Abstract: An edge image generating unit detects edges in an original image and generates an edge image from the edges. A connection pixel extracting unit extracts connection pixel sets in the edge image. A binary image generating unit classifies colors of the connection pixel sets into a predetermined number of achromatic target colors and a predetermined number of chromatic target colors if a color mode is set as color, and classifies the colors of the connection pixel sets into a predetermined number of achromatic target colors if the color mode is set as monochrome, where the number of the achromatic target colors set in the color mode of monochrome is larger than the number of the achromatic target colors in the color mode of color.

Abstract: This image processing apparatus identifies the orientation of a document image in a horizontally written text document. The image processing apparatus includes a character identification unit, a line identification unit, and an orientation identification unit. The character identification unit identifies a character bounding rectangle for every character in the document image based on extracted edges. The line identification unit merges the character bounding rectangles identified by the character identification unit to identify a plurality of line bounding rectangles. The orientation identification unit identifies the positions of a short side on one end and a short side on the other end, in the longitudinal direction, of each of the line bounding rectangles identified by the line identification unit to identify the orientation of the document image based on the positional distributions of the identified short sides of the line bounding rectangles.

Abstract: In an image processing device, an edge image generation part detects an edge in an original image and generates an edge image constituted from the detected edge. A connected pixel extraction part extracts connected pixel groups in the edge image. A binary image generation part classifies the connected pixel groups under respective colors of the connected pixel groups, and generates a character image for each color. A background image generation part generates a background image of the original image based on the character image so that a pixel value at the position of the character image in the original image is set by an average value of the pixel values in the original image with regard to at least a portion of pixels around a rectangle circumscribing the connected pixel groups. An image compression part compresses respective image data of the character image and background image by different compression manners.

Abstract: In an image processing apparatus, regarding plural character areas in the character image of each color, an image compressing unit 6 includes one of the character areas from which a distance to another one of the character areas is either equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold value into a character image other than the character image in which the other one of the character areas is included, and compresses image data of the other one of the character areas separately from other image data.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a document feeding unit, a document reading unit, a first set-document direction accepting key, an automatic determination mode setting accepting key, a set-document direction determining unit, and an image processor. The set-document direction determining unit is configured to determine, on a per-page basis, a set-document direction of documents set on the document feeding unit, based on original image data read by the document reading unit. The image processor is configured to perform a rotation process on original image data read by the document reading unit, based on the determination result by the set-document direction determining unit, and to perform a rotation process based on the first set-document direction accepted by the first set-document direction accepting key for a page for which the determination by the set document direction determining unit fails.

Abstract: An edge image generating unit generates an edge image formed by edges in an original image. A connection pixel extracting unit extracts connection pixel sets in the edge image. A binary image generating unit classifies the connection pixel sets by colors and generates respective character images of the colors. A background image generating unit generates a background image of the original image. An image compressing unit compresses image data of the character images and the background image using different compressing methods. The binary image generating unit identifies which of a density reversed character, an ordinary character and non character each one of the connection pixel sets is, on the basis of luminance values of the original image on pixels at four corners of a rectangle circumscribed to the connection pixel set, and generates the character images of the density reversed character and the ordinary character.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes an image data compression unit, an attribute data compression unit, and a memory. Of image data and attribute data generated by image reading, the image data compression unit compresses the image data. The attribute data compression unit compresses the attribute data. In the memory, a page memory region for storing the image data compressed by the image data compression unit and the attribute data compressed by the attribute data compression unit is secured. And, one of the compressed image data and the compressed attribute data is successively written from the beginning of the page memory region toward the end thereof, while the other of the compressed image data and the compressed attribute data is successively written from the end of the page memory region toward the beginning thereof.

Abstract: Regarding a color difference between a color of an original image on a pixel other than a connection pixel set in a rectangular area that is an inside area of a rectangle circumscribed to the connection pixel set and a color of the original image on a pixel in the connection pixel set, the binary image generating unit (a) identifies whether the connection pixel set is a character or non character by comparing a value of an index that indicates unevenness of the color differences with a color difference threshold value, (b) identifies whether a size of the rectangular area is small or large on the basis of a threshold value, and (c) sets the color difference threshold value as a value if the size of the rectangular area is small and as another different value if the size of the rectangular area is large.

Abstract: Provided is a polymer material having superior water wettability and lubricity, and enabling persistence of the same by allowing the surfactant to be retained by the polymer material so as not to be gradually released. The present invention is directed to a polymer material including: [I] a polymer having a constitutional unit derived from (A) a polymerizable compound having an acryloyloxy group and not having a silicon atom; and [II] a surfactant. The content of the surfactant [II] is preferably 0.05% by mass or greater and 1% by mass or less. The surfactant [II] is preferably a nonionic surfactant having a polyoxyethylene group.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a document feeding unit, a document reading unit, a first set-document direction accepting key, an automatic determination mode setting accepting key, a set-document direction determining unit, and an image processor. The set-document direction determining unit is configured to determine, on a per-page basis, a set-document direction of documents set on the document feeding unit, based on original image data read by the document reading unit. The image processor is configured to perform a rotation process on original image data read by the document reading unit, based on the determination result by the set-document direction determining unit, and to perform a rotation process based on the first set-document direction accepted by the first set-document direction accepting key for a page for which the determination by the set document direction determining unit fails.

