Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: three line sensors mutually spaced in a sub scanning direction; a platen arranged between the original and the three line sensors; a mover moving the platen relative to the three line sensors at a rate relative to the three line sensors, the rate being different from that of the original relative to the three line sensors; a lightness difference detector extracting a feature pixel having a predetermined feature from each of three data output from the three line sensors; and NOR and AND devices comparing a plurality of data corresponding to a single location on the original to detect the feature pixel extracted from one of the plurality of data, as a noise pixel if the feature pixel is not a feature pixel for the other data and also has at least a predetermined value in saturation.

Abstract: An image reading device capable of detecting foreign particles on a transparent member by including the transparent member, a conveyance unit that conveys an original document to the transparent member, a reading unit that reads via the transparent member an image of the original document being conveyed on the transparent member at multiple reading positions that exist with a prescribed distance therebetween along an original document conveyance direction, an output unit that outputs signals for different color components corresponding to each of the reading positions, a transparent member moving unit that moves the transparent member in a prescribed direction such that the original document slides over the transparent member while being conveyed to the reading positions during image reading, and a detector that detects noise components caused by foreign particles on the transparent member based on the output signals from the output unit.

Abstract: When it is detected that an external device has been connected, the printing unit is controlled so as to form an image according to image data that has been received from the external device. As a result, image forming can be started earlier compared with the case in which image forming is prepared after the image data is transmitted. Accordingly, the user waits a shorter period of time and the usability is improved.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus is an image processing apparatus capable of reading a security paper document that has a ground design pattern and performing image processing, and is provided with: a second modification processing unit that visualizes a latent image included in the ground design pattern; a first modification processing unit that performs a modification process so that the latent image included in the ground design pattern is not visualized; a CPU that performs authentication regarding whether or not a user of the security paper document is an authorized user; and a CPU that performs control so that the first modification processing unit performs modification processing and the latent image is not visualized, or performs control so that the latent image is not visualized by the second modification processing unit, in the case where the user has been authenticated as an authorized user of the security paper document.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes, with the purpose of detecting noise in an image due to dust on a platen, three line sensors, a platen between an original and the line sensors, a moving mechanism for moving the platen, a noise detection processor detecting noise pixels from multiple data output from the line sensors, an order determination unit determining the order in which the noise pixel is detected, based on the order in which the line sensors are arranged and the direction in which the platen is moved, and a noise length calculator predicting the noise length in the sub scanning direction based on the number of noise pixels successive in the main scanning direction, the original transport rate, the platen moving rate, and the distance between the line sensors.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus reducing image noise caused at a device which has a stationary reading portion such as a CCD sensor and reads an image of a document by moving the document is structured as follows: the image processing apparatus determines whether full color image data read by the reading portion is out of a predetermined color space; it uses shift resisters to determine that the image data out of the predetermined color space continues in a sub scanning direction; and thus it detects a line-shaped dirt image caused by dirt or the like at the reading portion, and corrects the dirt image.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus having a first area judgment unit for judging whether an inputted pixel is an edge pixel of a character image, a second area judgment unit for judging whether the pixel in a edge area having an intensity variation level equal to, or grater than an intensity variation level of a halftone image edge area, a natural image edge selection unit for specifying an edge pixel of a halftone image based on judgments of the first area judgment unit and second area judgment unit, and a first correction unit for conduction edge enhancement processing on edge pixels of a character image, and a second correction processing unit for conducting sharpness enhancement processing on edge pixels of a halftone image.

Abstract: The image processing apparatus of the present invention includes: a specific pattern detecting unit which detects a background pattern representing additional information from inputted original document image data; an information detecting unit which extracts the additional information represented by the background pattern which is detected by the specific pattern detecting unit; an erase processing unit which erases a prescribed region of the original document image and outputs erase-processed document image data; a re-embedding background pattern generating unit which generates a re-embedding background pattern representing the additional information extracted by the information detecting unit; a background pattern composition processing unit which embeds the re-embedding background pattern into the erase-processed document image data and outputs re-embedded document image data; and a processor which controls the units mentioned above.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: three line sensors; a mover moving a platen at a rate relative to the three line sensors; an interline corrector synchronizing the three line sensors' outputs to be a pixel having read a single location on an original; NOR and AND devices comparing three data corresponding to a single location on the original to detect a noise pixel; a determiner depending on a color of a pixel neighboring a pixel to be processed selected from pixels arranged in the main scanning direction, to determine first data from which a noise pixel is initially detected; and a determiner invalidating a noise pixel identical in location in the main scanning direction to the pixel to be processed, that is included in a line input prior to a line including the pixel detected from the first data and that is detected from data other than the first data.

