Abstract: An image processing apparatus has a generation section that generates color component of each pixel forming an image by of a usual method or a generation for black edge; a black edge determination section that determines whether or not each pixel is a black edge pixel forming the black edge based on peripheral pixels of the pixel; a dot detection section that detects dot information of each pixel based on peripheral pixels of the pixel; and a method instruction section that instructs the generation section on what method is to be used for generating color component based on results provided by the black edge determination section and the dot detection section, wherein the method instruction section instructs the generation section to generate color component of a pixel, which is not determined as the black edge pixel or whose detection result is a specific detection result, by the usual method.

Abstract: An image reading device including: a photoelectric conversion device that outputs an analog signal corresponding to an image read from a document; an A-D converter that converts the analog signal into a digital signal; a spread spectrum clock generation unit configured to generate a spread spectrum clock by executing frequency-modulation on a reference clock having a constant frequency; an acquisition timing setting unit configured to set an acquiring timing of the analog signal with reference to the spread spectrum clock; and an acquisition timing correction unit configured to execute a delay correction for the acquiring timing of the analog signal set by the acquisition timing setting unit in accordance with a frequency of the spread spectrum clock defined when the analog signal is outputted. The analog signal acquired at the corrected acquiring timing corrected by the acquisition timing correction unit is converted into the digital signal.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an apparatus main body; a plurality of cartridges removably mounted to the apparatus main body and accommodating developer of respective colors, each of the cartridges including a nonvolatile memory; and a storing control unit provided in the apparatus main body. The storing control unit is configured to store, in each of the nonvolatile memories, given information on all of the cartridges and identification information of the cartridges in response to a use of at least one of the cartridges, such that the given information on each of the cartridges is associated with identification information of a respective one of the cartridges.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus is provided with a luminance component extracting system adapted to extract a luminance component from image data consisting of a plurality of image pixels arrange in a matrix, a first filter, first data being generated as the first filter is applied to the luminance component, an edge detecting system that detects an edge in the first data, a second filter, second data being generated as the second filter is applied to the luminance component, a third filter, third data being generated as the third filter is applied to the luminance component, an outputting system adapted to output the second data and the third data, and a selection controlling system adapted to control, in response to the result of edge detection, the outputting system to selectively output one of the second data and the third data.

Abstract: An image-processing device includes a determining unit that determines a likelihood degree of an input image being a halftone image and a plurality of spatial filters having different characteristics The spatial filters produce a plurality of component-image data sets from the input image data. A selecting unit selects one of the spatial filters based on the determined likelihood degree and then outputs component-image data produced by the selected spatial filter.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus includes a data processing section that issues a plurality of data transfer requests simultaneously; an internal memory provided inside a circuit including the data processing section; an internal memory control section that performs an access control for the internal memory; an external memory that exchanges data with the data processing section via an external bus; an external memory control section that performs an access control for the external memory; and a memory selecting section that assigns to at least one of the internal memory and the external memory a data transfer request from the data processing section.

Abstract: An image reading device according to one aspect of the invention comprises: a conveying unit configured to convey a recording medium; a first transmissive portion having a first surface that allows the recording medium to pass the first surface; a second transmissive portion having a second surface on which a recording medium is allowed to be placed; an image reading unit comprising a line sensor extending in a first direction and movable on a second path, the second path continuously extending below the first transmissive portion and the second transmissive portion; and a driver configured to move the image reading unit on the second path. A relative distance between the line sensor and the first surface changes in the second path below the first transmissive portion. The recording medium can be read at positions having the relative distances different one another.

Abstract: An image reading device according to one aspect of the invention comprises: a conveying unit configured to convey a recording medium; a first transmissive portion having a first surface that allows the recording medium to pass through the first surface; a second transmissive portion having a second surface on which a recording medium is allowed to be placed; an image reading unit comprising a line sensor extending in a first direction and movable on a second path, the second path continuously extending below the first transmissive portion and the second transmissive portion; and a driver configured to move the image reading unit on the second path. A relative distance of a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions between the line sensor and the first surface changes in the second path below the first transmissive portion.

Abstract: There is disclosed an image read apparatus including an image sensor including: first and second sensors including light receiving devices arranged in one row; a first shift register for outputting the pixel signals of all the light receiving devices of the first sensor; and second and third shift registers for outputting the even-numbered and odd-numbered pixel signals of the light receiving devices of the second sensor, in which invalid data is prevented from being written in a memory. The pixel signals outputted from the first to third shift registers constituting a CCD image sensor with the same transfer clock are selected and taken in via an AFE in a time division. The taken pixel data is successively sampled in a data sampling block and stored in a memory. Moreover, when the sampling timing is controlled in a take-in signal generation circuit, the pixel data stored in the memory is limited to indicate the pixel number of each shift register.

