Abstract: To realize effective load distribution and improve the performance in image formation processing, an image processing apparatus includes a first image processing unit configured to perform image processing on a drawing area, a second image processing unit configured to be differentiated from the first image processing unit, a load analysis unit configured to analyze a composition processing load of an object in the drawing area, a rotational angle analysis unit configured to analyze a rotational angle of the object in the drawing area, and a load distribution determination unit configured to determine whether to distribute a part of image formation processing to be applied on the drawing area from the first image processing unit to the second image processing unit based on the analyzed composition processing load of the object and the analyzed rotational angle of the object.

Abstract: A display processing apparatus includes a gloss-control plane generating unit configured to generate gloss-control plane data for specifying a type of a surface effect applied to a recording medium and an area in a recording medium to which the surface effect is applied; an obtaining unit configured to obtain replacement information that is used to replace a type of the surface effect that is not available in a device configuration with a type of the surface effect that is available in the device configuration; a replacing unit configured to replace the type of the surface effect designated by the designation information with the type of the available surface effect using the replacement information obtained by the obtaining unit; and a preview image generating unit configured to generate a preview image based on the gloss-control plane data having an area to which the available surface effect is to be applied.

Abstract: An image reading device includes a reading unit having a light-receiving unit and a light-emitting unit emitting a plurality of lights of different colors toward a reading position. An opposing member is disposed opposite the reading unit with the reading position interposed therebetween. The controller controls the light-emitting unit to emit the lights and the light-receiving unit to receive the lights thereby acquiring an intensity of each light. The controller determines that a sheet is not present when relationships among intensities of the plurality of lights are same as the first intensity relationships. The first intensity relationships are defined by intensities of the plurality of lights reflected by the opposing member and received by the light-receiving unit. The first intensity relationships are different from intensity relationships of the plurality of lights reflected by a sheet present at the reading position and received by the light-receiving unit.

Abstract: A method is disclosed. The method includes performing rasterization of print job data to generate a raster image, reading a job ticket associated with the print job data including marking data that is to be added to the raster image and performing a second rasterization to apply the marking data to the raster image.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a color converting portion and an edge-outline-to-be-defined specifying portion. The color converting portion is configured to convert a portion near one of edges of a black determination range determined as having a composite black and a portion near the other of the edges thereof, so as to have a pure black. The edge-outline-to-be-defined specifying portion is configured to set a range, of the black determination range, positioned inward of one of the edges of the black determination range and the other of the edges of the black determination range, as a mask range, for a black plane, and specify an edge outside the mask range as an edge on which edge outline definition is to be performed.

Abstract: An efficient method and system to enhance digital acquisition devices for analog data is presented. The enhancements offered by the method and system are available to the user in local as well as in remote deployments yielding efficiency gains for a large variety of business processes. The quality enhancements of the acquired digital data are achieved efficiently by employing virtual reacquisition. The method of virtual reacquisition renders unnecessary the physical reacquisition of the analog data in case the digital data obtained by the acquisition device are of insufficient quality. The method and system allows multiple users to access the same acquisition device for analog data. In some embodiments, one or more users can virtually reacquire data provided by multiple analog or digital sources. The acquired raw data can be processed by each user according to his personal preferences and/or requirements.

Abstract: There is described an image processing apparatus, which makes it possible not only to eliminate the deterioration of the perceptibility, but also to determine the pages being suitable for applying the predetermined image processing. The control section determines specific pages, being suitable for applying a predetermined image processing, based on the attributes detected by the detecting section, so as to apply the predetermined image processing to the specific pages. On the other hand, the control section applies image processing, including a variable power processing, to both the partial image area and the partial character area by employing different magnification factors, so as to generate a size-changed partial image area and a size-changed partial character area, and to arrange both of them into a predetermined imaginary area being smaller than an area of the original image, so as to accommodate them within the predetermined imaginary area.

