Abstract: A binary image is generated from a multivalued image based on a threshold, an edge is extracted from the multivalued image, an edge image is generated by correcting a position of the extracted edge, and a synthetic binary image is generated by synthesizing the edge image and the binary image.

Abstract: Provided is an image processing apparatus including an image processing unit that generates a binary image in which the width of a black line has been changed, the binary image constituted by black and white pixels. The image processing apparatus includes a first replacement unit that replaces a white pixel in a first binary image by a black pixel and replaces a black pixel in the first binary image by a white pixel, to generate a second binary image, and a second replacement unit that replaces, in the second binary image in which the width of a black line has been thickened by the image processing unit, a white pixel by a black pixel and replaces a black pixel by a white pixel.

Abstract: In a print control device 10, a page data correction portion 140 receives page data Dpg included in manuscript data Dd and, when the page data Dpg includes a predetermined type of barcode font with a data resolution different from a print resolution, corrects font data within barcode data while maintaining a barcode length, such that any bars and spaces included in a character represented by the barcode font have widths corresponding to natural numbers of pixels with a resolution that is a natural number multiple of the print resolution. A rasterization processing portion 160 rasterizes corrected page data with a high resolution and thereafter anti-aliases the rasterized page data, thereby generating print-resolution raster data Drs.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a reception unit that receives outline information representing an outline of a character, a generation unit that generates, using the outline information, a bitmap including pixels corresponding to the character, the pixels being associated with a graphic attribute, a changing unit that refers an attribute associated with a pixel adjacent to one of the pixels corresponding to the character, and changes a density value of the adjacent pixel associated with the referred attribute being different from a graphic attribute and a character attribute to a density which is based on a density value of the one pixel, and a printing unit that prints an image based on the bitmap after the change.

Abstract: There is provided an image processing apparatus which can generate a vector image with a high image quality at a high speed in a small memory capacity. The present invention generates an image with low resolution by performing resolution conversion to a compressed image with high resolution and obtains information of a character object with low resolution by performing object division to the image with the low resolution. The compressed image with the high resolution is decompressed and an image showing a character contour with high resolution is generated by using the information of the character object with the low resolution obtained by the object dividing and the decompressed image with the high resolution. At the time of performing the decompression, the compressed image with the high resolution may be partially decompressed based upon the information of the character object.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus which performs image processing for print processing, including: a pseudo halftone processing unit configured to perform pseudo halftone processing by dithering with respect to an input image, and generate a halftone image constituted by plural dots, and a threshold matrix holding unit configured to hold a threshold matrix used for the pseudo halftone processing, wherein in the threshold matrix, thresholds are arranged such that the halftone image has a density region in which dots to be formed depending on a density of the input image are not rotational symmetric on a 90° basis, and orientations of the dots differ from each other in the density region.

Abstract: An image processing device includes a detector that detects a target pixel as an outline pixel if a density of a predetermined region including the target pixel with each pixel of an image treated as the target pixel is equal to or above an outline determination threshold value, the outline determination threshold value being a threshold value set in response to the density of the target pixel, and being a threshold value used to determine whether the target pixel is an outline pixel corresponding to an outline of the image, and a correction unit that corrects a correction pixel, as a correction target having a density equal to or above a predetermined density from among the outline pixels detected by the detector, in response to a density of the correction pixel.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a control unit configured to: after an image is formed in a color mode, if an integrated supply amount is larger than or equal to a reference supply amount, cause a supply image with a first amount of developer, otherwise, cause a supply image with a second amount of developer larger that the first amount; and, after an image is formed in the monochrome mode, cause a supply image with a third amount of developer smaller than the first amount, and, to make an interval between recording materials when the supply image with the third amount is formed shorter than an interval between recording materials when the supply image with the first amount or larger is formed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an input part for receiving image data; an image processor for image-processing the input image data; an output part for outputting data processed at the image processor; and a controller for controlling the image processor to process the image using one of a plurality of image processing modes having a toner consumption lower than a toner density to use when the toner density to use for outputting the input image data exceeds a preset reference density. The plurality of the image processing modes includes a boundary image processing mode which outputs only boundaries of objects in the image data. Thus, the toner used for the image forming can be saved.

