JPH05334408A - Image processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an image processor capable of synthesizing image data obtained by developing PDL data without changing original colors and multilevel image data. CONSTITUTION:Selectors 1204, 1205 respectively select inserting image data and background image data from image data 903 read out from an image by a scanner printer, image data 904b stored in a memory unit 102, or image data 907 developed from PDL data by a PDL interpreter based upon signals 1202, 1203 outputted from a display selection control part 1201. A synthesis deciding part 1208 outputs a selective signal 1209 in accordance with a signal 1211 outputted from the control part 1201 and the selected inserting image. A selector c1210 selects one of the inserting image data and the background image data and outputs the selected data.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, for example, an image processing apparatus that handles a page description language.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a page description language (hereinafter referred to as "PDL")
There are various systems as shown in FIG. 17 for expanding data into a raster image, transferring it to a printer and outputting an image. The PDL interpreter for expanding PDL data into raster image data is shown in FIG.
As shown at 1304 in FIG. 17A, the printer 1301 is already built in, or FIG.
As shown at 1310 in (b), there are some that are connected to the copying machine 1312 or the like by an external interface.

Further, an image processing apparatus in which a means for expanding PDL data into binary data for each screen and an image synthesizing means are combined is also considered.

[0004]

However, the above-mentioned conventional example has the following problems. That is, PD
In a conventional image processing apparatus that combines L developing means and image combining means, when combining a plurality of images, the image data after PDL data expansion is binary data. For example, due to the CMYK frame-sequential reason, even if an attempt is made to fit and combine images with each other, the colors are mixed with each other, and a composite image with the original tint cannot be obtained, and it is described by PDL. Since the image is binary, there is a problem that it is impossible to combine multi-valued images. Further, as in the conventional example, if a memory for storing data for one screen is provided, an extremely large memory capacity is required, and sometimes, when handling multi-valued data, the memory capacity becomes larger. Occur.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is intended to solve the above problems, and has the following structure as one means for solving the above problems. That is, the expansion means for expanding the page description language into image data for each predetermined area, the communication means for exchanging data with the outside, the image data expanded by the expansion means, and the input via the communication means. And a synthesizing means for selecting and synthesizing two or more image data from a plurality of image data included in the data, and the synthesizing means according to the information included in the data input via the communication means. Therefore, the image processing apparatus is provided with a control means for outputting the image data thus synthesized.

[0006]

With the above configuration, two or more image data are selected from the image data expanded from the page description language and the plurality of image data included in the data input from the outside, and are combined, It is possible to provide an image processing apparatus that outputs combined image data according to information included in data input from the outside.

For example, with the above configuration, when the image data obtained by expanding the PDL data and the multi-valued image data are combined, the combined image of the original tint is obtained without mixing the colors of each other. And an image processing apparatus for selecting and combining arbitrary plural image data from the image data obtained by expanding the PDL data and the plural multivalued image data inputted from the outside. Can be provided.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An image processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0009]

[First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an image processing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 101 is a scanner printer, which includes, for example, a color image scanner, an ink jet printer, and the like.

An image processing unit 109 is the core of the image processing system according to the present invention. 102 is a memory unit, and 103 is a host computer.
The scan printer 101, the image processing unit 109, and the memory unit 102 include a cable 107 and a cable 11.
0 are connected in cascade.

When the copy start key 104 is pressed, the scan printer 101 can independently copy the color image of the original placed under the pressure plate 105, and at the same time, the digital data of the read image can be transferred. Cable 10
It can be sent to the image processing unit 109 and the memory unit 102 via 7, 110. The image processing unit 109 will be described in detail later, but the scan printer 101
After performing some image processing on the image data sent from the scanner, the processed image data is processed by the scanner printer 10.
It can be returned to 1 and output to the scanner printer 101. Further, the image processing unit 109 expands the PDL data sent from the host computer 103 into a raster image via the cable 111 of a general-purpose interface such as SCSI or GP-IB and outputs it to the scan printer 101. It can also be sent and output to the scanner printer 101.

