Abstract: An information storage method, digital data processing method and apparatus so that a user can conveniently and at low-cost deal with an image data. A data input/output device 85 reads an original and then transmits its image data to a data storage device 83 (data transmission T1). The data storage device 83 receives the image data and stores it in a memory 22J. The data storage device 83 replies with a storage location to the data input/output device 85 (data transmission T2). The data input/output device 85 prints the storage location. The user can obtain a printout 90 on which the storage location of the image data read at the data input/output device 85 is printed. The image data can then be acquired at a user computer set at a different place (data transmission T3, T4).

Abstract: A scanner 1 reads image information at read resolution set by a resolution control section 3 and stores the image information in memory 2. An image separation section 11 separates the image information into a first image plane (picture part), a second image plane (text part color information), and a selection image plane (text part forms) for selecting either the first or second image plane. The resolution control section 3 sets optimum resolutions in first to third resolution conversion sections 12-14 in response to image quality, the original type, the system environment, the image plane characteristics, etc. The three image planes are converted into the resolutions set in the first to third resolution conversion sections 12-14. The image planes after undergoing the resolution conversion are compressed in first to third compression sections 15-17 and wrapped in one data format by an image format section 18.

Abstract: Input image information undergoes color conversion processing in a color conversion section 1, then is separated into first piece of image data, second piece of image data, and selection data in a multilayer data processing section 2 and transmission data in the multilayer data format is output. On the other hand, a 1-layer data processing section 3 prepares transmission data in the normal 1-layer data format from the image information. A color determination section 4 determines whether the input image information is a color or monochrome image. If the image information is determined a color image, a selection section 6 selects the transmission data in the multilayer data format; if the image information is determined a monochrome image, the selection section 6 selects the transmission data in the 1-layer data format. Then, it transmits the selected transmission data through a transmission section 7.