Abstract: There is provided a printing apparatus for conveying a print medium and performing printing on the conveyed print medium, the printing apparatus including a print data acquisition unit configured to acquire print data in which digital watermark information is added to image data, the digital watermark information being used to identify a position of an image of the image data on a print medium, a printing unit configured to print an image on a print medium based on the print data, a conveyance information acquisition unit configured to acquire information relating to conveyance of a print medium, based on information on the position of the image that is obtained by detection of digital watermark information in an image read by a reading unit, and a print control unit configured to control printing by the printing unit, based on the acquired information relating to conveyance.

Abstract: There is provided a printing apparatus that conveys a print medium and performs printing on the conveyed print medium, the printing apparatus including a print data generation unit configured to generate print data by performing predetermined pseudo halftone processing of image data to be printed for quantizing the image data; a pattern data generation unit configured to generate print data on a detection pattern by performing the same predetermined pseudo halftone processing of data on the detection pattern for quantizing the data on the detection pattern; a pattern printing unit configured to print a detection pattern based on the generated print data on the detection pattern; a measuring unit configured to measure the printed detection pattern; and a print control unit configured to control printing based on the print data generated for the image data, based on a measurement result of the detection pattern.

Abstract: Provided is a quantization processing method using dither patterns that make it possible to obtain a dot array having excellent dispersibility even in the case of a single color or mixed color inks. For this purpose, first and second dither patterns are prepared in order to respectively quantize multivalued data for a first ink to different pieces of binary data, respectively. Also, third and fourth dither patterns are prepared in order to respectively quantize multivalued data for a second ink to different pieces of binary data. Further, on the basis of a combination of the multivalued data on the first ink and the multivalued data on the second ink, a quantization unit for the first ink, and a quantization unit for the second ink are determined.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an input unit to input image data. A first correction unit performs a first type of correction for the input image data, based on a result of analysis of the image data. A storage unit stores the corrected image data. A second correction unit performs a first type of manual correction for the stored image data using a correction parameter in accordance with a user instruction. A third correction unit performs a second type of correction for the input image data, based on a result of analysis of the image data in a case when a second type of correction instruction based on an image analysis is input, after the first type of manual correction is performed by the second correction unit. The second type of correction is different from the first type of correction.

Abstract: Provided is a dither pattern generation method so that a dot arrangement having excellent dispersibility can be obtained in low-gradation areas for single colors and for mixed colors. The dither pattern generation method generates dot patterns for low-gradation areas having threshold values 1 to S so that high dispersibility is obtained in a cyan dot pattern and a magenta dot pattern, and so that in a combined dot pattern made by combining these dot patterns there are no overlapping pixels. The dither pattern generation method then sets threshold values for a cyan dither pattern and a magenta dither pattern based on these generated dot patterns.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a generation unit; wherein a first dither pattern and a second dither pattern have same threshold values that are set for same pixels in a first gradation range, and have different threshold values that are set for same pixels in a second gradation range that exceeds the first gradation range; and the generation unit sets a first threshold value for forming dots of the first dither pattern, and generates a first binary data according to whether or not a threshold value corresponding to a target pixel of the first dither pattern is included in the first threshold value, and sets a second threshold value for forming dots of the second dither pattern, and generates a second binary data according to whether or not a threshold value corresponding to a target pixel of the second dither pattern is included in the second threshold value.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes at least one processor. An input unit is configured to input image data. A correction unit performs a correction for the image data based on a result of analysis of the data. A storage unit stores the corrected image data. A processing unit performs a correction for the corrected image data using a correction parameter in accordance with a user instruction. The processing unit corrects the corrected image data stored by the storage unit using a changed correction parameter, when the correction parameter has been changed according to a user instruction. When a correction instruction based on an image analysis is input after correction of the image data by at least one of the correction unit and the processing unit, the correction unit makes a correction for the input image data input based on a result of analyzing the image data.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a generation unit; wherein a first dither pattern and a second dither pattern have same threshold values that are set for same pixels in a first gradation range, and have different threshold values that are set for same pixels in a second gradation range that exceeds the first gradation range; and the generation unit sets a first threshold value for forming dots of the first dither pattern, and generates a first binary data according to whether or not a threshold value corresponding to a target pixel of the first dither pattern is included in the first threshold value, and sets a second threshold value for forming dots of the second dither pattern, and generates a second binary data according to whether or not a threshold value corresponding to a target pixel of the second dither pattern is included in the second threshold value.

Abstract: Provided is a dither pattern generation method so that a dot arrangement having excellent dispersibility can be obtained in low-gradation areas for single colors and for mixed colors. The dither pattern generation method generates dot patterns for low-gradation areas having threshold values 1 to S so that high dispersibility is obtained in a cyan dot pattern and a magenta dot pattern, and so that in a combined dot pattern made by combining these dot patterns there are no overlapping pixels. The dither pattern generation method then sets threshold values for a cyan dither pattern and a magenta dither pattern based on these generated dot patterns.

