Image processing apparatus for changing the resolution upon rotation of the image

Abstract

An image processing apparatus having a function for rotating image data stored in a memory by 90° while preventing deterioration of image quality. Upon image reading, if the line density in a subscanning direction is lower than the pixel density in a main-scanning direction, the line density is raised close to the pixel density. The reading control is performed in accordance with the possibility of 90° rotation of image in a destination apparatus or a specific size of an original image. This attains efficient use of image memory.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An image processing apparatus which scans an image in a first direction and inputs the scanned image, comprising: 
       specifying means for specifying a resolution of the image to be inputted with respect to a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;  
       input means for inputting the image at a predetermined resolution with respect to the second direction regardless of the resolution specified by said specifying means;  
       rotation means for rotating the image inputted by said input means by a predetermined angle; and  
       conversion means for converting the resolution of the second direction in a resultant image obtained from rotating the image by said rotation means through the predetermined angle, in accordance with the resolution specified by said specifying means,  
       wherein said input means inputs the image which has the length in the first direction corresponding to a short side of a predetermined-sized rectangular image, and  
       the predetermined-sized rectangular image has half a length of a short side of a recording sheet in an image-output side.  
     
     
       2. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said input means inputs the image in one-line units with respect to a predetermined scanning direction. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said specifying means specifies a line density between scanning lines of the image. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined angle is 90°. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said specifying means includes selection means for selecting one of a high resolution and a low resolution, and wherein the predetermined resolution for inputting the image by said input means is the high resolution selected by said selection means even though said selection means has selected the low resolution. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said input means includes memory means for storing the input image, and wherein said rotation means rotates the image stored in said memory means. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein when the image is outputted to a predetermined terminal, said input means inputs the image at the predetermined resolution. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said input means includes registration means for registering the predetermined terminal which receives the image at the predetermined resolution. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said input means inputs an image of a predetermined size at the predetermined resolution. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising transmission means for transmitting the image converted by said conversion means as a facsimile signal. 
     
     
       11. An image processing apparatus comprising: 
       specifying means for specifying a resolution with respect to a direction defined on an image;  
       input means for inputting the image at a predetermined resolution regardless of the resolution specified by said specifying means;  
       rotation means for rotating the image inputted by said input means by a predetermined angle from the direction; and  
       conversion means for converting the resolution in a resultant direction obtained from rotating the image by said rotation means through the predetermined angle, in accordance with the resolution specified by said specifying means,  
       wherein said input means inputs the image in one-line units with respect to a predetermined scanning direction, and  
       wherein said input means inputs the image which has the length in the predetermined scanning direction corresponding to a short side of A5-sized paper.  
     
     
       12. An image processing method, in which an image is scanned in a first direction and the scanned image is inputted, comprising the steps of: 
       specifying a resolution of the image to be inputted with respect to a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;  
       inputting the image at a predetermined resolution with respect to the second direction regardless of the specified resolution;  
       rotating the inputted image by a predetermined angle; and  
       converting the resolution of the second direction in a resultant image obtained from rotating the image by the predetermined angle, in accordance with the specified resolution,  
       wherein said inputting step includes inputting the image which has the length in the first direction corresponding to a short side of a predetermined-sized rectangular image, and  
       the predetermined-sized rectangular image has half a length of a short side of a recording sheet in an image-output side.  
     
     
       13. An image processing method comprising the steps of: 
       identifying image output capability at an image-output side;  
       inputting an image;  
       determining whether or not a rotation shall be performed on the image, in accordance with the identification result;  
       designating one of a high resolution and a low resolution with respect to a first direction; and  
       rotating the inputted image by a predetermined angle in response to a positive determination in said determining step,  
       wherein, in said inputting step, the resolution of the input image is varied in accordance with the determination result, and  
       the image is input in said inputting step at the high resolution in a case where the low resolution is designated in said designating step and it is determined in said determining step that said rotating step shall execute the rotation, while the image is input at the low resolution in a case where it is determined in said determining step that said rotating step is not to be executed.  
     
     
       14. An image processing apparatus comprising: 
       identifying means for identifying image output capability at an image-output side;  
       input means for inputting an image;  
       rotation means for rotating the image inputted by said input means by a predetermined angle;  
       determination means for determining whether or not said rotation means shall execute rotation of the image, in accordance with the identification result; and  
       designation means for designating one of a high resolution and a low resolution with respect to a first direction,  
       wherein said input means varies a resolution of the inputted image in accordance with the determination result, and  
       wherein said input means inputs the image at the high resolution in a case where said designation means designates the low resolution and said determination means determines that said rotation means shall execute the rotation, while said input means inputs the image at the low resolution in a case where said determination means determines that said rotation means shall not execute the rotation.  
     
     
       15. The apparatus according to  claim 14 , further comprising registering means for pre-registering image output capability for the image-output side, 
       wherein said identifying means identifies the image output capability by reading out from said registering means, based on an instruction from the image-output side.  
     
     
       16. The apparatus according to  claim 14 , further comprising conversion means for converting the resolution of the image into a designated resolution designated by said designation means after said rotation means execute the rotation. 
     
     
       17. An image processing method comprising the steps of: 
       designating a resolution of an image;  
       setting a resolution at which the image is to be input;  
       inputting the image;  
       determining whether or not a rotation shall be performed on the image; and  
       rotating the input image by a predetermined angle responsive to a positive determination in said determining step,  
       wherein, in said setting step a predetermined resolution is set, taking the resolution of the image rotated in said rotating step into consideration, regardless of the designation in said designating step in a case where it is determined in said determining step that said rotating step shall be performed on the image.  
     
