration is given for Wij=1.

Description: This invention relates to a picture processing apparatus for performing predetermined operations on items of pixel data for such purposes as extracting the characteristics of a picture. It is known to make use of a look-up table (LUT), after a picture picked up by a camera or the like is digitized, in order to subject the digitized pixel data to such operations as binary coding, density conversion or picture reversal. If a look-up table LUT is used for e.g. binary coding processing, as shown in Fig. 5, 5 x 5 items of pixel data x ij which exist prior to processing are binary coded by the look-up table LUT to be converted into 5 x 5 items of binary coded pixel data f(x ij ). In the example shown in Fig. 5, the arrangement is such that a threshold value is set to "2", with data of a value less than "2" being converted to "0" and data of a value greater than "2" being converted to "1". Fig. 6(a) illustrates the construction of a look-up table for processing 5 x 5 items of pixel data. In Fig. 6(a), the look-up table LUT is composed of a table TBL₀ in which operators to be applied to the pixel data are stored upon being correlated with the individual items of pixel data x ij , and an arithmetic section 20 for applying operators f ij outputted from the table TBL₀ to the corresponding items of pixel data x ij . By way of example, five address lines A₀₀ - A₀₄ are connected to the input of the table TBL₀, whereby a maximum of 32 table address spaces can be accessed. Fig. 6(b) illustrates an example of the configuration of the memory within the look-up table LUT. Each address of the table TBL₀ corresponds to a location of an item of the 5 x 5 pixel data x ij , as will be understood from the memory configuration. More specifically, an item of pixel data x₀₀ shown in Fig. 5 corresponds to an address ADDR₀₀, and an item of pixel data x₄₄ corresponds to an address ADDR₂₄. An operator f₀₀ to be applied to the pixel data x₀₀ is stored at the location of address ADDR₀₀ of the table TBL₀, an operator f₀₁ to be applied to the pixel data x₀₁ is stored at the location of address ADDR₀₁, and an operator f₄₄ to be applied to the pixel data x₄₄ is stored at the location of address ADDR₂₄. The table TBL₀ comprises a RAM. Accordingly, the operators f ij for application to the individual items of pixel data x ij are stored in a form capable of being altered. In Fig. 6(a), a chip select terminal cs of the table TBL₀ or RAM is held at zero potential, so that the table TBL₀ is being selected at all times. Data lines D₀ - D₇ for the pixel data x ij and the output of the table TBL₀ are applied to the arithmetic section 20. The data lines constitute eight bits and are capable of expressing data indicative of 256 levels of tones. The arithmetic section 20 applies the operators f ij from the table TBL₀ to the pixel data x ij , whereby results f ij (x ij ) are obtained. With respect to the pixel data x₀₁, for example, the address ADDR₀₁ is addressed, the operator f₀₁ is outputted from the table TBL₀, and the operator f₀₁ is applied to the pixel data x₀₁ in the arithmetic section 20. When such pixel data processing is performed, there are cases where it is desired to apply window processing, i.e. mask processing, to specific pixel data. Fig. 7 illustrates a conventional picture processing apparatus which executes window processing at the same time as pixel data processing. Window processing refers to processing in which the processing of pixel data x ij is masked and changed over by a window data value. This is performed by providing window data W ij correlated with the number of items of pixel data x ij ; when an item of window data W ij is "0", certain processing is applied to the item of pixel data x ij corresponding thereto (e.g. no processing whatsoever may be applied), and when the item of window data W ij is "1", processing different from that mentioned above is applied to the item of pixel data x ij corresponding thereto. The picture processing apparatus mentioned above is provided with look-up tables LUT₁, LUT₂ that differ from each other, executes separate processing operations with regard to all of the pixel data x ij , inputs the results of processing G ij (x ij ), F ij (x ij ) to a window processing circuit 21, outputs G ij (x ij ) as P ij (x ij ) when the corresponding window data W ij is "0", and outputs F ij (x ij ) as P ij (x ij ) when the corresponding window data W ij is "1". In the example of Fig. 7, non-conversion operators G ij are stored in LUT₁, and the outputs G ij (x ij ) of LUT₁ are taken as x ij . More specifically, as for the output P ij (x ij ) of window processing circuit 21, the pixel data which prevailed prior to processing are outputted as is at addresses where the window data is "0", and pixel data which have been subjected to binary coding processing by LUT2 are outputted at addresses where the window data is "1". In this conventional apparatus, hard-wired logic shown in Fig. 8 is used as the window processing circuit 21. With this hard-wired logic, the outputs G ij (x ij ), F ij (x ij ) of the look-up tables LUT₁, LUT₂ are applied to one input terminal of AND circuits 30, 31, respectively, a signal obtained by inverting the window data W ij by means of an inverter 32 is applied to the other input terminal of the AND circuit 30, and the window data W ij is applied as is to the other input terminal of