The memory unit 102 stores the image data sent from the scanner printer 101, for example, in the SCS.
By sending the image data to the host computer 103 via the general-purpose interface 108 such as I or GP-IB, various image editing processes can be performed. Further, the memory unit 102 stores the image data sent from the host computer 103 via the general-purpose interface 108.
Sending to the scanner printer 101, the scanner printer 10
It can also be output to 1.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the scanner printer 101, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of how the line sensor 201 scans an original, and FIG. 4 is a scanner printer 1.
FIG. 5 is a chart showing an example of the operation timing of 01, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of the data X added by the black character processing circuit a205. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 201 denotes a line sensor, which is composed of, for example, a CCD or the like, and, as shown in an example in an enlarged view at 203, ..., R, G, B, R, G, B, ... Sensors of each color are arranged in the scanning direction, and one set of RGB corresponds to one pixel.

As shown in FIG. 3, the line sensor 201 sequentially performs main scanning in the horizontal direction and sub-scanning in the vertical direction on the original 301. That is, the line sensor 201 starts scanning the entire document in synchronization with, for example, the rising edge of the signal BVE shown in FIGS. 3 and 4A, and thereafter, the signal VE shown in FIGS. 3 and 4A. Of the first scan, the second scan, ...
・ Scan in band units as shown in. As shown in the example of FIG. 4B in which the vicinity of the rising edge of the signal VE is enlarged, the image signals of the respective colors form one pixel with, for example, 3 clocks of the video clock VCLK, and are synchronized with the video clock VCLK. Transferred. The line sensor 201 is driven by, for example, a pulse motor (not shown), and can scan an arbitrary area of the document under the control of a control unit (not shown).

In FIG. 2, 202 is an A / D converter,
The analog image signal output from the line sensor 201 is converted into digital image data. A shading correction circuit 204 performs white correction / black correction on the image data input from the A / D converter 202 in accordance with the characteristics of the line sensor 201. Reference numeral 205 denotes a black character processing circuit a, which detects a black character included in the original image from the image data input from the shading correction circuit 204,
The detected black characters are subjected to a process of eliminating color fringing when printed and a process of sharpening edges. As shown in FIG. 4C, the black character processing circuit a205 configures one pixel by, for example, 4 clocks of the video clock VCLK and outputs image data in synchronization with the video clock VCLK. That is, the black character processing circuit a 205 adds the data X as shown in FIG. 5 as an example of the content for each pixel of the input image data. For example, the black character processing circuit a2
Reference numeral 05 indicates that the bit 0 of the data X of the pixel on which the black character processing is executed is '1', and data X of the pixel X on which the black character processing is not executed.
Bit 0 of is set to "0". Further, the data X is shown in FIG.
Represents the image processing information as an example.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 206 denotes a scaling circuit which processes the image data input from the black character processing circuit a 205 and scales (enlarges or reduces) the image represented by the image data to a desired size. .. The image data output from the scaling processing circuit 206 is output from the cables 107, 1 as described above.
In addition to being transferred to the image processing unit 109 and the memory unit 102 via the switch 10, it is sent to the switch unit 207.

As described above, the switch unit 207 receives the image data input from the image processing unit 109 or the memory unit 102 and the image data input from the scaling processing circuit 206 via the cables 107 and 110. To output. That is, when the image data input from the scaling processing circuit 206 is selected by the switch unit 207, the scan printer 101
It operates independently to copy the scanned color image.

Reference numeral 208 denotes a decoder, which is a switch unit 2
The data X included in the image data input from 07 is decoded. That is, the decoder 208 outputs a control signal, an example of which is shown in FIG.
Output to 15, etc. A logarithmic conversion circuit 209 converts the RGB image data input through the decoder 208 into, for example, CMYK image data.

