Abstract: In an image matching apparatus of the present invention, when a document type discrimination section that discriminates a document type determines that a target document is an N-up document on which plural document images are laid out, a resolution conversion section that converts a resolution of image data into a default resolution before features are extracted from the image data converts a resolution of image data of the target document into not the default resolution but a resolution which varies depending on the number of document images laid out on the target document and a document size of the target document. This makes it possible to determine a similarity to a reference document with high accuracy even in a case where each document image included in the target document to be matched is reduced in size from its original document image, i.e., in a case of an N-up document.

Abstract: In a card serving as an external storage device to be inserted into a digital color multi-function printer, features of a reference image and processing rule information indicating processing content to be applied to input image data judged to be similar to the reference image are prestored. Then, in cases where the input image data is judged to be similar to the reference image, the content of a process to be performed on the input image data is controlled in accordance with the processing rule information corresponding to the reference image. This makes it possible to save users the trouble of setting the content of a process to be performed on input image data, and to prevent a shortage of memory capacity of a memory of the image processing apparatus even in cases where there is an increase in the number of reference images.

Abstract: When displaying a N-up image view in which a plurality of thumbnail images displayed in given windows are grouped and displayed in a single window by using a detecting section for detecting a contact position on a display screen of a display section, position specifications for the N-up image view of thumbnail images in the windows are received based on a contact position in the window in selecting thumbnail images to be displayed in the N-up image view by making contact with the thumbnail images, and the thumbnails images are displayed in the N-up image view based on the received position specifications.

Abstract: In the image processing apparatus of the present invention, when a document is read, a document matching process section determines whether the document is similar to a reference document or not. When the document is similar to the reference document, the document matching process section further determines whether the document has been zoomed (size of the document has been changed). When the document has been zoomed, an editing process section restores the size of the document to the size of the reference document. This provides an image processing apparatus capable of restoring the changed size of a document in a predetermined format such as a form document and an application document to its original size.

Abstract: An image matching device includes a section calculates feature points on an input document image, a section that calculates features of the input document image in accordance with a relative position between the calculated feature points, and sections for comparing the calculated features of the input document image with features of a reference document image to determine whether the input document image is similar to the reference document image. When it is determined that the input and reference documents are similar, a document discrimination section determines a position of an image on the input document and similar to the reference document image, in accordance with the positions of the coordinates of the feature points on the input document and on the reference document.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a document detection section for detecting, according to image data of a document image, an image processing condition to be applied at a time when the document image is displayed or printed; a draw command generation section for generating a draw command for controlling a computer so as to cause the computer to perform display or printing after image processing in accordance with the image processing condition, at the time when the document image is displayed or printed; a formatting process section for generating an image file in which the draw command is added to the image data that has not been subjected to the image processing. This makes it possible to rapidly generate an image file of image data obtained by reading a document and also makes it possible to cause a device that displays or prints the image data to perform appropriate image processing.

Abstract: In an image matching device of the present invention, a feature point calculation section calculates feature points on an input document image from inputted data of the input document image; a features calculation section calculates features of the input document image in accordance with a relative position between the calculated feature points; and a voting process section and a similarity determination section compare the calculated features of the input document image with features of a reference document image, so as to determine whether or not the input document image is similar to the reference document image.

Abstract: The present printing system comprises a host computer (1)that orders scanners (2), digital cameras (3) and printers (4) to execute image processing, the host computer (1) setting up items of image processing to be performed by the printer (4) depending on the model of scanner (2) or digital camera (3) being used. The host computer (1) can set up the most suitable image processing items according to what kind of scanner (2) or digital camera (3) is used. Of the scanner (2), digital camera (3) and printer (4), the device having better processing ability can be assigned to more processes so that the time required for printing is shortened efficiently.

Abstract: In the image processing apparatus of the present invention, when a document is read, a document matching process section determines whether the document is similar to a reference document or not. When the document is similar to the reference document, the document matching process section further determines whether the document has been zoomed (size of the document has been changed). When the document has been zoomed, an editing process section restores the size of the document to the size of the reference document. This provides an image processing apparatus capable of restoring the changed size of a document in a predetermined format such as a form document and an application document to its original size.

Abstract: A display system includes a liquid crystal display apparatus and an operating device. The operating device can point a desired position on a display screen of the display apparatus and capture an image of the display apparatus to obtain the captured image including the desired position pointed by the operating device. The display system includes an image analyzing section for analyzing the captured image obtained by the capture to find reference light areas in the display apparatus and to detect the desired position on the display screen based on positions of the reference light areas in the captured image. The display apparatus also includes a blinking controlling section which controls blinking conditions of all the backlight units in the display apparatus to differ a blinking condition of two or more reference light area backlight units from that of the other backlight units. This allows properly detecting the desired position on the display screen pointed by the operating device.

Abstract: A plurality of infrared-light-emitting areas are displayed in a display screen of a liquid crystal display apparatus in a method that allows each of the infrared-light-emitting areas to be distinguished. Then, an image in a direction of a pointed position is captured by an operating device. Based on a result of distinguishing each of the infrared-light-emitting areas and a position of each of the infrared-light-emitting areas, a pointed position on the display screen is calculated. This makes it possible to properly detect the pointed position on the display screen pointed by the operating device, regardless of (i) a distance between the operating device and the display apparatus and (ii) a rotation angle of the operating device around an axis in an image capture direction of the operating device.