Abstract: An edge image generating unit detects edges in an original image and generates an edge image from the edges. A connection pixel extracting unit extracts connection pixel sets in the edge image. A binary image generating unit classifies colors of the connection pixel sets into a predetermined number of achromatic target colors and a predetermined number of chromatic target colors if a color mode is set as color, and classifies the colors of the connection pixel sets into a predetermined number of achromatic target colors if the color mode is set as monochrome, where the number of the achromatic target colors set in the color mode of monochrome is larger than the number of the achromatic target colors in the color mode of color.

Abstract: The input image processing circuit 12 confirms whether the output side buffer area has a free area for buffering image data after the input side image processing or not when starting image scanning. If the output side buffer area has the free area, the input image processing circuit 12 transfers the image data after the input side image processing through the interface 31 to the output image processing circuit 23 and causes the output image processing circuit 23 to store the image data in the output side buffer area without buffering the image data in the input side buffer area. If the output side buffer area does not have the free area, the input image processing circuit 12 buffers the image data after the input side image processing in the input side buffer area.

Abstract: An image scanning apparatus of this disclosure includes: a scanner unit which generates image data by image scanning and outputs it; a memory; a data processing unit which (a1) performs a predetermined process for either the image data outputted by the scanner unit or the image data for which a preprocess has been performed, (a2) writes the processed image data into a predetermined memory area in the memory in turn, and (a3) returns a writing position of the image data to a top of the memory area and overwrite the image data if the writing position of the image data reaches an end of the memory area; and a control unit which (b1) allocates the memory area in the memory and (b2) measures a shortage amount of the memory area on the basis of a size of an area where the image data has been overwritten.

Abstract: In an image processing apparatus, regarding plural character areas in the character image of each color, an image compressing unit 6 includes one of the character areas from which a distance to another one of the character areas is either equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold value into a character image other than the character image in which the other one of the character areas is included, and compresses image data of the other one of the character areas separately from other image data.

Abstract: An edge image generating unit generates an edge image formed by edges in an original image. A connection pixel extracting unit extracts connection pixel sets in the edge image. A binary image generating unit classifies the connection pixel sets by colors and generates respective character images of the colors. A background image generating unit generates a background image of the original image. An image compressing unit compresses image data of the character images and the background image using different compressing methods. The binary image generating unit identifies which of a density reversed character, an ordinary character and non character each one of the connection pixel sets is, on the basis of luminance values of the original image on pixels at four corners of a rectangle circumscribed to the connection pixel set, and generates the character images of the density reversed character and the ordinary character.

Abstract: In an image processing device, an edge image generation part detects an edge in an original image and generates an edge image constituted from the detected edge. A connected pixel extraction part extracts connected pixel groups in the edge image. A binary image generation part classifies the connected pixel groups under respective colors of the connected pixel groups, and generates a character image for each color. A background image generation part generates a background image of the original image based on the character image so that a pixel value at the position of the character image in the original image is set by an average value of the pixel values in the original image with regard to at least a portion of pixels around a rectangle circumscribing the connected pixel groups. An image compression part compresses respective image data of the character image and background image by different compression manners.

Abstract: Regarding a color difference between a color of an original image on a pixel other than a connection pixel set in a rectangular area that is an inside area of a rectangle circumscribed to the connection pixel set and a color of the original image on a pixel in the connection pixel set, the binary image generating unit (a) identifies whether the connection pixel set is a character or non character by comparing a value of an index that indicates unevenness of the color differences with a color difference threshold value, (b) identifies whether a size of the rectangular area is small or large on the basis of a threshold value, and (c) sets the color difference threshold value as a value if the size of the rectangular area is small and as another different value if the size of the rectangular area is large.

Abstract: A multifunctional printer comprises a CCD for reading an image on one side of a document, a CIS for reading an image on the other side of the document, an image processing unit for processing the image of the side read by the CCD or the CIS, and a determining unit (S12) for determining which of the images of the sides read by the CCD and the CIS is to be processed first by the image processing unit.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes an image reader, an image adjuster and an execution controller that causes the image reader to read an adjustment document and causes the image adjuster to adjust image data generated by the image reader. The adjustment document includes line images and parameter images at positions spaced apart in a main scanning direction in a margin area where the line images are not provided. The parameter images indicate parameters used in image adjustment processing. The execution controller judges whether the image data corresponding to predetermined positions in the main scanning direction coincide, selects one of the image data judged to coincide, and causes the image adjuster to perform the image adjustment using the selected image data and the parameter indicated by the image data generated by reading the parameter image at the position in the main scanning direction of the selected image data.

Abstract: A multifunctional printer comprises a CCD for reading an image on one side of a document, a CIS for reading an image on the other side of the document, an image processing unit for processing the image of the side read by the CCD or the CIS, and a determining unit (S12) for determining which of the images of the sides read by the CCD and the CIS is to be processed first by the image processing unit.