Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a method for automatically identifying a scan area by a scanner is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of scanning an original comprising an object, identifying the original to establish a location and a profile of the object in the original, displaying a preview window corresponding to the original, wherein a location and a profile of a confined area is exactly the location and the profile of the object, receiving a framed area selected from the preview window by a user, wherein a portion of the framed area beyond the confined area is automatically removed to generate a scan area, and scanning the scan area. The present invention can also extend to a method for selecting a scan area by a user and a scanner with a feature of automatically identifying a scan area.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus obtains an image of an original area on the basis of a platen image obtained by reading an entire surface of a platen including an original placed on the platen. The image processing apparatus extracts a plurality of image areas included in the platen image, and determines whether each of the extracted image areas has a specific characteristic. The image processing apparatus judges that a rectangular area including all of the plurality of image areas is an original image in a case where at least one of the plurality of image areas has the specific characteristic, and judges that each of the plurality of image areas is an original image in a case where none of the plurality of image areas has the specific characteristic.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image processing method for processing an image obtained by reading a document plate on which at least one document is placed. The method includes a first detecting step of specifying a first rectangular region including all of objects included in the image to detect the coordinates of each vertex thereof, an identifying step of identifying on each object whether it is a document item, an eliminating step of eliminating the object which is not a document item from the image, a second detecting step of specifying a second rectangular region to detect the coordinates of each vertex thereof, the region including all of the objects after elimination and having a minimum area, a comparing step of comparing the coordinates of the vertices detected in the first and second detecting steps, and a determining step of determining a method of cropping the document based on the comparison result.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes an image reader, a storage unit, and a control unit, wherein the storage unit includes a command storage unit, and the control unit includes a mark detecting unit that detects at least one mark matching the characteristic information of the mark from the margin of the manuscript read by the image reader to acquire the characteristic information of the detected mark, a positional information determining unit that detects coordinates of the mark in the manuscript to determine the positional information corresponding to the detected coordinates, a command searching unit that searches the command storage unit for the command associated with the characteristic information and the positional information using the characteristic information and the positional information as search keys, and a command executing unit that executes the processing specified for the command searched for on the manuscript.

Abstract: The present invention provides specific image adding section for adding the specific image to inputted image data includes a first counter for deciding positions of a main scanning direction and a vertical scanning direction and a second counter for specifying a form of the specific image. The second counter counts up addresses of pixels with a starting point at one corner on a matrix made up of the main scanning direction and vertical scanning direction. If the first counter counts a predetermined count value, the second counter starts. When a maximum value of the count value of the second counter is equal to or less than a count set value, an image is formed on each of the pixels. The pixel on which the image is formed is changed and the form of the specific image is also changed by changing the count set value.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus is provided with a terminal designation accepting portion that accepts a designation by a user to designate an IP address of a terminal to be connected to the image processing apparatus and a setting data control portion that sends, to the terminal, setting data that includes an IP address of the image processing apparatus itself based on the IP address of the terminal that is designated by the user. Thereby, in the case where the image processing apparatus is caused to cooperate with other apparatus via a communication line, a more user-friendly operation for the cooperation can be provided with the security of the image processing apparatus protected compared to conventional systems.

Abstract: The image reading apparatus, which is capable of communicating with the electrical paper displaying an image based on image data, is configured to select whether the image displayed on the electrical paper is read based on a size of the electrical paper or a size of the image data, when the image is read, and to instruct the electrical paper to change a display content of the image to be displayed on the electrical paper, in accordance with a result of the selection.

Abstract: A digital image includes a plurality of pixels arranged in an array. In a method of analyzing the image, some of the pixels are purposefully not processed. In particular, only those pixels in a particular subgroup are processed according to a Hough or similar transform. The number of pixels in the subgroup is less than the total number of pixels in the image (e.g., as little as about 5% of the total pixels), and each pixel in the subgroup is pseudo-randomly selected. The Hough transform is inherently configured to function within the context of noisy images, for identifying features of interest in the image, as simulated by the pseudo-random selection and processing of less than the total number of pixels in the image. This significantly reduces the processor resources required to analyze the image.