Abstract: Scanning technology related to editing a scan image. A request to edit a scan image that was acquired through an input apparatus is received and an editing user interface area that includes an editing version of the scan image and at least one functional icon is displayed. After selection of the editing version of the scan image, user input is received moving the editing version of the scan image to a predetermined area of the editing user interface area that corresponds to a functional icon. The editing version of the scan image is converted into text data, a function associated with the functional icon is determined, and the converted text data is used in the determined function associated with the functional icon.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a printing apparatus, in which an extension board for PDL processing is added, capable of reducing a waiting time when returning from the power-saving mode upon reception of PDL data. To realize this, upon receiving PDL data before the extension board is ready for use, the apparatus processes the data by using the PDL processing module on the main board. After initializing the extension board, the apparatus uses the added PDL processing module together with that on the main board. Processing the data in this manner makes it possible to start printing the PDL data without consuming a long wait time.

Abstract: The present application discloses a method and a system for automatically generating variable sequence data. The method comprises: acquiring a customized ary set by a user for generating variable sequence data, and characters included in the customized ary; converting the characters included in the customized ary into a character array; acquiring relevant parameters of the variable sequence data set by the user; pre-processing the relevant parameters; and generating the variable sequence data according to the character array and the pre-processed relevant parameters. According to the present invention, it is able for a user to automatically generate the desired variable sequence data.

Abstract: A method for binarizing a scanned document images containing gray or light colored text printed with halftone patterns. The document image is initially binarized and connected image components are extracted from the initial binary image as text characters. Each text character is classified as either a halftone text character or a non-halftone text character based on an analysis of its topology features. The topology features may be the Euler number of the text character; a text character with a Euler number below ?2 is classified as halftone text. The gray-scale document image is then divided into halftone text regions containing only halftone text characters and non-halftone text regions. Each region is binarized using its own pixel value statistics. This eliminates the influence of black text on the threshold values for binarizing halftone text. The binary maps of the regions are combined to generate the final binary map.

Abstract: An image processing device includes a detector that detects a target pixel as an outline pixel if a density of a predetermined region including the target pixel with each pixel of an image treated as the target pixel is equal to or above an outline determination threshold value, the outline determination threshold value being a threshold value set in response to the density of the target pixel, and being a threshold value used to determine whether the target pixel is an outline pixel corresponding to an outline of the image, and a correction unit that corrects a correction pixel, as a correction target having a density equal to or above a predetermined density from among the outline pixels detected by the detector, in response to a density of the correction pixel.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a character identifying unit configured to identify character data of black from color image data; a character data generating unit configured to add character data of a color other than black to the character data of black as additional character data to generate combined character data; and a character data correcting unit configured to perform thinning process of making a line of a character of the additional character data thinner than a line of the character data of black.

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: Pantograph background and foreground pairs that perform well in one printer may not perform as well in another. The main problem that occurs is the message is easily seen on the original print. By adjusting the background pattern quality, the pantograph is adjusted for optimal performance for a particular printer. The background pattern is adjusted by first adjusting the pixel density in the background pattern and second, by adding the adjusted cluster background pixel pattern.

Abstract: A method for using void pantographs involves generating a test sheet including multiple void pantographs, where each of the multiple void pantographs includes a pantograph foreground and a pantograph background. The test sheet is printed, and from the printed test sheet, at least one of the multiple void pantographs having a covert or semi-covert pantograph foreground and background is identified. The printed test sheet is scanned, and from the scanned test sheet, at least one of the multiple void pantographs having an overt pantograph foreground is identified. A workflow is developed for the at least one of the multiple void pantographs having both i) the covert or semi-covert pantograph foreground and background after printing, and ii) the overt pantograph foreground after scanning.

Abstract: A document securization method includes: a first step of forming a first mark (205, 210) on a first surface of a document by utilizing a first marking element, a second step of forming a second mark (215) on another surface of the document or in the depth of the document by utilizing a second marking element, the two marks are superimposed when the document is illuminated by back-lighting and at least one (215) of the marks is a mark whose copy, made using marking elements identical to those utilized for forming the mark, causes an error rate, measured dot by dot, that is greater than a predefined value.

Abstract: Correction data is produced for density errors in prints produced using a printer. While printing a test image, the periods of rotation of one or more rotatable imaging members arranged along a receiver feed path in the printer are measured using respective period sensors. The printed test image is measured along a selected measurement direction and a reproduction error signal representing deviation from aim density is determined. For each period sensor, the autocorrelation of the reproduction error signal for the corresponding period is determined. If the determined autocorrelation exceeds a selected threshold, the reproduction error signal is decomposed at the corresponding period to extract the variation from the measured component. The remaining error signal is separated by frequency terms. The variations from the data at measured periods and the remaining error signal are used to produce a correction signal.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus including at least one processor that executes a program, includes an analysis unit configured to analyze a print job, an optimization unit configured to, based on a result of the analysis performed by the analysis unit, combine a plurality of objects included in the print job into one object according to an upper limit number, which is different according to a type of the objects to be combined, an intermediate data generation unit configured to generate intermediate data based on the objects combined by the optimization unit, and an image data generation unit configured to generate image data from the intermediate data generated by the intermediate data generation unit.

