Abstract: A construction is achieved at low cost which reduces the loss of gradation in a dark portion of an image that has been subjected to gamma correction in accordance with characteristics of a display. In an image reading apparatus, to make it possible to more finely reproduce the gradation in the dark portion, the number of gradations expressed by an signal obtained by a CCD is reduced by performing non-linear gamma correction using a gamma coefficient below one, and the resulting signal is transferred to a computer serving as a host computer. In the computer, the transferred signal is subjected to gamma correction using a gamma coefficient that is an inverse of the gamma coefficient used in the image reading apparatus, thereby canceling out the influence of the gamma correction performed in the image reading apparatus.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a job execution unit, a log generation unit, a log storage unit, a feature amount extraction unit and a replacement unit. The job execution unit executes a processing job of image data. Te log generation unit generates image log information for identifying the executed processing job and identifying the processed image data. The log storage unit stores the generated image log information. The feature amount extraction unit extracts a feature amount of the image data identified by the image log information. The identity determination unit compares feature amounts extracted from pieces of the image data identified by pieces of the image log information, to determine identity among the image data. The replacement unit replaces information to identify a piece of the image data, which are determined to be identical, with information to identify another piece of the image data.

Abstract: A system facilitates printing of microtext. A processing component allows a user to create one or more microtext characters, wherein the characters are output as a data packet. An SRE code store receives and associates one or more SRE codes with the data packet, each SRE code is representative of a bit pattern, wherein the bit pattern is a grid of bits that are filled to create a particular pattern. A font bank receives the one or more SRE codes from the SRE code store and defines such codes via a font. A raster image processor receives the font from the font bank, decodes the font and outputs instructions to print the microtext.

Abstract: In a PC, image data, position data indicating the position of the image data, and addition data associated with the image data are created. Further, the PC requests a background management unit to send a background pattern used to specify paper and a position on the paper, and prints the background pattern together with the image data. Further, the PC registers the background pattern, the addition data, and the position data in an information server in association with each other. When the user points to an image on the paper provided as the result of printing with a handwrite input pen, the background pattern and the pointing position are detected on the paper, and the addition data corresponding to the paper and the position is output.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming device using a low visibility information embedding technique to manage a copy history of an original. The image forming device embeds history information with the use of small dots disappearing by copying, and coordinate information on a region embedded with the history information with the use of large dots not disappearing even by copying. Upon first copying, the image forming device newly creates both of the large dot coordinate information and the small dot history information, and embeds them. Upon second or later copying, the image forming device updates the history information having been read out of the original with that on the current copying, and embeds the updated history information in the history information region indicated by the coordinate information.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus performs a processing of checking periodically whether data addressed to the image processing apparatus exist in a server apparatus while suppressing power consumption as much as possible. The NIC communicates with the server apparatus to check whether a storage unit of the server apparatus stores object data for processing addressed to the image processing apparatus. An energization switching unit switches the energization (power supply) to a main controlling unit that acquires the data addressed to the image processing apparatus from the server apparatus. The NIC controls the energization switching unit to activate the main controlling unit and the printer unit on the condition that the object data for processing addressed to the image processing apparatus is present.

Abstract: A hand-held modular printer system for printing a stored image, the printer system comprising a memory module in which the image can be stored; a printer module adapted to be releasably interconnected with the memory module, the printer module including an elongate body defining a transverse print media passage and a printer which is arranged within the body so that the stored image can be printed onto print media which passes through the passage, the printer module further including a print media feed arrangement located within the body, the print media feed arrangement comprising a plurality of rollers configured to feed the print media through the passage and a motor arrangement for driving at least one of the rollers; and a pen module adapted to be releasably interconnected with the printer module and which includes a nib which can dispense ink.

Abstract: A printing system including a printing device which has a cancel instruction unit that instructs cancellation of a current job being processed from an operation panel, and an image reading device that describes original image data read from an original in a page description language and sends to the printing device, in which the image reading device describes the read original image data in the page description language and sends it as a copy job to the printing device, obtains a job holding state from the printing device and reserves at least the transmission of the copy job to the printing device until the job held by the printing device runs out when it is judged according to the obtained job holding information that the printing device is in a job holding state.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus which is capable of extracting embedded information from the back side of a printed document without causing degradation of reading efficiency. A scanner unit reads an image on a first side of a sheet. An encoded information processing section extracts embedded information embedded in the image read by the scanner unit. When embedded information indicating that embedded information is embedded in an image on a second side of the sheet is extracted by the encoded information processing section, an automatic second-side reading section reads the image on the second side of the sheet, and the encoded information processing section extracts the embedded information embedded in the image read by the automatic second-side reading section.

