Abstract: Provided is technology simplifying managing locally connected devices. A device management system configured to connect through a network a device manager and a relay manager that connects to multiple devices through a local communication path. The device manager sends to the relay manager through the network a first process request, the first process request conforming to SNMP, and containing device identification information identifying a device that connects to the relay manager. The relay manager acquires from the first process request target identification information identifying management information to process in the management information of a device, generate a second process request containing the target identification information, and send the second process request through the local communication path indicated by the device identification information contained in the first process request.

Abstract: A monitoring apparatus which acquires, at a monitoring timing, device information which is a target of collection from a device includes a status information acquisition unit configured to acquire from the device, status information that includes information representing a power supply state of the device; and a monitoring interval setting unit configured to set a monitoring interval which is an interval of the monitoring timing in accordance with the power supply state denoted by the status information which has been acquired.

Abstract: A monitoring apparatus is configured to acquire, from a multi-function apparatus including a first device and a second device, first device information regarding the first device and being a collection target and second device information regarding the second device and being a collection target, the monitoring apparatus including: a status information acquisition unit configured to acquire from the first device, at a monitoring timing of the multi-function apparatus, status information denoting a state of the first device; and a device information acquisition unit configured to acquire the first device information from the first device and the second device information from the second device, wherein the device information acquisition unit does not perform acquisition of the second device information from the second device when the status information acquired by the status information acquisition unit is information denoting a sleep mode of the first device.

Abstract: Provided is technology simplifying managing locally connected devices. A device management system configured to connect through a network a device manager and a relay manager that connects to multiple devices through a local communication path. The device manager sends to the relay manager through the network a first process request, the first process request conforming to SNMP, and containing device identification information identifying a device that connects to the relay manager. The relay manager acquires from the first process request target identification information identifying management information to process in the management information of a device, generate a second process request containing the target identification information, and send the second process request through the local communication path indicated by the device identification information contained in the first process request.

Abstract: A monitoring device that acquires device information to be collected from a device includes an operation finish notification acquiring section that acquires an operation finish notification indicating that a predetermined operation performed by the device has been finished, and a device information acquiring section that acquires the device information from the device with a trigger of the acquisition of the operation finish notification. A monitoring method for acquiring device information to be collected from a device includes acquiring an operation finish notification indicating that a predetermined operation performed by the device has been finished, and acquiring the device information from the device with a trigger of the acquisition of the operation finish notification.

Abstract: A monitoring apparatus which acquires, at a monitoring timing, device information which is a target of collection from a device includes a status information acquisition unit configured to acquire from the device, status information that includes information representing a power supply state of the device; and a monitoring interval setting unit configured to set a monitoring interval which is an interval of the monitoring timing in accordance with the power supply state denoted by the status information which has been acquired.

Abstract: A monitoring device that acquires device information to be collected from a device includes an operation finish notification acquiring section that acquires an operation finish notification indicating that a predetermined operation performed by the device has been finished, and a device information acquiring section that acquires the device information from the device with a trigger of the acquisition of the operation finish notification. A monitoring method for acquiring device information to be collected from a device includes acquiring an operation finish notification indicating that a predetermined operation performed by the device has been finished, and acquiring the device information from the device with a trigger of the acquisition of the operation finish notification.

Abstract: A monitoring apparatus is configured to acquire, from a multi-function apparatus including a first device and a second device, first device information regarding the first device and being a collection target and second device information regarding the second device and being a collection target, the monitoring apparatus including: a status information acquisition unit configured to acquire from the first device, at a monitoring timing of the multi-function apparatus, status information denoting a state of the first device; and a device information acquisition unit configured to acquire the first device information from the first device and the second device information from the second device, wherein the device information acquisition unit does not perform acquisition of the second device information from the second device when the status information acquired by the status information acquisition unit is information denoting a sleep mode of the first device.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an area specifying unit for specifying a text area including a text with an achromatic color and a background with an achromatic color, in an image to be output; an inversion processing unit for inverting the brightness of achromatic colors only for the specified text area; and an output unit for outputting an image including the text area where the brightness of achromatic colors is inverted. With respect to a gray-level achromatic color configuring a text in the specified text area, the inversion processing unit changes the color to be brighter than the case where the brightness is inverted.

Abstract: Provided is a reading apparatus that includes a light source that emits a light to a source material and an image pickup element that receives the light reflected by the source material, to thereby read the source material. The image pickup element is disposed so as to move to a plurality of positions at each of which the image pickup element is oriented at a different angle with respect to a surface to be read of the object to be read, and to perform reading at the plurality of positions. The reading apparatus compares read values obtained by the image pickup element at the plurality of positions to thereby decide a property of an image expressed on the object to be read.

Abstract: Provided is a reading apparatus that includes a light source that emits a light to a source material and a plurality of image pickup elements that each receive the light reflected by the source material, to thereby read the source material. The plurality of image pickup elements are each located at different positions and each mounted at different angles with respect to a surface to be read of the source material. The reading apparatus compares read values acquired from the image pickup elements, so as to decide the property of the image expressed on the source material.

