Abstract: A printer that stores a minimal number of unadjusted stochastic threshold arrays in non-volatile memory, in which the unadjusted threshold arrays are used to generate adjusted threshold arrays at run time by use of special parameterized transfer functions. The unadjusted array for a particular color is stored in the printer's ROM and preferably is stored in a packed configuration to save memory space. The parameterized transfer functions are used to convert the unadjusted threshold data into adjusted threshold data for each color and type of print media. These parameterized transfer functions are stored in the printer's non-volatile memory, and take up very little memory space. In a preferred embodiment, the unadjusted threshold array comprises a 128 row by 128 column sized array, and each element of this array comprises a 10-bit number. When a parameterized transfer function is applied to this unadjusted array, the resulting numeric values for the adjusted array elements are produced as 8-bit numeric values.

Abstract: An image data generation part 400 generates image data, attaches a tag to the image data, and then outputs the resultant data. A screen processing part 420 carries out a screen process on the image data in accordance with the characteristic indicated by the tag, and outputs the tag to a parameter generation part 428. The parameter generation part 428 adjusts a parameter of a correction process in an image processing part 424 so that a detected misregistration does not interfere with the screen characteristic. The image processing part 424 applies such a correction process as to cancel a detected misregistration in an output image to input image data in accordance with the parameter of the correction process as input. A print processing part 440 controls an apparatus main body 2 to cause it to print corrected image data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for de-screening a halftone image, therefore allowing the recovery of an approximation of an original image, is disclosed. A method according to one embodiment first performs a screen conversion filter upon a scanned representation of the halftone image to produce an intermediate image. This method then performs a line smoothing filter upon the intermediate image to produce an approximation to the original image. In an alternate embodiment, the method performs a single convolution filter upon a scanned representation of the halftone image to produce an approximation to the original image. In this embodiment, the single convolution filter is equal to the resulting convolution of first performing a screen conversion filter and then performing a line smoothing filter.

Abstract: A system for the accurate measurement and control of image color density on an operating printing press. The method and apparatus control the printing of a multicolored image by controlling the amount of each of the inks used to print an image based on the color densities of each of the inks detected in printed images. The process includes controlling the positioning and linear movement of a strobe and a digital video camera across a substrate having images printed thereon; illuminating the images with a strobe; selecting and acquiring the images via a digital video camera and producing a digitized representation thereof; selecting a portion of the images; measuring and analyzing the color intensity of the selected portion of the images and producing reflective density values thereof, and storing said reflective density values in a first memory; comparing the reflective density values for the portion of the images to standard density values in a second memory for the portion of the images.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program apparatus, implementing techniques for preparing a region of an electronic document for printing on a printing device having asymmetric misregistration behavior. The techniques include trapping the region asymmetrically to compensate for asymmetric misregistration behavior of a printing device. The region can be an entire page or a portion of a page represented in a page description language or a raster representation. The techniques can include defining an asymmetric transformation; applying the asymmetric transformation to the region to generate a transformed region; processing the transformed region to generate transformed traps; and applying an inverse transformation to the transformed traps to generate traps for the region, the inverse transformation being an inverse of the asymmetric transformation.

Abstract: The present invention overcomes the limitations of the prior art by providing a system and method for halftoning using time-variable halftone patterns. Successive frames that are presented to the output device are individually halftoned. The halftone pattern is changed from frame to frame. The different halftone patterns can be generated in real time, or they can be calculated prior to halftoning and stored in memory. Additionally, the halftone patterns can be generated using any conventional halftoning technique. The same halftoning technique can used to create each halftone pattern, or the halftoning techniques can be varied when creating halftone patterns. The halftoned frames are then viewed in a sequence in time. Because the halftone pattern is changing from frame to frame, the visibility of the pattern is reduced when compared with the patterns produced by prior art halftoning methods.

Abstract: An information processing methodology gives rise to an application program interface which includes an automated digitizing unit, such as a scanner, which inputs information from a diversity of hard copy documents and stores information from the hard copy documents into a memory as stored document information. Portions of the stored document information are selected in accordance with content instructions which designate portions of the stored document information required by a particular application program. The selected stored document information is then placed into the transmission format required by a particular application program in accordance with transmission format instructions. After the information has been transmission formatted, the information is transmitted to the application program. In one operational mode, the interface interactively prompts the user to identify, on a display, portions of the hard copy documents containing information used in application programs or for storage.