the AND circuit 31. Accordingly, the outputs G ij (x ij ) and F ij (x ij ) are gated by the window data W ij . The outputs of the AND circuits 30, 31 are applied to an OR circuit 33 to obtain the window-processed output P ij (x ij ). However, this hard-wired logic is required to be provided for each of the pixels of pixel data to be processed. In the example of Fig. 7, the hard-wired logic is required to be provided for each of 25 pixels. The logic therefore occupies a considerably large surface area of a printed circuit board and entails high cost. Furthermore, considerable time is needed for design, and design modification cannot be easily carried out. The present invention has been devised to solve the foregoing problems and its object is to provide a picture processing apparatus which reduces hardware costs, enables the processing applied to data to be set very simply and has tables the design whereof can be readily modified. In accordance with the present invention as claimed, there is provided a picture processing apparatus characterized by comprising a plurality of table memories in which operators are stored, address input lines for inputting address data, which correspond to addresses of pixel data, to each of the table memories, window data lines for selecting the table memories by window data for the pixel data, and processing means for subjecting pixel data to predetermined processing by an operator from a designated address of a selected table memory, whereby pixel data constituting a picture maybe subjected to predetermined processing. Brief Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a picture processing apparatus according to the present invention, Figs. 2 and 3 are block diagrams illustrating examples of look-up tables in the same embodiment, Fig. 4 is an explanatory view illustrating look-up table processing according to the invention, Fig. 5 is an explanatory view of look-up table processing, Figs. 6(a), (b) are block diagrams of a conventional look-up table, Fig. 7 is an explanatory view illustrating conventional look-up table processing, and Fig. 8 is a view showing the construction of a conventional window processing circuit. An embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a picture processing apparatus. Connected to a processor 1 by a bus line are a ROM 2 storing a program for controlling the processor, a RAM 3 for storing the results of processing, which is performed by the processor, or window data, an A/D converter 5 for converting analog picture data picked up by a camera 4 into digital picture data and for outputting the converted data, and a frame memory 7 for storing picture data displayed on a CRT display 6. A look-up table LUTW similarly connected to the processor 1 is used in order to perform preprocessing of a picture before convolution processing is executed and is composed of operators for e.g. a binary coding operation, noise removal, density conversion and the like. The results of processing using the look-up table LUTW are applied to a convolution arithmetic unit 8, and the results of processing performed by the latter are temporarily stored in a buffer RAM 9. The results of convolution processing from the buffer RAM 9 are stored in the frame memory 7 via the bus of the processor 1 and are displayed on the CRT display 6. Fig. 2 is a block diagram illustrating one example of the construction of the abovementioned look-up table LUTW. The look-up table LUTW is equipped with two tables, ie table memories, TBL₀, TBL₁ storing operators for performing operations that differ from each other on one item of pixel data, and an arithmetic unit 10 which uses operators G ij , F ij of these tables TBL₀, TBL₁ to operate on every item of pixel data x ij . The pixel data x ij are inputted by data lines D₀ - D₇. The addresses of the tables TBL₀, TBL₁ correspond to the address locations of 5 x 5 items of pixel data x ij and are designated from address lines A₀ - A₄. That is, a pixel x₀₀ corresponds to an address ADDR₀₀, a pixel x₀₁ corresponds to an address ADDR₀₁, and a pixel x₄₄ corresponds to an address ADDR₂₄. With this number of 5 x 5 pixels, the five address lines A₀ - A₄ are adequate. However, in case of 256 x 254 pixels, for example, 16 address lines will be required. Fig. 3 illustrates an example of the array of operators in the tables TBL₀, TBL₁. Operators G₀₀, F₀₀ to be applied to pixel data x₀₀ are stored at the locations of addresses ADDR₀₀, operators G₀₁, F₀₁ to be applied to pixel data x₀₁ are stored at the locations of addresses ADDR₀₁ of the tables TBL₀, TBL₁, and operators G₄₄, F₄₄ to be applied to pixel data x₄₄ are stored at the locations of addresses ADDR₂₄ of the tables TBL₀, TBL₁. In the example shown in Fig. 2, the tables TBL₀, TBL₁ comprise two separate RAMs. One-bit window data W ij are applied to the chip select terminals cs of these RAMs directly or upon being inverted by an inverter 11. Accordingly, when the item of window data W ij is "0", only the table TBL₀ is selected and the pixel data x ij from the data lines D₀ - D₇ is operated upon in the arithmetic unit 10 by the operator G ij from the table TBL₀. When the item of window data W ij is "1", only the table TBL₁ is selected and the pixel data x ij from the data lines D₀ - D₇ is operated upon in the arithmetic unit 10 by the operator F ij from the table TBL₁. In the foregoing embodiment, the tables TBL₀, TBL₁ are constituted