Abstract: In a black character detection processing, RGB data read from a line buffer is converted into YIQ data. For a subject pixel, a subject area centered on the subject pixel is set, and a judgment pixel that has the lowest brightness in the subject area is set. Then, a judgment area is set as being centered on the judgment pixel. If the absolute values of the averages of chroma components I and Q in the judgment area are both less than the corresponding thresholds T1 and T2, the subject pixel is determined as being an achromatic pixel. Black codes are added to fine-line pixels and edge pixels if the fine-line pixels and edge pixels are determined as being achromatic. Thus, the fine-line pixels and edge pixels can be specified as to be printed in black monochromatic ink. Therefore, black character or similar fine-line or edge part images can be outputted with high quality.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus can include an acquiring portion that acquires image data, a judging portion that determines if specified image data is included in image data, a history storage portion that stores history information relating to a number of times the judging portion judges that specified image data is included, wherein the number of times is X, an outputting portion that capable of outputting the image data, a prohibiting portion capable of at least one of stopping output of the image data and performing an invalidation output, a control portion that, when X is less than a predetermined number, causes the outputting portion to start output before a determination by the judging portion is completed, and when X is equal to or greater than the predetermined number, causes the outputting portion to start output after the judging portion determines that the image data does not include specified image data.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a command input portion, an acquiring portion that acquires image data, a judging portion that determines if specified image data is included in the image data, a control portion and a printing portion that prints an image based on the image data onto a medium. Upon receiving the print command, a determination by the judging portion is performed, and when the judging portion determines that the specified image data is included, a first copy that includes invalidation processing on at least a section of the image is produced, and a second copy that includes invalidation processing on all of the image and the image in all subsequent copies that are printed thereafter is produced, to thereby execute printing of a number of copies that are specified by the print command and subsequently enter a state in which a next print command can be executed.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus that includes: an image sensor that outputs image signals in parallel from each block composed of an element group, photoelectric conversion elements arrayed in a main scanning direction being divided into the blocks; a serial transmission section that serializes and outputs the image signals outputted in parallel from the image sensor; a sampling section that samples the serialized image signals to add the blocks, to which the image signals belong, as block information to the respective image signals; a storage section that stores the image signals on the basis of a predetermined address; and a rearranging section that gives addresses for accessing to the storage section on the basis of the block information so that the image signals are arrayed from a head for the respective blocks in the main scanning direction of the image sensor, thereby to read/write the sampled image signals from/in the storage section.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus that includes: a data processing section that issues a plurality of data transfer requests simultaneously; an internal memory provided inside a circuit including the data processing section; an internal memory control section that performs an access control for the internal memory; an external memory that exchanges data with the data processing section via an external bus; an external memory control section that performs an access control for the external memory; and a memory selecting section that assigns to at least one of the internal memory and the external memory a data transfer request from the data processing section.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing data describing an image is provided with an input device, a binarizing device, a correcting device, a driving pulse generating device, and an adjusting device. The input device inputs the data. The binarizing device performs a binarizing calculation on the input data. The correcting device corrects the binarizing calculation when a pixel that needs adjustment of a driving pulse thereof has been identified based on the binarized data. The driving pulse generating device generates driving pulses based on the binarized data. The adjusting device adjusts the driving pulse when the pixel that needs adjustment of the driving pulse thereof has been identified based on the binarized data.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus is provided with a luminance component extracting system adapted to extract a luminance component from image data consisting of a plurality of image pixels arrange in a matrix, a first filter, first data being generated as the first filter is applied to the luminance component, an edge detecting system that detects an edge in the first data, a second filter, second data being generated as the second filter is applied to the luminance component, a third filter, third data being generated as the third filter is applied to the luminance component, an outputting system adapted to output the second data and the third data, and a selection controlling system adapted to control, in response to the result of edge detection, the outputting system to selectively output one of the second data and the third data.

Abstract: The invention provides an image reading apparatus that produces a precise image of an original document to prevent the read image from having distortion or irregular density, by driving a DC motor, which drives an image reading unit in a scanning direction, at a constant speed suitable for a document to be read. In addition, the image reading apparatus prevents position errors or misalignment at the start of the image reading, or at a restart of the image reading after the image reading is paused. A speed control circuit provides feedback to a DC motor to synchronize a time interval detected by a pulse interval detecting circuit with a time interval set by an interval setting register, so that the DC motor is operated at a constant speed. A counter counts the number of signals output from an encoder. After the speed of the DC motor is stabilized, a timing of signals output from a CCD drive unit to the image reading unit is synchronized with a timing of the signals generated by the encoder.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus has a generation section that generates color component of each pixel forming an image by of a usual method or a generation for black edge; a black edge determination section that determines whether or not each pixel is a black edge pixel forming the black edge based on peripheral pixels of the pixel; a dot detection section that detects dot information of each pixel based on peripheral pixels of the pixel; and a method instruction section that instructs the generation section on what method is to be used for generating color component based on results provided by the black edge determination section and the dot detection section, wherein the method instruction section instructs the generation section to generate color component of a pixel, which is not determined as the black edge pixel or whose detection result is a specific detection result, by the usual method.

Abstract: An image-processing device includes a determining unit that determines a likelihood degree of an input image being a halftone image and a plurality of spatial filters having different characteristics The spatial filters produce a plurality of component-image data sets from the input image data. A selecting unit selects one of the spatial filters based on the determined likelihood degree and then outputs component-image data produced by the selected spatial filter.

Abstract: There is disclosed an image read apparatus including an image sensor including: first and second sensors including light receiving devices arranged in one row; a first shift register for outputting the pixel signals of all the light receiving devices of the first sensor; and second and third shift registers for outputting the even-numbered and odd-numbered pixel signals of the light receiving devices of the second sensor, in which invalid data is prevented from being written in a memory. The pixel signals outputted from the first to third shift registers constituting a CCD image sensor with the same transfer clock are selected and taken in via an AFE in a time division. The taken pixel data is successively sampled in a data sampling block and stored in a memory. Moreover, when the sampling timing is controlled in a take-in signal generation circuit, the pixel data stored in the memory is limited to indicate the pixel number of each shift register.