Distributed Image Processing via Software-Hardware Collaboration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multifunction image processing apparatuses face challenges in achieving both low production cost and high performance due to the difficulty in efficiently utilizing limited hardware resources as more functions are added, as existing technologies rely solely on optimizing the configuration of the image processing apparatus.
Innovation Solution
An image processing system that collaborates between an image processing apparatus with hardware components and an information processing apparatus with software programs, where the information processing apparatus executes software programs to generate control commands for the image processing apparatus to perform requested functions, allowing for distributed processing and flexible hardware upgrades.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If expensive high-performance hardware components are used in the image processing apparatus, then the performance of image processing functions is improved, but the product cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image processing system into two parts: an information processing apparatus that performs software-based image processing functions, and an image processing apparatus that provides hardware resources. This segmentation allows the image processing functions to be implemented in software rather than requiring expensive specialized hardware in every device, thereby reducing product cost while maintaining performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal image processing platform where a single information processing apparatus can serve multiple image processing apparatuses. The software program implementing image processing functions can be shared and executed on different hardware platforms, making the system multi-functional and reducing the need for each individual apparatus to have expensive dedicated hardware for every function.
2Adaptability or versatility
If more functions are added to the image processing apparatus, then the versatility is improved, but the efficient utilization of hardware resources becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an information processing apparatus as an intermediary between the user's function requests and the image processing apparatus's hardware resources. This intermediary manages and coordinates the use of hardware resources across multiple functions and users, optimizing resource allocation and making it easier to support diverse functions without directly increasing hardware complexity in each apparatus.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic resource allocation where the information processing apparatus can adaptively adjust how hardware resources are used based on current processing needs. The system can dynamically allocate computing power, memory, and other resources to different image processing functions as required, rather than being locked into fixed hardware configurations, thereby improving both versatility and resource utilization efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
An image processing system includes an image processing apparatus and an information processing apparatus that are connected via a data communication channel. The image processing apparatus includes an execution request unit sending an execution request to request the information processing apparatus to execute an image processing function, a command reception unit receiving a control command from the information processing apparatus, and a hardware control unit controlling a hardware component of the image processing apparatus based on the received control command to perform image processing corresponding to the image processing function. The information processing apparatus includes a request reception unit receiving the execution request from the image processing apparatus, a software control unit executing a software program for implementing the image processing function based on the received execution request, and a command transmission unit sending the control command generated by the software program to the image processing apparatus.