Abstract: This specification discloses a computer program product manufacturing method. This method is provided with a forming step, a combining step, and a storing step. The forming step instructs the printer to form a dot at a predetermined coordinate. The combining step creates a combination of the predetermined coordinate and a sub-coordinate which is different from the predetermined coordinate. A distance between the predetermined coordinate and a position of a dot formed when the printer tries to form the dot at the sub-coordinate is shorter than the distance between the predetermined coordinate and the position of the dot formed in the forming step. A storing step stores a computer program into a memory medium. The computer program includes instructions for ordering the computer device to perform a choosing step and a converting step. The choosing step chooses a coordinate from bit-mapped data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for adjusting a color of an image, the apparatus includes a unit setting at least one adjustment region shaped as an ellipse in a color space; and a unit converting colors of pixels included in the adjustment region to other colors based on a variable set.

Abstract: A job joining capability is used in a Multifunction Peripheral Device (MFP) to conduct continuous Raster Image Processing (RIP) across multiple job boundaries. Print jobs which do not have inter-RIP conflicts are printed back-to-back as a continuous single RIP. This is particularly advantageous for single copy, single page, and other small print jobs.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards method of making an animated flipbook by printing individual images captured from video footage on sheets of paper, with more than one image printed on each sheet of paper in a predetermined order. The sheets of paper are cut into rows of images, stacked chronologically, and cut into individual flipbook pages. The flipbook pages are stacked chronologically and bound together.

Abstract: The print controller used as an image processing device analyzes whether any printing setup information is embedded or not in the received PDF file, and sets up the printing condition in accordance with the printing setup information obtained by the analysis.

Abstract: A CPU 200 obtains and analyzes one or multiple image data GD, which are to be laid out on ornamental image data FD. The CPU 200 also obtains and analyzes desired ornamental image data FD to acquire a color distribution characteristic (representative color Fc). The CPU 200 sets an analyzed correction level according to the result of the analysis of the image data GD and modifies the analyzed correction level based on the acquired color distribution characteristic, so as to set a modified color balance correction level. The CPU 200 adjusts the color balance of the image data GD with the modified color balance correction level and pastes the color balance-adjusted image data GD onto the ornamental image data FD according to layout control information LI to generate output image data.

Abstract: A method, system and program product for comparing a junk fax image stored in a database to an incoming facsimile image to determine whether the incoming facsimile image is a junk fax. If the facsimile image is a junk fax, the image is either deleted or the communication terminated. The invention also provides a junk fax determinator by which an incoming facsimile image can be designated as a junk fax. In one embodiment, a recipient (user) can make the determination as to whether the incoming facsimile image is a junk fax and generate a personal junk fax database. In another embodiment, the recipient (user) can scan a hard copy document to form an incoming facsimile image, which can be saved as a junk fax in a personal junk fax database.

Abstract: Each print job received from a client computer 30 is divided into minimum printing units as divisional jobs, which are stored in a job folder 23b. When either of an upper spooler 23d and a lower spooler 23e has any vacancy for next allocation, one divisional job is allocated to a printer corresponding to the spooler having the vacancy. The name of the printer that has received allocation of the divisional job is written into the job folder 23b. When any allocated divisional job having an identical image file name and an identical customer ID with those of a current object divisional job is present in the job folder 23b, the current object divisional job is allocated to the printer, to which the allocated divisional job has been allocated. This arrangement allocates multiple divisional jobs for printing an identical image demanded from an identical customer to the same printer, thus ensuring substantially equal quality of resulting printed images.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a display portion for displaying an image; a storing portion for storing a plurality of operative instruction reception images, and operation guide images associated with the respective operative instruction reception images; a display controller for controlling the display portion to display an operative instruction reception image or an operation guide image stored in the storing portion; and an instruction receiving portion for receiving from an operator a display instruction to display an operation guide image. When the instruction receiving portion receives a display instruction, the display controller controls the display portion to display an operation guide image associated with an operative instruction reception image displayed on the display portion at the time when the instruction receiving portion receives a display instruction.

Abstract: A printing service system is provided. A print terminal includes a data transmission and reception unit for transmitting and receiving image data to and from a server and a key input unit for inputting an address of a recipient authorized to print the image data. The server includes a data accumulation unit in which image data uploaded from the print terminal is accumulated for each ID, a code conversion unit for converting an ID and a password into a code, a mail output unit and a FAX output unit for transmitting the code to the address, and an image management unit for, when the print terminal returns the code to the ID and the password and transmits the ID and the password, performing authentication, reading the image data corresponding to the ID, and returning the image data to the print terminal.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a plurality of image data acquisition units for respectively acquiring one or more page(s) of image data; a color or monochrome determining unit for determining whether each of the acquired pages is in color or in monochrome; an image forming unit for performing image formation of each page switchably using a monochrome-only image forming function for a monochrome page or a color and monochrome image forming function for a color page and a monochrome page; an image data switching unit for sequentially selecting and arranging the acquired pages of image data one by one so that the image formation of each page is performed in the order of selection; a function selecting unit for selecting either one of the monochrome-only and color and monochrome image forming functions for each of the arranged pages on the basis of the determination result made by the color or monochrome determining unit; and a control unit for controlling the image forming unit so that image formation of