by separate RAMs and the window data W ij is supplied to the chip select terminals cs of the respective RAMs. However, a modification is possible in which the tables TBL₀, TBL₁ are constituted by a single RAM. In such case, the address lines to the RAM would be increased by one and the window data would be inputted by one address line A₅ among the six address lines A₀ - A₅. This would make it possible to access addresses ADDR₀₀ - ADDR₃₁ of the single RAM when the window data W ij is "0" and addresses ADDR₃₂ - ADDR₆₃ when the window data W ij is "1". Accordingly, if the operators G₀₀, G₀₁, ..., G₄₄ are stored at the locations of addresses ADDR₀₀, ADDR₀₁, ..., ADDR₂₄ of the RAM and the operators F₀₀, G F1 , ..., F₄₄ are stored at the locations of addresses ADDR₃₂, ADDR₃₃, ..., ADDR₅₁ of the RAM, then the operators can be selected by switching between the tables TBL₀ and TBL₁. The operation of the picture processing apparatus having the construction shown in Figs. 1 through 3 will now be described. Assume that the pixel data x ij to be processed have been stored in the frame memory 7. In accordance with the control program stored in the ROM 2, the processor 1 successively fetches the pixel data x ij from the frame memory 7 and inputs the data to the look-up table LUTW. On the other hand, the window data W ij for window processing are stored in the RAM 3. The processor 1 sends the window data W ij from the RAM 3 to the look-up table LUTW upon correlating the data with the pixel data x ij in frame memory 7. Fig. 4 illustrates an example of the form of processing actually performed by the look-up table LUTW. With regard to pixel data x ij , for example, the look-up table LUTW in which the predetermined operators are arrayed delivers an output without conversion, namely without executing any processing whatsoever, when the window data W ij is "0". When the window data W ij is "1", the look-up table LUTW delivers an output upon performing binary coding processing, the threshold value being "2". Since the window data W ij is supplied to the look-up table LUTW from the input side thereof in accordance with the invention, the hard-wired logic for window processing required in the conventional apparatus is unnecesary. The results outputted by the look-up table LUTW are again stored in the frame memory 7. Next, the processor 1 shifts control from the look-up table LUTW to the convolution arithmetic unit 8. The convolution arithmetic unit 8 fetches the pixel data preprocessed and window processed by the look-up table LUTW from the frame memory 7 and performs a convolution operation on these data. The results of convolution processing are accumulated in the buffer RAM 9. When all convolutions end, the results are again stored in the frame memory 7. Thus, a picture resulting from the preprocessing and window processing performed by the look-up table LUT and the convolution processing performed by the convolution arithmetic unit is displayed on the CRT display 6. Though an embodiment of the present invention has been described, the invention is not limited thereto but can be modified in various ways within the gist of the invention without departing from the scope of the claims thereof. In accordance with the picture processing apparatus of the present invention, the window data are inputted to the input side of the look-up table. In order to perform window processing, therefore, it is no longer required to provide hard-wired logic on the output side of the reference table. This makes it possible to lower the cost of the apparatus. Furthermore, when the processing circuit is designed and modified, the contents of the RAMs can be prepared in advance or altered. As a result, the time required for designing the apparatus can be shortened and both design and modification are greatly facilitated.

Claims: A picture processing apparatus for performing predetermined operations on pixel data constituting a picture, characterised by: a plurality of table memories (TBL₀, TBL₁) in which operators are stored; address input lines for inputting address data, which correspond to addresses of pixel data, to each of said table memories; window data lines for selecting said table memories by window data for said pixel data; and processing means (10) for subjecting pixel data to predetermined processing by an operator from a designated address of a selected table memory. A picture processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said table memories are constituted by a RAM. A picture processing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said table memories are constructed on different RAM chips, and a table memory is selected by a chip select signal. A picture processing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said table memories are constructed on the same RAM and a table memory is selected by window data supplied by address lines of said RAM. A picture processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said window data are stored in a RAM. A picture processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that preprocessing for a convolution operation is executed by the operators stored in said table memories.

Inventors: KURAKAKE MITSUO, MURAOKA YUTAKA, OTSUKA SHOICHI, KURAKAKE, MITSUO, MURAOKA, YUTAKA, OTSUKA, SHOICHI
Applicants: FANUC LTD, FANUC LTD.
Application year: 1987
Main classification: G06F15
IPC codes: G06T5, G06T1