Abstract: For a printing apparatus which saves on a color material, an image processing apparatus is realized which enables a user to incur printing costs only for necessary information and necessary areas in a print product. For this purpose, there is provided an image processing apparatus including a separation unit configured to analyze and separate print information into text, photograph, and graphic constituent elements, a display unit configured to display information about a color material used amount to be used in printing for each of the separated constituent elements, and a setting unit configured to allow a user to set a change in the color material used amount for each of the separated constituent elements.

Abstract: This invention provides a sample print which allows the user to easily set color adjustment parameters. To this end, upon outputting images which undergo color processing using a plurality of different parameter sets, a sample print mode of parallelly outputting a reference image and images which have different parameter sets of the image processing from the reference image, and are arranged around the reference image, and a sample print mode of parallelly outputting the reference image which is arranged at a corner of an image group including images in a specific hue direction, and images which have different parameter sets of the color processing from the reference image and are arranged between the corner and other corners, are prepared.

Abstract: When the width of a recording head is greater than the width of a recording medium having a maximum conveyable width, a recorded image corresponding to ejecting ports in the entire area of the recording head cannot be corrected. Multiple correction test patterns are recorded using ejecting ports in part of the recording head, and correction data for correcting an image corresponding to ejecting ports in the entire area of the recording head on the basis of the colorimetric result of the test patterns. In this way, image data to be recorded by the ejecting ports in the entire area of the recording head is corrected.

Abstract: When the width of a recording head is greater than the width of a recording medium having a maximum conveyable width, a recorded image corresponding to ejecting ports in the entire area of the recording head cannot be corrected. Multiple correction test patterns are recorded using ejecting ports in part of the recording head, and correction data for correcting an image corresponding to ejecting ports in the entire area of the recording head on the basis of the colorimetric result of the test patterns. In this way, image data to be recorded by the ejecting ports in the entire area of the recording head is corrected.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image processing device which adaptively switches between emphasis of a specified color in an image and emphasis of the entire image. The image processing device of the present invention includes: a storage unit storing a plurality of color emphasis tables for emphasizing a specified color; a calculation unit calculating magnitudes of respective color emphasis effects when the plurality of color emphasis tables stored by the storage unit is applied to the image; a selection unit selecting one or more color emphasis tables according to the magnitudes of the color emphasis effects; and a correction unit correcting the specified color in the image by applying the color emphasis tables selected by the selection unit to the image.

Abstract: An image processing method is a method for correcting both an image quality of an overall image and an image quality of a partial image with excellent balance.

Abstract: When the width of a recording head is greater than the width of a recording medium having a maximum conveyable width, a recorded image corresponding to ejecting ports in the entire area of the recording head cannot be corrected. Multiple correction test patterns are recorded using ejecting ports in part of the recording head, and correction data for correcting an image corresponding to ejecting ports in the entire area of the recording head on the basis of the colorimetric result of the test patterns. In this way, image data to be recorded by the ejecting ports in the entire area of the recording head is corrected.

Abstract: Provided are an image processing apparatus and an image processing method capable of reducing color unevenness due to variations in ejection characteristics among a plurality of nozzles when printing an image using a plurality of inks. To that end, a first image which is made up a color with noticeable color unevenness and similar colors is printed onto a print medium. The user then specifies a color and a nozzle position where color unevenness has occurred. On the basis of these results, parameters are set for a correction table referenced by are MCS processor. In so doing, it becomes possible to address the factor causing the color unevenness, and mitigate the effects of color unevenness in a focused way without incurring increases in processor load, memory requirements, or processing time as compared to the case of calibrating all lattice points.

Abstract: Provided is an image processing apparatus that can accurately and efficiently reduce color unevenness that occurs in a color image, which is formed by color mixture of a plurality of different types of inks, due to a variation in ejection characteristic among nozzles. The inks are respectively ejected from the nozzle arrays to print patches; regions where color correction for test color images should be performed are specified; a different types of color correction processing for color signals corresponding to the color correction regions are performed to print color correction patches; a color correction patch to be used is selected; on the basis of selected color correction processing, a table parameter corresponding to a nozzle is formed; when the plurality of color correction patches are formed, only correction candidate values having larger color differences than a predetermined threshold value in a uniform color space are generated for color signals.

Abstract: The invention decreases the enlargement of memory and processing time for the correction of image data carried out to reduce image deterioration caused by nozzle ejection characteristic variation in an inkjet printing apparatus. Print heads are provided with pluralities of chips that have nozzle arrays formed from a plurality of nozzles. Coupled portions and non-overlap portions are formed on each chip. An image processing apparatus sets input image data, which correspond to nozzle regions that are defined in nozzle arrays along the alignment direction of the nozzles of the print head and that are composed of a plurality of nozzles, as processing blocks. The input image data is processed according to parameters defined for each of those processing blocks. The boundaries of the nozzle regions corresponding to the input image data of the processing blocks are established according to the boundaries of the overlap portions and the non-overlap portions.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus is provided that is capable of very accurately and efficiently reducing uneven color caused by variation in ejection characteristics among nozzles that eject ink and that occurs in a color image that is formed by mixing a plurality of different kinds of ink. A patch is printed by ejected ink from a plurality of nozzles, a region is specified so as to perform color correction in a test color image that is printed on a printing medium, a plurality of different color correction processing is performed on color signals that correspond to a color correction region, a plurality of color correction patches are printed, a color correction patch to be used is selected from among the plurality of different color correction patches and table parameters that correspond to the nozzles are created based on the selected color correction processing.

