Patent Publication Number: US-2007104464-A1

Title: Image forming apparatus and method

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION  
      This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2005-0105475, filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Nov. 4, 2005, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, such as a printer. More particularly, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and method in which moving image data is decoded, a predetermined frame of the decoded moving image data is chosen and processed in response to user input while the decoded moving image data is reproduced, and an image is formed based on the processed frame.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      Recently, image forming apparatuses such as printers or multifunctional peripheral (MFP) devices having a print function have been developed to display moving image data.  
      In order for an image forming apparatus to display moving image data or to print a still image of the moving image data, the moving image data must be provided to the image forming apparatus after being completely decoded outside the image forming apparatus.  
      Conventional image forming apparatuses cannot decode moving image data and, therefore, cannot display moving image data unless the moving image data is already decoded. In addition, while reproducing moving image data, conventional image forming apparatuses cannot arrange one or more individual still images of the moving image data in such a manner that motion is visualized, and cannot print the still images on a single print medium.  
      Accordingly, a need exists for a system and method to decode compressed moving image data and selectively display a moving image corresponding to the decoded moving image data.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Embodiments of the present invention substantially solve the above and other problems, and provide an image forming apparatus which decodes moving image data, chooses and processes a predetermined frame of the decoded moving image data in response to user input while reproducing the decoded moving image data, and forms an image corresponding to the processed frame.  
      Embodiments of the present invention also provide an image forming apparatus which chooses one or more frames of moving image data in response to user input, processes the chosen frames so that the chosen frames can be displayed together on a single screen or on different screens, and forms an image based on the processed frames.  
      Embodiments of the present invention also provide an image forming method in which moving image data is decoded, a predetermined frame of the decoded moving image data is chosen and processed in response to user input while the decoded moving image data is reproduced, and an image is formed based on the processed frame.  
      Embodiments of the present invention also provide an image forming method in which one or more frames of moving image data are chosen in response to user input and then processed so that they can be displayed together on a single screen or on different screens, and an image is formed based on the processed frames.  
      Embodiments of the present invention also provide a computer-readable medium storing a computer program for executing an image forming method in which moving image data is decoded, a predetermined frame of the decoded moving image data is chosen and processed in response to user input while the decoded moving image data is reproduced, and an image is formed based on the processed frame.  
      According to an aspect of embodiments of the present invention, an image forming apparatus is provided comprising a decoding unit which decodes compressed moving image data, and a moving image reproduction unit which reproduces the decoded moving image data.  
      According to another aspect of embodiments of the present invention, an image forming apparatus is provided comprising an image processing unit which chooses one or more predetermined frames from moving image data in response to predetermined manipulation results and processes the chosen frames, and an image forming unit which forms one or more images based on the processed frames. The image processing unit processes the chosen frames so that the chosen frames can be displayed together on a single screen without overlapping the chosen frames, displayed integrated into a single image containing all the chosen frames, or displayed to constitute a plurality of images.  
      According to another aspect of embodiments of the present invention, an image forming method performed in an image forming apparatus is provided comprising decoding compressed moving image data, reproducing the decoded moving image data, choosing one or more predetermined frames from the decoded moving image data, and forming one or more images based on the chosen frames.  
      According to another aspect of embodiments of the present invention, an image forming method performed in an image forming apparatus is provided comprising choosing one or more predetermined frames from moving image data and processing the chosen frames and forming one or more images based on the processed frames. The processing comprises processing the chosen frames so that the chosen frames can be displayed together on a single screen without overlapping the chosen frames, displayed integrated into a single image containing all the chosen frames, or displayed to constitute a plurality of images.  
      According to another aspect of embodiments of the present invention, a computer-readable medium is provided storing a computer program for executing an image forming method performed in an image forming apparatus, the image forming method comprising decoding compressed moving image data, reproducing the decoded moving image data, choosing one or more predetermined frames from the decoded moving image data, and forming one or more images based on the chosen frames.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The above and other features and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings, in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIGS. 2A through 2C  are diagrams for illustrating an image forming method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIGS. 3A and 3B  are diagrams for illustrating an image forming method according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIGS. 4A and 4B  are flowcharts for illustrating an image forming method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and  
       FIGS. 5A and 5B  are flowcharts for illustrating an image forming method according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
      Throughout the drawings, like reference numerals will be understood to refer to like parts, components and structures.  
