Abstract: A magnetostrictive film includes rich regions having a mesh pattern in a cross section perpendicular to a film thickness direction of the magnetostrictive film. The rich regions are richer in a specific element contributing to ferromagnetism than surroundings of the rich regions.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus generates a code for identifying images in imposition image data representing an image print region, determines candidate regions so that codes in print regions in pages represented by the imposition image data will not be printed at a same position, generates print data based on the imposition image data so that the code will be placed in at least one of the determined candidate regions. For the print data, up to a predetermined number of pages represented by pieces of the imposition image data, a print position of the code is same in a first page and a following second page. When a predetermined number of pages represented by the pieces of the imposition image data is reached, the print position of the code is different in the first page and the second page. The generated print data is output to a printing apparatus.

Abstract: There is provided a printing apparatus including an obtaining unit configured to obtain print data in which in imposition image data in which one or more images are imposed in a print region, a code for identifying each image in the imposition image data is embedded; a determination unit configured to determine an ink color to be used to print the code by excluding an ink color satisfying a predetermined condition from candidates for the ink color to be used to print the code; and a print control unit configured to print the code based on the print data obtained by the obtaining unit using a plurality of nozzle arrays for the ink color determined by the determination unit.

Abstract: Provided is an information processing apparatus including: a code generation unit configured to generate a code for identifying one or more images in a piece of imposition image data representing a print region with the images arranged therein; a candidate region determination unit configured to determine candidate regions in the print region serving as candidates for placing the code, so that the codes in the print regions in pages represented by multiple pieces of the imposition image data will not be printed at a same position; a print data generation unit configured to generate print data based on the imposition image data so that the code will be placed in at least one of the candidate regions determined by the candidate region determination unit; and an output unit configured to output the generated print data to a printing apparatus.

Abstract: A technique capable of suppressing a color shift caused by a variation in ejection characteristics among nozzles is to be provided. A generating unit configured to generate print data which is configured with a printing pixel, which represents that a printing agent is applied, or a non-printing pixel, which represents that a printing agent is not applied, generates the print data as follows: (i) the first quantization data is obtained by quantizing the first image data; and (ii) by applying a correction value based on the ejection characteristics related to a plurality of printing elements for applying a printing agent, a value representing that a printing agent is applied a plurality of times is set for at least one target printing pixel in the first quantization data.

Abstract: There is provided a printing apparatus including an obtaining unit configured to obtain print data in which in imposition image data in which one or more images are imposed in a print region, a code for identifying each image in the imposition image data is embedded; a determination unit configured to determine an ink color to be used to print the code by excluding an ink color satisfying a predetermined condition from candidates for the ink color to be used to print the code; and a print control unit configured to print the code based on the print data obtained by the obtaining unit using a plurality of nozzle arrays for the ink color determined by the determination unit.

Abstract: A technique capable of suppressing a color shift caused by a variation in ejection characteristics among nozzles is to be provided. A generating unit configured to generate print data which is configured with a printing pixel, which represents that a printing agent is applied, or a non-printing pixel, which represents that a printing agent is not applied, generates the print data as follows: (i) the first quantization data is obtained by quantizing the first image data; and (ii) by applying a correction value based on the ejection characteristics related to a plurality of printing elements for applying a printing agent, a value representing that a printing agent is applied a plurality of times is set for at least one target printing pixel in the first quantization data.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording unit configured to form an ink image on a transfer body, a conveying unit configured to convey a recording medium, a transfer unit figured to transfer the ink image from the transfer body to the recording medium conveyed by the conveying unit, a reading unit configured to read the recording medium having the ink image transferred thereto, and a post-processing unit configured to apply a pressure to the recording medium having the ink image transferred thereto to perform post-processing for improving a gloss of the ink image on the recording medium. The post-processing unit applies a pressure to a recording medium not to be read by the reading unit, and applies to a recording medium to be read by the reading unit no pressure or a lower pressure than the pressure applied to the recording medium not to be read.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus having a generation unit configured to generate an aligned image by arranging a plurality of candidate images extracted from a reference image around a work inspection image extracted from an inspection target image; a unit configured to subject the aligned image to similar region extraction processing to represent a similarity between regions in the aligned image; a determination unit configured to select a candidate image and determine it as a work reference image based on the aligned image after being subjected to the similar region extraction processing; and a comparison unit to compare the work inspection image with the work reference image. The similar region extraction processing subjects each of a plurality of division regions obtained by dividing the aligned image based on predetermined division size and phase, to averaging processing, and then adds the results of the averaging processing that are obtained by varying at least one of the division size and phase.

Abstract: A signal processing apparatus includes a unit configured to generate noise cut data by deducting a predetermined noise value from values of respective signals constituting input data and a stochastic resonance processing unit configured to subject the noise cut data to a predetermined stochastic resonance processing. The predetermined stochastic resonance processing is processing to output, in a method of synthesizing a result of parallelly performing steps of adding new noise to the noise cut data to subject the resultant data to a binary processing, a value obtained in a case where the parallel number is infinite.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus acquires a work inspection image by image-taking one inspection object, acquires a work reference image that is different from the work inspection image, generates an aligned image by arranging the work reference image at the periphery of the work inspection image and subjects the aligned image to singular portion detection processing to detect a singular portion in the aligned image. The singular portion detection processing is performed on a first work inspection image obtained by image-taking a first inspection object, subsequently the singular portion detection processing is performed on a second work inspection image obtained by image-taking, after the first inspection object, a second inspection object, and subsequently the singular portion detection processing is performed on a third work inspection image obtained by image-taking, after the second inspection object, a third inspection object.