Abstract: A method for controlling an image reading apparatus that scans an image from a document, includes (a) acquiring read position data indicating a reference position where the image reading apparatus performs scanning operations, and (b) setting a reading region that defines, based on the acquired read position data, a range that is used when the image reading apparatus scans an image.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus has a multi-cropping function that automatically crops the scanned images of a plurality of original sheets placed on a platen of an image reading apparatus all at one pass. The desired number of cropped images is input by the user, and the number of cropped images detected when cropping the image of the original sheets placed on the platen, are compared.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a first display unit which displays a material image and an original image in fast and second areas on a display device, respectively; a detection unit which detects a position on the display device designated from an outside; a relationship determining unit which determines a designated position in the first area and a designated position in the second area, and which determines a correspondence relationship between the first area and the second area based on the designated positions; an allocation region determining unit which determines an allocation region in the second area; a cut region determining unit which determines a cut region in the first area to correspond to the allocation region based on the correspondence relationship; and a second display unit which displays a partial image corresponding to the cut region in the allocation region to display a combined image.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus and a control method for the same in which the reading size for an original is controlled according to various executing conditions while troublesome operations for a user are reduced. To accomplish this, at the time of reading an original, the image forming apparatus confirms a pre-registered executing condition and sets the reading size for the original according to the executing condition. Specifically, if an appropriate original size is pre-registered, that original size is set as the reading size for the original. Even if the original size is not pre-registered by the user, an original size entered with minimum user operations required of the user is set as the reading size.

Abstract: The leading edge and the trailing edge of an original document are detected with a sheet detection sensor provided in an automatic document feeding device, reading out of the original document is started from a position a predetermined distance before the position where the leading edge of the original document passes a reading position in an image reading apparatus, and reading out thereof is terminated at a position a predetermined distance after the position where the trailing edge of the original document passes the reading position. It is determined whether the apices of a rectangular area extracted from an image area that is read out are included in the respective areas of a predetermined height from the leading end and the trailing end of the image area to determine whether the size of the document image area is the same as the sheet size of the original document.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are related to systems and methods for rendering graphical objects in a printing system. According to one aspect of the present invention a graphic list may be partitioned, and the graphic-list partitions may be rendered “out-of-order” or concurrently.

Abstract: An image scanning device has an image sensor including a plurality of arrayed light receiving elements; a light source for shining light upon a scanning object; a lens unit for guiding reflected light from a scanning object to the image sensor and having a plurality of rod lens arrays, in which a plurality of rod lenses are arrayed, joined together; and a correction unit for generating image data based on the output values from the light receiving elements of the image sensor and correcting the pixel values of pixels in the image data corresponding to a position of a joint section between rod lens arrays so that the pixel values become darker.

Abstract: The transfer of a duplicate electronic document between image forming devices is done with an electronic document that is formed of only resolution-independent vector data and the like, and a normal printing of the duplicate electronic document or printing of different resolution is performed by developing the vector data. In high-quality printing of the duplicate electronic document, a Fill Map included in the original document the information indicating the location of an electronic document of copy source that is embedded in a metadata specifies is obtained, and this printing is made using the Fill Map.

Abstract: Publishing of a message divided into two portions, one portion not requiring computer recognition of it's content while another portion requires recognition of it's content. The non-recognized portion is published as-is with minimal processing by the system due to it being suited for easy human understanding of that respective portion (e.g., hand-written text). The recognized portion is processed by optical recognition software so that the output of the recognition process is an accurate representation of that information portion. The portion requiring recognition can be a critical portion such as in the case of the price for a food item on a daily specials menu, as one non-limiting example. In further aspects, messages can be published on a time and date scheduled basis.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus capable of processing an image based on a script indicating an execution content of a job includes an execution unit configured to process the script, a classification unit configured to classify the script processed by the execution unit into a plurality of types including an executable type or an inexecutable type by the execution unit, a correction unit configured to correct a content of the script, a notification unit configured to notify a user of the image processing apparatus of the inexecutable type script by the execution unit, and a determination unit configured, when the classification unit classifies the script as the inexecutable type script, to determine when to (a) perform notification by the notification unit or to (b) cause the correction unit to correct the content of the script without notification by the notification unit and to process the corrected script by the execution unit based on the content of the script and a function included in the image processing

Abstract: A method of selecting images from a plurality of images previously stored by a user in a memory location of a service provider and ordering services to be provided utilizing the images includes establishing a service account for the user with the service provider to permit the user to have access to ordered services, receiving and storing a plurality of images along with a designated date in the memory location, and displaying image designators for at least a subset of the images for viewing by the user. The method also includes the user selecting at least one image to be utilized after viewing the displayed images, and selecting a service, receiving payment for the selected service for the selected image based upon a payment schedule that depends upon the designated date associated with the selected image, and providing the selected service using the selected image.

Abstract: An image scanning and processing system includes a scanner for generating a stream of data encoding a scanned image; a controller for controlling and processing data received from the scanner; and a file storage unit. In use, the stream of data is written to a master file saved in the file storage unit. The controller is configured to create a preview image with a lower data size than the scanned image from at least part of the data encoding the scanned image. The controller is configured to extract data encoding the preview image directly from the stream of data, and to write the extracted data to a thumbnail file. A method of scanning and processing an image, includes scanning an original and thereby generating a stream of data, encoding a scanned image, saving the scanned image in a master file, and creating a preview image with a lower data size than the scanned image from at least part of the data encoding the scanned image.