Abstract: In order to prevent the appearance of gaps in fine lines when image data undergoes resolution conversion, the image processing apparatus includes an image reading unit that inputs image data, a fine line detection unit 113 that detects fine lines from the image data, a resolution conversion unit 111 that converts the image data to a prescribed resolution, and a fine line restoration unit 114 that restores fine lines in the image data that has undergone resolution conversion.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus comprising: an input portion that inputs image data of a plurality of pages of document; a password detector that detects a password given to each of the pages; a password judger that judges from the detecting results drew by the password detector whether or not different passwords are detected from each of the pages; a correlation judger that judges about each of the pages if the password judger judges that different passwords are detected from each of the pages, whether or not the passwords are correlated to each other; and an output permitting portion that permits the image data of all the pages, which are the image data inputted by the input portion, to be outputted without requesting entry of all passwords, if it is judged about each of the pages that the passwords are correlated to each other, on the other hand, requests entry of a password about each of the pages if it is judged about at least one of the pages that the passwords are not correlated to each other, then permi

Abstract: It is intended to provide an image processing apparatus capable of precisely discriminating a halftone dot region and a figure such as a character arranged on the halftone dot region and applying appropriate image processing to the halftone dot region and the character separately. An isolated point discriminating section detects presence of an isolated point and detects a size of the detected isolated point. A temporary halftone dot region discriminating section 42 determines a temporary halftone dot region by counting the number of isolated point signals detected. Thereby, a region where isolated points concentrate is regarded as a temporary halftone dot region. An isolated point magnifying section 43 magnifies the detected isolated point signal to its original size so as to determine a magnified isolated point region. A halftone dot region restricting section 44 takes an AND computation results of the temporary halftone dot region and the magnified isolated point region.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus, comprising: a document reader that reads images of a document; a printer that prints on a sheet, image data read out from the document by said document reader; a mode setter that enables the N in 1 mode to print images of N pages of document on one sheet; and a security code giver that gives a security code to each print area on said sheet, in which the image data read out from the document is to be printed, if the N in 1 mode is enabled by said mode setter.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus, comprises: a document reader that reads images printed in a plurality of areas in a document; a printer that prints on a sheet image data read out from the document by said document reader; a security code detector that detects a security code given to each of the plurality of areas in said document; a password detector that detects a password given at least to one of the plurality of areas in said document; an entry requestor that requests a password to be entered; a password judgment part that judges whether or not said entered password is an appropriate one that corresponds to the password detected by the password detector; and a controller that decides an operation performed by said printer, to print image data from the area having the given password, depending on the judgment result drew by said password judgment part.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus, comprising: an input portion that inputs image data of a plurality of pages of document; a password detector that detects a password given to each of the pages; a password judger that judges from a detecting result drew by the password detector about each of the pages, whether or not a shared password issued for each page in common is detected in addition to an individual password uniquely issued for each page; an entry requester that requests entry of a shared password if it is judged by the password detector that a shared password is detected, and requests entry of an individual password about each of the pages if it is judged by the password detector that a shared password is not detected; and an output permitting portion that permits image data of all the pages each having a shared password, which is the image data inputted by the input portion, if the appropriate shared password is entered in response to the request for entry of a shared password, and permits image data of

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a first sensor having a plurality of reading elements arranged in the primary scanning direction, a second sensor disposed in parallel with the first sensor and by a predetermined lines in the secondary scanning direction, an integral correction portion for correcting a time difference of data output due to a position difference between the first sensor and the second sensor by a line unit, and a fractional correction portion for correcting a time difference of data output due to a position difference between the first sensor and the second sensor by a sub line unit. Thus, the correction of the phase shift between element arrays can be performed as precisely as possible and the reproducibility of a black fine line is increased.

Abstract: The inventive image processing apparatus takes steps of 1) dividing an image to be processed into numerals of blocks; 2) determining whether a block is a color block or not; 3) determining whether the image is a color image or not based on the rate of color blocks to the entire blocks. Thereby, valid color pixel rate can be obtained at blocks belonging to a color region even though an image is almost monochrome but partially colored. Accordingly, the inventive image processing apparatus can appropriately determine whether the image is a color image or not.

Abstract: An image scanning apparatus moves a copyboard provided between an original document and three line sensors and the three line sensors relatively to each other at a speed different from the speed of conveying an original document. An in-line correction portion allows three data output by three line sensors to be synchronized so that a foreign object on the copyboard appears at different positions of the original document in chromatic color. A foreign object position detection portion detects a position on the copyboard of a foreign object before an original document is conveyed, and a color determination portion decides a determination pixel for use in determination from a plurality of pixels included in each of scanned data obtained while the original document is conveyed, based on the position of the foreign object, and determines whether the original document is color or black-and-white based on the determination pixel.

Abstract: In order to efficiently process image data in a circuit dividing single image data into a plurality of data and processing the data with a plurality of MPUs in parallel with each other, the MPUs process image data input through an input image data in parallel with each other. An address bus inputs addresses of the image data, and address memories provided on the MPUs store the addresses of the image data processed by the MPUs respectively. When the image data are completely processed, the image data are output through an output image bus while the addresses of the image data are output through the address bus.

Abstract: In order to enhance the quality of image after removing a noise from image data obtained by scanning an original document, an MFP is provided with a scanning portion to obtain the image data by scanning the original document, a noise detection processing portion to detect a noise from the obtained image data, a dot region detecting portion to detect a region of dots from the obtained image data, and a copy correction processing portion to substitute a noise region with a substitution region that is located in the vicinity of the noise region and that is of the same size as the noise region if a region in the vicinity of the noise region including the noise detected by the noise detection processing portion is included in the region of dots detected by the dot region detecting portion.