Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an input unit that inputs an image signal created by optically scanning a document, a first filtering unit that performs a first filtering process on the image signal input to reduce degradation of image quality caused by optical scanning of the document, a compressing unit that irreversibly compresses the image signal filtered, a storage unit that stores the image signal compressed, an expanding unit that expands compressed image signal stored in the storage unit; and a second filtering unit that performs a second filtering process on the image signal expanded to reduce degradation image quality caused by compression of the image signal.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image attribute determining unit that determines an image attribute of an image data, an object dissolving unit that dissolves the image data into a plurality of objects based on the image attribute, and an object describing unit that describes the objects in predetermined formats and converts the objects into a file of a predetermined file format. The object describing unit describes an object having a predetermined image attribute among the objects by associating an additional object representing information on the predetermined image attribute with the object.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a communication unit configured to exchange data with an external device, an attribute determination unit, an embedding unit, and a storage unit. The attribute determination unit determines an image attribute of a first image signal to generate an attribute signal indicating the image attribute. The embedding unit embeds the attribute signal in the first image signal in a predetermined format to obtain a second image signal. The storage unit stores the attribute signal and one of the first image signal and the second image signal. The second image signal is transmitted to the external device through the communication unit.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus creates attribute information that indicates characteristics of an image from an image data, stores the attribute information created, determines, when a new image data is input from outside, whether the attribute information created from the new image data exists in the attribute information stored. If the attribute information created from the new image data is in the attribute information stored, the image processing apparatus specifies the attribute information, and processes the image data based on the attribute information specified.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus embeds decision information that is information about a specific parameter, such as degree of alteration, of an image, into an image signal, and sends the image signal to an external device, such as personal computer, for storage etc. When the image processing apparatus receives the image signal with the decision information embedded in it, the image processing apparatus extracts the decision information from the image signal, determines degree of alteration of the image based on the decision information extracted, sets an image processing parameter based on the degree of alteration determined, and subjects the image signal received to image processing based on the image processing parameter set.

Abstract: An input unit inputs color image signals, a first segmentation unit determines attributes of a target pixel for the color image signals, a color component control unit that conducts a predetermined processing to color components of the target pixel based on the attributes of the target pixels determined to thereby generate processed color image signals, a second segmentation unit that determines attributes of the target pixel for the processed color image signals, and an image processing unit that conducts an image processing to the processed color image signals based on the attributes of the target pixel determined by the second segmentation unit.

Abstract: A scanning unit reads an original color image and outputs an rgb signal of the color image. A scanner &ggr; correction unit that converts the rgb signal from the scanning unit into an RGB signal that is a density signal. A color converting unit converts the RGB signal into a CM signal. An edge amount calculating unit calculates an edge amount from the CM signal. A filter processing unit performs an adaptive filtering process for the RGB signal based on the edge amount.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a first calculating unit that calculates a first feature amount from a color image signal, a first processing unit that processes the color image signal based on the first feature amount to generate a processed signal, a compressing unit that compresses the processed signal to generate a compressed signal, a storage unit that stores the compressed signal, a decompressing unit that decompresses the compressed signal to generate a decompressed signal, a second calculating unit that calculates a second feature amount from the decompressed signal, and a second processing unit that processes the decompressed signal based on the second feature amount. The second feature amount is multinary.

Abstract: An apparatus and method to convert input image data having a first multivalue to image data having a second multivalue which is less than the first multivalue by using a multi error diffusion technique. An image processing apparatus includes a threshold generating device for generating a plurality of variable thresholds at least based on a characteristic of a target pixel data, wherein a number of the variable thresholds is less than a number of the second multivalue by one. A quantization device is provided to quantize the input image data of the target pixel into the image data having the second multivalue based on the variable thresholds. The variable thresholds are varied in a manner such that predetermined quantized data quantized by the quantization device does not create noticeable banding substantially in a middle density range and does not create noticeable dropout substantially in a high density range.

