Abstract: An image processing apparatus is provided which includes an image obtaining member which obtains an original image and outputs data of the original image. In the image processing apparatus, unique additional image data is merged to the original image data. A memory stores the original image data and the merged image data, and an image is formed based on the formed merged image data. In a first image processing mode, the merged image data is formed before the original data is stored to the memory, and the merged image data is then stored to the memory and an image is formed based on the stored merged image data. In a second image processing mode, the original image data is stored to the memory before forming the merged image data. Then the merged image data is formed, and an image is formed based on the formed merged image data.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus that prints a confidential image on a recording medium. The apparatus includes a display, a printer for printing images in a queue, an input for receiving identification information for a user, and a processor. The processor determines whether identification information from the input corresponds to reference identification information in a storage and enables the printer to print a confidential image if the identification information from the input corresponds to the reference identification information in the storage.

Abstract: This invention provides an image printing system formed by connecting an image printing apparatus to an information processing apparatus through a network. In the image printing system of this invention, in order to manage and limit even output processing externally input to the image printing apparatus through the network, when the image printing apparatus receives image data subjected to output processing requested by another image printing apparatus, control is performed to permit or inhibit image printing on the basis of a limitation on output operation which is set on the assumption of this situation.

Abstract: This invention relates to an image processing apparatus capable of processing plural jobs at a high rate. The image processing apparatus is comprised of first and second buffer memory devices, which are independent of each other and configured to be simultaneously accessible; a compression-extension device, which is exclusively connected to each of the buffer memory devices; a control section to assign a buffer memory device to input image data raster by raster (one page of the image data) when executing input processing of the image data, which is input from a scanner or executes output processing of the image data to a printer section, so that the control section regulates and changes the image data flow raster by raster.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image processing apparatus comprising: an image obtaining member which obtains an original image and outputs original image data of the original image; a first merging member which merges unique additional image data to the original image data so as to form merged image data in a page basis, the unique additional image data being added page by page; a memory for storage which stores the original image data and/or the merged image data; a second merging member which merges the unique additional image data to the original image data which is stored in the memory for storage so as to form the merged image data in a page basis; a controller which operates the first merging member or the second merging member selectively; and a image forming member which forms an image based on the merged image data.

Abstract: An image forming system, having: a first controller that controls whether to make the first image processor to process image data in accordance with the function selected by the function selector, or to make the written data transmitter to transmit data by transmitting image data to the second image processor with the read data transmitter and by processing image data with the second image processor; a job register that registers plural jobs; a priority order determiner that determines the priority order for output of jobs registered by the job register, and a second controller that determines the outputting order for image data of each job based on the priority order and outputs image data of the job whose priority order is highest among jobs which are capable of immediate output when image data of a job is impossible to be outputted because of a process by the second image processor.

Abstract: An image storing device includes: a first memory section for storing counted value of a first counter that counts a first serial number given across jobs each including at least one image; a first control section for superimposing the first serial number of the first counter as an image onto each of first image data of the jobs to generate second image data; and an image memory section for storing the second image data.

Abstract: A person verification apparatus, having a biological information input section to receive an input of biological information of a user and obtain data to be verified; and a first control section to obtain previously registered reference data corresponding to information to identify a type of the biological information input section, and to perform a first person verification process for determining success or failure of a user verification by comparing the obtained reference data with the data to be verified.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus that prints a confidential image on a recording medium. The apparatus includes a display, a printer for printing images in a queue, an input for receiving identification information for a user, and a processor. The processor determines whether identification information from the input corresponds to reference identification information in a storage and enables the printer to print a confidential image if the identification information from the input corresponds to the reference identification information in the storage.

Abstract: This invention relates to an image processing apparatus capable of processing plural jobs at a high rate. The image processing apparatus is comprised of first and second buffer memory devices, which are independent of each other and configured to be simultaneously accessible; a compression-extension device, which is exclusively connected to each of the buffer memory devices; a control section to assign a buffer memory device to input image data raster by raster (one page of the image data) when executing input processing of the image data, which is input from a scanner or executes output processing of the image data to a printer section, so that the control section regulates and changes the image data flow raster by raster.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus has: image sensors having different spectral characteristics from one another; a layered image generation section for generating layered image data based on an output from the image sensors; a comparison section for comparing a threshold of each layered image data against a pixel value of each layered image data, the threshold being predetermined corresponding to each layered image data, and for judging existence of a document image on each pixel; an estimated document area determination section for determining an estimated document area of each layered image data based on a result of judging the existence by the comparison section; a document area detection section for detecting a document area on the basis of the estimated document area of each layered image data; and a document reading section for reading a document on the basis of the document area detected by the document area detection section.