Reference numeral 210 is a masking circuit, which matches the image data input from the logarithmic conversion circuit with the ink characteristics.
Apply masking treatment. The scan printer 101
In the case of independent operation, the masking circuit 210 performs a masking process by a control unit (not shown) setting a coefficient in consideration of both input masking and output masking. When processing image data from an external unit such as the image processing unit 109, the masking circuit 210 performs masking processing by setting a coefficient in consideration of output masking by the control unit (not shown). Be seen.

Reference numeral 211 denotes an edge processing circuit, which sharpens the image edge of the image data input from the masking circuit 210. Reference numeral 212 denotes a head shading circuit, which subjects the image data input from the edge processing circuit 211 to processing for correcting variations in the ejection amount and ejection direction of the printing head 216, which will be described later.

Reference numeral 213 is a γ table, which converts the image data input from the head shading circuit 212 into a desired print density. 214 is a binarization circuit,
Based on the control signals MIXDATA, NEGA, PHOTE from the decoder 208, the multivalued image data input from the γ table 213 is converted into binary image data.

Reference numeral 215 denotes a black character processing circuit b, which is a decoder 2
The binarization circuit 21 based on the control signal KB from 08.
The black character processing is performed on the image data input from 4. Two
A print head 16 prints the image data input from the black character processing circuit b215 on a recording sheet by an ink jet. The operation timing of the print head 216 is also synchronized with the above-described signals BVE and VE, and the image is printed in band units. Further, since the configuration and principle of printing by the ink jet method are publicly known, detailed description thereof will be omitted. For example, in accordance with print information, a sheet holding ink or a heater arranged in a liquid path is used to print the ink. When a driving signal that gives a rapid temperature rise exceeding the boiling point is applied, bubbles corresponding to the driving signal are formed on the heat-acting surface of the printing head, and the growth and contraction of the bubbles cause the ejection port to open. An image is printed on the recording paper by ejecting the ink toward the recording paper through the recording medium.

Next, the image processing unit 109 will be described. FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the image processing unit 109. 6, reference numerals 601 and 602 denote connectors, and the cables 107 and 11 shown in FIG. 1 connected to the connectors.
0, the image processing unit 109 is connected to the scanner printer 101 and the memory unit 102.

Reference numeral 603 denotes a connector, which connects the image processing unit 109 and the host computer 103 by the cable 111 shown in FIG. 1 connected to the connector. An operation unit 604 includes keys for setting the state of the image processing unit 109, an LCD panel for displaying the state, and the like. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the image processing unit 109.

In FIG. 7, 605 is a PDL interpreter, 606 is a communication control unit, and 607 is an image processing unit.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration example of the PDL interpreter 605. In FIG. 8, 701 is a CPU, and R
Based on the program stored in the OM702 or the like, C
PDL interpreter 60 via PU bus 709, etc.
In addition to controlling the overall control of the PDP 5, the RAM 703 or the like is used as a work area, and the PDL data is expanded into raster image data by using data such as a font memory 704 or a dither pattern memory 705 described later.

Reference numeral 704 is a font memory, for example, a ROM
And stores the data for converting the character code included in the PDL data into bit image data or the like. A dither pattern memory 705 is, for example, a ROM
The dither pattern of the dither method, which is one of the binarization methods, is stored. Reference numeral 700 denotes an external interface, which is connected to the host computer 10 via the cable 111.
3 receives PDL data and the like.

A page PDL memory 706 includes a CPU 7
Under the control of 01, the PDL data and the like received by the external interface 700 is stored via the CPU bus 709. A band image memory 707 stores raster image data expanded from PDL data by the CPU 701. The band image memory 707 is a memory that holds raster image data corresponding to a band of a unit smaller than one page, and the scan printer 101 described above.
It is adapted to the output characteristics of. That is, the scan printer 101 cannot stop halfway while printing one band, but can stop between bands. Therefore, the band image memory 707 only needs to have a storage capacity for one band or more, and does not require a storage capacity for one page.