Abstract: An image-processing method includes: acquiring multi-level tone print data expressed in multi-level tones; determining whether the acquired multi-level tone print data includes line data indicative of a line having a tone; replacing, if the print data includes the line data, the line data with specific line data based on the tone of the line data, the specific line data indicating a specific line having a prescribed tone value and a prescribed structure; and converting the multi-level tone print data to binary data after replacing the line data with the specific line data.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an information obtainment unit that obtains image information including data regarding a binary image, a plate-information generating unit that generates plate information, an instruction obtainment unit that obtains a first or second generating instruction, a job-file generating unit, and an output unit that outputs a job file to an image forming apparatus. The job-file generating unit generates, for the first generating instruction, a job file for causing the image forming apparatus to form images using data representing blank for a plate for which the plate information indicates that no image information exists, and data included in image information corresponding to a plate for which the plate information indicates that image information exists, and generates, for the second generating instruction, a job file for causing the image forming apparatus to form an image for each plate using data included in image information.

Abstract: Before page description data are input to a raster image processor (RIPa) that plots an overprint of a shading object in process colors in the nonzero overprint mode, the page description data are converted into robustized page description data wherein minimum values of process colors are replaced with small values which are not of 0. The robustized page description data are input to the RIPa.

Abstract: An output apparatus determines pixels that form an area equal to or greater than a predetermined size and whose pixel values are not different from pixel values of neighboring pixels, and pixels that form an area not equal to or greater than the predetermined size. The apparatus reduces the pixel values of the determined pixels and outputs a binary image formed by the determined pixels with the reduced pixel values.

Abstract: A method is described to obtain a binary image from the print-and-scan process to best match the known original. A point-spread function (PSF) of the PAS process is first obtained from its knife-edge responses, and deblurring is carried out on the scanned images using deconvolution. After image deskewing and preliminary registration, a supervised adaptive thresholding procedure is utilized to binarize the scanned image such that a measure of difference (e.g. the Euclidean distance) between the original and binarized images is minimized. The supervised adaptive thresholding procedure divides the scanned images into many rectangular sub-images. Otsu's method is used to find a starting threshold for each scanned sub-image. An optimal threshold is found around the Otsu's threshold via iterative search to minimize the measure of difference between the original sub-image and scanned sub-image. The sub-images are binarized using the optimal threshold. This method may be used in document authentication.

Abstract: A printing system includes a storage unit (HD) adapted to store a print logs relating to each of a plurality of print data having been printed, the print log including relevant information relating to the print data; a reception unit adapted to receive relevant information relating to print data to be printed; a search unit adapted to search a print log including the relevant information received by the reception unit from the print logs stored in the storage unit; and a display unit adapted to display information indicating a print apparatus that has printed print data corresponding to the print log found by the search unit, which is extracted from the relevant information included in the print log found by the search unit.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatuses and methods for determining usage maps in handheld image deposition devices. The utilization of usage maps in combination with color planes may facilitate the output of varying levels of intensity. Additionally, the storage of processed images and the print data associated with various image locations of the processed image, according to a consistent offset of memory addresses, may expedite retrieval of print information.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating a dynamic re-configuration with a DFE imager and caching modules to optimize RIP performance by analyzing pages within the job that collect page with job heuristics and statistics. Enabling the functionality to assess the information, thereby re-configuring a digital printer's imager and caching module dynamically during the job RIP to achieve improved overall RIP performance. Accordingly, a system collects and assesses job statistics across multiple jobs to enable optimum performance over time.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus determines the attribute of a pixel block, which is composed of a prescribed number of pixels extracted from image data, and the attribute of an area in which each pixel of the pixel block belongs. Then, based upon the determined attribute of the image block and the determined attribute of the area in which each pixel belongs, the apparatus subjects the image data to processing, pixel by pixel.

Abstract: An image-processing device includes: a memory that stores a color range within a color space; an acquisition unit that acquires image data; and a generating unit that generates image data in which an image represented by the image data acquired by the acquisition unit has been subjected to an operation to change a color of an image area of the image having a color falling within the color range into black, and an operation to add a black image beside the image area.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method for image processing are disclosed, each of which obtains a mark from image data, detects additional information in the mark, determines whether the mark is detected in the mark to generate a determination result, and controls processing performed by an image processing apparatus with respect to the image data based on the determination result.

Abstract: An apparatus, method, and system for processing character data is provided, which selects a format of the character data to be used for generating print data. When a user instruction for printing character data according to character command data specifying the output of the character data is received, the format of the character data is selected based on the character command data.