Abstract: In the present invention, joint sections and non-joint sections are formed in nozzle arrays of a plurality of chips arranged in a print head. Correction values for correcting input image data are calculated for reducing color difference caused by variation in the ejection characteristics of the nozzles. In this calculation of correction values, first a first correction value corresponding to first nozzles that form a color measurement area is calculated based on the color measurement value obtained by measuring the color of a discrete color measurement area included in a patch formed by a nozzle array. Next, a second correction value for correcting input image data corresponding to second nozzles of the nozzle array is calculated based on the first correction value. Different complementary processing is used when calculating the second correction value corresponding to a non-joint section, and when calculating the second correction value corresponding to a joint section.

Abstract: In the present invention, a first calculation unit calculates, based on image data obtained by reading with a reading unit a plurality of patches formed on a printing medium by a plurality of nozzle regions constituting nozzle array of a printing head, respective color specification values of a plurality of correction regions corresponding to a plurality of nozzle regions constituting the nozzle array. Then, a target value setting unit sets, based on the calculated color specification values of the plurality of correction regions, a target color specification value of the patch. Further, a second calculation unit calculates a difference between each of the color specification values of the plurality of correction regions and the target color specification value as a correction amount. After that, based on the correction amount calculated, image data corresponding to an image printed by each of the plurality of nozzle regions are corrected.

Abstract: When printing an image using a plurality of inks, color unevenness caused by variations in ejection characteristics among nozzles is corrected at suitable timings in accordance with change in the color unevenness over time, and favorable image output without noticeably color unevenness is maintained. For this purpose, parameters are prepared, for colors formed by combinations of at least two colors of ink, the parameters being determined so as to reduce differences in coloration on a print medium caused by individual variations in the ejection characteristics of a plurality of nozzles. When printing, a first color signal included in individual pixels is corrected for a second color signal by using the parameters. Information regarding the ejection volume characteristics of a plurality of nozzles is acquired as appropriate, and by estimating changes in coloration from this information, suitable timings for overwriting such parameters are determined.

Abstract: Area information is obtained with respect to a specified color and nozzle position having color unevenness. Then, coordinate information indicating a nozzle position corresponding to the above area information is obtained in a printing head or nozzle array corresponding to an ink color relating to the specified color information. Next, the number of candidate correction values or candidate patches is obtained on the basis of nozzle coordinates obtained corresponding to the area, by referring to a table. In this table, for example, the number of candidate correction values is small at a nozzle position where an effect due to the variations of nozzle ejection characteristics such as a nozzle ejection volume is small and a change direction is constant, and the number of candidate correction values is large at a nozzle position where an effect due to variations of nozzle ejection characteristics is large.

Abstract: An image processing method in which the image of a document is extracted from an image including the image of the document on a document positioning table, acquired by a line sensor scanning the document placed on the document positioning table while illuminating the document from the upstream side or the downstream side of the scanning includes extracting the edge of the image on the document positioning table to set a provisional document area based on the edge, detecting a bright area where light incident on the line sensor is excessive, at the illuminated edge on the upstream side or the downstream side in the scanning direction from the image of the provisional area, and determining the area of the document by removing the area where light is excessive from the provisional area.

Abstract: In an image processing apparatus which can always provide an excellent processed image, an analysis unit analyzes condition information representing a condition at a time when an image is obtained and being included in image information, and determines an algorithm of an image correction process for the image based on the analyzed result.

Abstract: A gradation correcting curve to correct a gradation of an input image is generated. Gradation correction based on the gradation correcting curve is made to a boundary pixel of a color reproduction space at the same saturation as that of a target lattice point and at a hue of the target lattice point. An equal saturation line is set by using the boundary pixel of the color reproduction space after the gradation correction. A saturation correction amount of the target lattice point is decided based on the gradation correcting curve and the equal saturation line.

Abstract: A plurality of types of layout data which are used to edit a layout and have laid-out image frames are stored in a memory. An original on an original table is read to generate original image data. The number of originals on the original table is detected. Based on the detected number of originals, layout data used to edit the layout is selected from the plurality of types of stored layout data. The generated original image data is laid out using the selected layout data.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus which previously sets a reduction order based on saturation with respect to inks to be used in a saving mode. When a color uses two or more colors of ink, the image processing apparatus reduces the ink featuring high on the reduction order, or increases the reduction amount of the ink featuring high on the reduction order.