Abstract: A document management system includes an image forming apparatus, an acquisition section, a document information management server, and a function limiting server. The acquisition section receives identification information of a document to be printed. The document information management server maintains an attribute information table that has identification information and attribute information of different documents stored therein, and retrieves attribute information of the document corresponding to the identification information received by the acquisition section. The function limiting server limits print functions of the image forming apparatus when printing the document having the identification information received by the acquisition section according to a printing policy that is based on the attribute information of the document retrieved by the document information management server.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, the media reuse determination apparatus has a decoding section, a reusability determination section, and an output section. The decoding section decodes information related to management of a print media attached to the print media obtained by using a reading apparatus to read the object having the information recorded thereon, and it carries out error correction during decoding of the information. On the basis of the result of the error correction carried out during decoding of the information by the decoding section, the reusability determination section determines whether or not the print media can be reused. The output section outputs the result of the determination made by the reusability determination section.

Abstract: A system includes a receiving unit and a controller. The receiving unit receives data about the number of processes performed in an image forming unit to form an image with a decolorable color material and data about the number of processes performed in a decolorizing unit to decolorize an image formed with the decolorable color material. Based on the data received by the receiving unit the controller calculates the number of media in user's use in a condition after they are subjected to image formation by the image forming unit and before they are decolorized by the decolorizing unit. The controller deters image formation by the image forming unit if the number of the media in user's use exceeds a first threshold, and allows the image forming unit to form an image if the number of the media in user's use does not exceed the first threshold.

Abstract: A printed image erasing system in an embodiment is configured to erase image information obtained by printing both characteristic identification information and document information or only the document information with an erasable color material on a printing medium, comprising: a printer unit configured to print the image information on the printing medium; an erasing unit configured to erase an image printed on the printing medium with the erasable color material; a reading unit configured to read the characteristic identification information on the printing medium to be erased by the erasing unit; and a document management unit configured to manage an erasability condition of the document information on the basis of the characteristic identification information and instruct the printer unit to output new document information according to the erasability condition of the document information that is contained in the characteristic identification information read by the reading unit.

Abstract: A mark forming apparatus according to the present embodiment includes an image acquisition portion, a calculation portion, a detection portion, and a formation portion. The image acquisition portion scans and acquires an image formed on a sheet. The calculation portion calculates a color material attachment amount of the image from the image acquired by the image acquisition portion. The detection portion detects a predetermined mark which is already formed on the sheet. The formation portion forms a predetermined mark with a shape according to the color material attachment amount calculated by the calculation portion on the sheet in addition to the existing predetermined mark detected by the detection portion.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a decolorizing section is placed on a downstream side of a first reading section in a sheet transferring direction. A second reading section is placed on a downstream side of the decolorizing section in the sheet transferring direction. A controller is configured to determine if the decolorizing process is necessary or not on a first side of a sheet based on first image data of the first side read by the first reading section, to read the first side of the sheet having been subjected to the decolorizing process at the decolorizing section by the second reading section if it is determined that the decolorizing process is necessary, and to avoid reading of the first side of the sheet passed through the decolorizing section by the second reading section if it is determined that the decolorizing process is unnecessary.

Abstract: An image scanning apparatus according to the invention includes: a scanning unit configured to scan each of plural images from plural originals that are inputted; a rotation designating unit configured to designate rotation of the plural images that are scanned, so that an orientation of the plural images that are scanned coincides with a desired image orientation; a first image rotating unit configured to rotate the image that is scanned, in accordance with the designated rotation of the image; an orientation determining unit configured to determine whether the image orientation rotated by the first image rotating unit coincides with the desired image orientation or not; and a second image rotating unit configured to, for an image determined as not coinciding by the orientation determining unit, further rotate the orientation of the image so that the orientation coincides with the desired image orientation.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes: an input section configured to input information to be printed; a first printing section configured to perform printing with a toner unerasable by an erasing device; a second printing section configured to perform printing with a toner erasable by the erasing device; and a control section configured to control the image forming apparatus to print, using the first printing section, at least a keyword stored in a storing section in advance among the information to be printed input by the input section and control the image forming apparatus to print, using the second printing section, information not printed by the first printing section.

Abstract: There is provided a decoding apparatus and a decoding method which are for using compressed data efficiently by making the resolutions of the individual components differ from one another. A decoding apparatus decodes compressed data that represents an image signal composed of a plurality of components as a compressed code by making the resolutions of the individual components differ from one another. The decoding apparatus basically comprises input sections 5-Y, 5-I, 5-Q which decode compressed data and take in the individual components independently, a reduction circuit 5-Y-1 which reduces and changes a size corresponding to the processing unit and resolution of any one of the components, and a conversion section 5-6 which converts into a decoded image signal in a specific format by using reduced components and uncompressed components.

