Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided which performs a process on data stored in advance in accordance with operation by a verified user. The apparatus includes a user authentication portion for performing user authentication on a second user in a state where a first user is verified and logs in the image forming apparatus, an access control portion for, in a login state where both the first user and the second user are verified, giving a permission to perform a process on user data to which one of the first user and the second user determined based on a login order is granted access, and an operation control portion for, in the login state, accepting operation that relates to the user data and falls within at least one of an operation permission given in advance to the first user and an operation permission given in advance to the second user.

Abstract: In order to accelerate the processing speed using existing hardware or program, MFP sets a reference lattice point in the device space of a printer (S05), calculates the difference between first color data and the reference lattice point (S06), sets the dimension having the largest difference of the differences of dimensions not set as process targets, as a process target dimension (S10), sets the lattice point having the process target dimension as a second process target lattice point (S11), calculates a base term based on the difference of the process target dimension, the first process target lattice point, and the second process target lattice point (S18), calculates a total sum vector (S19), resets the second process target lattice point as a first process target lattice point every time the base term is calculated (S20), calculates a second reference vector using an existing triangular pyramid interpolation expression when the number of dimensions not set as process target dimensions become three (S14)

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided which performs a process on data stored in advance in accordance with operation by a verified user. The apparatus includes a user authentication portion for performing user authentication on a second user in a state where a first user is verified and logs in the image forming apparatus, an access control portion for, in a login state where both the first user and the second user are verified, giving a permission to perform a process on user data to which one of the first user and the second user determined based on a login order is granted access, and an operation control portion for, in the login state, accepting operation that relates to the user data and falls within at least one of an operation permission given in advance to the first user and an operation permission given in advance to the second user.

Abstract: When a monochrome image is converted into a color image, following criteria are applied. a) Black, white, and a color having lightness according to a pixel value are assigned to minimum and maximum pixel values, and a pixel value therebetween, respectively. b) For the pixel value near but excluding the minimum value, a color in a blue color region is assigned. c) For the pixel value near but excluding the maximum value, a color in a yellow color region is assigned. For the pixel value in a range above those near the minimum value but below near the maximum value, a color in a range of hue from the blue color region to the yellow color region by way of a red color region or a color in the range of hue from the blue color region to the yellow color region by way of a green color region is assigned.

Abstract: When a monochrome image is converted into a color image, following criteria are applied. a) Black, white, and a color having lightness according to a pixel value are assigned to minimum and maximum pixel values, and a pixel value therebetween, respectively. b) For the pixel value near but excluding the minimum value, a color in a blue color region is assigned. c) For the pixel value near but excluding the maximum value, a color in a yellow color region is assigned. For the pixel value in a range above those near the minimum value but below near the maximum value, a color in a range of hue from the blue color region to the yellow color region by way of a red color region or a color in the range of hue from the blue color region to the yellow color region by way of a green color region is assigned.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus allowing efficient trapping/overprint is provided. A CPU of a printer serving as the image processing apparatus includes an object extraction unit extracting a component image from image data, a pair extraction unit extracting a pair from a plurality of objects, a calculation unit calculating an overlapping print amount for each of primary colors of color materials of each component image, a rule storing unit storing a plurality of process contents and rules for executing processing, a process content storing unit storing the process contents, a judgment unit judging whether or not a pair of the image components satisfies the rule associated with a priority, and an execution unit for executing the processing of trapping or overprint.

Abstract: In order to accelerate the processing speed using existing hardware or program, MFP sets a reference lattice point in the device space of a printer (S05), calculates the difference between first color data and the reference lattice point (S06), sets the dimension having the largest difference of the differences of dimensions not set as process targets, as a process target dimension (S10), sets the lattice point having the process target dimension as a second process target lattice point (S11), calculates a base term based on the difference of the process target dimension, the first process target lattice point, and the second process target lattice point (S18), calculates a total sum vector (S19), resets the second process target lattice point as a first process target lattice point every time the base term is calculated (S20), calculates a second reference vector using an existing triangular pyramid interpolation expression when the number of dimensions not set as process target dimensions become three (S14)

Abstract: In accordance with an image processing method, a data region is detected from input image data. The input image data is rotated in accordance with inclination of an image. Determination is made whether the data region of rotated image data protrudes from an image area of the input image data. When detection is made of protruding, the smallest area including the data region is extracted from the rotated image data. When the data region of the rotated image data protrudes from the image area of the image data previous to rotation, the smallest region including the data region of the rotated image data is extracted from the rotated image data. Therefore, loosing information from image data subjected to rotational correction can be prevented. Also, the amount of image data subjected to rotational correction can be minimized.

Abstract: In a printer which corrects a density change by measuring densities of a plurality of output dither patterns (test patterns) by a sensor and obtaining a ? characteristic curve, the following processes are performed. Data of the present number of print sheets is obtained from a print sheet counter in the printer. On the basis of the obtained data, a proper sensor density curve is selected. A sensor value obtaining unit obtains density data of a generated test pattern. On the basis of the selected sensor density curve and the obtained density data, a ? characteristic curve is calculated. A dither pattern is generated based on the ? characteristic curve.

Abstract: In accordance with an image processing method, a data region is detected from input image data. The input image data is rotated in accordance with inclination of an image. Determination is made whether the data region of rotated image data protrudes from an image area of the input image data. When detection is made of protruding, the smallest area including the data region is extracted from the rotated image data. When the data region of the rotated image data protrudes from the image area of the image data previous to rotation, the smallest region including the data region of the rotated image data is extracted from the rotated image data. Therefore, loosing information from image data subjected to rotational correction can be prevented. Also, the amount of image data subjected to rotational correction can be minimized.

