Abstract: A printing system includes a printer and a terminal device. The terminal device is provided to be able to communicate with the printer and transmits a job relating to print processing for a file which can be supported by the printer. The terminal device includes a controller determining whether or not print preview can be displayed on a display of the printer and a communication controller communicating to the printer, a print job including an indication for print preview in response to an indication when the controller determines that print preview can be displayed on the display of the printer. The printer displays on the display, print preview in accordance with the print job including the indication for print preview transmitted from the terminal device.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus capable of executing a task including a plurality of processes includes the following units: an acquisition unit that acquires the security levels of the plurality of processes based on security-level information that defines the security level of each process; a specification unit that specifies a lowest-level process that is a process having a lowest security level, from among the plurality of processes; and a notification unit that notifies a user of information regarding the lowest-level process.

Abstract: In order to prevent illegal copying more effectively in an image forming apparatus, when a specified ground pattern for preventing copying is detected in input image data, the detected ground pattern is emphasized in the image data. Alternatively, information for detecting the specified ground pattern is stored in a storage device, in order to detect the ground pattern with the stored information. When the ground pattern is not detected, a ground region in the image data is analyzed further to determine whether a different ground pattern exits or not. When a ground pattern is detected, information for detecting the ground pattern is stored in the storing device.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus capable of executing a task including a plurality of processes includes the following units: an acquisition unit that acquires the security levels of the plurality of processes based on security-level information that defines the security level of each process; a specification unit that specifies a lowest-level process that is a process having a lowest security level, from among the plurality of processes; and a notification unit that notifies a user of information regarding the lowest-level process.

Abstract: A method is provided for extracting an edge included in a color image formed of first pixels expressed by color component values of three colors. The method includes: calculating a lightness value of the first pixel based on the color component values; determining which one of the low, medium, and high lightness regions, the calculate lightness value belongs to; generating an extraction image formed of second pixels corresponding to the first pixels; and extracting an edge based on the pixel value of the extraction image thus generated. For a first pixel whose lightness value belongs to the medium lightness region and the low or high lightness region, a pixel value is calculated from the color component values of three colors, and from the color component values excluding at least one color, respectively. Then, the edge is extracted based on the calculated pixel value of the extraction image.

Abstract: A method for converting an image includes the steps of: obtaining an inclination of a character in the image; obtaining apex pixels forming contours of the character; obtaining an identical line segment candidate pixel group from a portion supposed to be expressed by a single line segment; extracting, based on the inclination, the identical line segment candidate pixel group as an identical line segment pixel group; obtaining both-end pixels which are apex pixels located on both sides of the identical line segment pixel group thus extracted; approximating, by a line segment connecting between the both-end pixels thus obtained, a contour of the character in a portion corresponding to the both-end pixels; and approximating a portion, excluding the portion that has been approximated, by a straight line or a curved line by performing an outlining process using apex pixels other than the apex pixels of the identical line segment pixel group.

Abstract: In order to prevent illegal copying more effectively in an image forming apparatus, when a specified ground pattern for preventing copying is detected in input image data, the detected ground pattern is emphasized in the image data. Alternatively, information for detecting the specified ground pattern is stored in a storage device, in order to detect the ground pattern with the stored information. When the ground pattern is not detected, a ground region in the image data is analyzed further to determine whether a different ground pattern exits or not. When a ground pattern is detected, information for detecting the ground pattern is stored in the storing device.

Abstract: In order to prevent illegal copying more effectively in an image forming apparatus, when a specified ground pattern for preventing copying is detected in input image data, the detected ground pattern is emphasized in the image data. Alternatively, information for detecting the specified ground pattern is stored in a storage device, in order to detect the ground pattern with the stored information. When the ground pattern is not detected, a ground region in the image data is analyzed further to determine whether a different ground pattern exits or not. When a ground pattern is detected, information for detecting the ground pattern is stored in the storing device.

Abstract: In order to prevent illegal copying more effectively in an image forming apparatus, when a specified ground pattern for preventing copying is detected in input image data, the detected ground pattern is emphasized in the image data. Alternatively, information for detecting the specified ground pattern is stored in a storage device, in order to detect the ground pattern with the stored information. When the ground pattern is not detected, a ground region in the image data is analyzed further to determine whether a different ground pattern exits or not. When a ground pattern is detected, information for detecting the ground pattern is stored in the storing device.

Abstract: In an image processing device, from an object image, an area reproduced by K component only and having at least a prescribed density is extracted as a gray area to be replaced, and a color of an area neighboring the gray area is extracted. When the neighboring area contains a color other than the K component, a replacing color is calculated based on the amount of K component (luminance) of the gray area and the color of the neighboring area, and the color of the gray area is replaced by the replacing color.

Abstract: A method is provided for extracting an edge included in a color image formed of first pixels expressed by color component values of three colors. The method includes: calculating a lightness value of the first pixel based on the color component values; determining which one of the low, medium, and high lightness regions, the calculate lightness value belongs to; generating an extraction image formed of second pixels corresponding to the first pixels; and extracting an edge based on the pixel value of the extraction image thus generated. For a first pixel whose lightness value belongs to the medium lightness region and the low or high lightness region, a pixel value is calculated from the color component values of three colors, and from the color component values excluding at least one color, respectively. Then, the edge is extracted based on the calculated pixel value of the extraction image.

