Abstract: Based on an area detection signal, a layer separation section outputs a text component of a document, to a feature point calculating section, and generates four layers from a pictorial component of the document to output the generated layers to the feature point calculating section. The feature point calculating section sums feature points extracted for each component. A features calculating section calculates a hash value based on the feature points. A vote processing section searches a hash table based on the hash value, and votes for a reference image associated with the hash value. Based on the voting result, a similarity determination processing section determines whether the document image is similar to any reference image, and then outputs the determination result. Thus, even if the document contains a photograph, accurate matching can be performed.

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: A storage process section stores, into an exceptional reference image list, discrimination information for discriminating a reference image which permits image processing and a reference image which forbids or restricts image processing. In case where a maximum value of a similarity calculated by a voting process section is not less than a threshold value, a control section determines whether a reference image having a maximum similarity is the reference image which permits image processing or a reference image which forbids or restricts image processing and determines whether or not it is necessary to forbid or restrict image processing with respect to input image data in accordance with a result of the determination. This makes it possible to prevent erroneous determination from forbidding execution of image processing based on input image data or to prevent erroneous determination from allowing execution of image processing based on input image data.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image processing apparatus capable of preventing deterioration of judgment accuracy when performing document matching process. To be more specific, when selecting feature points in the neighborhood of a target feature point, a predetermined number of feature points are selected after excluding a prespecified number of feature points in turn from the feature point nearest to the target feature point. For example, when the plurality of feature points are selected, the plurality of feature points, after excluding at least a feature point existing at a position nearest to the target feature point, are selected. Thereby, without increasing the amount of feature points for calculation of features (feature vectors), it is possible to prevent the deterioration of judgment accuracy.

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: A similarity calculation process section registers the largest number of votes of the image of the first document, the index representing the document, and the category of the document into a category table. For the images of the documents being successively read after the document being read first, the similarity calculation process section determines the similarity of the documents based on the result of the voting inputted from a vote process section. When the similarity is lower than a threshold value, determining that the images are not similar to the image of the document registered in the category table, the similarity calculation process section registers the indices representing the documents, the largest numbers of votes of the documents and new categories into the category table, and outputs the result of the determination (classification signal).

Abstract: A two color process section included in the image processing apparatus includes a luminance and chroma calculation section, an image-data determination section, and an output-color generation section. The luminance and chroma calculation section calculates a luminance value and a chroma value based on input image data. The image-data determination section determines the input image data, the chroma value of which is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, as first input image data constituting a chromatic color in a two-color image and determines the input image data, the chroma value of which is less than the threshold, as second input image data constituting an achromatic color in the two-color image. The output-color generation section generates image data of CMY from the first input image data based on the chroma value and the luminance value and generates image data of CMY from the second input image data based on the luminance value.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a two color process section and a color material usage estimation and calculation section. The two color process section generates, based on input image data of RGB inputted by reading an original document, image data of CMY for outputting a two-color image. The color material usage estimation and calculation section calculates, based on the image data of CMY generated by the two color process section, a usage of color materials used when the two-color image is outputted and generates information concerning the usage of color materials from a result of the calculation. The color material usage estimation and calculation section outputs the generated information concerning the usage of color materials to an image display device.

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: An image processing apparatus includes: a feature point extracting section for extracting feature points (first feature points) of first document image data and feature points (second feature points) of second document image data, a features calculating section for calculating features (first features) of the first feature points and features (second features) of the second feature points, a matching process section for comparing the first features with the second features, and for extracting a plurality of first feature points and a plurality of second feature points whose features agree with each other, a coordinate transformation section for transforming a coordinate system of the second document image data into that of the first document image data based on coordinates of the first and second feature points extracted, and a logical AND operation section for extracting image data having a common format contained in the first and second document image data by performing logical AND operation of the first do

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 storing of a document page index of a reference image in association with each hash value calculated for each reference image by the features calculating section, a storage processing section determines whether the number of document page indexes, which have already been stored in association with each hash value, is larger than or equal to a preliminarily setup upper limit value or not. The storage processing section stores the document page index of a reference image in a hash table in association with the hash value calculated by the features calculating section when the number of document page indexes, which have already been stored, is smaller than the upper limit value, or invalidates the hash value when the number of document page indexes, which have already been stored, is larger than or equal to the upper limit value.

Abstract: In a server, there are stored (i) identification information of a reference image and (ii) a common process rule applied to input image data determined as being similar to the reference image which common process rule is set regardless of users. In a card, there is stored a merged process rule obtained by merging the common process rule with an individual process rule which is indicative of a process applied to the input image data determined as being similar to the reference image and which is set for each user or to attribute of the user. Further, in case where a version of the merged process information is identical to a version of the common process information, a process based on the merged process information corresponding to the reference image determined as being similar to the input image data is carried out, and in case where these versions are not identical to each other, the process based on the merged process information is not carried out for the input image data.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image processing apparatus capable of preventing deterioration of judgment accuracy when performing document matching process. To be more specific, when selecting feature points in the neighborhood of a target feature point, a predetermined number of feature points are selected after excluding a prespecified number of feature points in turn from the feature point nearest to the target feature point. For example, when the plurality of feature points are selected, the plurality of feature points, after excluding at least a feature point existing at a position nearest to the target feature point, are selected. Thereby, without increasing the amount of feature points for calculation of features (feature vectors), it is possible to prevent the deterioration of judgment accuracy.

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: An image processing apparatus includes: a data obtaining section for obtaining input image data; a memory in which reference image data or features of a reference image is stored; and a similarity determination process section for performing a determination process in which it is determined whether the input image data is image data corresponding to the reference image or not. The similarity determination process section changes the determination process in accordance with related information of the input image data. Consequently, it is possible to realize an image processing apparatus capable of determining a similarity between input image data and a reference image and restricting a process on the input image data in accordance with the result of the determination.

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: In an image processing apparatus for determining whether input image data is identical with image data of a reference image or not and performing a process according to the result of the determination, input image data whose similarity to a reference image is not less than a predetermined first threshold value or encoded image data obtained by encoding the input image data is stored in an access limitation storage section to which only a specific user is accessible. This allows an administrator to easily check whether the result of the determination is appropriate or not, without requiring a larger and more complex structure.