The CPU 701 has a page PDL memory 70.
When PDL data for one page is prepared in page 9, page P
The PDL data read from the DL memory 709 is expanded into raster image data and then stored in the band image memory 707. That is, the CPU 701 reads out the PDL data from the page PDL memory 709 for each band forming one page page, further develops it into raster image data, and repeats this for all the bands to repeat the raster image data for one page. To form.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining a function example of the communication control unit 606, and FIGS. 10 and 11 are diagrams for explaining an example of communication control of the communication control unit 606. In FIG. 9, 801 is an external interface of the scanner printer 101, 802 is an external interface of the memory unit 102, and 803 is P.
It is an external interface of the DL interpreter.

The communication control unit 606 controls communication between the three devices (scanner printer 101, image processing unit 109, memory unit 102) connected in cascade, and stores a CPU and a communication control program. It is composed of memory etc. That is, the communication control unit 606
Is the memory unit 102, as shown in FIG.
When the image data stored in (1) is transferred to the scanner printer 101, communication control is executed so that communication from the PDL interpreter 605 or the like does not intervene.

Further, as shown in an example in FIG. 11, the communication control unit 606 sends a standby signal to, for example, the memory unit 102 when transferring the raster image data of the PDL interpreter 605 to the scan printer 101, and the memory unit 102 stores the memory. Communication control is executed so that communication from the unit 102 does not intervene. For example, the state of the signal READY included in the external interface 801 indicates that the scan printer 10
1 indicates the power ON / OFF state, and the state of the signal VSYNC indicates the print / standby state of the scan printer 101. Therefore, the communication control unit 606 sends to the external interface 802 of the memory unit 102, for example, an active signal. By sending VSYNC, the memory unit 102
Is recognized by the scan printer 101 and is in a standby state.

Therefore, under the control of the communication control unit 606, the three devices connected in cascade as shown in FIG.
It is possible to communicate with each other without interruption. Further, as will be described later in detail, the communication control unit 606 works in cooperation with the image processing unit 607 to generate an image having a characteristic of each device,
It is also possible to perform communication control for handling at the same time.

Further, the communication control unit 606 determines that the communication protocol of the external interface of each device is different,
It is also possible to perform processing for mutually converting communication protocols and the like. For example, the communication control unit 606 may convert a print command or the like sent from the host computer 103 or the like via the PDL interpreter 605 into the communication protocol of the scanner printer 101, and then transfer the command to the scanner printer 101. It is possible.

FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining an example of the flow of data input / output to / from the image processing unit 607, and FIG.
It is a figure explaining an example of the function of 07. In FIG. 12, 801 is an external interface of the scanner printer 101, 802 is an external interface of the memory unit 102, and 803 is an external interface of the PDL interpreter. Reference numeral 901 denotes a scanning section of the scanning printer 101, and 902 denotes a printing section of the scanning printer 101.

Numerals 903 to 907 are data lines respectively, numeral 903 is from the scanner 901 to the image processing section 607, and numeral 904a is from the image processing section 607 to the memory unit 1.
02, 904b is a data line from the memory unit 102 to the image processing unit 607, 906 is a data line from the image processing unit 607 to the printer 902, and 907 is a data line from the PDL interpreter 605 to the image processing unit 607.

Although the details of the processing will be described later, the image processing unit 109 inputs the image data to be processed from the scanner unit 901, the PDL interpreter 605 or the memory unit 102 to the image processing unit 607 in the image processing mode, for example. After that, the image data processed by the image processing unit 607 is transferred to the printer unit 9 via the data line 906.
02 or the data line 904a to the memory unit 102.

The image processing unit 607 has, as a typical function,
For example, it has “image composition” and “black character processing”. The “black character processing” is substantially the same as the black character processing of the scan printer 101 described above, but the image processing unit 607 has the black character processing, and therefore, for example, a memory that cannot perform black character processing by itself. Unit 102
The black character processing can be applied to the image data from No. 3. Next, the outline of the “image combining” function of the image processing unit 607 will be described.

