Abstract: A method and system for correcting the inclination of a scanned document in which two integers “a” and “b” are input to perform a rotation process. Each time an x-coordinate of a target pixel of a rotated image is changed by one pixel, “a” is added to a factor “kwy”. When “kwy” becomes more than or equal to “b”, “b” is subtracted from “kwy”, and a y-coordinate of a corresponding target pixel of an original image is changed by one pixel. Each time a y-coordinate of the target pixel is changed by one pixel, “a” is added to a factor “kwx”. When “kwx” becomes more than or equal to “b”, “b” is subtracted from “kwx”, and an x-coordinate of the corresponding target pixel of the original image is changed by one pixel. Four pixels including the corresponding target pixel are used to acquire a pixel value of the target pixel by two-dimensional interpolation by ratios acquired by dividing “kwx” and “kwy” respectively by “b”.

Abstract: An image processing method and apparatus includes a color space conversion unit arranged to convert pixel data scanned by a line sensor of each color component into first chromaticity data and second chromaticity data, and an achromatic color determining unit arranged to determine whether or not the pixel data is achromatic. The achromatic color determining unit includes a comparison unit arranged to compare an achromatic color determination area with the pixel data in a color space defined by orthogonal coordinates having each chromaticity data as a coordinate axis. The achromatic color determination area is an elongated area that includes a coordinate origin of the color space, that is set based on a coordinate position of a false color acquired by using a size and position of displacement of the scanning position of each color component generated in accordance with the scanning speed, and that extends in an opposite direction from the coordinate origin.

Abstract: A background color of a document is detected based on image data of a colormetric system in which brightness and color components are separated. A color plane is divided into color areas, and the number of elements of image data belonging to each color area is counted. The number of elements of image data belonging to each area of a multiple area constituted of mutually adjacent color areas is then counted. A color area in which the number of elements of image data exceeds a first threshold is extracted and given a positive evaluation. A multiple area in which the number of elements of image data exceeds a second threshold is extracted and a positive evaluation is given to each color area in the multiple area. A color area receiving a positive evaluation both individually and as part of a multiple area is specified as a background color.

Abstract: An image color determining device. A ground color presence detecting section determines the presence of a ground color of a target image based on image data relating to the target image. A ground color region specifying section specifies a ground color region in a color space when it is determined that the ground color is present. The ground color region determining section determines whether or not the image data to be determined is a ground color region based on the specified ground color region. The ground color replacing section replaces the image data determined as the ground color region with a predetermined color.

Abstract: Ina calibration method of an image scanning device, an original for use calibration including a plurality of patches each having a different tone is scanned, scanned tone values of the patches of the original are acquired with respect to each of a plurality of color components, a curve function is acquired with respect to each of the plurality of color components based on the scanned tone values and target tone values of the patches predetermined with respect to each of the plurality of color components, each curve function approximating a relationship between an input defined as the scanned tone value and an output defined as the target tone value, and the curve function is acquired with respect to each of the plurality of color components such that input value intercepts, each being defined as an upper limit of a range of the input value in which range the output value is maintained at zero, are equal among the plurality of color components.

Abstract: An image processing device inputs shading correction data, which can identify the image processing device itself, to a first hash function and generates comparison data. The image processing device inputs the shading correction data to a second hash function, and generates tracing identification data. The image processing device generates a tracing pattern from the tracing identification data, and adds the tracing pattern to output image data. The image processing device verifies the comparison data with standard data, which has been generated by inputting the shading correction data in a first function and previously stored in a storage device. When the comparison data matches the standard data, the image processing device permits to print out the output image data to which the tracing pattern has been added.

Abstract: A color determination device sections a hue plane, in which unit data constituting determining image data is mapped, into partial regions by a color determination boundary, and carries out a color determination according to a number of unit data belonging to each partial region. A gradient of a hue boundary line is a rational number. For example, an affine conversion or the like is executed on the hue plane, and the color determination boundary line is matched with an axis of the hue plane. Accordingly, a calculation amount is reduced in a determination processing for determining in which partial region the unit data belongs.

Abstract: An image scanner apparatus includes an automatic image acquiring unit having a feature point detecting unit, an inclination calculating unit, a feature point rotation calculating unit, and a rectangular area calculating unit. The feature point detecting unit is arranged to detect a plurality of feature points of an original document outline from image data acquired by scanning an original document. The inclination calculating unit is arranged to calculate values regarding an original document inclination. The feature point rotation calculating unit is arranged to calculate positions of rotated feature points acquired by rotating the plurality of feature points detected through the feature point detecting unit around a prescribed center point by an inclination angle in a direction in which the original document inclination is corrected.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus including a data analyzing unit includes an input unit and a color/monochrome determining unit. The input unit inputs image data that is obtained by scanning an original document through a CCD having a plurality of lines that can scan color documents. The color/monochrome determining unit determines whether the original document is color or monochrome based on the input image data. When chromatic pixels and their complementary color pixels are detected in a specified image area of the image data, the color/monochrome determining unit excludes the detected chromatic pixels and their complementary color pixels from information that is used in the determination in which the original document of the image data is determined as color or monochrome.

Abstract: A color image processing device includes a pre-correction unit, a computation processing unit and a post-correction unit. The pre-correction unit includes a pre-correction circuit which carries out a pre-correction to reverse a highest-order bit of a pixel value on input data of a color component. The pre-correction unit selectively outputs the input data of the color component or the data of the color component pre-corrected by the pre-correction circuit according to the color component. The computation processing unit carries out a prescribed computation processing on the data of the color component output by the pre-correction unit and outputs the data of the color component carried out with the prescribed computation processing. The post-correction unit includes a post-correction circuit which carries out a post-correction to reverse a highest-order bit of a pixel value on the data of the color component output by the computation processing unit.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus reads out image data stored in an image memory unit, performs size reduction, when the read out image data is color image data, on a plurality of pieces of color component data of the color image data by using different pixel number reducing circuits and different filter circuits, performs size reduction, when the read out image data is monochrome image data, on a plurality of pieces of monochrome image data by using the different pixel number reducing circuits and different filter circuits, and generates reduced-size images for a thumbnail display from the reduced-size image data.