Abstract: Image data representing an image read by reading means are input to normalization processing condition determining means and to pre-normalization processing image inputting means of the image receiving apparatus. Parameters are input from parameter inputting means to the normalization processing condition determining means. The normalization processing condition determining means determines a normalization processing condition so that the image to be output is in an appropriate density range or the like, and inputs the condition to normalization processing condition inputting means via normalization processing condition outputting means. Normalization processing executing means normally carries out the normalization processing on the image data under a normalization processing condition which is the same as the normalization processing condition determined by the normalization processing condition determining means.

Abstract: When transmission of an image is performed by a double-side image transmitting function, and a cover sheet inserting function is used to automatically insert a cover sheet, a CPU transmits a blank sheet image as the image formed on the reverse side of the cover sheet.

Abstract: A printer handles a print job by determining whether the entire print job can be processed locally by the printer. If possible, the printer processes the print job locally. If the entire print job cannot be processed locally, then the printer sends the print job (or a portion of the print job) to an external rendering device. The printer receives a rendered print job (or a rendered portion of a print job) from the external rendering device. Finally, the printer prints the rendered print job. If different portions of the print job require processing by different external rendering devices, then portions of a particular print job may be distributed to multiple external rendering devices. An external rendering device may be a server coupled to the printer via the Internet.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image processor provided in apparatuses such as digital copiers and printers, and that distinguishes between a character edge region and a continuous tone region of an original image and switches the tone reproduction processing between the regions.

Abstract: When image data read by an image reading device are to be transmitted to an image forming device connected to the reading device via a network, confidential transmission can be set. In the case where confidential transmission is set, a password is transmitted to the addressee of the image data by an E-mail. The image forming device performs image formation of the image data under the condition that the password is entered. The image formation is notified to the addresser by an E-mail, and hence the addresser can know that the image has been safely delivered to the addressee.

Abstract: A film scanner, such as a telecine, includes a light source, collection optics and one or more light sensors to reduce image signals representative of an image on film. In addition, a reflector arrangement is provided which has an internally reflective cavity, such as an integrating sphere, to captor light which may have been scattered from the usual light path and provided to an additional sensor. Compensations can thus be made for light scattered in any direction.

Abstract: There is provided a print system in which a print instruction is received from an information appliance (IA), a print request is issued to a server in response to the print instruction from the IA, and print data formed by the server is received in accordance with the print request, thereby enabling the print data to be printed from the IA.

Abstract: In an image processing method, a tone of a target pixel and tones of peripheral pixels around the target pixel are detected. Also, a tone difference between the target pixel and each peripheral pixel is detected. Then, smoothing processing is executed upon image data of the target pixel, based on the tone differences between the target pixel and the peripheral pixels, in such a way as to reduce a change of the tone of the target pixel.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus providing a halftoning process such as error diffusion prevents an image contour distortion, as follows: data in an image to be processed is used to partially extend the image to be processed. Then error diffusion or the like is employed to provide a halftoning process. The extension is removed to obtain image data. A dot generation delay can be prevented that would otherwise be introduced such as when an extension-free image is halftoned.

Abstract: An image capturing device includes an electronic image sensor and a memory including a dark frame buffer that stores one or more dark frames generated by the electronic image sensor. A processor controls the electronic image sensor to substantially continuously capture and store a newest dark frame from the electronic image sensor when the electronic image sensor is not performing an image capture. The processor subtracts the newest dark frame from an image upon an image capture.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus implementing a technique for calculating line leading. In general, in one aspect, the technique includes receiving a first input specifying either a forward line leading model or a backward line leading mode and calculating line leading based on the input.

Abstract: The image correction apparatus includes an image reading unit for reading a print image of an original image, where a mark is given to a defect on an image and an image correction unit for correcting image data of the original image by utilizing the position of the mark on a read image read by the image reading unit. The image correction apparatus efficiently corrects an image defect visually recognized on the print image without using an infrared ray, when the print image is output from image data of the original image.

Abstract: A color image processing apparatus for detecting and correcting fault pixels in a color image pickup device having a plurality of pixels each with a correspondingly disposed filter device of color filter having a plurality of filter devices respectively of predetermined colors, including means for detecting fault pixels by establishing a correlation among pixel signals along an arrangement of consecutive ones of identical color, and means for correcting pixel signals corresponding to the fault pixels detected at the fault pixel detecting means. By thus establishing a correlation among pixel signals along an arrangement of consecutive ones of identical color to detect and correct fault pixels, the fault pixels are efficiently detected in a small range and correction of the fault pixels is performed in real time.