IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD

Abstract

The present invention provides an image processing apparatus including: a production section configured to determine polygon groups each composed of a predetermined number of polygons juxtaposed in a first direction successively as an object block, which is an object of a production process, in an order in which the polygon groups are juxtaposed in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction and produce apex data of the polygons which compose the object block in a unit of a polygon; and a determination section configured to store image data corresponding to those polygons which are positioned in a boundary portion of an immediately preceding block, which is a preceding object block to the object block, with respect to the object block from among those polygons which compose the immediately preceding block into a storage section for storing the pixel data in a unit of a data block to determine the number of the polygons which compose the polygon groups and are juxtaposed in the first direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A and 1B are schematic views showing an example of a mesh in the form of a square lattice;

FIGS. 2A and 2B are schematic views showing an example of a mesh in the form of concentric circles;

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are schematic views illustrating different examples of a conventional order of production of apex data;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of an image processing system to which the present invention is applied;

FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating an image transform process;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing an example of a detailed configuration of an external memory and an address production process shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a flow chart illustrating an address production process;

FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 are schematic views illustrating different orders of production of apex data by the image processing system;

FIG. 13 is a flow chart illustrating an outputting process by the image processing system;

FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of an image processing apparatus; and

FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a recording and reproduction apparatus.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus, comprising: a production section configured to determine polygon groups each composed of a predetermined number of polygons juxtaposed in a first direction successively as an object block, which is an object of a production process, in an order in which the polygon groups are juxtaposed in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction and produce apex data of the polygons which compose the object block in a unit of a polygon; anda determination section configured to store image data corresponding to those polygons which are positioned in a boundary portion of an immediately preceding block, which is a preceding object block to the object block, with respect to the object block from among those polygons which compose the immediately preceding block into a storage section for storing the pixel data in a unit of a data block to determine the number of the polygons which compose the polygon groups and are juxtaposed in the first direction.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said determination section determines the number of the polygons, which compose the polygon groups and are juxtaposed in the first direction, based on the number of pixel data which compose the data block.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said determination section determines the number of the polygons, which compose the polygon groups and are juxtaposed in the first direction, based on the number of data blocks to be stored into said storage section.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said determination section determines the number of the polygons, which compose the polygon groups and are juxtaposed in the first direction, based on the length of the polygons.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an apex data conversion section configured to perform a conversion process for the apex data produced by said production section such that the polygons defined by apexes corresponding to the apex data may be expanded or reduced; anda pixel data conversion section configured to perform a conversion process for converting the apex data converted by said apex data conversion section into the pixel data.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said determination section determines the number of the polygons, which compose the polygon groups and are juxtaposed in the first direction, based on the number of pixel data which compose the data block.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said determination section determines the number of the polygons, which compose the polygon groups and are juxtaposed in the first direction, based on the number of data blocks to be stored into said storage section.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said determination section determines the number of the polygons, which compose the polygon groups and are juxtaposed in the first direction, based on the length of the polygons.

9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pixel data include z data of the pixels, and said image processing apparatus further comprising: a transform processing section configured to compare the z data included in the pixel data converted by said pixel data conversion section with the z data included in the pixel data, which are stored in said storage section, of the pixels corresponding to the pixel data to perform a transform process of transforming an image composed of the pixels.

10. An image processing method, comprising the steps of: determining polygon groups each composed of a predetermined number of polygons juxtaposed in a first direction successively as an object block, which is an object of a production process, in an order in which the polygon groups are juxtaposed in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction and producing apex data of the polygons which compose the object block in a unit of a polygon; andstoring image data corresponding to those polygons which are positioned in a boundary portion of an immediately preceding block, which is a preceding object block to the object block, with respect to the object block from among those polygons which compose the immediately preceding block into a storage section for storing the pixel data in a unit of a data block to determine the number of the polygons which compose the polygon groups and are juxtaposed in the first direction.