Abstract: In a multifunction image processing apparatus, a CPU uses a QNT/PM, as used for copying and editing, to store image data received by a facsimile controller during a time zone when the apparatus is not used for other than facsimile reception, as in the night. In initiating an operation other than facsimile reception, such as copying, the CPU allows the image data retained in the QNT/PM to be printed out by a laser printer. In the event of failure to print, or in the case of confidential data, the image data is stored/retained in a file memory in a facsimile controller.

Abstract: According to an image pickup apparatus of this invention, a light source illuminates an object, an image pickup unit picks up an image of the illuminated object, an amplifier circuit amplifies the output signal for the image pickup unit, and a control unit adjusts the light amount of the light source after setting the maximum gain of the amplifier circuit and controls the image pickup unit to pickup the image of the object. An image pickup operation can be performed by irradiating an object with a minimum amount of light that the circuitry is capable of coping with.

Abstract: A method for automatically matching the color of a printed representation of an object or swatch to that of the object or swatch itself is provided. The method includes the steps of measuring the colors of the object with a calorimeter. An object image, showing mainly the object, is produced and a representative image color is determined. From the colors of the object (as measured by a colorimeter or some other color measuring device), a representative object color is determined. Finally, the colors of the object image in the vicinity, in color space, of the representative image color are corrected to colors in the vicinity, also in color space, of the representative object color.

Abstract: An illuminance spectrum I of reflected light from a color print of an N-order color having an arbitrary dot percent d.sub.1-N is defined by a diffuse reflection coefficient Sb(d.sub.1-N,.lambda.) and a specular reflection coefficient Ss(d.sub.1-N,.lambda.). These reflection coefficients are obtained in the following manner. A plurality of reference colors are specified on each of N.times.2.sup.(N-1) sides that constitute an N-dimensional color space including the N-order target color. Each reflection coefficient is expressed by a linear combination of a plurality of reference reflection coefficients Sb and Ss, which are set in advance for the plurality of reference colors. The illuminance spectrum of reflected light is then determined according to these reflection coefficients Sb and Ss. Color data representing the colors of the print in a colorimetric system suitable for an output device are subsequently generated from the illuminance spectrum.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating addresses. The present invention provides for fast generation of a series of addresses in an array where the series comprises a column or diagonal of the array, such as for layered ECC code words in CD-ROM. Whereas each address is computable individually using multipliers and modulo circuits, the present invention operates on the series of addresses as a whole, forming a dependence between successive addresses. The dependence is separated into multiple address indices that may be summed together for the desired address. The present invention is thus able to generate a series of addresses by accumulation processes requiring only selection of the appropriate increment value and addition to a previously stored address index value. Address generation throughput is increased with savings in layout area and power.

Abstract: An ink jet printer function and other facsimile functions are controlled by one CPU. Specifically, the CPU performs a recording process and other FAX processes in time division through a task. Further, an ink remaining amount check function of an ink jet printer is performed with priority over other processes by a timer interrupt operation.

Abstract: A facsimile apparatus for transferring data which is not facsimile image data, for example error data, filing information data, or ROM data. A memory memorizes the data, a read/write controller controls reading/writing the data in the memory, and a communication controller controls starting communication with another facsimile apparatus or a maintenance service center using by a protocol of NSS or NSF. Further, an ECM buffer memorizes the data for re-transferring the data by using ECM communication, and a modem transfers the data in the ECM buffer with a same speed rate as a speed rate of transferring the facsimile image data.

Abstract: In a color recording method of the invention, first, a first RGB signal and a second RGB signal are, respectively, converted into a first YMC signal and a second YMC signal. Next, in case that the color components Y, M and C shown by said second YMC signal do not exceed, respectively, the color components Y, M and C shown by said first YMC signal, printing is performed by means of a third YMC signal obtained by subtracting the color components Y, M and C of said second YMC signal, respectively, from the color components Y, M and C of said first YMC signal. On the other hand, in case that any of the color components Y, M and C shown by said second YMC signal exceeds its corresponding color component of the color components of Y, M and C shown by said first YMC signal, printing is performed by means of a fourth YMC signal for performing printing with said first YMC signal after performing printing with white.

Abstract: The current invention is directed to further improve the character recognition process based upon the comparison of identification value in a sample image and a reference image by adjusting the identification value of the sample image. The adjustment is made based upon a predetermined feature of the sub-area or a mesh region of the images. The desired improvement in accuracy is obtained especially for recognizing handwritten characters.

Abstract: An interface for connecting data-terminal-equipment (DTE) to a range of data-communication-equipment (DCE) using a multiplicity of interface standards is provided. The interface includes a DTE panel connector and a plurality of line drivers and receivers and associated electronics to select predetermined ones of the plurality of receivers and drivers for use by the DTE when cables having a predetermined configuration, corresponding to the supported interface standards, are attached. The cables connect the appropriate drivers and receivers of the DTE with the corresponding receivers and drivers, respectively, of the DCE. Additionally the cables also contain termination devices and a selection mechanism to select which drivers and receivers are to be used by the DTE to communicate with the receivers and drivers, respectively, being used by the DCE.

