Abstract: An isolation point counting section, an internal edge counting section, and a continuity detecting section are provided at a halftone dot internal character region signal generating section. The halftone dot internal character region signal generating section discriminates a character region in a halftone dot image based on the detection results of the isolation point counting value caused by the isolation point counting section, the internal edge count value caused by the internal edge counting section, and the presence or absence of continuity of the internal edges caused by the continuity detecting section by making best use of the fact that the halftone dot region and character region in the halftone dot image are completely reversed in their characteristics.

Abstract: A system including a first device connected to a network, a second device connected to the network, and at least one portable terminal is disclosed. Device information of the first device containing connection information for establishing a connection between the first device and the second device is transmitted from the first device to the portable terminal and later transmitted from the portable terminal to the second device. Therefore, the connection between the first device and the second device is established based on the device information.

Abstract: A system including a first device connected to a network, a second device connected to the network, and at least one portable terminal is disclosed. Device information of the first device containing connection information for establishing a connection between the first device and the second device is transmitted from the first device to the portable terminal and later transmitted from the portable terminal to the second device. Therefore, the connection between the first device and the second device is established based on the device information.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a detecting unit that detects pieces of additional information embedded in image data, an analyzing unit that analyzes the detected pieces of additional information, and an embedding unit that (a) updates, when the analyzing unit analyzes that any of the detected pieces of additional information includes predetermined information, the predetermined information included in the piece of additional information, and embeds the updated predetermined information into image data at a location where the predetermined information is originally embedded, or (b) embeds, when the detected pieces of additional information do not include the predetermined information, a new piece of additional information including updated information, into the image data at a location that does not overlap locations where the detected pieces of additional information are embedded, the updated information being equivalent to the predetermined information.

Abstract: An imaging device with an improved controller is disclosed wherein the controller eliminates duplicated circuitry and provides multiuser circuitry that efficiently replaces multiple dedicated circuit blocks. In one aspect, duplicated same-function circuit blocks are replaced with a switch controlled by an alignment control signal to operate as a multiplexer or demultiplexer. In another aspect, multiple different-function circuit blocks which generally have no temporal overlap of their active operation are replaced with a programmable logic device that is reconfigured dynamically to perform some subset of the different functions on an as-needed basis.

Abstract: A server, which functions as an image data control device, makes a judgment as to whether a job containing image data stored in a hard disk of the storage unit has received deletion designation for being designated to be deleted from the hard disk. Then, among the jobs judged to have received the deletion designation, the server provides control that prevents a referenced job containing image data that is referenced by a reproduced or combined job (referencing job) from being deleted from the hard disk.

Abstract: A file management apparatus includes a receiver for receiving an electronic message having an attached file; a first acquirer for acquiring information concerning an original sender of the received electronic message; and a device for attaching the information concerning the original sender to the attached file. A file management method includes the steps of receiving an electronic message including information concerning an original sender of the electronic message and an attached file; acquiring the information concerning the original sender from the received electronic message; and attaching the information concerning the original sender to the attached file.

Abstract: An image processing device having an image processing unit 10 that adjusts colors of the foreground image data that are approximately equal to a uniform color that makes the boundary between the foreground image data and the background image data recognizable to all the colors of the background image data that serves as the foreground image data's back ground, and synthesizes the foreground image data and the background image data.

Abstract: In order to provide a more user-friendly image processing apparatus, the present invention provides an image processing apparatus that is able to obtain information stored in a contactless IC tag embedded in the document paper, for example, and search for related information based on the obtained information, and display the related information on a display screen like the liquid crystal display panel in the control panel.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus receives image data based on multiple document images of various sizes and/or orientations. The apparatus identifies areas that are not yet assigned with document images on a single sheet of paper and identifies whether any document image can be laid out in an identified area. In another aspect of the apparatus, a maximum document image size is detected from multiple document images, and a scale factor is calculated to cause the detected maximum size match with the size of the entire area of the paper or an area obtained by dividing the paper into equal parts. In another aspect of the apparatus, a scaling factor is calculated for each document image to cause the size of the particular document match with the size of an area obtained by dividing the paper into equal parts.