Abstract: The image particulars of a document image or a part thereof are analyzed and the image particulars of the image are determined according to the outcome of the analysis. Then, the analyzed image particulars of the image are converted to the determined image particulars. Additionally, the analyzed image is divided into component images contained in the image. The image particulars of the image are converted as a result of these processes so that information of the component images for making them as objects of easy viewing with an appropriate data size are output.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and method for grouping pages with an image processing apparatus includes scanning each of a plurality of pages, detecting one or more features of each of the scanned pages, and grouping each of the plurality of scanned pages into at least first and second groups based on the detected features. Each of the at least first and second groups comprises at least one of the plurality of scanned pages.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a function selection unit configured to acquire an operation function of the image forming apparatus by selection of a user, a first distortion detection and correction unit configured to detect and correct distortion of an input image by a first method when a first operation function is selected, a second distortion detection and correction unit configured to detect and correct the distortion of the input image by a second method different from the first method when a second operation function is selected, and an image output unit configured to output the input image of which the distortion is corrected.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for processing image data generates image data from a scan of an original image, and creates segmentation data from the generated image data. The segmentation data includes information regarding image types present in the image data corresponding to the scanned original image. Each of the image data and the segmentation data is stored in a storage medium along with a link between the image data and the segmentation data.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus according to the invention includes: an input unit configured to input first document data including bitmap data; an image component dividing unit configured to divide the first document data into components and separate the bitmap data included in the first document data; a determining unit configured to determine, in accordance with attribute information of each bitmap data acquired by the division into components, whether the bitmap data is convertible into vector data or not; and a vectorizing unit configured to convert the bitmap data that is determined as being convertible into vector data, into vector data. With the image processing apparatus according to the invention, an output with high image quality can be provided at the time of enlarging or reducing a monitor output or print output of binary bitmap data or index bitmap data.

Abstract: An image rasterizing apparatus according to the invention includes: an input unit configured to input an image file or image file information including first bitmap images that are drawn in accordance with a command and have different image attributes; a bitmap image generating unit configured to create a second bitmap image at least from the first bitmap image; and an attribute signal generating unit configured to search attribute information held by the first bitmap image on the basis of the command, then decide a data format of the first bitmap image in accordance with the attribute information, and generate an attribute signal indicating the decided data format. With the image rasterizing apparatus according to the invention, different attribute signals can be outputted in accordance with image attributes, from an image file including bitmap data having different image attributes.

Abstract: An image scanning apparatus according to the invention includes: a scanning unit configured to scan each of plural images from plural originals that are inputted; a rotation designating unit configured to designate rotation of the plural images that are scanned, so that an orientation of the plural images that are scanned coincides with a desired image orientation; a first image rotating unit configured to rotate the image that is scanned, in accordance with the designated rotation of the image; an orientation determining unit configured to determine whether the image orientation rotated by the first image rotating unit coincides with the desired image orientation or not; and a second image rotating unit configured to, for an image determined as not coinciding by the orientation determining unit, further rotate the orientation of the image so that the orientation coincides with the desired image orientation.

Abstract: There is provided a decoding apparatus and a decoding method which are for using compressed data efficiently by making the resolutions of the individual components differ from one another. A decoding apparatus decodes compressed data that represents an image signal composed of a plurality of components as a compressed code by making the resolutions of the individual components differ from one another. The decoding apparatus basically comprises input sections 5-Y, 5-I, 5-Q which decode compressed data and take in the individual components independently, a reduction circuit 5-Y-1 which reduces and changes a size corresponding to the processing unit and resolution of any one of the components, and a conversion section 5-6 which converts into a decoded image signal in a specific format by using reduced components and uncompressed components.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image inputting unit configured to input image data of an original image, an area specifying unit configured to specify a predetermined area in the input original image as a specified area, and a miniature image creating unit configured to create a miniature image of the original image such that a first image section of the specified area and a second image section of an area other than the specified area specified by the image inputting unit are reduced by different modes from each other. According to the present invention, a thumbnail appropriately indicating the content and the feature of an original image are readily and quickly created even if the original image includes a complex image section.

Abstract: A trapping means judges that the gradated region is dark if compared with the uniform region and expands the uniform region to cause colors to overlap when the density average value Da of the gradated region is greater than the density value Du of the uniform region but judges that the gradated region is light if compared with the uniform region and expands the gradated region when the density average value Da of the gradated region is smaller than the density value Du of the uniform region.

Abstract: The image particulars of a document image or a part thereof are analyzed and the image particulars of the image are determined according to the outcome of the analysis. Then, the analyzed image particulars of the image are converted to the determined image particulars. Additionally, the analyzed image is divided into component images contained in the image. The image particulars of the image are converted as a result of these processes so that information of the component images for making them as objects of easy viewing with an appropriate data size are output.