Abstract: Provided is a quantization processing method using dither patterns that make it possible to obtain a dot array having excellent dispersibility even in the case of a single color or mixed color inks. For this purpose, first and second dither patterns are prepared in order to respectively quantize multivalued data for a first ink to different pieces of binary data, respectively. Also, third and fourth dither patterns are prepared in order to respectively quantize multivalued data for a second ink to different pieces of binary data. Further, on the basis of a combination of the multivalued data on the first ink and the multivalued data on the second ink, a quantization unit for the first ink, and a quantization unit for the second ink are determined.

Abstract: Because the ejection state of a printing element in a printing apparatus may vary at all times, an inspection item for inspecting a printed image may be set in consideration of the ejection state of the printing element. An inspection item for inspecting a printed image may be set based on information including a temperature characteristic of a printing head and a state of ink such as an elapsed time from the last ejection. This allows image inspection that matches with variations in the ejection state of the printing element.

Abstract: Image ink data is generated which represents the absence of ejection of ink corresponding to pixels for which text ink data represents the ejection of ink.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an input unit configured to input image data, a detection unit configured to detect a region corresponding to local light in an image represented by the image data input by the input unit, and a processing unit configured to perform blur processing on the region corresponding to the local light and detected by the detection unit, wherein the processing unit varies, according to a position of the region corresponding to the local light and detected by the detection unit, an area on which to perform the blur processing.

Abstract: In low-resolution processing (reduction processing) in which input image data is separated into character print data and image print data to generate print data of lower resolution than that of the input image data, if a plurality of pixels is simply reduction-processed to one pixel, color of a color image surrounding a character may change. In an image processing method, calculation for performing reduction processing so that the plurality of pixels in the input image data corresponds to one pixel in the print data is performed as follows. A ratio of using a pixel value of a character attribute pixel in the calculation is set to 0, or set smaller than a ratio of using a pixel value of an image attribute pixel. As a result, a change in the color of the color image surrounding the character can be prevented.

Abstract: According to this invention, image processes are classified into a plurality of categories, and the result of processes belonging to each category is written in an intermediate buffer prepared for the category. The order of categories is determined in advance, and an output from a process of a preceding category serves as an input to a process of a succeeding category. The preceding category includes image processes such as automatic correction requiring no quick response. The succeeding category includes image processes such as manual correction requiring a quick response.

Abstract: According to this invention, image processes are classified into a plurality of categories, and the result of processes belonging to each category is written in an intermediate buffer prepared for the category. The order of categories is determined in advance, and an output from a process of a preceding category serves as an input to a process of a succeeding category. The preceding category includes image processes such as automatic correction requiring no quick response. The succeeding category includes image processes such as manual correction requiring a quick response.

Abstract: With the conventional techniques, when the images taken under various conditions such as plural aspect ratios, horizontal shooting and vertical shooting are collectively selected and searched, the search conditions adaptable to all the images can not be specified, whereby there was a problem that the search could not be made as intended. In order to solve this problem, the present invention provides an image search apparatus comprising search object image designation means for designating a search object image, search condition input means for inputting the search conditions, feature amount extraction means for extracting a feature amount thereof from the search object image, feature amount transformation means for transforming the feature amount to adapt to the inputted search conditions, and determination means for determining whether or not the search object image is matched with the search conditions using the feature amount after transformation.

Abstract: In order to accurately determine a face area when performing image correction of an image, a pixel is set as a start point in the face area, then, pixels in which skin color is continuous from the start point are searched, and pixels that have been searched are linked to generate a skin color mask for the image. At the same time, an ellipse mask is generated for an ellipse area that includes the face area and is weighted according to distance from a center thereof, and which is composed with the skin color mask to generate a composition mask indicating the correction area.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes an inputting unit for inputting photography information of an image, a judging unit for judging whether or not information of a major subject in the image is stored in the photography information, a detecting unit for detecting the major subject in the image, a comparing unit for comparing an area of the major subject detected by the detecting unit with an area of the major subject stored in the photography information when it is judged by the judging unit that the information of the major subject in the image is stored in the photography information, and a correcting unit for determining an area of the major subject in accordance with the result of the comparison by the comparing unit to make a correction to the area of the major subject.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an input unit configured to input image data to be processed, an determination unit configured to determine a region corresponding to local light in the image data input by the input unit, and a specification unit configured to determine a characteristic of the image data input by the input unit, wherein the determination unit changes, according to the characteristic of the image data specified by the specification unit, an determination criterion of the region corresponding to the local light.