Abstract: The maximum number of scaled images formed for one document and the scaling ratio set for each of scaled images are accepted by an operation panel, the basic scaling ratio is read from a table defining the scaled image arrangement information and the like, the scaling ratio of the original image data obtained by an image reading section is changed, and scaled images laid out on one sheet are generated. The generated plurality of scaled images are arranged according to the arrangement information defined by the table, and image formation is performed by an image forming section, thereby obtaining a multi-shot copy in which a plurality of images of different scaling ratio are laid out on one sheet.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus for combining a plurality of images includes a first storage control unit configured to cause a memory to store an image obtained by reading a document by a reading apparatus and having a first resolution, a second storage control unit configured to cause the memory to store an image obtained by reading a vicinity of a region to be combined in the document by the reading apparatus and having a second resolution, which is higher than the first resolution, and a determination unit configured to determine relative positions of a plurality of images stored in the memory by the first storage control unit based on the image stored in the memory by the second storage control unit.

Abstract: A print controlling apparatus is supplied capable of adjusting image of electronic document to an optimum size.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image processing method for processing an image obtained by reading a document plate on which at least one document is placed. The method includes a first detecting step of specifying a first rectangular region including all of objects included in the image to detect the coordinates of each vertex thereof, an identifying step of identifying on each object whether it is a document item, an eliminating step of eliminating the object which is not a document item from the image, a second detecting step of specifying a second rectangular region to detect the coordinates of each vertex thereof, the region including all of the objects after elimination and having a minimum area, a comparing step of comparing the coordinates of the vertices detected in the first and second detecting steps, and a determining step of determining a method of cropping the document based on the comparison result.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image reading unit that reads an image, the image comprising an image printed on a printing sheet, and a first demarcation line added by a writing tool and demarcating a region of the image, a demarcation line extracting unit that extracts the first demarcation line from the image read by the image reading unit, and an image extracting unit that extracts the region of the image demarcated by the first demarcation line from the image as an extracted image.

Abstract: An imaging device has an adjustable imaging surface that can be readily enlarged by a user from a first size to a second size and reduced by the user from the second size to the first size to meet imaging requirements. The imaging device thus permits imaging of larger documents than its desktop footprint would conventionally support. For example, when a user of such an imaging device has a full sheet document that requires flatbed scanning, the user can temporarily enlarge the imaging surface from half sheet size to full sheet size and scan the document. Once the user has scanned the document, the user can reduce the imaging surface from the full sheet size to the half sheet size to reduce the desktop footprint of the imaging device.

Abstract: A first image-data processing unit unifies characteristics of input image data so that the image data is usable in an image writing unit and an external device, stores characteristic-unified image data in a storing unit, and changes an attribute of supplemental information according to an image input condition. When converting target image data into image data with characteristics suitable for outputting to the image writing unit and an external interface unit, a second image-data processing unit makes the stored image data be reusable in the image writing unit and the external device by performing an image processing based on the supplemental information.

Abstract: A computer readable storage medium storing instructions of a computer program which when executed by a computer results in performance of steps including inputting a first image and a second image from two cameras of three or more cameras, respectively, transforming the first image to a transformed image, obtaining a degree of similarity D indicating a similarity between an image in a processing region established in the second image and an image in a corresponding processing region established in the first image, obtaining a degree of similarity P indicating a similarity between an image in the processing region established in the second image and an image in a corresponding processing region established in the transformed image, detecting the obstacle based on the degree of similarity D and the degree of similarity P on a reference plane region, and selecting and outputting either a result of detection of a plurality of the obstacles or a position of an obstacle detected as being the closest to the three or

Abstract: In order to prevent illegal copying more effectively in an image forming apparatus, when a specified ground pattern for preventing copying is detected in input image data, the detected ground pattern is emphasized in the image data. Alternatively, information for detecting the specified ground pattern is stored in a storage device, in order to detect the ground pattern with the stored information. When the ground pattern is not detected, a ground region in the image data is analyzed further to determine whether a different ground pattern exits or not. When a ground pattern is detected, information for detecting the ground pattern is stored in the storing device.

Abstract: In order to prevent illegal copying more effectively in an image forming apparatus, when a specified ground pattern for preventing copying is detected in input image data, the detected ground pattern is emphasized in the image data. Alternatively, information for detecting the specified ground pattern is stored in a storage device, in order to detect the ground pattern with the stored information. When the ground pattern is not detected, a ground region in the image data is analyzed further to determine whether a different ground pattern exits or not. When a ground pattern is detected, information for detecting the ground pattern is stored in the storing device.

Abstract: An image reading system and an image reading apparatus are provided. The system or apparatus includes a reading unit configured to read a still original, a selecting unit configured to select one of a plurality of image data of a first area acquired by reading the first area a plurality of times, the first area being a partial area of the original, and a generating unit configured to generate a file storing a first image data which is the image data of the first area selected by the selecting unit, and a second image data which is image data acquired by reading a second area of the original different from the first area by the reading unit.