Abstract: An image input from an image input unit is divided into a ground portion and a document other than the ground portion in an image divider, and a latent image is extracted from a ground pattern included in the ground portion in a latent image extractor. Lightness of the latent image is corrected to be closer to lightness of the document in a lightness corrector, and a color of the latent image is converted into a gradation A in a latent image converter. A color of the document is converted in a document converter into a gradation B including the same plurality of colors as gradation A and having a different manner of gradation. The latent image and the document are integrated in an image integrator to generate an image including the latent image and the document having similar lightness with a difference in hues superposed on each other.

Abstract: A method for converting an image includes the steps of: obtaining an inclination of a character in the image; obtaining apex pixels forming contours of the character; obtaining an identical line segment candidate pixel group from a portion supposed to be expressed by a single line segment; extracting, based on the inclination, the identical line segment candidate pixel group as an identical line segment pixel group; obtaining both-end pixels which are apex pixels located on both sides of the identical line segment pixel group thus extracted; approximating, by a line segment connecting between the both-end pixels thus obtained, a contour of the character in a portion corresponding to the both-end pixels; and approximating a portion, excluding the portion that has been approximated, by a straight line or a curved line by performing an outlining process using apex pixels other than the apex pixels of the identical line segment pixel group.

Abstract: In order to prevent illegal copying more effectively in an image forming apparatus, when a specified ground pattern for preventing copying is detected in input image data, the detected ground pattern is emphasized in the image data. Alternatively, information for detecting the specified ground pattern is stored in a storage device, in order to detect the ground pattern with the stored information. When the ground pattern is not detected, a ground region in the image data is analyzed further to determine whether a different ground pattern exits or not. When a ground pattern is detected, information for detecting the ground pattern is stored in the storing device.

Abstract: In order to create a device link profile by which color conversion can be performed with sufficient accuracy even when brightness characteristic equivalent conversion is included, all conversion parameters including the input device profile, the conversion parameters for color space conversion, and the output device profile are divided into a color conversion parameter component FC2 that indicates the parameters for color conversion, a pre-processing component FC1 positioned before the color conversion parameter component FC2, and a post-processing component FC3 positioned after the color conversion parameter component FC2, and if brightness characteristic conversion XLA1 comprising conversion to match the perceived brightness characteristic is included, such brightness characteristic conversion XLA1 is incorporated in the pre-processing FC1 or post-processing component FC3 such that it is not included in the color conversion parameter component FC2, and the pre-processing component FC1, the color conversion

Abstract: In an image processing device, from an object image, an area reproduced by K component only and having at least a prescribed density is extracted as a gray area to be replaced, and a color of an area neighboring the gray area is extracted. When the neighboring area contains a color other than the K component, a replacing color is calculated based on the amount of K component (luminance) of the gray area and the color of the neighboring area, and the color of the gray area is replaced by the replacing color.

Abstract: An image input from an image input unit is divided into a ground portion and a document other than the ground portion in an image divider, and a latent image is extracted from a ground pattern included in the ground portion in a latent image extractor. Lightness of the latent image is corrected to be closer to lightness of the document in a lightness corrector, and a color of the latent image is converted into a gradation A in a latent image converter. A color of the document is converted in a document converter into a gradation B including the same plurality of colors as gradation A and having a different manner of gradation. The latent image and the document are integrated in an image integrator to generate an image including the latent image and the document having similar lightness with a difference in hues superposed on each other.

Abstract: From profiles of an input color space and an output color space, the specific color data on respective color spaces are obtained, and a color space compression parameter is set based on each specific color data obtained. In other words, the color space compression parameter for appropriately converting data within the input color space into data within the output color space is derived from each specific color data. The color space compression processing (color matching) is performed on an absolute color space using the derived color space compression parameter so that it becomes possible to perform at a higher speed an appropriate color matching that takes into account the characteristics of the input color space and the output color space.

Abstract: In an image processor, a memory device stores output inhibition conditions for inhibiting print of an image including a specified pattern. The input image data is converted to first image data for image forming. On the other hand, the input image data is also converted to second image data in correspondence to a state of a print obtained by the image output device, and a detector detects the specified pattern in the second image data based on the output inhibition conditions. Alternatively, a converter converts the output inhibition conditions to detection parameters according to output characteristics of the image output device, and a detector detects the specified pattern in the input image data based on the detection parameters. Then, a controller controls the output of the processed image data according to a result of the detection.

Abstract: In order to prevent illegal copying more effectively in an image forming apparatus, when a specified ground pattern for preventing copying is detected in input image data, the detected ground pattern is emphasized in the image data. Alternatively, information for detecting the specified ground pattern is stored in a storage device, in order to detect the ground pattern with the stored information. When the ground pattern is not detected, a ground region in the image data is analyzed further to determine whether a different ground pattern exits or not. When a ground pattern is detected, information for detecting the ground pattern is stored in the storing device.