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS  
      The present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. Terms used in this disclosure have been defined in consideration of their functions in this disclosure and may have different meanings depending on a user&#39;s intent or understanding. Therefore, the terms are defined based on the invention claimed in this disclosure.  
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the image forming apparatus comprises a reading unit  110 , a decoding unit  112 , a moving image reproduction unit  113 , a display unit  114 , a user manipulation unit  116 , an image processing unit  118 , an image forming unit  120 , and a storage unit  122 .  
      The reading unit  110 , the decoding unit  112 , the moving image reproduction unit  113 , the display unit  114 , the user manipulation unit  116 , the image forming unit  120 , and the storage unit  122  can be installed in the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus can be a multifunctional peripheral device having a print function or a printer.  
      The reading unit  110  reads moving image data IN 1  from a predetermined storage medium. The predetermined storage medium can be a memory card that can be connected to the image forming apparatus, a hard disc drive included in a host connected to the image forming apparatus, a memory included in a photographing device, such as a digital camera or a camcorder, and so forth. The moving image data IN 1  can be compressed, but is not limited thereto.  
      The decoding unit  112  decodes the moving image data IN 1 , and the display unit  114  displays a moving image OUT 1  corresponding to the decoded moving image data.  
      In order to reproduce the moving image data IN 1 , the image forming apparatus can include the moving image reproduction unit  113 . The moving image reproduction unit  113  reproduces the decoded moving image data provided by the decoding unit  112 , and the display unit  114  displays a moving image corresponding to the result of the reproduction operation, i.e., the moving image OUT 1 .  
      The display unit  114  can display the moving image OUT 1  on the screen of a display panel included in the image forming apparatus. A user can then watch the moving image OUT 1  on the screen of the display panel.  
      The user may wish to capture one or more still images (i.e., one or more frames) from the decoded moving image data while watching the moving image OUT 1 .  
      To do so, the user can issue a command to capture one or more frames from the decoded moving image data by manipulating keys provided on the user manipulation unit  116 . The user manipulation unit  116  provides a medium that can be manipulated by the user and transmits a command issued when the user manipulates the medium, to the image processing unit  118 .  
      The manipulation of the medium by the user can include various types of user manipulations for driving the image processing unit  118  or the image forming unit  120  in a certain manner desired by the user.  
      Examples of the manipulation of the medium by the user include key manipulation, physical touch-based manipulation, and so forth. For key manipulation, the user manipulation unit  116  can include a key as the medium and transmit a command, issued when the user presses the key, to the image processing unit  118  and/or to the image forming unit  120 . For physical touch-based manipulation, the user manipulation unit  116  can include a touch screen as the medium and transmit a command, issued when the user touches the touch screen, to the image processing unit  118  and/or the image forming unit  120 .  
      For convenience of explanation, it will now be assumed that the user manipulation unit  116  provides a key or keys so that the user can issue various commands to the image processing unit  118  and/or to the image forming unit  120  by pressing the key.  
      The user manipulation unit  116  can be included in the image forming apparatus. Alternatively, the user manipulation unit  116  can be included in a photographing device connected to the image forming apparatus or in a host connected to the image forming apparatus.  
      By pressing the key provided on the user manipulation unit  116 , the user can issue a command to capture one or more frames from the decoded moving image data to the image processing unit  118 , issue a command to display the captured frames together to the display unit  114 , or issue a command to choose one or more of the captured frames to the image processing unit  118 . The image processing unit  118  can then capture one or more frames from the decoded moving image data or choose one of the captured frames in response to a command issued by the user pressing the key provided on the user manipulation unit  116 .  
      That is, the user manipulation unit  116  can issue a command to choose one or more of the captured frames in response to user input.  
      In addition, the user can issue a command to process the chosen frames by pressing the key provided on the user manipulation unit  116 . For example, the user can issue a command to display the chosen frames together on a single screen or display the chosen frames on separate screens.  
      The image processing unit  118  chooses one or more of the captured frames and processes the chosen frames in response to user input generated by manipulating the key provided on the user manipulation unit  116 . That is, the image processing unit  118  receives the user input from the user manipulation unit  116 . Thereafter, the image processing unit  118  chooses one or more of the captured frames and processes the chosen frames according to the user input.  