Abstract: In an image processing device, a processor is configured to perform: (a) acquiring target image data representing an image including a plurality of pixels, where the target image data includes a plurality of sets of pixel data corresponding to the plurality of pixels, where the image includes an object having at least one pixel of the plurality of pixels; (b) detecting the object in the image based on the target image data; (c) determining characteristic data indicating a potential for an occurrence of banding in the object based on the target image data; (d) determining a parameter based on the characteristic data; and (e) executing a halftone process to determine, for each of the plurality of pixels, a dot to be found based on the corresponding set of pixel data by using the parameter.

Abstract: A method and a printing system for gray balance correction of a printing process include determining first color values at on a gray axis of a color space of a reference printing process. These first color values determine tonal values describing a corrected gray balance of the target printing process. To avoid wastage and a further proof for gray balance calibration of the printing process, second color values of the printing process, describing the corrected gray balance, are derived from the first color values. The tonal values of the target printing process corresponding to the second color values are determined from first characterization data and the second color values of the printing process. A correction function created from these tonal values describes the corrected gray balance. Determining corrected characterization data is also possible. A printing form is produced and a printing material is imaged by using the corrected gray balance.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a drawing unit that, in accordance with an analysis result of a page description language, generates a first band image that stores a pixel value of a color plane, generates a second band image that stores a translucence value that is used during a translucence calculation operation to overlap images, and writes the generated first band image and the generated second band image in a memory; an image processing unit that reads the first band image from the memory and performs image processing on the read first band image; and a translucence calculation unit that reads the first band image and the second band image from the memory and performs the translucence calculation operation by using the read first band image and the read second band image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of optical scanning devices, a mode receiver, a temperature condition judger and a temperature adjuster. In the case of forming an image using one optical scanning device, the temperature adjuster drives motors of unused optical scanning devices at a first rotation speed if a predetermined temperature condition is satisfied and drives the motors of the unused optical scanning devices at a second rotation speed slower than the first rotation speed if image formation is finished during the drive at the first rotation speed.

Abstract: An information processing method according to an aspect of the present invention includes an attribute acquisition step of acquiring an attribute of a print medium, a reference information acquisition step of acquiring reference information corresponding to the attribute of the print medium, and an image outputting step of outputting a plurality of images having different total colorant amounts on the basis of the reference information.

Abstract: A system capable of processing an coded image stores first information including information indicating output time when an image has been output from an output apparatus and information indicating a user who has instructed the output apparatus to output the image in association with second information including information indicating an original output apparatus has output a source image of the image, information indicating output time when the source image has been output from the output apparatus, and information indicating a user who has instructed the original output apparatus to output the source image. The system searches for a coded image to acquire first information, and then displays the second information.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a storage unit, an image processing unit and a control unit. The image processing unit (i) calculates a summed height of a color toner image formed on a sheet by summing up a height of the color toner image on the basis of input image data, (ii) calculates, on the basis of a target value for glossiness stored in the storage unit, a target total height of the color toner image and a clear toner image to realize the target value for glossiness, and (iii) calculates a height of the clear toner image by subtracting the summed height from the target total height. On the basis of the calculated height of the clear toner image, the control unit adjusts the height of the clear toner image formed on the sheet.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a composite image generator and a print controller. The composite image generator generates a composite image by superimposing, on a document image of a document represented by document data, two-dimensional code images individually corresponding to multiple document elements included in the document. The print controller causes a printer to print the composite image. The composite image generator determines positions of the two-dimensional code images corresponding to the document elements so that the positions do not overlap images of the document elements.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of optical scanning devices, a job receiver, a job executor, an image discriminator, a temperature condition judger and a temperature adjuster. When a formation-target image is a single-color image and an image to be formed next is a multi-color image, the temperature adjuster drives a motor of one optical scanning device at a second rotating speed slower than a rotating speed during an image forming operation and drives motors of unused optical scanning devices at a third rotating speed faster than the second rotating speed if a temperature condition is satisfied upon the completion of an image forming operation of the single-color image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for realizing videophone are provided in the present invention. The method includes setting different videophone modes; and selecting the videophone mode for a user to perform a video conversation by using the selected videophone mode. The apparatus includes a setting module and a control module which is connected with the setting module. With the method and apparatus for realizing videophone according to the present invention, the user can select a normal conversation or a preset audio/video mode according to requirements in the process of the videophone conversation so as to achieve different video effects.