Abstract: This invention provides an image printing system formed by connecting an image printing apparatus to an information processing apparatus through a network. In the image printing system of this invention, in order to manage and limit even output processing externally input to the image printing apparatus through the network, when the image printing apparatus receives image data subjected to output processing requested by another image printing apparatus, control is performed to permit or inhibit image printing on the basis of a limitation on output operation which is set on the assumption of this situation.

Abstract: This invention relates to an image printing system in which an image printing apparatus and an information processing apparatus are connected with each other through a network. The image printing apparatus has image reading means for obtaining image data by reading an image from an original, image printing means for printing an image on a paper sheet on the basis of image data, and first image processing means for performing an image process for image data. The information processing apparatus has second image processing means for performing an image process for image data.

Abstract: The invention concerns an image forming apparatus provided with an automatic writing-position determining device for forming an image always at a correct position on the recording material. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming section to form an image by writing each of scanning lines, an end position detecting section to detect an end position of a recording material in a direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the recording material, and a selecting section to select either an automatic writing-position determining mode or a predetermined writing-position determining mode. When the selecting section selects the automatic writing-position determining mode, the image forming section commences an image writing action from a writing start position determined on the basis of a detected result of the end position detecting device.

Abstract: An image forming system, having: a first controller that controls whether to make the first image processor to process image data in accordance with the function selected by the function selector, or to make the written data transmitter to transmit data by transmitting image data to the second image processor with the read data transmitter and by processing image data with the second image processor; a job register that registers plural jobs; a priority order determiner that determines the priority order for output of jobs registered by the job register, and a second controller that determines the outputting order for image data of each job based on the priority order and outputs image data of the job whose priority order is highest among jobs which are capable of immediate output when image data of a job is impossible to be outputted because of a process by the second image processor.

Abstract: An image reader reads a document and converts it into image data. A function selection device selects a desired image processing function by an operator. A first image processor image processes the image data, and a read out data transferring device transfers the image data onto a network. An image forming device forms an image from the processed image data. A controller controls image processing and image formation according to the function selection device. An image processing apparatus, connected to the network, includes a second image processor for processing image data transferred by the read out data transferring device, and a writing data transferring device for transferring image data processed by the second image processor. The controller transfers image data to the image processing apparatus according to the function selection device, and causes image data processed by the second image processor to be formed into an image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has therein an input device for inputting plural jobs relating to image forming, a specifying device which specifies degree of urgency relating to at least a part of the inputted job, a priority order determining device which determines the priority order of the inputted job based on the specified degree of urgency, and an execution device which executes the inputted job, based on the determined priority order.

Abstract: In an image forming machine, density data of small pixels in an objective pixel determined according to density of pixels adjoining the objective pixels, the objective pixel determines a recording position for each color based on density distribution of the adjoining pixels when the recording position of each color is modulated in the primary scanning direction and secondary scanning direction based on density distribution of both the objective pixel and the adjoining pixels. Further, there are provided an image discriminator for image judgment on the objective pixel and a modulator for modulating a recording position using a reference wave with a long cycle when an image is judged to be a halftone image area under a reference wave with a short cycle when an image is judged to be a character image area.

Abstract: In a method of forming an image in a form of pixels, the density distribution around a target pixel is obtained by processing image signals of pixels neighboring the target pixel. The target pixel is sub-divided into a plurality of sub-pixels which form of matrix of n rows.times.m columns. The sub density distribution of the sub-pixels in the target pixel is assumed from the density distribution of the neighboring pixels. The density of each of sub-pixels is determined by multiplying the density of the target pixel, by a constant P and a density ratio of the corresponding sub-pixels in the sub density distribution.

Abstract: In an apparatus for forming an electrostatic latent image in a form of dot for each pixel on a photoreceptor, each pixel has plural color component signals and a dot is formed for each of color component signals in the same imaging unit area. A signal processing circuit processes specific color component signals of pixels neighboring a target pixel to obtain a density distribution around the target pixel, and determines a recording position of the dot in the recording unit area for each of the plural color component signals on the basis of the density distribution.