Abstract: In order to carry out an image processing with high precision by using a simple structure, an image processing apparatus is provided with an input unit, a storage unit, a binarization unit, and a determination unit. The input unit inputs image data of an image. The storage unit stores a first condition on absolute positions of pixels in the image and a second condition on positions of pixels relative to a target pixel. The binarization unit binarizes the target pixel based upon a color data of the target pixel and that of at least one related pixel to the target pixel to generate a binarized value. The at least one related pixel in the image satisfies the first and second conditions. The determination unit determines whether or not the image has a specified pattern, based upon the binarized values.

Abstract: A data distributing system wherein an electronic book data storage center which is stored with a plurality of pieces of book data is capable of communicating with electronic book vending machines 2 via a communication line and/or a communication satellite. In each of the vending machines, a storage medium can be inserted. The vending machine selects a piece of book data, which may be desired by the user, based on data stored in the storage medium as data to be to recorded into the storage medium. The user himself or herself can select a piece of book data. Also, the recorded data can be deleted from the storage medium in compliance with the user's request. These vending machines may have a function of casting accounts.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus checks a next job to be executed, and if the job is a firmware rewriting job, accesses a mail server, downloads e-mail, and obtains a job type of a job attached to the e-mail. If the job is a print job, the image processing apparatus extracts image information pertaining to the job from the e-mail, stores the image information, registers the job in a job management table, and ends processing. If there are no print jobs, the image processing apparatus executes the firmware rewriting job, deletes the job from the job management table, and ends the processing.

Abstract: In a communication system wherein a device and a client communicate data with each other through a network, the device holds a root certificate including a public key in a pair of the public key and a private key and signed with the public key. When data is sent, a certificate creator creates a second certificate including the root certificate designated as a certificate authority at a higher level and signed with the root certificate, and the second certificate is sent to the client. In the client, the root certificate has been stored beforehand, and a verifier verifies the signature of the second certificate with the root certificate.

Abstract: A printing method for a printing system having a plurality of image forming devices and a plurality of data transfer devices, includes a judgment step of judging whether image deficiency will occur in printing data transferred from the first data transfer device to the plurality of image forming devices, and a control step of providing control for transferring the data from the second data transfer device to the image forming device when it is judged in the judgment step that image deficiency will occur.

Abstract: A digital copying machine that performs transfer of image data from the image reader to an external computer based on an image reading operation, as well as transfer of image data from the external computer to the printing unit based on a printing operation using the same bus, wherein the image reading operation and the printing operation are performed simultaneously by alternating the two types of transfers in response to the signal, based on the operation timing of the printing unit.

Abstract: A scanner capable of functioning as a data transmission management device that makes a determination as to whether data should be allowed to be reused at a file transmission destination based on the nature of the particular destination, produces a reusable file, and transmits it to the destination, if it determines that the reuse of the data is allowed because the destination is within the area of the first network N1 to which the scanner is connected; or it produces difficult-to-reuse file and transmits it to the destination, if it determines that the reuse of the data is disallowed because the destination is outside of the area of the first network N1.

Abstract: In accordance with an image processing method, a data region is detected from input image data. The input image data is rotated in accordance with inclination of an image. Determination is made whether the data region of rotated image data protrudes from an image area of the input image data. When detection is made of protruding, the smallest area including the data region is extracted from the rotated image data. When the data region of the rotated image data protrudes from the image area of the image data previous to rotation, the smallest region including the data region of the rotated image data is extracted from the rotated image data. Therefore, loosing information from image data subjected to rotational correction can be prevented. Also, the amount of image data subjected to rotational correction can be minimized.

Abstract: A translating apparatus includes a translator for translating document data into another language, an output unit for outputting the translated document data translated by the translator, a mode setting unit for setting in a first mode or a second mode, and a controller. In a case where the first mode is set, the controller controls the translator so as to translate the document data into a plurality of languages, and controls the output unit so as to output the translated document data by each language group. In a case where the second mode is set, the controller controls the translator so as to translate the document data into a plurality of languages, and controls the output unit so as to output the translated document data by group including each translated language document date.

Abstract: A printer (100) for printing based on a print job signal sent from a data processing device (200) registers print job signal sending sources and a message corresponding to each sending source in memory (111, 112). A controller (113) detects whether the sending source of a received print job signal is registered in memory. If the sending source is registered, a messaging unit (110, 111) outputs a corresponding message. Sending sources that are permitted to print can also be registered in memory (111, 112). In this case, the controller (113) detects whether the sending source of a received print job signal is registered in memory, and instructs the printer (110) to print only when the sending source is registered as permitted to print.