Abstract: An image forming apparatus in which a character/line drawing emphasizing section previously stores a correlation between diameter of dots and position of remarked dots to be varied (including movement of a dot position) for each dot pattern in a table, detects a dot pattern matching a dot pattern based on dot image data inputted by a pattern detecting section, and varies and corrects (including movement of a dot position) the diameter of a dot corresponding to a position of a remarked dot in the dot pattern.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a threshold value processing circuit subjecting a correction value with respect to an input image data to a threshold value process and outputting an output image data, a subtracting circuit outputting an error signal based on a difference between the correction value and the output image data, an error filter distributing, as a distributing error data dependent on a value of a diffusion matrix, the error signal to neighborhood pixels of a target pixel within the input image data, and a correction circuit multiplying a coefficient to the input image data or the output image data.

Abstract: A method of achieving halftone representation of image data by using a printer for printing the image data includes the steps of providing a plurality of tone curves which takes into consideration characteristics of the printer, and selecting a tone curve from the plurality of tone curves. The method further includes a step of printing the image data by using the selected tone curve.

Abstract: A charge coupled device includes a plurality of first CCD shift-registers transferring charge signals in parallel and a second CCD shift-register receiving the charge signals from the first CCD shift-registers for a parallel-serial coversion, the second CCD shift-register being connected to the first CCD shift-registers through barrier regions covered with electrodes in the second CCD shift-register.

Abstract: A charge transfer device includes a semiconductor substrate, a channel region formed on the semiconductor substrate and having a wide part, a narrow part and a contact portion contacting the wide and narrow part to form a path of charges being transferred from the wide part to the narrow part and a plurality of transfer electrodes formed on the semiconductor substrate to cover the channel region, the contact portion being located under an edge of one of transfer electrodes on the side of charge transfer direction.

Abstract: A charge transfer device includes a semiconductor substrate, a channel region formed on the semiconductor substrate and having a wide part, a narrow part and a contact portion contacting the wide and narrow part to form a path of charges being transferred from the wide part to the narrow part and a plurality of transfer electrodes formed on the semiconductor substrate to cover the channel region, the contact portion being located under an edge of one of transfer electrodes on the side of charge transfer direction.

Abstract: The charge coupled device has a buried type charge transfer region and a charge-voltage converting region in a semiconductor substrate. The charge-voltage converting region is formed in the conductivity type opposite to the substrate and includes a high concentration portion at longitudinal center and low concentration portions at both sides of the high concentration portion.