Abstract: A printing control device is disclosed. The printing control device includes a user interface unit to receive an print command for a print job, an extraction unit to extract a bitmap image from the print job, a sketch image generating unit to generate a sketch image by using the extracted bitmap image, a print data generating unit to replace the bitmap image by the generated sketch image in the print job to generate print data, and a communication interface unit to transmit the generated print data to an image forming apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus acquires a drawing object included in a page in which drawing is to be performed, updates a threshold value, which is used when one of mask drawing and edge drawing is selected to draw the drawing object according to a relationship between the acquired drawing object and another drawing object included in the page, selects, as a drawing method, one of the mask drawing and the edge drawing to draw the drawing object based on the updated threshold value and the acquired drawing object, and draws the acquired drawing object by the selected drawing method.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus combines a background image, handwritten image, and a standard image. A reference image acquired by increasing the luminance value of the background image and the standard image is printed on a recording sheet. A recording sheet is read after being filled in, and a region whose luminance value is lower than a predetermined threshold value and a region indicated by standard image mask data are extracted. The extracted regions are combined with the background image and printed. In particular, the standard image mask data indicates a region in the standard image which is easily affected by a background color of a paper, so that color adjustment is performed on the region in the extracted image which is indicated by the mask data. As a result, the region in the standard image is prevented from being affected by the background color of the recording sheet in the combined result, and the images can be combined and printed according to the original color of the standard image.

Abstract: A system and method converts pixels of continuous image data to pixels of binary image data using a halftone screen corresponding to a predetermined reduced coverage percentage; determines if a target pixel of binary image data is a non-white pixel; compares a window of pixels of binary image data with a predetermined pattern of pixels of binary image data corresponding to the predetermined reduced coverage percentage; determines that the target pixel is a non-edge pixel; and reduces the number of non-white pixels in the binary image data based upon the determination that the target pixel is a non-edge pixel.

Abstract: Provided is an image processing apparatus that improves the accuracy in ACS determination without needing a mechanism to detect an original document size, a user input of an original document size, or pre-scanning of an original document, and a control method therefor. To accomplish this, the image processing apparatus specifies, when reading an original document, the size of the original document, based on the timings at which the leading edge and the trailing edge of the original document that is conveyed were detected. Furthermore, the image processing apparatus determines whether image data read from the original document is a color image or a monochrome image, for each size of a plurality of standard-size printing medium, and selects, from among the determination results, a determination result obtained by performing determination using the standard-size printing medium size that is similar to the specified size of the original document.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems of processing work flow associated with a print job including Specialty Imaging such as UV and/or IR encoding. According to one exemplary embodiment, a printing system controller accesses a spatially structured ink composed of a plurality of non-overlapping primitive spot colors to render Specialty Imaging effects along with other images and text associated with the print job.

Abstract: An apparatus usable in an image encoding and/or decoding system includes a segmentation unit to convert a first image of a first resolution into a second image of a second resolution, to segment the second image of the second resolution with one or more blocks of a binary mask layer having a foreground and a background, and to convert the segmented second image into a third image of a third resolution as a segmented image.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a first determination unit determining an attribute of an image data described in a page description language; a second determination unit determining whether there exists a data having high color saturation in the image data; a third determination unit determining a main hue in the image data; and a determination unit determining an optimal printing method for printing the image data based on determination results by the first, the second, and the third determination units.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image-processing designating unit that allows a user to designate predetermined image processing to be applied to image data for generating a preview image that represents a state of an output image before image output; a preview-image generating unit that generates a preview image in accordance with the designated image processing; a preview-image display unit that displays the preview image generated by the preview-image generating unit; and a display-mode switching control unit that, when the preview image is displayed, switches to a display mode with an enhanced viewability relative to a power-saving display state in accordance with a content of the designated image processing.