Abstract: Print data is generated to form an image on a printing medium by superposing a plurality of types of printing materials in some or all pixels of an output image in an order complying with the intensities of the light scattering characteristics of the plurality of types of printing materials. The generated print data is transmitted to a printing apparatus.

Abstract: A method is provided for processing an image to optimize print time of the image by a print apparatus based on the size of the image to be printed and the print pass thresholds of the print apparatus. A dimension of the image corresponding to the dimension along the sub-scanning axis of the image as it will be printed by the print apparatus is obtained, along with the corresponding number of print passes required to print the image. An analysis is performed to determine whether the size of the image could be reduced to require one less print pass by the print apparatus in printing the reduced image based on the proximity of the determined dimension to the range of dimensions that will result in one less print pass by the print apparatus.

Abstract: There is provided an image printer having a display unit, in which a predetermined image can be set as a background picture of the display unit. The image printer includes an image processing unit processing an image selected by a user in accordance with a predetermined image processing technique so as to set the selected image as a background picture of the display unit; and a setting unit setting the processed image as the background picture of the display unit, wherein the display unit displays the processed image.

Abstract: In performing multi-pass printing by using a printhead having a plurality of nozzles, a print data setting unit sets a printing amount for each nozzle for each main scan of the printhead based on a print data setting LUT. This print data setting LUT reflects the information of the number of passes and the number of nozzles to be used which are arbitrarily set. A halftoning unit generates a dot pattern as a formation target by performing binarization processing for the print amounts set in this manner.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus performs a first edge determination to determine whether each pixel is an edge of a black character or a thin black line based on a pixel signal of a predetermined color in each pixel included in multi-valued image data. The image processing apparatus determines whether to achromatize a pixel signal of each pixel included in the multi-valued image data based on a result of the first edge determination, and achromatizes a pixel determined to be achromatized. The image processing apparatus performs a second edge determination for determining whether each pixel is an edge based on a pixel signal of a color different from the predetermined color in each pixel included in the multi-valued image data. The image processing apparatus corrects the multi-valued image data based on a result of the second edge determination after completing achromatization of the pixel determined to be achromatized.

Abstract: A system, a method and computer-readable media for rendering text with a graphics processing unit (GPU). The system, method, and media includes a GPU that may be configured to receive a plurality of compressed glyph bitmap and create a plurality of glyph textures from the bitmap. The GPU may be further configured to pack a plurality of rows of data from a glyph bitmap into a single row of a glyph texture. The GPU may be also be configured to merge the plurality of glyph textures into a merged texture to identify overlapping rows of color. Additionally, the GPU maybe configured to filter the merged texture to create a grayscale texture containing a plurality of merged glyphs and rendering the grayscale texture to display the plurality of merged glyphs.

Abstract: A watermark information embedding apparatus generates a document image from electronic document data that has been input thereto, modifies the electronic document data based upon the document image and embeds information in the electronic document data. The apparatus includes a document image generator for generating a document image from the electronic document data; a document analyzer for detecting layout information of each constituent image in the generated document image; a normalization information calculation unit for calculating normalization information, which is for normalizing placement of each constituent image, based upon the detected layout information; a modification unit for modifying the electronic document data; and an embedding unit for embedding information in the modified electronic document data.

Abstract: In a computer system in which information represented by digital data is output to plural pages of recording medium, and then information on the plural pages of recording medium is read to use digital data representing the read information, authentication information is embedded in information of a start page selected by the computer system; a page number of the start page embedded the authentication information is notified to a user; information on the plural pages of recording medium is read, wherein the start page is positioned so as to be read first; digital data read from the plural pages of recording medium is authenticated based on the authentication information embedded in the start page; and a process for the digital data read from the plural pages of recording medium is controlled in accordance with a result of the authentication.

Abstract: An information embedding apparatus (200) which embeds information in each character in an original document includes an extraction unit (202) which extracts the circumscribed rectangles of characters from the original document, a selection unit (203) which selects, based on a predetermined condition, a character in which information is to be embedded, from the characters included in the respective circumscribed rectangles, an information embedding unit (204) which embeds information in a character selected by the selection unit (203) as the character in which information is to be embedded, a character generation unit (205) which generates a character not selected by the selection unit (203) at a lower pixel density per unit area than that of the character in which the information embedding unit (204) embeds the information, and an output unit (206) which outputs the original document processed by the information embedding unit (204) and the character generation unit (205).