Abstract: In accordance with an image processing method, a data region is detected from input image data. The input image data is rotated in accordance with inclination of an image. Determination is made whether the data region of rotated image data protrudes from an image area of the input image data. When detection is made of protruding, the smallest area including the data region is extracted from the rotated image data. When the data region of the rotated image data protrudes from the image area of the image data previous to rotation, the smallest region including the data region of the rotated image data is extracted from the rotated image data. Therefore, loosing information from image data subjected to rotational correction can be prevented. Also, the amount of image data subjected to rotational correction can be minimized.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus allowing efficient trapping/overprint is provided. A CPU of a printer serving as the image processing apparatus includes an object extraction unit extracting a component image from image data, a pair extraction unit extracting a pair from a plurality of objects, a calculation unit calculating an overlapping print amount for each of primary colors of color materials of each component image, a rule storing unit storing a plurality of process contents and rules for executing processing, a process content storing unit storing the process contents, a judgment unit judging whether or not a pair of the image components satisfies the rule associated with a priority, and an execution unit for executing the processing of trapping or overprint.

Abstract: An image processing device extracts resolution data from an input image data, and executes resolution converting processing on the input image data to provide longitudinal and lateral resolutions equal to each other when the longitudinal and lateral resolutions are different from each other. An inclination of the image having the longitudinal and lateral resolutions equal to each other is detected, and the image data having the longitudinal and lateral resolutions equal to each other is rotated in accordance with the inclination. Resolution converting processing is executed again on the rotated image data to restore the longitudinal and lateral resolutions to the original resolutions, respectively.

Abstract: In a contrast correcting apparatus 1 which divides an image into unit regions and carries out a contrast correction for each of unit regions, a gray level histogram calculation section 201 generates gray level histograms of the image, and a scene judgment section 202 makes a judgment on the state of the image. When the result of the judgment shows that the image is in a state such as overexposure, underexposure, low contrast or high contrast, a region size determining section 204 sets a greater size as the size of the unit regions. Based upon the size of the unit regions thus determined and the amount of contrast correction determined by the contrast correction amount determining section 203, gray level transformation curves are formed for the respective unit regions, and by using these, the contrast corrections are carried out on the respective unit regions.

Abstract: In a contrast correcting apparatus 1 which divides an image into unit regions and carries out a contrast correction for each of unit regions, a gray level histogram calculation section 201 generates gray level histograms of the image, and a scene judgment section 202 makes a judgment on the state of the image. When the result of the judgment shows that the image is in a state such as overexposure, underexposure, low contrast or high contrast, a region size determining section 204 sets a greater size as the size of the unit regions. Based upon the size of the unit regions thus determined and the amount of contrast correction determined by the contrast correction amount determining section 203, gray level transformation curves are formed for the respective unit regions, and by using these, the contrast corrections are carried out on the respective unit regions.

Abstract: In a printer which corrects a density change by measuring densities of a plurality of output dither patterns (test patterns) by a sensor and obtaining a ? characteristic curve, the following processes are performed. Data of the present number of print sheets is obtained from a print sheet counter in the printer. On the basis of the obtained data, a proper sensor density curve is selected. A sensor value obtaining unit obtains density data of a generated test pattern. On the basis of the selected sensor density curve and the obtained density data, a ? characteristic curve is calculated. A dither pattern is generated based on the ? characteristic curve.

Abstract: To correct an image obtained by shooting a subject by a digital camera or the like, an image processing apparatus includes a color space transformation processing portion receiving the image and transforming the received image into a color signal represented in a uniform color space, a scene determination processing portion determining scene information indicating a character of the image, a noise eliminating filter deciding portion deciding a noise eliminating filter used for correcting the image according to the determined scene information, and a noise elimination processing portion correcting the image in the uniform color space according to the decided noise eliminating filter. The correction level is decided according to the scene information indicating the character of the image, allowing correction to be performed only as required according to the received image. The image is corrected in the uniform color space, preventing blurred image while gradation of the image is maintained.

Abstract: An image processing device extracts resolution data from an input image data, and executes resolution converting processing on the input image data to provide longitudinal and lateral resolutions equal to each other when the longitudinal and lateral resolutions are different from each other. An inclination of the image having the longitudinal and lateral resolutions equal to each other is detected, and the image data having the longitudinal and lateral resolutions equal to each other is rotated in accordance with the inclination. Resolution converting processing is executed again on the rotated image data to restore the longitudinal and lateral resolutions to the original resolutions, respectively.

Abstract: In accordance with an image processing method, a data region is detected from input image data. The input image data is rotated in accordance with inclination of an image. Determination is made whether the data region of rotated image data protrudes from an image area of the input image data. When detection is made of protruding, the smallest area including the data region is extracted from the rotated image data. When the data region of the rotated image data protrudes from the image area of the image data previous to rotation, the smallest region including the data region of the rotated image data is extracted from the rotated image data. Therefore, loosing information from image data subjected to rotational correction can be prevented. Also, the amount of image data subjected to rotational correction can be minimized.

Abstract: The printer having the mail-bin feature, at a time when the output for all the print jobs addressed to the same user, an output completion notice is transmitted to the particular user. When, in such a state that the previously discharged printed matter for a certain user (user D) still remains in any bin (bin 1), an attempt is made to process a print job for another user (user A) which designates the same bin as the discharge destination, an output completion notice is transmitted to the user (user D) the printed matter for whom still remains in the same bin before the print job is processed and the output completion notice is transmitted to the other user (user A).