Abstract: A rendering data processing apparatus comprises: a determination unit configured to determine objects of a bitmap pattern in rendering data; a specification unit configured to specify an object, for which a bitmap rendering command can be replaced with a graphic rendering command, among the determined objects of the bitmap pattern; a replacement unit configured to replace the bitmap rendering command for the object specified by the specification unit with the graphic rendering command; and a combination unit configured, in a case where a plurality of patterns designated by a plurality of graphic rendering commands replaced by the replacement unit are arranged adjacent to each other and rendered, to combine the plurality of graphic rendering commands corresponding to the plurality of patterns with each other.

Abstract: A system and methods are disclosed to automatically extract data from documents, such as scanned paper forms and/or digital forms that need to be pre-configured to understand a layout for the forms to be processed. The system extracts data from the form definition at a two dimensional barcode and dynamically configures a workflow with services for extracting desired user filled information from the data fields present on the form. Support for a re-flowable service is provided.

Abstract: Conventional calibration patches are designed such that gradation values of the patches are determined, based on the overall length of a trajectory of a monochrome ink color in an L*a*b* space, so that distances between patches become uniform, and therefore provide low interpolation accuracy in a region where measurement values change non-linearly in accordance with the change in gradation. According to the present invention, gradation values of patches to be used for color calibration are determined so that the patches are closely arranged in a region where measurement values change non-linearly in accordance with the change in gradation. Thus, interpolation accuracy can be improved in a region where measurement values change non-linearly.

Abstract: An image processing device include a memory, a rasterizer and a color space converter. The rasterizer is configured to generate raster data expressed in a first color space by rendering an object in the memory. The color space converter is configured to convert the raster data from the first color space to a second color space capable of being set so as to reproduce gray of gray pixels in the object by any one of a black coloring material and mixture of multiple color materials. The rasterizer determines whether the gray is reproduced by the black coloring material or the mixture of multiple color materials based on an attribute of the object and adds the gray reproduction information that is obtained from the determination to the raster data. The color space converter sets pixel levels in the second color space based on the gray reproduction information.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a storage unit and a control unit. The control unit analyzes and rasterizes print data; generates raster data represented by a first color value in a first color space, color space information indicating the first color space, and specific color information indicating that the first color value is a specific color value; stores the raster data in association with the color space information and the specific color information; determines whether the specific color information exists; converts the first color value into a second color value in a second color space of an output device if the specific color information does not exist; replaces the specific color value with a predetermined color value in the second color space if the specific color information exists; and generates image data to be outputted by the output device.

Abstract: Attribute information representing the attributes of a printing medium is stored for each printing medium. Upon receiving a print job which designates the attributes of a printing medium, it is determined whether attribute information representing the attributes designated by the print job is stored. When it is determined that the attribute information is not stored, the attribute information representing the attributes designated by the print job is newly registered.

Abstract: A connection unit receives image data to be printed and image information on a type of the image data from an external device. A pseudo-halftone processing unit converts the image data into pseudo-halftone image data. When the image information received from the external device indicates that the type of the image data is a point-of-purchase advertising image, the pseudo-halftone processing unit performs a pseudo-halftone processing on the image data at a quantization level of three or more bits on a pixel and takes a growth order causing all pixels in a low-density area to grow averagely.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a latent image generating unit and a background image generating unit. The latent image generating unit generates a latent image using both of a first color component to be printed with a first color material and second color components to be printed with second color materials having an optical property different from an optical property of the first color material, or generates the latent image using only the second color components. The background image generating unit generates a background image, which serves as the background of the latent image, using only the second color components when the latent image generating unit uses both of the first color component and the second color components, or generates the background image using both of the first color component and the second color components when the latent image generating unit uses only the second color components.