Abstract: An image processing system includes a profile generating section, a designating section, a calculating section and a correcting section. The profile generating section generates a color conversion profile based on first colorimetric values obtained from a first color chart output from a target device and second colorimetric values obtained from a second color chart from an output device other than the target device. The calculating section calculates difference information between a first data value obtained by converting a designated color into a device-independent color space and a second data value obtained by converting the designated color using the color conversion profile into a second color and converting the second color using the device-independent color space. The correcting section corrects the first colorimetric values based on the difference information. The profile generating section generates the color conversion profile again based on the corrected first colorimetric values.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatus for embedding an identifying pattern of visible speckles into the digitized image of each page of a document. A speckle is a cluster of black or white pixels. Speckles are printed as black speckles on the white paper, or conversely, as areas of missing black removed from the black text characters, called white speckles. The collective pattern of all embedded black and white speckles on a single document page is called a specklemark. A specklemark can survive contrast manipulations on photocopiers and binary rasterization done by fax scanning prior to data transmission. The random pattern of the black and white speckles visible in the digitized image of a document page can be detected automatically, and by systematically matching the detected pattern with those known to have been embedded into marked copies of a document page, a specific document copy can be identified.

Abstract: A method of printing a compressed image includes the steps of receiving the image, having a bi-level black data layer and a continuous tone (contone) CMYK data layer, from an image host; expanding the image by decompressing the two data layers in parallel; halftoning the contone CMYK data layer into bi-level CMYK data layer; compositing the bi-level black data layer over the bi-level CMYK data layer to form a composited bi-level CMYK image; separating the color planes of the composited bi-level CMYK image, and separating each color plane into even and odd pixels; storing the odd and even pixels of each color plane in respective odd and even FIFOs for each color; and printing the composited bi-level CMYK image with a pagewidth printhead onto a print medium.

Abstract: A page expansion and printing procedure requires a first page description into a first memory buffer, the first page description having a bi-level black layer and a contone CMYK layer; decompressing the bi-level black layer and the contone CMYK layer in parallel; half-toning the contone CMYK layer to bi-level CMYK; compositing the bi-level black layer over the bi-level CMYK layer to form a printable image; and transmitting the printable image to a second memory buffer for printing by the pagewidth printer. The step of transmitting the printable image to a second memory buffer is performed simultaneously with receiving a subsequent page description in the first memory buffer.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: a light source emitting a plurality of colors; a light receiver including a plurality of pixels which receive lights of respective colors; an analog-to-digital converter which analog-to-digital converts analog signals obtained by the light receiver to obtain digital photoelectric conversion outputs, respectively; a color determining portion which receives output signals, determines whether output signals for respective colors from the same pixel are within predetermined ranges, respectively, and outputs, as dropout data, pixel position information of the pixel, the outputs signals from which are within the predetermined ranges, respectively; an image monochromating circuit which receives output signals and obtains monochrome data; a data substituting portion which receives the monochrome data, substitutes the monochrome data corresponding to the pixel position information from the color determining portion with a level at which the pixel is determined as a white level in a

Abstract: Provided is a method of printing a compressed image. The method includes the steps of receiving, with a printer controller, the image, having a bi-level black data layer compressed in an Edge Delta and Runlength (EDRL) compression format and a continuous tone (contone) CMYK data layer, from a computer. The method includes the steps of expanding the image by simultaneously decompressing the two data layers in parallel, and halftoning the contone CMYK data layer into bi-level CMYK data layer. Also included are the steps of compositing the bi-level black data layer over the bi-level CMYK data layer to form a composited bi-level CMYK image, transmitting the composited bi-level CMYK image to a memory buffer of pagewidth printer for printing.

Abstract: In order to eliminate image deterioration based on the characteristics of an output device upon execution of edge emphasis processing, an image processing apparatus includes a setting unit which sets a print characteristic on the print medium, a region setting unit which sets a region, a brightness value derivation unit which derives brightness values, a first derivative derivation which derives first derivatives of the brightness values, an edge direction determination unit which determines an edge direction of brightness, an emphasis level determination unit which determines an emphasis level of a pixel value based on the first derivatives, and a replacement unit which calculates second derivatives of brightness values and replaces a pixel value of a pixel of interest based on the sign of the second derivative.

Abstract: Methods of the present invention allow for optimization of color and shades of gray documents prior to their conversion to a monochrome format. If color/gray elements are identified in the document, the distance between them and their intensity is determined. If there are elements with the same or similar intensity in close proximity to each other, colors of some of the elements may be replaced with solid monochrome colors, and/or dithered surfaces, and/or monochrome patterns. Further, the elements may be outlined. These improvements make elements in the document more distinguishable after its conversion to a monochrome format. The described color optimization and outlining may have wide applicability in the Internet Fax technology.