Abstract: A plurality of infrared-light-emitting areas are displayed in a display screen of a liquid crystal display apparatus in a method that allows each of the infrared-light-emitting areas to be distinguished. Then, an image in a direction of a pointed position is captured by an operating device. Further, a predetermined number of infrared-light-emitting areas are selected from the infrared-light-emitting areas included in thus captured image. Based on a result of distinguishing each of the selected infrared-light-emitting areas and a position of each of the selected infrared-light-emitting areas, a pointed position on the display screen is calculated. This makes it possible to properly detect the pointed position on the display screen pointed by the operating device, regardless of a distance between the operating device and the display apparatus.

Abstract: At least two infrared light-emitting areas are displayed within a display screen of a liquid crystal display apparatus. The infrared light-emitting areas are areas for emitting light having a wavelength in the infrared region. Then, an image is captured by an operating device in the direction of a position pointed by the operating device. A position on the display screen that is pointed by the operating device is calculated based on the positions of the infrared light-emitting areas that are included in the captured image. This arrangement makes it possible to appropriately calculate the position on the display screen that is pointed by the operating device, independently of the distance between the operating device and the display screen of the liquid crystal display apparatus.

Abstract: In an image data output processing apparatus of the present invention, an image matching section is capable of determining whether a similarity exists between each image of an N-up document and a reference document when input image data is indicative of the N-up document. An output process control section is capable of regulating an output process of each image in accordance with a result of determining whether the similarity exists between each image of the N-up document and the reference document. This allows detecting with high accuracy a document image under regulation on the output process and regulating the output process, when the input image data is indicative of an N-up document and includes the document image under regulation on the output process.

Abstract: In an image matching apparatus of the present invention, when a document type discrimination section that discriminates a document type determines that a target document is an N-up document on which plural document images are laid out, a resolution conversion section that converts a resolution of image data into a default resolution before features are extracted from the image data converts a resolution of image data of the target document into not the default resolution but a resolution which varies depending on the number of document images laid out on the target document and a document size of the target document. This makes it possible to determine a similarity to a reference document with high accuracy even in a case where each document image included in the target document to be matched is reduced in size from its original document image, i.e., in a case of an N-up document.

Abstract: In an image matching apparatus of the present invention, only a connected region in which the number of pixels included therein exceeds a threshold value, among connected regions that are specified by a labeling process section, is sent to a centroid calculation process section from a threshold value processing section, and a centroid (feature point) of the connected region is calculated. When it is determined that a target document to be matched is an N-up document, the threshold value processing section uses, instead of a default threshold value, a variant threshold value that varies depending on the number of images laid out on the N-up document and a document size that are found and detected by an N-up document determination section and a document size detection section. This makes it possible to determine a similarity to a reference document with high accuracy even in a case of an N-up document, i.e., a case where each target image to be matched is reduced in size from an original image.

Abstract: In a card serving as an external storage device to be inserted into a digital color multi-function printer, features of a reference image and processing rule information indicating processing content to be applied to input image data judged to be similar to the reference image are prestored. Then, in cases where the input image data is judged to be similar to the reference image, the content of a process to be performed on the input image data is controlled in accordance with the processing rule information corresponding to the reference image. This makes it possible to save users the trouble of setting the content of a process to be performed on input image data, and to prevent a shortage of memory capacity of a memory of the image processing apparatus even in cases where there is an increase in the number of reference images.

Abstract: Document data corresponding to each page included in a document is stored, and furthermore, feature data indicative of a feature of the document data and a document index indicating the document are associated with the document data. A document extracting apparatus obtains input document data, calculates feature data from the input document data, judges similarity between the input document data and the document data based on the feature data, obtains a document index associated with document data similar to the input document data, and extracts a plurality of pieces of document data associated with the document index. Thus, document data concerning the document including a page corresponding to the document data similar to the input document data is extracted for a plurality of pages.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a feature point calculating section for extracting two or more connected components from a document image of interest and calculating the feature point from the centroid defined in each of the connected components, a features calculating section for calculating the features of the document image from the distance between the feature points, a voting processing section for voting one of the registered images which is similar to the document image as reviewing the features, and a similarity judging process section for judging the similarity from the result of the voting, wherein the description of the processing to be executed for the output is determined from the result of the similarity judgment.

Abstract: A quantization error calculation portion calculates the difference between the pixel value of a pixel of an input image added with an accumulative error by the adder and the quantization value obtained by quantizing the pixel value in the quantization processing portion as a quantization error. The quantization error is stored in the error storage portion. The multiplier multiplies, a quantization error to be distributed to a subsequently-quantized pixel, among the quantization errors stored in the error storage portion, by the diffusion coefficient numerator value corresponding to the quantization error. The adder adds the multiplication result produced by the multiplier. The divider divides the addition result produced by the adder by the diffusion coefficient denominator value. The division result is outputted to the adder as an accumulative error for a subsequently-quantized pixel.