As described above, the image data handled in this embodiment is composed of four RGBX data, for example, and in this embodiment, this image data is transferred dot-sequentially. Therefore, the image processing unit 607 realizes image synthesis as shown in an example in FIG. 13 by replacing the image data for each pixel. In FIG. 13, reference numeral 1001 denotes an inlaid image, 1002 denotes a background image, and 1003 denotes a composite result. By printing the composite image 1003, a print result in which the tint does not change unlike the simple image superposition printing Can be obtained.

The image processing unit 109 is set to the image combining mode by the operation of the operation unit 604 shown in FIG. 6, and the operation mode of the image processing unit 109 is displayed on the LCD panel of the operation unit 604. It FIG. 14 is a flow chart showing an operation example of the image processing unit 607, showing an example when the image synthesis mode is selected.

In FIG. 14, the image processing unit 607 sends the scanning unit 9 to the operator of this embodiment in step S1.
The embedded image is selected from the image data from 01, the image data from the memory unit 102, and the image data from the PDL interpreter 605. Subsequently, in step S2, the image processing unit 607 causes the operator to set conditions for combining the selected inset image. The image processing unit 607 allows the operator to perform, for example, "combine colors other than R = G = B = 'FF'", "combine colors of R = 'FF' and G = B = '00 '", and the like. The composition condition can be set within the range.

Then, the image processing unit 607 proceeds to step S.
In step 3, the operator is made to select a background image from the images other than the image selected as the inset image in step S1. Then, in step S4, the image processing unit 607 uses the command from the memory unit 102 or the PDL interpreter 605 as a trigger signal to synthesize and output the inset image selected in step S1 and the background image selected in step S3. After that, the process ends.

FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the image composition circuit of the image processing unit 607. In FIG. 15, 1
A display selection control unit 201 controls the display on the LCD panel of the operation unit 604 shown in FIG.
A signal corresponding to the depressed key of 04 is output. 12
Reference numeral 04 denotes a selector a which connects the data lines 903, 904b and 907 shown in FIG. 12 connected to the input terminals A, B and C, respectively, according to the signal 1202 input from the display selection control unit 1201 to the selection terminal S. The selected image data is output from the output terminal Y.

Reference numeral 1205 is a selector b which selects the data lines 903, 904b and 907 connected to the input terminals A, B and C, respectively, according to the signal 1203 input from the display selection control section 1201 to the selection terminal S. Then, the background image data is output from the output terminal Y. A combination determination unit 1208 determines the inset image data input from the selector a 1204 according to the combination condition 1211 input from the display selection control unit 1201 and outputs a signal 1 according to the determination result.
209 is output.

Reference numeral 1210 is a selector c, which is a combination determination unit 12
In accordance with the signal 1209 input to the selection terminal S from 08, the inset image data input to the input terminal A through the combination determination unit 1208 and the background image data input to the input terminal B from the selector b1205. One of them is selected and the image combined data is output from the output terminal Y to the data line 906 shown in FIG.

A communication method in the image synthesizing mode will be described with reference to FIG. When the background is the image data from the scanning unit 901 and the inset image is the image data from the PDL interpreter 605, for example, as described above, the communication control unit 606 causes the communication unit 606 to send the signal VS to the memory unit 102.
The YNC is made active and the memory unit 102 is put in the standby state.

The background is image data from the memory unit 102, and the inset image is the PDL interpreter 605.
When the image data is from, for example, the communication control unit 60
Reference numeral 6 denotes a signal RE to the scanner printer 101 until the image combining processing of the image processing unit 607 is started so that the scanner printer 101 can independently perform a copying operation.
ADY is made inactive and the scan printer 10
It behaves as if no other device is connected to 1, and the signal READY to the memory unit 102 is made active, and the signal VSYNC is made inactive so that the command from the memory unit 102 can be received at any time.

