Abstract: An image processing apparatus and an image processing method of the present invention improves image quality during monochrome output by adaptively executional conversion from a color image signal to a monochrome image signal during monochrome image output, and by using outputs from color and monochrome sensors at the same time. Moreover, it lowers the cost of compressing a color signal by using a color sensor with a lower resolution than that of the monochrome sensor.

Abstract: The image processor includes an image input unit for reading and inputting an image of a document, a parameter input unit for inputting a parameter for image quality adjustment, a parameter storage unit for storing the parameter input by the parameter input unit, and a parameter decision unit for deciding an image quality parameter for adjusting the quality of an image input by the image input unit on the basis of the parameter stored by the parameter storage unit. Furthermore, the image processor includes an image processing unit for processing an image input by the image input unit on the basis of the image quality parameter decided by the parameter decision unit and an image output unit for outputting the image processed by the image processing unit.

Abstract: A density distribution calculation section 201 calculates the density distribution of a document on the basis of input color image data and a background density level calculation section 202 calculates the background density level of the document on the basis of the calculated density distribution. A density conversion table preparing section 203 prepares a density conversion table on the basis of the background density level. An image conversion section 204 converts a density near a document background density of input color image data on the basis of the density conversion table. Even in the case of a document having a background color, it is possible to suppress a “back page” emergence while reserving the background color and, at the same time, reduce an uneven shade of background density.

Abstract: An image producing section produces a character or pattern image indicative of the input conditions of a color scanner section. The input conditions include data on the resolution, the sampling rate, etc. An image synthesis section synthesizes the produced image with an image scanned by the color scanner section and subjected to predetermined image processing. The resultant synthesized image is printed out by a color printer section. The operating conditions, such as the image input conditions, are clear from the character or pattern image printed out as part of the synthesized image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising a scanner for reading an original and outputting image data for the original including color information and an image forming mechanism for forming an image either in black and white or in color according to the color information contained in the image data.

Abstract: A color image processing device is disclosed which has an increased degree of freedom in black-coloring processing and permits color images which have good color reproducibility and are less susceptible to position displacement in black-colored portions to be output. The device includes a minimum detector circuit, a first lookup table for determining the amount of black material (K), a second lookup table for determining the amount of black material (k1) in color materials which has one of 256 values from 0 to 255, a third lookup table for determining the amount by which the underlying color is removed (k2) which has one of 256 values from 0 to 255, and three subtracters and three dividers for processing the outputs of the lookup tables to calculate C′, M′ and Y′ indicating the amounts of color materials used in the printer.

Abstract: In an image processing device, image data is buffered by an image buffer section to output an interested pixel value and surrounding pixel values of a pixel surrounding an interested pixel. A shift condition determination section determines on the basis of the interested pixel value and the surrounding pixel values whether or not the interested pixel value should be shifted, and outputs a shift determination result. A pixel shifting amount computing section computes the pixel shifting amount of the interested pixel, and the shifted pixel position calculation section outputs a shift pixel position signal on the basis of setting parameters Tx and Ty, and clock signals XCLOCK and YCLOCK. A pixel value shifting section outputs the interested pixel value after the shifting on the basis of the interested pixel value, a shift determination result, the pixel shifting amount, and the shift pixel position signal.

Abstract: A plurality of image regions in the image of the original document are determined on the basis of the image data of the original document. The positions of the plurality of image regions are then indicated as regions in the image of the original document by the display. With use of the display, the user specifies at least one point in the image of the original document in order to specify one region. On the basis of the coordinates of the position specified by the user and the relative positions of the image regions, the image region corresponding to the specified position is determined as the specified region. The image in the specified region is then subjected to the image process desired by the user.

Abstract: Black pixels of image signals are expanded, a plurality of black pixel regions obtained by expanding the black pixels are connected to each other, and the circumscribing rectangles of the connected regions are extracted. In accordance with characteristics of the positions and sizes of the extracted circumscribing rectangles and the direction of characters in the circumscribing rectangles, whether the direction of the image is longitudinal or lateral and whether the image faces upwards or downwards are determined. In accordance with a result of the determination, configuration of the plural original document images on a sheet is decided. The plural original documents are combined into one composite image with the decided configuration. Therefore, a required copy output can be obtained regardless of the direction of the original document employed by a user and the direction of the original document set by the same.

Abstract: Black pixels of image signals are expanded, a plurality of black pixel regions obtained by expanding the black pixels are connected to each other, and the circumscribing rectangles of the connected regions are extracted. In accordance with characteristics of the positions and sizes of the extracted circumscribing rectangles and the direction of characters in the circumscribing rectangles, whether the direction of the image is longitudinal or lateral and whether the image faces upwards or downwards are determined. In accordance with a result of the determination, configuration of the plural original document images on a sheet is decided. The plural original documents are combined into one composite image with the decided configuration. Therefore, a required copy output can be obtained regardless of the direction of the original document employed by a user and the direction of the original document set by the same.