Abstract: There are provided an image processing apparatus and method, which are excellent in speed, quality, and memory amount by appropriately switching a portion to be subjected to extraction of outline vector data and a portion not to be subjected to such extraction on the basis of an input binary image.For example, whether an input binary image is a character/line image region or a pseudo halftone image region is roughly discriminated in units of predetermined amounts. Only image data determined as character/line image regions is extracted, and outline vector data are extracted from the extracted image data. The extracted outline vector data are stored in a memory.

Abstract: Transfer control information for controlling a transfer amount per unit time of a transfer path is delivered from a transfer control section to an information transfer section. During encoding, the information transfer section receives image information from an external device in accordance with the transfer control information, and inputs the same to an image-information encoding/decoding section. A code-amount control section forwards code-amount control information for controlling the code amount to the image-information encoding/decoding section. The image-information encoding/decoding section encodes the image information in accordance with the code-amount control information outputted from the code-amount control section. The information transfer section transfers to an external device encoded information outputted from the image-information encoding/decoding section, while the transfer amount per unit time is being controlled by the transfer control section.

Abstract: A facsimile machine capable of receiving input of data from a switchboard over a telephone circuit during a silent interval between a first ring signal and a second ring signal, and including a network control unit NCU for detecting the first ring signal; a clock for starting measurement of a predetermined duration of time when the NCU detects the first ring signal and stopping measurement of the predetermined duration of time between an end of the data and a beginning of the second ring signal; and a CPU for causing the NCU to close a telephone circuit when the clock stops measurement of the predetermined duration of time.

Abstract: A simple color separation apparatus includes a light source for radiating light on the document, a movable color filter set arrayed in parallel with the main-scanning direction, the movable color filter set includes filters selectively transmitting colors respectively, which separate into three colors the radiated light reflected from the document, wherein each filter has sufficient length to cover the light in the main-scanning direction and a width that prevents interference between colors of the reflected and separated light; a lens for image-forming the light transmitted by each filter of the color filter set; a three-line CCD sensor for converting the light image formed by the image-forming lens to electrical signals, wherein the three-line CCD sensor includes three lines arrayed in parallel with the main-scanning direction, each of which has a line width that is determined by the magnification of the lens; and a carriage for moving the color filter set in the sub-scanning direction.

Abstract: In an image processing apparatus including a display device for displaying a binary image stored in a display binary memory and a printer for printing a binary image stored in a printing binary memory, a multi-value-binary conversion circuit for converting a multivalued image stored in a multivalued memory into a binary image is selectively connected to the display binary image memory or the printing binary image memory while arbitration between a display request and a printing request is performed. The multi-value-binary conversion circuit is commonly used for display and printing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for facsimile communication uses subaddress messages sent from a sending facsimile terminal to control how a facsimile image transmission is to be handled, e.g., routed and/or translated, by a receiving facsimile terminal. The invention may be employed through the use of an adapter which is designed to work with existing facsimile terminals which are incapable of generating subaddress messages. The invention, when employed with 10-key facsimile machines which cannot generate by the keys thereof proper subaddress delimiting symbols, automatically transforms non-permitted transmission symbols generated by the key to permitted transmission symbols.

Abstract: Document generation and delivery system that allows a user to download a plurality of sets of data to a document preparation system. The document preparation system has a memory that stores pre-defined forms with a plurality of fields. The downloaded data begins with a definition of the order in which data will be sent for use in filling in the fields of a form. The data sets are then used to populate fields in the form thereby generating documents to be transmitted via facsimile to a plurality of destinations.

Abstract: An image processing system includes a first image processing apparatus connected to a second image processing apparatus Each apparatus includes a programmable data compressor that performs image data compression in accordance with at least two data compression programs. The first image processing apparatus is able to request the second image processing apparatus to transmit to it a compression program stored by said second processing apparatus, which the first image processing apparatus may then use in its own data compressor.

Abstract: A system for communicating digital data comprises a splitting device (38) for separating an input digital data word, which may be provided by a speech coding arrangement (34,36), into most significant bits and less significant bits. The most significant bit(s) of the digital data word are encoded (40) using a robust signalling alphabet and less significant bit(s) are encoded (42,44) using progressively less robust signalling alphabets. All of the symbols resulting from the encoding are combined (46) and transmitted (48). On reception (50) the received signal is split (52) and demodulated (54,56,58) to provide respective portions of a received data word to a combining means (60). Where the data word was originally provided by speech coding arrangement the received data word may be provided to a resynthesising arrangement (62,64). The signalling alphabets may comprise 2-level modulation, 3,4 and 8-level modulation and/or phase modulation of various degrees.

Abstract: A color correcting method for a color image generating apparatus for overlapping 3 or 4 color materials according to color image data of 3 separated colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M) and cyan (C) or of 4 separated colors of Y, M, C and black (K) to obtain a multicolor image, wherein the apparatus includes a color detector, a test pattern is printed in a vertical/horizontal stripe form of 2-color combinations of 2 of the 3 or 4 colors and is measured by the color detector to find a hue value, a relative overlap deviation of the colors Y, M, C or Y, M, C, K is calculated from the found hue value, and an irradiation start position of a semiconductor laser in a main-scan direction and an irradiation start position of the semiconductor laser in a feed direction are controlled to correct the relative overlap deviation.