Abstract: A signal processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit that acquires input data and detection target data, a noise strength setting unit that sets a noise strength K used to a predetermined stochastic resonance processing and a stochastic resonance processing unit that performs the predetermined stochastic resonance processing and outputs processed data. The predetermined stochastic resonance processing is a processing based on a formula in which processed data J(x) is represented by I(x), the noise strength K and the threshold value T and the processed data J(x) corresponds to a result in a case where M is infinite in the following formula, J ? ( x ) = 1 M ? ? m = 1 M ? j ? ( x , m ) . The noise strength setting unit sets the noise strength based on a function of a correlation coefficient between the result of the predetermined stochastic resonance processing and the detection target data and the noise strength K.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus a processor that acquires reading image data, composed of a plurality of pixel signals, and executes stochastic resonance processing, in which each of the plurality of pixel signals is added to noise and is subjected to a binary processing, and a plurality of results, obtained by performing the noise addition and the binary processing on the plurality of pixel signals in parallel, are synthesized. With regard to a pixel signal as a processing target among the plurality of pixel signals, at least one of a strength of the noise and a threshold value used for the binary processing is set based on a pixel signal of the input image data corresponding to the pixel signal. In addition, the processor outputs the result of the stochastic resonance processing.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording unit configured to form an ink image on a transfer body, a conveying unit configured to convey a recording medium, a transfer unit figured to transfer the ink image from the transfer body to the recording medium conveyed by the conveying unit, a reading unit configured to read the recording medium having the ink image transferred thereto, and a post-processing unit configured to apply a pressure to the recording medium having the ink image transferred thereto to perform post-processing for improving a gloss of the ink image on the recording medium. The post-processing unit applies a pressure to a recording medium not to be read by the reading unit, and applies to a recording medium to be read by the reading unit no pressure or a lower pressure than the pressure applied to the recording medium not to be read.

Abstract: Parameters are set according to features of a unique portion appearing in a print image, ensuring that the unique portion can be efficiently determined in the print image. In order to do so, information about a form of appearance of the unique portion in the print image is acquired, and the parameters are set in accordance with the form of the appearance.

Abstract: A signal processing method includes addition of noise obtained by multiplying generated random number by K to the input pixel signal I(x), a binarization process of comparing the result of the addition with two thresholds, and a process of calculating a probability. The binarization process includes a first nonlinear process and a second nonlinear process. The first nonlinear process outputs “P” in a case where I(x) after the addition of the noise is greater than the threshold T1 and less than the second threshold T2. The second nonlinear determines “1” or “0” for a processing target pixel, in which the result of the first nonlinear process is “P,” based on input pixel signals of pixels around the processing target pixel. The process of calculating a probability calculates a probability J(x) that the result of the first nonlinear process is “1,” or the result of the first nonlinear process is “P” and the result of the second nonlinear process is “1”.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus for detecting a singular point from image data having a plurality of pixel signals arranged in a two-dimensional manner, having a stochastic resonance processing unit configured to perform parallel steps in each of which a noise is added to and the result is subjected to binarization processing, synthesize the results of the parallel steps and output the result, with regard to each of the plurality of pixel signals; and a unit configured to detect the singular point based on the output signal value from the stochastic resonance processing unit for each of the plurality of pixel signals. The stochastic resonance processing unit performs the binarization processing on a pixel as a processing target among the plurality of pixel signals based on the pixel signal of the pixel as the processing target and a pixel signal of a pixel adjacent to the pixel as the processing target in a predetermined direction.

Abstract: An acquisition unit acquires image data resulting from reading an image printed sequentially in a first direction. A setting unit sets a division size in the first direction and a second direction of a division area for dividing the image data, the second direction crossing the first direction, as well as a shift amount in the first direction and the second direction of the division area. A processing unit performs a predetermined process including an averaging process on the image data in accordance with the division size and the shift amount. An extraction unit extracts a unique portion from image data on which the predetermined process has been performed. The setting unit sets (i) the division size greater in the second direction than in the first direction, and/or (ii) the shift amount greater in the second direction than in the first direction.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus sets a predetermined reading resolution for acquiring image data and a division size for performing a predetermined process on the image data and extract a unique portion from image data resulting from performing the predetermined process. The predetermined process includes an averaging process on the image data for each of division areas obtained by dividing the image data by the predetermined division size, a quantization process for quantizing values obtained by the averaging process, and an addition process for adding values obtained by the quantization process, that are different in the dividing way of the image data in the averaging process. The setting unit sets the predetermined reading resolution so as to make the width of the unique portion in the image correspond to N read pixels (N?2), and sets the division size so as to have a width larger than N pixels.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a setting unit, an averaging unit, a determination unit, a quantization unit, an addition unit and a detection unit. The averaging unit divides image data based on a division size and phase set by the setting unit to subject pixels included in the resultant respective division regions to an averaging processing to calculate an average value. The quantization unit configured to obtain a quantization value for each of the plurality of pixels. The addition unit adds the quantization values, that are obtained so that at least one of the division size and the phase is different from the other, to generate addition image data. The determination unit determines the quantization threshold value so that the quantization threshold value in a case where the division size is a first size is higher than the quantization threshold value in a case where the division size is a second size larger than the first size.