Abstract: A method is disclosed. The method includes configuring one or more sets of rules within an input device to route print jobs to a plurality of workflows, receiving a print job at an input device, matching the print job with a first of a plurality of workflows based on a set of rules associated with the first workflow and routing the print job to the first workflow.

Abstract: This invention provides a printing apparatus which controls power to be supplied to each connected apparatus in detail for each apparatus in accordance with the processing contents of a print job to be executed, and a control method therefor. To accomplish this, the printing apparatus analyzes the processing contents of a print job to be executed. In accordance with the analysis result, the printing apparatus controls at least one of a plurality of sheet feeding apparatuses which supplies a printing medium to the printing apparatus and a plurality of post-processing apparatuses which are receives a printing medium from the printing apparatus to shift to an active state in which normal power is supplied, a power saving state in which power necessary to convey a printing medium is supplied, or an inactive state in which no power is supplied.

Abstract: A method of calibrating a printing system for positioning at least one printed image, the printing system includes a first image bearing surface, the method includes: a) forming a background pattern and at least three fiducials on the first image bearing surface, wherein the background pattern is larger than a first printed image and the at least three fiducials are within an area formed by the first printed image; b) transferring a portion of the first printed image to a second image bearing surface; c) measuring a first residual image on the first image bearing surface, wherein the first residual image is a portion of the background pattern and the at least three fiducials remaining on the first image bearing surface after the step of transferring; and, d) calculating at least one calibration parameter for the printing system based on the measuring of the first residual image.

Abstract: In one example, a printer consumable is locked to a content provider. A document that includes content restricted by a provider is printed if the printer consumable is installed in the printer.

Abstract: A method and system for generating a halftone image from an input image is disclosed. The method and system use error distribution and threshold perturbation that is based on the incoming tone value. A threshold bias table may be generated in real time for each incoming tone value. The values of the threshold bias tables are selected so that certain positions are forced to include a dot, in the case of light tone values, or not include a dot, in the case of dark tone values. A halftone process that uses threshold bias tables based on the incoming tone can reduce unnatural patterns in the image apparent to the casual observer, which results in a more pleasing image.

Abstract: When color data and monochrome data are mixed in a piece of bit map data rasterized from the job data, an image forming apparatus allows a user to set whether to perform pre-color conversion processing on the monochrome data to enable performing color conversion processing on the monochrome data using a color conversion table for color, or whether to disable printing the job data including the bit map data in which color data and monochrome data are mixed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with a storage unit for storing setting information including at least a size of a substitute recording medium, and a processing unit for executing a print instruction by automatically changing a size of a recording medium to be used to the size of the substitute recording medium based on the setting information stored in the storage means, when the size of the recording medium specified by the print instruction is not available.

Abstract: A pixel extracting unit extracts pixels belonging to a previously designated color range from the image data of a correction object. A target color selection receiving unit receives a selection of one target color by a user, from among a plurality of target colors stored in a target color storage unit. A color correction executing unit executes color correction on correction object image data, based on the color of the pixel extracted by the pixel extracting unit and the target color selected through the target color selection receiving unit. A target color extracting unit extracts the target color of a registration object from target color registration image data stored in a registration image storage unit. A target color registration unit registers the target color of the registration object extracted by the target color extracting unit in the target color storage unit to be associated with a previously designated color range.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided that can provide a natural edge processing even if a toner save processing and a line width correction processing are configured in parallel. The image forming apparatus detects an edge neighboring region of an input image in a predetermined direction. The edge neighboring region detected by the neighboring edge detection step is subjected to a line width correction processing. An edge region of the input image in a direction other than the predetermined direction is detected. Then, a toner save processing is performed on a no-edge region that is a region other than the edge region detected by the edge detection step.