      The frames that are captured, chosen, and/or processed by the image processing unit  118  can be displayed by the display unit  114  included in the image forming apparatus or displayed by a display device, such as a computer monitor or a TV, connected to the image forming apparatus.  
      The image forming unit  120  forms an image OUT 2  based on the frames processed by the image processing unit  118 . The image forming unit  120  may print the image OUT 2  on a print medium.  
      The image forming apparatus can print the processed frame for every displayed image. For example, if the image processing unit  118  processes a plurality of frames such that they constitute a single image, the image includes the processed frames displayed together without overlapping the processed frames.  
      The processed frames can be stored in the image forming apparatus. For this, the image forming apparatus includes the storage unit  122 . That is, the storage unit  122  stores the processed frames.  
       FIGS. 4A and 4B  are flowcharts for illustrating an image forming method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIGS. 4A and 4B , the image forming method involves choosing one or more frames of a decoded moving image, processing the chosen frames, and forming an image based on the processed frames in operations  410  through  458 . The image forming method according to embodiments of the present embodiment will now be described in greater detail with reference to  FIGS. 2A through 2C .  
      Referring to  FIGS. 1, 2A  through  2 C,  4 A, and  4 B, in operation  410 , the reading unit  110  reads moving image data from a predetermined storage medium. In operation  412 , the decoding unit  112  decodes the moving image data.  
      In operation  414 , the display unit  114  displays a moving image  230  corresponding to the decoded moving image data. In operation  416 , the user manipulation unit  116  determines whether a capture command has been issued by a user through key manipulation.  
      In operation  418 , if it is determined in operation  416  that a capture command has been issued by the user, the display unit  114  displays a message  240  stating, for example, “number of frames to be captured”, on a display panel  210 , and the user determines a frame quantity to be captured by preferably manipulating keys  220  provided on the user manipulation unit  116 . Keys  220  can comprise, for example, a Zoom (+), Zoom (−), Left, Right, Up, Down, Capture, Print, and Cancel keys, but is not limited thereto. In operation  420 , the user manipulation unit  116  determines whether the user wishes to capture only one frame or more than one frame from the decoded moving image data.  
      In operation  422 , if it is determined in operation  420  that the user wishes to capture more than one frame from the decoded moving image data, the display unit  114  displays a message stating, “frame capture interval?” on the display panel  210 , and the user then sets the frame interval to capture a frame from the moving image  230 .  
      In operation  424 , the image processing unit  118  captures a number of frames from the decoded moving image data corresponding to the frame quantity determined in operation  418  at the frame capturing interval set in operation  422 .  
      In operation  426 , the display unit  114  displays the captured frames. The display unit  114  can display a plurality of captured frames  250 - 1  through  250 - 9  separately, as illustrated in  FIG. 2B . Thereafter, the display unit  114  allows the user to choose one or more of the displayed frames using the keys  220  of the user manipulation unit  116 . Then, in operation  428 , the user can issue a command to choose the captured frames, for example,  250 - 2 ,  250 - 6 ,  250 - 7 , and  250 - 9 , and the image processing unit  118  chooses the captured frames  250 - 2 ,  250 - 6 ,  250 - 7 , and  250 - 9  in response to the command as illustrated in  FIG. 2C .  
      In operation  430 , the user manipulation unit  116  determines whether an N-up display command for displaying N frames together on a single screen has been issued by the user through key manipulation.  
      In operation  432 , if it is determined in operation  430  that an N-up display command has been issued by the user, the image processing unit  118  processes the captured frames  250 - 2 ,  250 - 6 ,  250 - 7 , and  250 - 9  so that they can constitute a single image, and the user manipulation unit  116  determines whether a print command has been issued by the user through key manipulation. In operation  434 , if it is determined in operation  432  that no print command has been issued by the user, the user manipulation unit  116  determines whether a display command has been issued by the user.  
      In operation  436 , if it is determined in operation  434  that a display command has been issued by the user, the display unit  114  displays the processed result obtained in operation  432 , i.e., an image in which captured frames  250 - 2 ,  250 - 6 ,  250 - 7 , and  250 - 9  are displayed, on the display panel  210 , as illustrated in  FIG. 2C .  
