Abstract: A printing control apparatus is used as being connected to a printing apparatus. The time required for printing is calculated from the print information to be printed stored in print information memory and the printing speed of the printing apparatus, and the calculated time required for printing is set as the print time zone on the same time axis on which the print start time zone capable of starting print is set, corresponding to the print information. When the print start time and print end time of the print time zone are both within the print time zone, the print information is printed by the printing apparatus when the time measured by the clock and the print start time coincide. If at least one of the print start time and print end time of the print time zone is out of the print time zone, printing of print information is prohibited.

Abstract: An image input system includes an image input device having a movable carriage and a feeder removably attached to the image input device. The image input device performs a reading action of image information from a source document loaded onto the carriage. The image input device uses a single opening for loading and discharging the film mounts to prevent double loading. The feeder loads the source document onto the carriage during a loading action and discharges the source document from the image input device during a discharging action. A controller controls the operation of the image input device and the feeder. The controller operates a detection system to detect the presence of a film mount remaining in an image input device.

Abstract: A device for decoding coded image data to generate decoded image data by applying inverse orthogonal transformation to each block into which the coded image data is divided includes a quantization-information detecting unit detecting block-quantization-step-size information indicative of quantization step sizes used for a given block, and a frequency-characteristic modifying unit modifying high frequency components of the decoded image data for the given block based on the block-quantization-step-size information, the high frequency components having frequencies higher than a predetermined frequency.

Abstract: A set of first errors selected from sets of errors indexed as, e.g., sets of first to Kth errors between contour segments and corresponding line segments at a predetermined number of sample points on each of line segments, K being a positive integer, fitted to a contour of an object in a video signal by using a polygonal approximation method is encoded and decoded after being transformed and quantized to thereby generate an encoded set of first errors and a decoded set of first errors. Thereafter, the process described hereinafter is repeated for all the remaining sets of errors, from a set of second errors to a set of Kth errors, to thereby generate all the remaining encoded and decoded sets of errors.

Abstract: In a gradation output adjusting method according to the present invention, a gradation correcting section 64 corrects a gradation value of input data in accordance with a predetermined gradation correcting curve and applies the data after the correction to a printer output section 66. In preparing a gradation correcting curve, test data for forming a gradation scale is inputted to the printer output section 66 from a CPU 70. An image corresponding to the test data is read by a scanner section 1. A proper gradation value to be applied to the printer output section 66 is found with respect to some gradation values of the input data on the basis of the result of the reading. A pre-gradation correcting curve is prepared on the basis of the proper gradation value. The pre-gradation correcting curve and a plurality of types of curve patterns previously stored in a ROM 72 are matched. A curve pattern which is best matched to the pre-gradation correcting curve is set as a detailed gradation correcting curve.

Abstract: A system for generating a binary representation signal, which is suitable for outputting on an output device, from a continuous toned image signal that is adapted insure local correspondence between the average value of the input signal and the output being representation signal for local spatial areas comprises a processor, an input device, an image adaptor, a summer, a dither signal generator, and a pixel activator. The image adaptor receives a reference image signal, determines the number of pixels in local areas that are to be activated and generates an adaptive signal. The summer sums a dither signal from the dither signal generator and a continuous toned image signal to generate a ditherized signal. The pixel activator receives the adaptive signal and the ditherized signal. The pixel activator generates a signal to activate the pixels in each local area that have the highest sum according to the adaptive signal.

Abstract: A communication connection apparatus connected between a facsimile modem apparatus and a facsimile apparatus is provided for connecting the facsimile modem apparatus with the facsimile apparatus through a pair of transmission lines so as to execute communication between the facsimile modem apparatus and the facsimile apparatus. Further, a DC power source applies to a pair of transmission lines through a resistor, a predetermined DC voltage for transmitting an analog facsimile signal transmitted from either one of the facsimile modem apparatus and the facsimile apparatus so as to superimpose the analog facsimile signal on the DC voltage through a pair of transmission lines. In the communication connection apparatus, there is preferably further provided a diode connected between the DC power source and the resistor in a direction of a polarity of the diode such that the predetermined DC voltage is applied to a pair of transmission lines.

Abstract: Iris recognition is achieved by (1) iris acquisition that permits a user to self-position his or her eye into an imager's field of view without the need for any physical contact, (2) spatially locating the data defining that portion of a digitized video image of the user's eye that defines solely the iris thereof without any initial spatial condition of the iris being provided, and (3) pattern matching the spatially located data defining the iris of the user's eye with stored data defining a model iris by employing normalized spatial correlation for first comparing, at each of a plurality of spatial scales, each of distinctive spatial characteristics of the respective irises that are spatially registered with one another to quantitatively determine, at each of the plurality of spatial scales, a goodness value of match at that spatial scale, and then judging whether or not the pattern which manifests solely the iris of the user's eye matches the digital data which manifests solely the model iris in accordance

Abstract: A compressing method consisting of generating a predicted value for the pixel of the digitized image to be compressed based on the values of at least two neighboring pixels is provided. After calculating the difference between the predicted value and the current pixel value, a prediction error is defined by a one-on-one mapping on the difference obtained. According to an advantageous feature of the mapping relationship, the required number of bits for representing the prediction error is less than that required for the difference per se. Afterwards, a parameter K is generated which is in proportion to the difference between the neighboring pixels used in prediction. According to the respective values of the parameter K, the next step is to encode each prediction error by assigning a variable-length Rice code to the prediction error of each pixel.