Abstract: By addition of a copy forgery inhibited pattern image having a lower density to an image in a saving mode, there is provided an image processing apparatus which can reduce consumption amounts of toner and ink while keeping effectiveness of the copy forgery inhibited pattern image. The present invention is an image processing apparatus having a copy forgery inhibited pattern image addition mode and a saving mode, and includes a unit configured to determine whether the copy forgery inhibited pattern image addition mode is set and a unit configured to determine whether the saving mode is set, wherein a density of the copy forgery inhibited pattern image to be added to the image in the case where the saving mode is set is lower than a density of the copy forgery inhibited pattern image to be added to the image in the case where the saving mode isn't set.

Abstract: A print apparatus includes an edge detector using attribute information, a screen processor which binarizes each pixel included in image data with a screen processing, a pulse width converter which converts each pixel included in the image data to pulse width data in accordance with an input gradation value, and an output unit which outputs pulse width data from either of the screen processor or the pulse width converter for each pixel. The output unit outputs the pulse width data from the pulse width converter for an edge pixel and outputs the pulse width data from the screen processor for a non-edge pixel.

Abstract: There is provided an image processing apparatus comprising: a first halftone processing unit configured to perform halftone processing on multilevel input image data; a first filter unit configured to perform smoothing filter processing on the first halftone image data; a second filter unit configured to perform smoothing filter processing on the multilevel input image data; a first difference evaluation unit configured to calculate a difference between the converted first and second filter-processed data for each pixel as a first moiré intensity; a third filter unit; a fourth filter unit; a second difference evaluation unit configured to calculate a difference between the converted third and fourth filter-processed data for each pixel as a second moiré intensity; and a moiré intensity selection unit configured to select one of the first moiré intensity and the second moiré intensity.

Abstract: The present disclosure is generally related to the field of printing, and other processes based on the continuous deposition of material, including industrial molding or extrusion processes, and more particularly to techniques for grouping object quality anomalies in a specified region of an object based on context-specific characterization and shared descriptive profile features.

Abstract: A first color conversion unit converts non-subtractive image data into subtractive image data. An overprint detection unit detects whether overprinting is specified for the subtractive image data. A drawing processing unit performs overprint processing for the subtractive image data if a color value of a foreground object, for which overprinting is specified, indicates that a region where the foreground object overlaps a background object is colored, and an underlying region of the background object behind the foreground object is colored. The color value of an overlapping region is overwritten with the color value of the foreground object. The overlapping region is not overwritten if the region where the foreground object overlaps the background object is colorless. A second color conversion unit converts image data subsequent to the overprint processing into image data having output colors in accordance with characteristics of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A color measuring device includes: an image capturing unit; a reference chart; a light quantity control unit; a generating unit; a correction unit; and a calculating unit. The image capturing unit outputs image data of an image-capturing range. The reference chart has multiple patches of different densities. The light quantity control unit controls the illumination unit. The generating unit generates first correction data based on image data of the multiple patches illuminated by a first light quantity and generates second correction data based on image data of the multiple patches illuminated by a second light quantity. The correction unit corrects image data of the reference chart and a color measurement target, using the first correction data or the second correction data. The calculating unit calculates color measurement value of the color measurement target based on the corrected image data of the reference chart and the color measurement target.

Abstract: Methods to zoom a region of interest from a digital image have been achieved. The methods invented support according to the scale of zooming the decrease or the increase of the resolution of digital images. The region of interest to be zoomed is variable; the destination image has a fixed size. In case of a decrease of the resolution of the region of interest the method invented combines interpolating source pixels to calculate the color values of the destination pixels and omitting some rows of source pixels. In case of enlargement the method invented combines interpolation of the source pixels to calculate the color values of the destination pixels, extrapolation of the destination pixels being close to the edge of the image, and replication of some of the interpolated rows of the destination image to gain additional rows according to the scale of the increase of resolution (enlargement) of a digital image.