      In operation  438 , if it is determined in operation  434  that no display command has been issued by the user, the storage unit  122  stores the image including the captured frames  250 - 2 ,  250 - 6 ,  250 - 7 , and  250 - 9 .  
      In operation  440 , if it is determined in operation  432  that a print command has been issued by the user, the image forming unit  120  prints on a print medium the image including the captured frames  250 - 2 ,  250 - 6 ,  250 - 7 , and  250 - 9 .  
      In operation  442 , if it is determined in operation  430  that no N-up display command has been issued by the user, the image processing unit  118  processes the captured frames  250 - 2 ,  250 - 6 ,  250 - 7 , and  250 - 9  so that they constitute separate images, and the user manipulation unit  116  determines whether a print command has been issued by the user through key manipulation. In operation  444 , if it is determined in operation  442  that no print command has been issued by the user, the user manipulation unit  116  determines whether a display command has been issued by the user.  
      In operation  446 , if it is determined in operation  444  that no display command has been issued by the user, the storage unit  122  stores the processed frames obtained in operation  442 .  
      In operation  448 , if it is determined in operation  444  that a display command has been issued by the user, the display unit  114  displays the processed frames obtained in operation  442  on the display panel  210 .  
      In operation  450 , if it is determined in operation  442  that a print command has been issued by the user, the image forming unit  120  prints images respectively corresponding to the processed frames obtained in operation  442  on print media.  
      Returning to  FIG. 4A , in operation  452 , if it is determined in operation  420  that the user wishes to capture only one frame from the decoded moving image data, the image processing unit  118  immediately captures a frame from the decoded moving image data, and the user manipulation unit  116  determines whether a print command has been issued by the user through key manipulation. In operation  454 , if it is determined in operation  452  that no print command has been issued by the user, the user manipulation unit  116  determines whether a display command has been issued by the user.  
      In operation  456 , if it is determined in operation  454  that no display command has been issued by the user, the storage unit  122  stores the frame captured by the image processing unit  118  in operation  452 .  
      In operation  458 , if it is determined in operation  454  that a display command has been issued by the user, the display unit  114  displays the frame captured by the image processing unit  118  in operation  452  on the display panel  210 .  
      In operation  460 , if it is determined in operation  452  that a print command has been issued by the user, the image forming unit  120  prints an image corresponding to the frame captured by the image processing unit  118  in operation  452  on a print medium.  
       FIGS. 5A and 5B  are flowcharts for illustrating an image forming method according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIGS. 5A and 5B , the exemplary image forming method involves decoding moving image data, choosing and processing one or more frames of the decoded moving image data, and forming one or more images based on the processed frames in operations  510  through  548 . The image forming method according to embodiments of the present embodiment will now be described in greater detail with reference to  FIGS. 3A and 3B .  
      Referring to  FIGS. 1, 2A ,  3 A,  3 B,  5 A, and  5 B, in operation  510 , the reading unit  110  reads moving image data from a predetermined storage medium. In operation  512 , the decoding unit  112  decodes the moving image data.  
      In operation  514 , the display unit  114  displays a moving image  230  corresponding to the decoded moving image data. In operation  516 , the user manipulation unit  116  determines whether a capture command has been issued by a user through key manipulation.  
      In operation  518 , if it is determined in operation  516  that a capture command has been issued by the user, the user manipulation unit  116  determines whether the capture command issued by the user is a consecutive motion capture command to capture frames from the decoded moving image data at regular intervals. In operation  520 , if it is determined in operation  518  that the capture command issued by the user is a consecutive motion capture command, the user determines whether a consecutive motion capture function is to be performed automatically or manually by manipulating keys  220  provided on the user manipulation unit  116 , and the user manipulation unit  116  determines whether the user would like the consecutive motion capture function to be performed automatically based on the user&#39;s manipulation of the keys  220 .  
      In operation  522 , if it is determined in operation  520  that the user does not wish the consecutive motion capture function to be performed automatically, the display unit  114  notifies the user that the consecutive motion capture function can be performed manually, and the user then preferably determines a frame quantity to be captured, a frame capture interval, a frame to be captured first, and a frame to be captured last.  
