Abstract: An image processing method includes: generating, from combined connected components (CCs) of a document image, candidate text CCs, candidate background CCs, and candidate natural image CCs where the candidate background CCs are excluded from the combined CCs to generate the candidate natural image CCs with a predetermined criterion dependent on the candidate text CCs; generating a final natural image bounding box by expanding a candidate natural image bounding box of the candidate natural image CCs and including in the expanded candidate natural image bounding box at least one combined CC that intersects the expanded candidate natural image bounding box; and modifying, based on the final natural image bounding box, the document image and displaying the modified document image to a user.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit including a scanner and a printer, a server, and a local network circuit connecting the image forming unit and the server. In each of the image forming unit and the server, a hardware processor selects one of a first communication protocol and a second communication protocol in accordance with data to be transmitted by a transceiver. The first communication protocol includes a provision for ensuring reliability of communication, and the second communication protocol does not include a provision for ensuring reliability of communication.

Abstract: An image formation system includes: an image former that forms an image on a continuous sheet; a slack generator that is arranged upstream of the image former in a sheet conveyance direction and generates slack on the continuous sheet; and a sheet characteristic detector that is arranged upstream of the slack generator in the sheet conveyance direction and detects a sheet characteristic of the continuous sheet.

Abstract: To provide a sheet conveyance device capable of preventing degradation in quality of conveying a sheet and image quality even when a stiffness of the sheet is different between a sheet conveyance direction and a sheet width direction. A sheet conveyance device of an image forming apparatus includes an image forming part that conveys a sheet along a conveyance path; and a stiffness acquisition part that acquires a stiffness of the sheet in a first direction including a component in the sheet conveyance direction by bending the sheet in the first direction, and acquires a stiffness of the sheet in a second direction including a component in the sheet width direction orthogonal to the sheet conveyance direction by bending the sheet in the second direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image former that forms an image on a sheet of paper, a detector that detects a physical property of a sheet of paper, a receiver that receives paper identification information used in identification of a sheet of paper designated by a user, and a hardware processor. The hardware processor performs: first judgement of judging whether or not there is a correspondence between the paper identification information received by the receiver and a detection result by the detector, second judgement of judging whether or not there is a correspondence between a detection result by the detector of a first sheet of paper conveyed and a detection result by the detector of a second sheet of paper conveyed; and operation control of the image former based on a first judgement result in the first judgement and a second judgement result in the second judgement.

Abstract: Provided is an acoustic lens applied to an ultrasound probe and forming an ultrasound beam by focusing ultrasound transmitted from a piezoelectric transducer, in which: an ultrasound radiation surface of the acoustic lens includes: a first area that is located in a lens center portion and forms a focal point at a position corresponding to a deep portion of the ultrasound beam; and a second area that is located on a lens outer side of the first area and forms a focal point at a position corresponding to a shallow portion of the ultrasound beam, and a focal depth formed by a lens portion of each position of the first area and the second area draws a profile that becomes continuously shallow from a side of the lens center portion to the lens outer side.

Abstract: Provided is an image control apparatus that includes a hardware processor. The hardware processor obtains read image data generated by reading an image formed on a sheet, sets read proof image data generated by reading a proof image formed on a sheet in a proof output as first correct image data, sets input image data as second correct image data, determines which one of the first correct image data and the second correct image data is used as correct image data in an image check for each page, and performs the image check by comparing the read image data obtained by the hardware processor with the first correct image data or the second correct image data determined as the correct image data by the hardware processor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier that carries a toner image including toner; a driver that rotates the image carrier; a toner remover that comes in contact with the image carrier and removes toner remaining on the image carrier while the image carrier is rotated in a forward direction by the driver; and a hardware processor that evaluates a degree of deterioration of the image carrier or the toner remover, determines a number of times of execution of removal operation in which the image carrier is rotated in a reverse direction and then rotated in the forward direction, on the basis of the degree of deterioration, and controls the driver to cause the removal operation to be executed the number of times of execution.

Abstract: An image display control system includes a hardware processor that acquires data of a static image of a subject, and data of a dynamic image of the subject including a plurality of frame images, analyzes the dynamic image that is acquired, and creates analysis result data based on an analysis result, and selects, on a basis of a purpose of checking of data, at least one of the data among the data of the static image that is acquired, a part of the data of the dynamic image that is acquired, and the analysis result data that is created.