Abstract: The information expressed by an original color image can be visually recognized even if the recording medium on which the color image has been recorded in dye ink is wetted with water. With a printing device equipped with pigment ink and dye ink, in the printing of a color image, the pigment ink corresponding to an image characteristic amount included in the color image is also injected along with the dye ink, so an image expressing the image characteristic amount included in the color image is recorded with the pigment ink, which has excellent water resistance, over the color image printed with the dye ink on the printing medium. Accordingly, in the event that the recording medium becomes wet and the dye ink bleed, the user can still make out the content of the information expressed by the original color image from the image printed in the pigment ink.

Abstract: A CPU 411 splits selected image data GD into a plurality of areas (pixel data groups), analyzing the image data GD in terms of area units, and determining the color range of the areas of the image data GD. The CPU 411 determines color range areas by associating adjacent areas of the same color range when determining the color range for the areas of the image data GD. The CPU 411 acquires position data for the color range areas that have been determined. The CPU 411 acquires position conditions (main object conditions) from ROM/HDD 413, and narrows the main object candidates to “sky, green, or people.” The CPU 411 finally determines the main object by comparing the position data of the color range color areas and the position conditions corresponding to the narrowed main object.

Abstract: Provided is a reading apparatus that includes a light source that emits a light to a source material and a plurality of image pickup elements that each receive the light reflected by the source material, to thereby read the source material. The plurality of image pickup elements are each located at different positions and each mounted at different angles with respect to a surface to be read of the source material. The reading apparatus compares read values acquired from the image pickup elements, so as to decide the property of the image expressed on the source material.

Abstract: Provided is a reading apparatus that includes a light source that emits a light to a source material and an image pickup element that receives the light reflected by the source material, to thereby read the source material. The image pickup element is disposed so as to move to a plurality of positions at each of which the image pickup element is oriented at a different angle with respect to a surface to be read of the object to be read, and to perform reading at the plurality of positions. The reading apparatus compares read values obtained by the image pickup element at the plurality of positions to thereby decide a property of an image expressed on the object to be read.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an area specifying unit for specifying a text area including a text with an achromatic color and a background with an achromatic color, in an image to be output; an inversion processing unit for inverting the brightness of achromatic colors only for the specified text area; and an output unit for outputting an image including the text area where the brightness of achromatic colors is inverted. With respect to a gray-level achromatic color configuring a text in the specified text area, the inversion processing unit changes the color to be brighter than the case where the brightness is inverted.

Abstract: The information expressed by an original color image can be visually recognized even if the recording medium on which the color image has been recorded in dye ink is wetted with water. With a printing device equipped with pigment ink and dye ink, in the printing of a color image, the pigment ink corresponding to an image characteristic amount included in the color image is also injected along with the dye ink, so an image expressing the image characteristic amount included in the color image is recorded with the pigment ink, which has excellent water resistance, over the color image printed with the dye ink on the printing medium. Accordingly, in the event that the recording medium becomes wet and the dye ink bleed, the user can still make out the content of the information expressed by the original color image from the image printed in the pigment ink.

Abstract: When an acquired image file GF includes image processing control information GI, a CPU executes image quality adjustment of image data GD in an image processing mode GM specified by the image processing control information GI. When the acquired image file GF does not include the image processing control information GI, on the other hand, the CPU retrieves Exif information and in the case of successful retrieval of the Exif information, selects the image processing mode GM based on the Exif information and executes image quality adjustment of the image data GD in the selected image processing mode GM. In the case where a selected shooting mode is described in the Exif information, the selected shooting mode is used for the selection of the image processing mode GM. In the case where no selected shooting mode is described in the Exif information, on the other hand, another shooting condition is used for the selection of the image processing mode GM.

Abstract: A CPU determines whether or not a picked up image that corresponds to image data is a backlit portrait image by analyzing the image data on a pixel-by-pixel basis, and if the picked up image that corresponds to the image data is determined to be a backlit portrait image, then executes a brightness correction for backlit portrait image. The CPU obtains a tone curve that may have an output value of a predetermined value FV as an output value in response to an input value of a flesh-colored pixel average luminance value PV ave, which is an average luminance value of flesh-colored pixels of all pixels that constitute the image data. The CPU applies the tone curve to the luminance of every pixel in the image data and thereby executes the brightness correction.

Abstract: A CPU 200 compares a luminance distribution characteristic of image data with a reference luminance distribution characteristic, and then confirms that the image data GD is a backlit portrait image data if similarity degree Sv between the luminance distribution characteristic of image data and the reference luminance distribution characteristic is larger than reference similarity degree Svref. The CPU 200 determines whether an outer dark portion ratio Do is larger than a reference dark portion ratio Doref. If the CPU 200 determines that the outer dark portion ratio Do is larger than the reference dark portion ratio Doref, then it determines whether an outer bright portion ratio Bo is larger than a reference bright portion ratio Boref. If the CPU 200 determines that the outer bright portion ratio Bo is larger than a reference bright portion ratio Boref, then it determines that the image data GD is image data of backlit portrait image.