Abstract: An image input section reads an image on a document, and simultaneously output image data of a plurality of pixels. An input image converting section generates second image data continuing in a sub-scanning direction based on image data. An image processing section provides a predetermined image processing to the image data to generate third image data. An image output section forms a duplicating image of an image on the document by simultaneously using a plurality of laser devices corresponding to each pixel based on the third image data. Image data in which a plurality of pixels is simultaneously input is arrayed and adjusted to be applied to a multi-beam output. As a result, an image processing for obtaining a high quality of the duplicating image can be performed at high speed.

Abstract: In an image processing apparatus of this invention, an error diffusion processing means having a multi level signal conversion means changes the conversion characteristics of the multi level signal conversion means, e.g., corrects the output value of error diffusion processing, on the basis of an output from a means for detecting a variation in toner attachment amount or image forming condition. That is, this invention executes error diffusion processing as follows when an input dimension is different from an output dimension (e.g., input dimension=reflection factor or density, output dimension=number of gradation levels) with respect to a multi-value conversion means because error diffusion processing cannot be simply performed.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a circuit for correcting a first image data of a target pixel corresponding to a correction amount, a circuit for generating a third image data on the basis of the second image data and a preset threshold value, the third image data having a gradation value less than one of the second image data, a circuit for comparing the second image data with the third image data to output a difference value therebetween, and a circuit for deriving the correction amount. based on the difference value to randomly diffuse the difference value to the peripheral portion of the target pixel and supplying the correction amount to the correcting circuit.

Abstract: A run length which is the length of a run representing continuous black pixels is calculated on the basis of binary image data, and an extending process is performed for the run using a target pixel as an object to generate an extended run. An extended run length representing the length of the extended run and a maximum run length representing the length of the longest run in the range of the extended run are calculated. If a difference between the extended run length and the maximum run length is smaller than a predetermined value, an image near the target pixel is determined as a character image. If the difference is equal to or larger than the predetermined value, the image is determined as a half-tone image. In this manner, accuracy in separation between the half-tone area and the character area in a document image can be improved.

Abstract: A binarization circuit binarizes a pixel signal indicative of an input image, using binarizing processing capable of preserving a gradation of a photograph image. A run expansion circuit performs processing for expanding black pixels included in a binary image to obtain runs, and outputting a run expansion signal. A labelling circuit integrates connected runs into an integrated region (a label) by means of a circumscribing-rectangle extraction circuit, and obtains the position and the size of a rectangle which circumscribes each integrated region, thereby outputting the obtained data as circumscribing-rectangle data. A determination circuit determines whether the integrated region is a text region or a photograph (continuous) region from the size and the configuration of the circumscribing rectangle, and outputs a determination signal.

Abstract: In multi-gradation level processing performed by using an ordered dither scheme, offset information between one dither matrix value and dither matrices is set, and all multi-gradation level threshold values are calculated from the basic dither matrix values and the offset information. Multi-gradation level processing is performed by comparing an input image with the calculated threshold values. With this operation in the multi-gradation level processing performed by the ordered dither scheme, all the dither threshold values required for the multi-gradation level processing are generated from the basic dither matrix information and the offset information.

Abstract: From input document data there are detected the features of the document, such as the top, bottom, left and right margins, the character space, the line space, the word space, the column space, the size and coordinates of each character, and the like. Values by which the spaces thus detected, including the character space and the line space, are to be adjusted, and a ratio at which to reduce or enlarge the characters are calculated from the features of the document and the minimum margins, the minimum character size and the like preset based on the size of the medium used in an output device such as laser printer. The coordinates of each character on the document is changed in accordance with these values and the character-reducing or -enlarging ratio. The size of the input image is changed based on the original and changed coordinates of each character.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a reading section for fetching first color image data subjected to color separation, a circuit for converting the first color image data into second color image data, a unit for forming a duplicate image of the first color image data by using recording materials of different types based on the second color image data, a unit for calculating the consumptions of the recording materials used for image formation in the image forming unit, and a unit for calculating a charge value for image formation based on the consumption.

Abstract: An image processor comprises a correction unit for correcting an input image signal in accordance with a correction signal, a multilevel coding unit for converting the corrected image signal into a multilevel signal having a level corresponding to one of the gradation levels of a printer, a converter for converting the multilevel signal into a reflectance signal corresponding to the printing characteristics of the printer, and an error calculating unit for calculating a difference between the corrected image signal and the reflectance signal, the difference being applied to the correction unit as the correction signal. Although no gamma corrections are made on pixel signals, an image can be printed with its gradations reproduced fully regardless of the use of a simple conversion table.

Abstract: This invention utilizes the fact that a maximum density difference of pixels in a window within a predetermined range including a pixel of interest is large for a character region, and is small for a photograph region. A maximum density difference of an image within the predetermined region is calculated. A quantization error of pixels around the pixel of interest is calculated, and a correction amount is then calculated by proportionally distributing the quantization error in accordance with a feature amount calculated by a feature amount calculator. The correction amount is added to an image signal of the pixel of interest to form a compensation image signal, and the compensation image signal is quantized.