PURPOSE: To provide an output of image expansion data with immediate response to an output request of image data by applying preceding processing to image data of a prescribed quantity to an expansion means and storing the image data to a buffer memory.
CONSTITUTION: An image processing section 2 is a unit implementing luminance/ density conversion processing in response to a characteristic of an image read section 1, image discrimination processing discriminating a character part and a photograph part in an original, density conversion processing and density adjustment processing or the like suitable for an image generating section 7. An FIFO memory of an FIFO memory section 3 is a buffer memory storing tentatively when image data are subject to compression processing by an image compression/expansion section 4 or compressed image data stored in an image storage section 5 are expanded and has a comparatively large capacity. Then the expansion processing time is counted by a counter means and before the image data are outputted, the preceding processing is implemented by the expansion means and a prescribed mount of image data are stored in the buffer memory. Thus, the image data expanded immediately are outputted.
MORITA HIDEKI
KUMADA TATSUO
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