      In operation  524 , the image processing unit  118  performs a frame capture operation on the moving image  230  according to the results of the determination operation performed in operation  522 , thereby capturing a number of frames corresponding to the frame quantity determined in operation  522 .  
      In operation  525 , if it is determined in operation  520  that the user would like the consecutive frame capture function to be performed automatically, the image processing unit  118  performs a frame capture operation on the moving image  230  according to predefined settings. The predefined settings can include a frame quantity to be captured, a frame capture interval and information regarding a frame to be captured first and a frame to be captured last.  
      In operation  526 , the image processing unit  118  generates a consecutive frame image containing all information regarding the frames captured in operation  524 .  FIGS. 3A and 3B  are diagrams of examples of the consecutive frame image that can be generated by the image processing unit  118 . Assuming that the k decoded moving image data corresponds to a moving image of a basketball player performing a slam dunk, the image processing unit  118  can capture 3 frames from the moving image data in operation  524  or  525 , and can generate a single frame  310  into which all of the captured frames are combined in operation  526  as indicated in  FIG. 3A . In another example, assuming that the decoded moving image data corresponds to a moving image of a golfer hitting a golf ball, the image processing unit  118  can capture 5 frames from the moving image data in operations  524  or  525 , and can generate a single image  320  into which all of the frames captured in operation  526  are combined as indicated in  FIG. 3B . The frame  310  or  320  that can be generated in operation  526 , like a moving image, indicates motion, and is thus referred to as a consecutive frame image.  
      In operation  528 , the user manipulation unit  116  determines whether a print command has been issued by the user through key manipulation. In operation  530 , if it is determined in operation  528  that no print command has been issued by the user, the user manipulation unit  116  determines whether a display command has been issued by the user.  
      In operation  532 , if it is determined in operation  530  that no display command has been issued by the user, the storage unit  122  stores the consecutive frame image generated by the image processing unit  118 .  
      In operation  534 , if it is determined in operation  530  that a display command has been issued by the user, the display unit  114  displays the consecutive frame image generated by the image processing unit  118  on the display panel  210 .  
      In operation  536 , if it is determined in operation  528  that a print command has been issued by the user, the image forming unit  120  prints the consecutive frame image generated by the image processing unit  118  on a print medium.  
      Returning to  FIG. 5A , in operation  538 , if it is determined in operation  518  that the capture command issued by the user is not a consecutive motion capture command, the image processing unit  118  immediately captures a frame from the decoded moving image data.  
      In operation  540 , the user manipulation unit  116  determines whether a print command has been issued by the user through key manipulation. In operation  542 , if it is determined in operation  540  that no print command has been issued by the user, the user manipulation unit  116  determines whether a display command has been issued by the user.  
      In operation  544 , if it is determined in operation  542  that no display command has been issued by the user, the storage unit  122  stores the frame captured in operation  538 .  
      In operation  546 , if it is determined in operation  542  that a display command has been issued by the user, the display unit  114  displays the frame captured in operation  538  on the display panel  210 .  
      In operation  548 , if it is determined in operation  540  that a print command has been issued by the user, the image forming unit  120  prints the frame captured in operation  538  on a print medium.  
      Embodiments of the present invention can be realized in a number of ways, including computer-readable code written on a computer-readable recording medium. The computer-readable recording medium can be any type of recording device in which data is stored in a computer-readable manner. Examples of the computer-readable recording medium include, but are not limited to, ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disc, optical data storage, and carrier wave (e.g., data transmission through the Internet). The computer-readable recording medium can be distributed over a plurality of computer systems connected to a network so that computer-readable code is written thereto and executed therefrom in a decentralized manner. Further, functional programs, code, and code segments needed for realizing embodiments of the present invention can be easily construed by one of ordinary skill in the art.  
      As described above, the image forming apparatus according to embodiments of the present invention can decode compressed moving image data and display a moving image corresponding to the decoded moving image data. In addition, the image forming apparatus according to embodiments of the present invention can capture one or more frames of the decoded moving image data without the aid of a host connected thereto, thereby maximizing user convenience. Moreover, the image forming apparatus according to embodiments of the present invention can generate an image in which a plurality of frames of the decoded moving image data are displayed so that motion can be visualized without the aid of a host.  
      While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims and their equivalents.