Patent ID: 8116589

Claim:
An image processing apparatus for using image data, which is obtained by picking up an image while gradually moving an image pickup area of an image pickup device, as partial image data and for generating composite image data by synthesizing the partial image data, the image processing apparatus comprising: a partial image memory unit for reading the partial image data from the image pickup device and sequentially storing the partial image data; and an image composition unit for generating the composite image data by synthesizing the partial image data obtained from the partial image memory unit, wherein the partial image memory unit does not store the partial image data when a composition incomplete signal is present, and stores the partial image data when the composition incomplete signal is absent; the partial image memory unit generates a storage completion signal upon completion of the storage of the partial image data; the image composition unit generates the composition incomplete signal when the composite image data is being generated, under existence of the storage completion signal; and the image composition unit reads at least one of the partial image data from the partial image memory unit and starts the generation of the composite image data using the at least one of the partial image data if the composite image data is not being generated, under the existence of the storage completion signal.