Abstract: The present invention features a high-quality audio frequency loudspeaker system utilizing an array of tweeters placed in vertical alignment along an axis. The tweeter array, containing a plurality of tweeters, is mounted on a tweeter baffle board which may be reoriented by a user, so that the speaker system may be positioned in either a horizontal or a vertical orientation relative to the floor or other supporting surface. Reorientation of the tweeter array, in conjunction with other novel features, allows the speaker system to meet horizontal and vertical radiation pattern specifications for home theaters.

Abstract: An image reading device for an image forming apparatus and capable of reading the spread pages of a book document laid on a table. Even with a book document of the kind bound by staples or wire and provided with a cover by pasting, i.e., whose spread size is smaller than two times of the cover size, the device is capable of producing attractive copied images or read images with ease by obviating black stripes at the bound portion, image displacement, image intrusion, local image omission, and needless image data.

Abstract: A portable apparatus for reproducing individual pages of a bound document without optical distortion or damage to the bound document, including a substantially flat sensor array which may be inserted between pages of a book. Sensors scan one or both opposed pages. Alternatively, the sensor array surfaces may be set at an angle, also creating a reproduction apparatus capable of insertion between pages of a bound document.

Abstract: A data transfer method and apparatus for an image reading apparatus suitably used with an image scanner is improved in that a transfer line apparatus is simplified in construction and produced with a reduced cost by an improved transferring technique of data.

Abstract: A clear print image is obtained from a moving image. A switch (66) for selectively supplying an output from a moving image input camera (60) or a still image input picture/image camera (64) to a still image coding circuit (68) is arranged in an image transmission terminal device (50). An output from a still image decoding circuit (82) is connected to a printer (86) in an image receiving terminal device. When a print image of an image photographed by the camera (60) is required, a moving image print indication is made at an operation panel (88). A data control circuit (76) supplies a switching signal for the switch (66) to the terminal device (50) to switch the switch (66) to the output side of the camera (60). The output from the camera (60) is sent through a still image processing system (68, 70, 72, 74, 76, 82). A clear, high-quality image signal of the image photographed by the camera (60) is supplied to the printer (86).

Abstract: Headphones for acoustical reproduction of music or various audio signals and an electronic metronome device included therein.

Abstract: According to an image processing apparatus and a method therefor, external font data and a program for generating a font patten using the font data are input. The input program is executed to generate the font pattern using the input font data.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a process mode setting unit which sets a process condition for image reading such as edge emphasis degree, selection of binarization or pseudo-halftone processing, and a threshold level of a binarizer/pseudo-halftone processor. In the processing of an original including an OCR sheet as the first sheet, the process mode setting unit sets a process condition corresponding to an OCR reading for the OCR sheet, and for the next sheet, the unit changes the process condition appropriate to a reading mode designated by a user. Thus, the apparatus realizes image reading having excellent reproductivity, while preventing erroneous recognition during OCR reading.

Abstract: A CPU performs color space compression of an input image, and also performs masking processing associated with image formation. A plurality of images having undergone different color space compression processes are sent to a monitor via a video interface. The monitor displays a plurality of images on one screen. The user selects an image having a desired color appearance from the plurality of images displayed on the monitor. The CPU converts the color reproduction range of the input image into the color reproduction range of the selected image, and supplies the resultant data to a printer via a printer interface. With this processing, a preview function is provided for forming an image having a desired color appearance.

Abstract: An image gradation setting device includes a control density level determining portion for determining based on received image data a control density level indicative of a light amount for each of the first to n-th imaging areas of one imaging element.

Abstract: A fuzzy device for image noise reduction, includes an interface adapted to retrieve the gray level of a pixel to be processed of an image and of neighbouring pixels; a difference circuit connected to the interface and adapted to generate a difference of the gray levels between said neighbouring pixels and said pixels to be processed; a fuzzy flat area smoothing circuit connected to the difference circuit and adapted to perform a low-pass smoothing of an almost homogeneous region defined by said pixel and by said neighbouring pixels; an edge preserving smoothing circuit connected to the difference circuit and adapted to perform low-pass filtering on a high-frequency information region defined by the pixel and by the neighbouring pixels; a region voter circuit connected to the interface and adapted to give a measure for considering whether the region defined by the pixel and the neighbouring pixels is almost homogeneous; and a soft switching circuit connected to the outputs of the smoothing circuit and adapted