Abstract: An image processing method and apparatus includes a color space conversion unit arranged to convert pixel data scanned by a line sensor of each color component into first chromaticity data and second chromaticity data, and an achromatic color determining unit arranged to determine whether or not the pixel data is achromatic. The achromatic color determining unit includes a comparison unit arranged to compare an achromatic color determination area with the pixel data in a color space defined by orthogonal coordinates having each chromaticity data as a coordinate axis. The achromatic color determination area is an elongated area that includes a coordinate origin of the color space, that is set based on a coordinate position of a false color acquired by using a size and position of displacement of the scanning position of each color component generated in accordance with the scanning speed, and that extends in an opposite direction from the coordinate origin.

Abstract: A method and system for correcting the inclination of a scanned document in which two integers “a” and “b” are input to perform a rotation process. Each time an x-coordinate of a target pixel of a rotated image is changed by one pixel, “a” is added to a factor “kwy”. When “kwy” becomes more than or equal to “b”, “b” is subtracted from “kwy”, and a y-coordinate of a corresponding target pixel of an original image is changed by one pixel. Each time a y-coordinate of the target pixel is changed by one pixel, “a” is added to a factor “kwx”. When “kwx” becomes more than or equal to “b”, “b” is subtracted from “kwx”, and an x-coordinate of the corresponding target pixel of the original image is changed by one pixel. Four pixels including the corresponding target pixel are used to acquire a pixel value of the target pixel by two-dimensional interpolation by ratios acquired by dividing “kwx” and “kwy” respectively by “b”.

Abstract: In an image processing apparatus, an inclination detecting unit acquires, with respect to each line of image data, positions of a left edge pixel and a right edge pixel that are positioned at a boundary between an original document and a background. A feature point position is acquired based on features of the positions of the edge pixels of a plurality of lines. Based on a feature of the position of at least one of the left edge pixel and the right edge pixel of the line that includes the feature point position or of the line that is near the former line, a status regarding a direction of the document is acquired. Furthermore, the acquired statuses are counted, the most counted status is determined, two feature points are selected from the feature points having a status that matches the most counted status, and the document inclination is calculated from the two feature point positions. Thereafter, the inclination of the document can be compensated for.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus acquires an image by optically scanning an original document and determines whether or not the document is of standard size. A histogram is created indicating the number of pixels with respect to each luminance value of the acquired image. A background color peak is specified that corresponds to a background color of the original document in the created histogram. A background color portion of the original document is specified that corresponds to a luminance area including the background color peak. The background color portion is replaced with a white color that will not be a target for printing.

Abstract: An image processing device includes a pre-processing unit, an adder, a quantization unit, a post-processing unit and a surrounding error calculating unit. The pre-processing unit calculates an average pixel value of an aggregated pixel formed of a plurality of adjacent pixels for input image data. The adder calculates a correction average pixel value by adding a correction error value to an average pixel value of a target aggregated pixel to be a processing object. The quantization unit carries out a quantization processing of the correction average pixel value at a quantization level of a prescribed number. The post-processing unit divides the aggregated pixel into a plurality of pixels and allocates a pixel value corresponding to the quantization level to each of the divided pixels. The surrounding error calculating unit calculates a correction error value for processing a surrounding target aggregated pixel in accordance with a quantization error generated in the quantization processing.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus which is able to make a copy whose character information is clearly readable for a predetermined document registered as a special document is provided. A fixed-format document including the character information written in a predetermined format is determined as the special document and the special document identification information for identifying the special document is stored. An original document determining unit compares document color distribution information (color distribution information relating to a sample area of a special document) retained as the special document identification information with original document color distribution information (color distribution information of an area corresponding to the sample area of the special document) and, when the both of them match, the original document is determined to be a special original document.

Abstract: An accumulation control device arranged to accumulate data in an accumulation device accepts a data classification when the data is acquired, and stores the accepted classification in accordance with the data to be accumulated in the accumulation device. When the data accumulated in the accumulation device is selected, determination is made as to whether or not a current time is a timing at which an accumulation form of the accumulated data should be changed, and when determination is made that the timing has come, the selected data is reaccumulated in the accumulation device, in the accumulation form stored in an accumulation-form storage unit in association with the accepted classification and the determined timing.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a CPU arranged to select one of a plurality of pixel rates including a normal pixel rate and high pixel rates which are higher than the normal pixel rate when processing at a low resolution. The image processing apparatus also includes a timing generator arranged to control a CCD line sensor so that the pixel data is outputted at the selected pixel rate, a switch arranged to select the pixel data of pixels at different positions in a line, from line to line, from among the pixel data acquired by scanning the plurality of consecutive lines according to a control signal from the timing generator, and an ASIC arranged to import the selected pixel data and apply different filters to the imported pixel data depending on the line where the target data to be acquired is positioned.

Abstract: A method for determining whether or not a specific image is contained in a scanned image. An image on a first side of a document is scanned and first image information indicating the scanned image is outputted. Specific component information is extracted indicating a specific component of each pixel out of information indicating a pixel value contained in the first image information. Whether or not the specific image is contained in the image on the first side is determined based on the extracted specific component information and stored specific image information.