Image processing apparatus

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In printing a plurality of image data, for example, C, M, Y and K data overlaid together, difference in the main scanning magnification index among each other, or difference in the pixel counts along the main scanning direction may result in a displacement of colors among each other.
An image processing apparatus in accordance with the present invention aims to prevent occurrence of the displacement during overlaying by making each main scanning magnification index identical to each other; namely, with one image data having the largest pixel counts per line and does not need to add any further pixel, or having a high main scanning magnification index, as reference, virtual data pixels are inserted into other image data to make their main scanning magnification indices even.
An image processing apparatus of the present invention comprises an input image data connection means for connecting with an external device, a parallel/serial converter for converting the parallel/serial conversion on input image data, a memory for storing the converted image data, a write control means for controlling writing of image data into the memory device, a read control means for controlling reading of image data out of the memory device, a setting means for storing control information specified by an external central processing unit, a computation means for computing, in accordance with setting information of the setting means, a timing for inserting pixel data into the image data to form a certain specific pixel unit, a position correction means for adjusting a timing of outputting the image data, and an output image data connection means for transmitting the image data after having been inserted with the pixel data to an external device.
In an image processing apparatus of the present invention, image data are stored into memory device under the control of the write control means, while the read control means independently reads image data out of memory device.
Data pixel is inserted into the image data at every specific timing computed by the computation means