Abstract: A product catalog related to an image reading apparatus includes a recording medium having a first side and a second side, at least one description region provided on an arbitrary one of the first and second sides of the recording medium and including characters and/or graphics describing the image reading apparatus, and at least one image evaluation pattern provided on an arbitrary one of the first and second sides of the recording medium and including a pattern for evaluating a performance of the image reading apparatus which processes the pattern.

Abstract: An apparatus having an ink-jet head has a time measuring unit, a recording unit, and a prefiring operation control unit. The time measuring unit is used to measure an elapsed time from execution of prefiring operations for the ink-jet head, and the recording unit is used to record whether or not printing nozzles disposed in the ink-jet head are operated. The prefiring operation control unit determines a number of prefiring operations in accordance with a measurement result obtained by the time measuring unit and operated conditions of the printing nozzles recorded in the recording means, and executes prefiring operations for the ink-jet head. Therefore, the apparatus is capable of executing prefiring operations often enough and sufficient for the actual operated conditions of the printing nozzles disposed in the ink-jet head, and thereby preventing ink from being consumed at enhanced rate by useless prefiring operations.

Abstract: A data transfer method and apparatus for an image reading apparatus suitably used with an image scanner is improved in that a transfer line apparatus is simplified in construction and produced with a reduced cost by an improved transferring technique of data.

Abstract: The invention provides a white level information correction apparatus for an image reading apparatus suitably used as an image scanner, which is improved in that analog to digital conversion can be performed effectively for originals of different ground colors with a high degree of accuracy. In the image reading apparatus, image information of a paper sheet being transported along a paper transport path is optically read at a fixed location of the paper transport path using an optical image reading unit and analog data obtained by the optical image reading unit are converted into digital data using white level information of the image information as an index to a conversion reference.

Abstract: A paper end detection apparatus for an image reading apparatus suitable for use with an image scanner, which is superior in that an end of a paper sheet can be detected accurately.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a storing unit for storing a chromaticity measured in advance with respect to a blank printed in a dropout color on a sheet, or with respect to a visual information filled in the blank, and a unit for judging coincidence or non-coincidence of the chromaticity stored in the storing unit with each chromaticity of respective picture elements constituting an image information obtained by reading the sheet. Where the storing unit stores a chromaticity regarding the blank, the image processing apparatus further includes a unit for detecting an arrangement region of the blank on the sheet based on results of the judging, then extracting an image information corresponding to the arrangement region, and carrying out a dropout processing with respect to the extracted image information to thereby extract the visual information.

Abstract: An image scanner-reader has an image read unit, and an employing control unit. The image read unit is used to read an original document and provide image data of the original document. The employing control unit is used to control the relative moving speed between the original document and the image read unit, and when an original document reading operation is suspended, the employing control unit controls the restart of the reading operation after decreasing the relative moving speed to a slow reading speed of the original document. Therefore, when the image data buffer becomes full enough to cause a suspension state, and the read operation is restarted after changing control conditions, so that the quantity of data transferred to the image data buffer is reduced. Namely, according to the present invention, the number of occurrences of the suspension state can be greatly reduced, and thereby the overal reading speed can be improved without increasing the data receiving speed of a host device.