Abstract: An ultrasound signal processing device: performing events involving transmitting ultrasound towards a subject; receiving ultrasound reflection from the subject in response to each event; and generating a frame signal from sub-frame signals generated based on the ultrasound reflection. The device, in each event, causes a transmission aperture to transmit ultrasound focusing in the subject. A transmission aperture for one event differs in position, in a transducer element array direction, from a transmission aperture for a previous event by a shift amount of at least twice a transducer element width. The device, for each event, sets a target area which includes a position where transmitted ultrasound focuses and whose width in the transducer element array direction, at a depth where the transmitted ultrasound focuses, is equal to or greater than the shift amount. The device generates a sub-frame signal covering measurement points included in the target area.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image former that prints a foil stamping image on a recording material in accordance with a job for printing the foil stamping image, the foil stamping image being a target to which foil is transferred in foil stamp printing; and a hardware processor that trims an image on a page identical to at least one page included in the job such that the image on the identical page does not overlap an image adjustment mark that is printed for adjusting an image to be overprinted, and causes the image former to print, together with the job, the identical page having the trimmed image.

Abstract: A parameter determination apparatus includes: a hardware processor that: acquires a value related to a plurality of types of sheet physical properties; and determines a parameter related to sheet processing from an acquired value related to the plurality of types of sheet physical properties, based on a program using at least any of a learning function including artificial intelligence or a statistical method.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sensor that acquires first and second data groups of paper characteristics by measuring a recording medium; a processor that determines a parameter for controlling at least one of image formation and conveyance of a recording medium on a conveyance path based on the first and second data groups acquired by the sensor; an image former that forms an image on a recording medium conveyed on the conveyance path based on the parameter. The processor compares the first and second paper characteristic data groups, the first paper characteristic data group has been measured at a first time period and the second paper characteristic data group has been measured at a second time period nearer to a present time than the first time period, and the processor controls the image formation based on a the comparison result.

Abstract: A converting device includes an acquisitor that acquires, from a first media sensor, first detection data constituted by a measurement result of one or more paper physical properties obtained by measuring a recording medium, a converter that converts the acquired first detection data into conversion data being information on a basis of a measurement result of a second media sensor; and an output unit that outputs conversion data converted by the converter.

Abstract: An image inspection apparatus includes the following. A reader reads a sheet in which an image is printed, reads the sheet together with a background, and obtains a read image. A background member is provided in a position which is to be a background of the sheet when the sheet is read by the reader. A hardware processor extracts sheet outline information of the sheet from the read image and measures a misalignment of a position of the image with relation to the sheet based on the extracted sheet outline information. The hardware processor performs control based on a measured result of the misalignment of the position of the image. The hardware processor adjusts a degree of control performed based on the measured result of the misalignment of the position of the image according to a density difference between the sheet and the background member.

Abstract: An image inspection apparatus includes a first reader and a second reader that acquire read images by respectively reading one side and the other side of a sheet having an image printed thereon, a first background material and a second background material provided at positions as the backgrounds of the sheet in reading by the first reader and the second reader respectively, and a hardware processor that acquires sheet outline information from the read images and measures misalignment of the image with respect to the sheet based on the acquired sheet outline information. The hardware processor acquires read images with the first background material and the second background material having different densities, and acquires sheet outline information of one read image by estimating the sheet outline information of the one read image based on sheet outline information of the other of the read images.

Abstract: A parameter determination apparatus includes: a first hardware processor that acquires a value related to a plurality of types of sheet physical properties; a second hardware processor that specifies at least any of a sheet type or a basis weight based on an acquired value related to a sheet physical property; and a third hardware processor that specifies a parameter related to sheet processing without specifying at least any of the sheet type or the basis weight, based on an acquired value related to a sheet physical property.

Abstract: There is a need to provide an image generator and an image generation method capable of avoiding wasting a normal printed matter if any in sheets of paper output after an occurrence of waste paper. When paper contains an abnormal image, the paper is detected as waste paper based on a read result from an image read sensor. Detection of the waste paper allows an image generator to perform reprint from a print job for the waste paper. Normal-image paper may be contained in sheets of paper output between detection of the waste paper and the reprint to be performed. In this case, the normal-image paper is used as a normal printed matter and is avoided from being consumed wastefully.

Abstract: A method and system to detect visual spoofing of a process of authenticating a person's identity employs computer vision techniques to define characteristics of different kinds of spoofing. Embodiments identify a foreground object within an image and by examining positions and/or orientations of that foreground object within the image, determine whether the presentation of the foreground object is an attempt to spoof the authentication process.

Abstract: A color conversion table generation device includes a color conversion table acquisition unit, an image data acquisition unit, a read image data acquisition unit, an acceptance unit, and a modification unit. The color conversion table acquisition unit acquires a color conversion table used in color conversion for image data to be printed which is imposed. The image data acquisition unit acquires the image data to be printed. The read image data acquisition unit acquires read image data of a print target corresponding to a partial area in the image data to be printed. The acceptance unit accepts specification of a target area in the image data to be printed which is to be used for modifying the color conversion table. The modification unit modifies the color conversion table based on the read image data and information corresponding to the specified target area.