Patents by Inventor Koji Washio

Koji Washio has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6147771
    Abstract: An image density adjusting apparatus in which density of an image signal is adjusted, which performs: a first converting operation for converting an image signal having n-bit into a signal having m-bit larger than n-bit so as to change the number of gray-level; a gradation gamma converting operation for converting the signal having m-bit into a signal having t-bit larger than m-bit so as to change a gradation gamma; and a second converting operation for converting the signal having t-bit into a signal having s-bit smaller than t-bit so as to change the number of gray-level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Washio
  • Patent number: 5467202
    Abstract: An apparatus for copying a document in which an operation unit is provided separately from a copying unit. The operation unit includes a memory to store the digital image signals inputted from the copying unit, a display to display the digital image on a screen, and an operation board to convert the display image into a desired image. The copy unit makes a copy image corresponding to the desired image on a recording material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1995
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Washio, Kazuyoshi Tanaka, Satoshi Haneda
  • Patent number: 5369507
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus and method selects a processing mode to be one of a character image processing mode and a picture image processing mode in accordance with an image texture in an original image. The apparatus and method uses a scanner which pre-scans an original image to obtain sampled image data, a judging means discriminates between a character image area and a picture image area in an area of the original image based on an analysis of the sampled image data. The apparatus and method the original image processing mode from a character image processing mode to a picture image processing mode and vice versa based on the discrimination by the judging means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1994
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Tanaka, Koji Washio, Yoshizumi Yasuda
  • Patent number: 5357354
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus for processing a digital color signal, given from outside the image processing apparatus, into a digital color recording signal, comprising; a color code generator for generating a color code signal representing a color of a digital pixel image signal, and a color reproduction unit for generating a color recording signal by processing another digital pixel image signal, in which these two digital pixel image signals are processed separately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1994
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiko Matsunawa, Seiichiro Hiratsuka, Koji Washio, Hiroshi Tokunaga, Tadao Kishimoto, Takashi Hasebe
  • Patent number: 5329385
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing CMYK recording color component signal for each pixel in which RGB color component signal photoelectrically obtained from the original is converted into CMY color component signals. The converted CMY color component signals are separated into first, second and black color sub-component signals which are corrected respectively. Thereafter, the corrected first, second and black sub-component signals are added so as to form the recording color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1994
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Washio
  • Patent number: 5241609
    Abstract: A color image processing apparatus comprises an image reading circuit for reading an original image as three color-separated images, a color code generating circuit for generating a color code indicating whether each pixel of the original image is white, black, or chromatic, a color reproducing circuit for generating density data for each pixel corresponding to each of a plurality of recording colors based on the color-separated images, a marker area detecting circuit for detecting a marker on the original image based on the color code generated by the color code generating circuit and for extracting a marker area enclosed by the marker, a density data sampling circuit for sampling density data of pixels on the marker at a sampling point located at a selected distance, corresponding to a predetermined number of pixels, inside of the edge of the marker, and for determining a density data of the marker based on the sample density data, and a density data conversion circuit for converting the density data of pix
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1993
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Hasebe, Seiichiro Hiratsuka, Tadao Kishimoto, Koji Washio, Tetsuya Niitsuma
  • Patent number: 5237400
    Abstract: A color processor for reproducing a color image from color image signals. The processor has a scanner or a generator to obtain color image signals, an A/D converter to generate digital image signals from the color image signal, a density converter to generate density signals from the digital image signals, a controller to control the density converter, and an image reproducer to reproduce a color image according to the density signals. The density converter has a plural conversion data in a ROM memory. Color balance, density control, and picture/character mode change are all performed by selecting data from the conversion data and using the data for the density conversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Washio, Tetsuya Niitsuma, Kazuyoshi Tanaka, Takashi Hasebe, Seiichiro Hiratsuka
  • Patent number: 5220416
    Abstract: A color image processing apparatus wherein a document image is divided into three colors and converted the color separated images into density data that correspond to a recording color by a color reproducing device. The color reproducing device has matrix coefficients for a plurality of linear maskings, a linear masking is selected out of the plurality of linear maskings by the three color separation signals, the linear masking is carried out using the masking coefficients of the selected linear masking, and the color separated images are converted into density data that correspond to the recording color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1993
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Hasebe, Seiichiro Hiratsuka, Tadao Kishimoto, Tetsuya Niitsuma, Koji Washio, Hiroshi Tokunaga, Yukio Okamoto
  • Patent number: 5208663
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus including input terminals for introducing color image data in the form of pixels obtained by reading an original image, a classifying circuit for classifying a color of each pixel as either an achromatic color, a chromatic color, or an intermediate color by processing the color image data in accordance with classifying criterion, a discrimination circuit for discriminating a kind of the original image on the basis of the color image data, the classifying circuit being capable of changing the classifying criterion in accordance with the discriminated kind of the original image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1993
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Seiichiro Hiratsuka, Koji Washio, Masahiko Matsunawa
  • Patent number: 5119207
    Abstract: An electrophotographic copying apparatus, which is able to classify an image in a copy area of the original. The electrophotographic copying apparatus estimates a copy area of an original within a scan area based on copy condition data set and stored through an operation unit. A sampler samples the scanned image data in the copy area to form image data. An identifying unit uses the image data thus obtained to identify an image classification of the copy area from a group of image patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1992
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuya Niitsuma, Koji Washio, Kazuyoshi Tanaka, Takashi Hasebe, Seiichiro Hiratsuka
  • Patent number: 5119184
    Abstract: The invention provides a color image-processing apparatus in which there is provided a color reproduction table for producing plural color image signals for each of a plurality of processing channels in response to digital pixel signals splitted into said plurality of processing channels. There is further provided a signal processor for modifying a bit configuration of the digital pixel signals so that the bit configuration is differently modified corresponding to each of said plurality of processing channels. The produced plural color image signals are composed into one channel to form a new color image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1992
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Seiichiro Hiratsuka, Koji Washio, Masahiko Matsunawa
  • Patent number: 5109274
    Abstract: A color image processing apparatus wherein a color code is generated by a color code generating device in a state where a region to be assigned to chromatic color or achromatic color is changed according to the density gradient of color reading signals, and a document discrimination is executed by counting this color code for each pixel by a document discriminating device. A region to be assigned to achromatic color or chromatic color is changed in accordance with the kinds of images, and simultaneously, a different image processing is carried out according to the kind of an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1992
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Washio, Seiichiro Hiratsuka
  • Patent number: 4980760
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image data forming unit for forming density data corresponding to each of a plurality of color components including an achromatic color and color data for discriminating a chromatic color portion from an achromatic color portion of an image, the density data and the color data being formed in units of pixels on the basis of original image information, a density data selector for selecting one of a plurality of density data output from the image data forming unit, color ghost correction for unit for changing the color data of a pixel when a serial arrangement of color data of a plurality of successive pixels including the pixel coincides with one of a plurality of predetermined patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1990
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Seiichiro Hiratsuka, Koji Washio, Hiroyuki Yamamoto, Masahiko Matsunawa