     
       18. An image processing apparatus comprising: 
       designation means for designating a resolution of an image;  
       input means for inputting the image;  
       rotation means for rotating the inputted image by a predetermined angle;  
       determination means for determining whether or not said rotation means shall execute rotation of the image; and  
       control means for setting a resolution at which said input means inputs the image,  
       wherein said control means sets a predetermined resolution, taking the resolution of the image rotated by said rotation means into consideration, regardless of the designation by said designation means in a case where said determination means determines that said rotation means shall execute the rotation.  
     
     
       19. The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein said designation means is capable of selecting at least one of either a high resolution or a low resolution. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the predetermined resolution is the high resolution. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus according to  claim 18 , further comprising conversion means for converting the predetermined resolution of the image into a designated resolution designated by said designation means after said rotation means executes the rotation. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein said control means sets the resolution designated by said designation means in a case where said determination means determines that said rotation means shall not execute the rotation. 
     
     
       23. An image processing apparatus comprising: 
       designation means for designating one of a high resolution and a low resolution with respect to a predetermined direction;  
       input means for inputting an image; and  
       rotation means for rotating the inputted image by a predetermined angle,  
       wherein said input means inputs the image at the high resolution even though said designation means designates the low resolution,  
       said rotation means executes the rotation in a case where said input means inputs a predetermined-sized image at a predetermined orientation, and  
       wherein said rotation means executes the rotation in a case where the length in the predetermined direction of the predetermined-sized image is a short side of A5-sized paper.  
     
     
       24. The apparatus according to  claim 23 , further comprising conversion means for converting the resolution of the image into a designated resolution designated by said designation means after said rotation means executes the rotation. 
     
     
       25. The apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein said input means includes scanning means for scanning the image in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction. 
     
     
       26. An image communication apparatus comprising: 
       
         designation means for inputting a user designated format of image data to be transmitted to a destination;  
       
       
         input means for inputting image data in a predetermined format;  
       
       
         rotation means for rotating the image data inputted by said input means;  
       
       
         converting means for converting the image data rotated by said rotation means into image data having the format designated by said designation means; and  
       
       
         transmission means for transmitting the image data rotated by said rotation means and converted by said converting means to the destination. 
       
     
     
       27. The apparatus according to  claim 26 , further comprising reading means for reading an image original in the predetermined format, wherein 
       
         said input means inputs image data based on the image original read by said reading means. 
       
     
     
       28. The apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein the format designated by said designation means is a format which an operator designates when reading the image original by said reading means. 
     
     
       29. The apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein said designation means designates a resolution of the image data to be transmitted by said transmission means. 
     
     
       30. An image processing method operative in a data communication apparatus comprising: 
       
         a designation step of inputting a user designated format of image data to be transmitted to a destination;  
       
       
         an input step of inputting image data in a predetermined format;  
       
       
         a rotation step of rotating the image data inputted in said input step;  
       
       
         a converting step of converting the rotated image data into image data having the format designated in said designation step; and  
       
       
         a transmission step of transmitting the image data rotated in said rotation step and converted in said converting step to the destination. 
       
     
     
       31. The method according to  claim 30 , wherein said input step inputs image data based on an image original read by a reader provided in the data communication apparatus. 
     
     
       32. The method according to  claim 31 , wherein the format designated in said designation step is a format which an operator designates when reading the image original by the reader. 
     
     
       33. The method according to  claim 30 , wherein said designation step designates a resolution of the image data to be transmitted in said transmission step. 
     
     
       34. An image communication apparatus comprising: 
       
         designation means for inputting a user designated resolution of image data to be transmitted to a destination;  
       
       
         input means for inputting image data in a predetermined format;  
       
       
         processing means for rotating and converting the image data inputted by said input means so that a resolution of the image data rotated and converted by said processing means becomes the resolution designated by said designation means; and  
       
       
         transmission means for transmitting the image data rotated and converted by said processing means to the destination. 
       
     
     
       35. The apparatus according to  claim 34 , further comprising reading means for reading an image original in the predetermined format, wherein said input means inputs image data based on the image original read by said reading means. 
     
     
       36. The apparatus according to  claim 35 , wherein the resolution designated by said designation means is a resolution which an operator designates when reading the image original by said reading means. 
     
     
       37. The apparatus according to  claim 34 , wherein said processing means includes: 
       
         rotation means for rotating the image data inputted by said input means; and  
       
       
         converting means for converting the image data rotated by said rotation means into image data having the resolution designated by said designation means. 
       
     
     
       38. An image processing method operative in a data communication apparatus comprising: 
       
         a designation step of inputting a user designated resolution of image data to be transmitted to a destination;  
       
       
         an input step of inputting image data in a predetermined format;  
       
       
         a processing step of rotating and converting the image data inputted in said input step so that a resolution of the image data rotated and converted in said processing step becomes the resolution designated by said designation step; and  
       
       
         a transmission step of transmitting the image data rotated and converted in said processing step to the destination. 
       
     
     
       39. The method according to  claim 38 , wherein said input step inputs image data based on an image original read by a reader provided in the data communication apparatus. 
     
     
       40. The method according to  claim 39 , wherein the resolution designated in said designation step is a resolution which an operator designates when reading the image original by the reader. 
     
     
       41. The method according to  claim 38 , wherein said processing step includes: 
       
         a rotation step of rotating the image data inputted in said input step; and  
       
       
         a converting step of converting the rotated image data into image data having the resolution designated in said designation step.