In this embodiment, according to such a communication method, the three devices connected in a cascade manner can communicate with each other without interruption, and a plurality of image data can be handled at the same time to synthesize an image. Processing can be performed. As described above, according to the present embodiment, the communication control unit 606 controls the mutual communication of the scanner printer 101, the memory unit 102, the PDL interpreter 605, and the like to the image processing unit 607. , The image data is sent in a dot-sequential manner to synthesize the image.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, the image processing unit 6
At 07, background image data and embedded image data are selected from image data obtained by scanning a document by the scanner printer 101, image data stored in the memory unit 102, image data expanded from PDL data by the PDL interpreter 605, and the like. Then, for each pixel of the selected background image, the original tint does not change by replacing the image data with the inset image data in accordance with the set combining condition and the selected inset image. The combined result can be obtained, and the images can be combined regardless of the binary image data and the multi-valued image data.

Further, according to the present embodiment, since the image data is processed and transferred dot-sequentially for each band, the PDL interpreter 605 has a memory for storing raster image data in which the PDL data is expanded for one band or more. The storage capacity of 1 page is not necessary.

[0050]

[Second Embodiment] An image processing system according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described below. In addition, in the second embodiment, the same reference numerals are attached to the configurations substantially similar to those of the first embodiment,
Detailed description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the image processing unit 605 of the second embodiment according to the present invention.

In FIG. 16, reference numeral 1401 denotes a composite command analysis unit which outputs selection signals 1202 and 1203, a composite condition 1211 and the like according to a command or the like input from the host computer 103 via the communication line 1402. The other structure is substantially the same as that of the image processing unit 605 of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 15, and thus detailed description thereof will be omitted.

That is, the image processing unit 605 of the first embodiment.
In the above, an example in which settings relating to image composition are performed from the operation unit 604 has been described, but the image processing unit 605 of the second embodiment.
In, the settings relating to image composition can be made by software operating on the host computer 103. As described above, according to this embodiment,
In addition to the effects substantially similar to those of the first embodiment, the settings relating to the image composition of the image processing unit 605 can be performed by the software running on the host computer 103, and compared with the setting by the operation unit 604, A simpler setting is possible.

The present invention may be applied to either a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of a single device. Further, it goes without saying that the present invention can also be applied to the case where it is achieved by supplying a program to a system or an apparatus.

[0054]

As described above, according to the present invention, two or more of the image data expanded from the page description language and the plurality of image data included in the data input from the outside can be used with a small memory capacity. It is possible to output the combined image data according to the information included in the data input from the outside by selecting the selected image data and combining them.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an image processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a scan printer of this embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of how the line sensor of the present embodiment scans a document.

FIG. 4 is a chart showing an example of the operation timing of the scanner printer of this embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of contents of data X added by a black character processing circuit a of the present embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of an image processing unit of this embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an image processing unit of this embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration example of a PDL interpreter of this embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of functions of a communication control unit according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of communication control of a communication control unit according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of communication control of a communication control unit according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of the flow of data input to and output from the image processing unit according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of functions of an image processing unit according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a flow chart showing an operation example of the image processing unit of the present embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an image synthesizing circuit of the image processing unit of the present embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an image processing unit of a second embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an image processing system including a conventional PDL interpreter.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101 Scanner Printer 102 Memory Unit 103 Host Computer 109 Image Processing Unit 605 PDL Interpreter 606 Communication Control Section 607 Image Processing Section

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A developing means for developing a page description language into image data for each predetermined area, a communication means for exchanging data with the outside, an image data developed by the developing means, and the communication means. Depending on the information included in the data input via the communication means, a combining means for selecting and combining two or more image data from a plurality of image data included in the data input via An image processing apparatus comprising: a control unit that outputs the image data combined by the combining unit. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit includes a conversion unit that converts a communication protocol, and converts the communication protocol of the input data according to input data and outputs the converted data. 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the synthesizing unit includes: a selecting unit that selects an image to be synthesized; and a setting unit that sets a synthesizing condition.