Abstract: A filtering processing unit of an image processor includes a component extraction unit, a character edge quantity calculation unit, and a correction unit corresponding to each of a plurality of frequency bands and direction components, and an adder. The component extraction unit extracts signals from a corresponding one of the frequency bands and direction components. The character edge quantity calculation unit calculates a character edge quantity from an output of a corresponding one of the component extraction units. The correction unit performs correction control to the output of a corresponding one of the component extraction units based on a character edge quantity calculated by a corresponding one of the character edge quantity calculation units. The adder adds outputs of all the correction units.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a converter, a calculator and a reverse converter. The converter performs a frequency conversion operation on a color image signal which includes a brightness signal and color signals and divides values of each of the brightness signal and the color signals into high frequency coefficients and a low frequency coefficient. The calculator calculates the high frequency coefficients of the brightness signal and the color signals, generates a set of different high frequency coefficients, and produces a new brightness signal by adding the low frequency coefficient of the brightness signal to the set of different high frequency coefficients. The reverse converter performs a reverse frequency conversion operation on the new brightness signal.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an edge amount calculating device configured to calculate edge amounts of an image in a plurality of directions for each of a plurality of frequency bands of the image. A character edge area determination device determines, based on the calculated edge amounts, whether or not a selected picture element of the image is of a character edge area. A sharpness control device corrects a frequency characteristic of the image by performing a first correction to the edge amounts when the selected picture element is determined to be of a character edge area by the character edge area determining device, and by performing a second correction to the edge amounts when the selected picture element is determined not to be of a character edge area by the character edge area determining device.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a first filtering process device configured to perform a predetermined space frequency characteristic conversion process to input image data having multiple-level gradation. A conversion process device performs a gradation characteristic conversion process to an output result of the first filtering process device. A second filtering process device performs a predetermined space frequency characteristic conversion process to an output result of the conversion process device. A halftone processing device performs a quasi-gradation processing to an output result of the second filtering process device.

Abstract: An apparatus and method to convert input image data having a first multivalue to image data having a second multivalue which is less than the first multivalue by using a multi error diffusion technique. An image processing apparatus includes a threshold generating device for generating a plurality of variable thresholds at least based on a characteristic of a target pixel data, wherein a number of the variable thresholds is less than a number of the second multivalue by one. A quantization device is provided to quantize the input image data of the target pixel into the image data having the second multivalue based on the variable thresholds. The variable thresholds are varied in a manner such that predetermined quantized data quantized by the quantization device does not create noticeable banding substantially in a middle density range and does not create noticeable dropout substantially in a high density range.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a cleaning device removes toner remaining after image formation. A toner storing section stores the toner collected by the cleaning device. A toner transferring device transfers the toner from the cleaning device and implemented by a powder pump. The powder pump includes a screw pump rotatable to move the toner in its axial direction, and an air feeding arrangement for causing the toner being moved by the screw pump to flow in a dispersed state. The toner transferring device and toner storing section are communicated by a path constituted by a flexible material.

Abstract: An image forming system including a plurality of image forming apparatuses is disclosed. The image forming apparatuses is of the type electrostatically forming a latent image representative of a document on an image carrier, developing it with a developing device, and transferring the resulting image to a recording medium. A single developer source is included in the system and delivers a developer to all the image forming apparatuses. The shared developer source reduces the space to be occupied by the individual image forming apparatus and insures high operation efficiency and maintenance efficiency.

Abstract: A fixing device incorporated in an image forming apparatus for fixing a toner image on recording paper, including a fixing roller in which a cylindrical core and a heater are installed in the roller, a pressure roller held in pressured contact with the fixing roller, and a reinforcing device used to preserve a cylindrical shape of the cylindrical core. The reinforcing device includes a circular plate and a contacting member which is provided along an edge of the circular plate and which has a contacting portion held in contact with an inner surface of the cylindrical core.

Abstract: A sheet feeder incorporated in an image forming apparatus and allowing the distance between the preceding sheet and the succeeding sheet to be reduced to a minimum necessary one. A pair of control rollers whose transport speed is controllable are located upstream of an image forming section with respect to an intended direction of sheet transport. An image transfer and paper separation unit is located at the image forming section. The transport speed of the control rollers is made higher than an image forming speed for any desired period of time after the leading edge of a sheet has been gripped by said control rollers and before the leading edge reaches the image forming section. As a result the distance between the preceding and succeeding sheets is reduced to increase the number of images which can be formed for a unit time without the transport speed at the image forming section being increased.

Abstract: In a device for storing printings, film sheets or similar recording media driven out or an image forming apparatus, bins are each inclined from a top sheet inlet thereof to a bottom sheet outlet thereof. When all the bins are full, such a condition is reported to users. Users having left sheets in the trays for a long period of time are alerted by a warning message. Sheets become needless for users can be automatically disposed of by commands from user stations. A user passes an I.D. card through a card reader to enter an I.D. number, opening a bin corresponding to the I.D. number, dropping the sheet onto a fence for user access.