Abstract: A computer-readable recording medium that stores a program for causing a computer to edit an electronic document including a plurality of hierarchically arranged objects. The program makes a computer execute extracting an object from the electronic document including the hierarchically arranged objects representing one of a text, an image, a drawing and a table; determining whether the extracted object is superimposed by a user specified area serving as a masking area of a target document input by a user; and converting, into different information, information included in an area of the object determined to be superimposed by the user specified area.

Abstract: A system, apparatus and method for enhancing documents, including using a graphical capture device, are described herein.

Abstract: An illumination device includes a light guide made of plastic, and a light source including a light emitting element whose dominant wavelength is a light emission wavelength in an infrared region, and identifies a banknote. White reference plates are provided at positions that are at opposite ends of a rod lens array and cover respective areas external to an image region across the banknote. A correction coefficient is acquired by calculation. The calculation is made by correcting an illuminance such that IR correction data is substantially identical to IR reference data preliminarily stored in a memory circuit in a signal processor on the basis of IR white reference data representing a white reference illuminance generated from light reflected from the white reference plates. The correction coefficient is used for correcting IR image data when the banknote is read.

Abstract: Versions of user-selected content images are automatically created, sized, and positioned within a template such that all versions are simultaneously displayed without overlapping in a defined acceptable image area of the template. Creating the content image versions may include creating a frame image for the content image. A predefined anchor point associated with the acceptable image area is used to control the location of the image versions within the image area.

Abstract: An image area detecting portion detects an area (image area) in a sheet subjected to printing where characters and images take up. A pattern creating portion creates a copy prevention pattern in such a manner that a latent image is embedded only to a detected image area with respect to a mask pattern into which a dot pattern is incorporated. A print image creating portion superimposes the generated copy prevention pattern and the document image to each other. When the printed object is read in a copying machine having a copy guard function, detection of the dot pattern can be performed without being interfered by a latent image since only a mask pattern is printed in an area corresponding to a reading start position.

Abstract: An image obtained by reading an original using a reading device is input in units of band images, the input band image is analyzed, and an area corresponding to the original within the band image is detected. A partial image containing the detected area within the band image is stored in a memory, and an image corresponding to the original is cut out from the stored partial image.

Abstract: An image processing unit includes an image data input unit, a page-description language (PDL) converter, a special document determination unit, and an image treatment command adding unit. The image data input unit inputs image data. The PDL converter converts the input image data to page-description language data, and transmits an end-of-page command when a page-description language conversion for image data is completed. The special document determination unit determines whether the input image data includes a special document. The image treatment command adding unit instructs the PDL converter to wait for a transmission of the end-of-page command until the special document determination unit issues a determination result. When it is determined that the image data includes a special document, the image treatment command adding unit generates an image treatment command for the image data. The image treatment command adding unit transmits the image treatment command with the end-of-page command.

Abstract: An image processing device comprises an image processing unit capable of executing multiple types of image processing (differing in the amount of pixel loss caused to an image edge) to an image as a processing target, a specifying unit which specifies image processing that should be executed by the image processing unit from the multiple types of image processing, and a target image extending unit which extends the area of the image as the processing target depending on the amount of pixel loss to be caused by the image processing specified by the specifying unit. The image processing unit executes the image processing specified by the specifying unit to the image whose area has been extended by the target image extending unit.

Abstract: An output image forming unit generates a print image based on an input image. A partial region image forming unit specifies an image region, which is not to be printed when the print image is printed on a print sheet, and generates region information indicating a region obtained by merging a region on the input image corresponding to the specified image region, and a surrounding region of this region on the input image. The partial region image forming unit generates embedded information including the region information. An additional information multiplexing unit embeds the embedded information in the print image, and outputs that print image to a printer.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus that can be connected to an image-forming apparatus, a method, and a program used for the information processing apparatus are disclosed. The information processing apparatus comprises a control unit for controlling print-setting information set for document data to be printed, a recognition unit for recognizing information about a first function specified by the print-setting information by translating the print-setting information controlled by the control unit, an obtaining unit for obtaining information about a second function of the image-forming apparatus connected to the information processing apparatus, a determination unit for determining whether or not the image-forming apparatus can perform the first function recognized by the recognition unit based on the second-function information obtained by the obtaining unit, and a modification unit for modifying the print-setting information controlled by the control unit based on the determination result.

Abstract: An area identifying unit separates input image data into each image area. An editing unit performs an editing process on the input image data in units of separated image area. An operation displaying unit displays the input image data with an input display module and an editing display module. The operation displaying unit is capable of accepting editing inputs and an input of various settings through a touch input on the display. The editing unit performs the editing process on the image data based on the editing input. The operation displaying unit further displays an editing result performed by the editing unit.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention relate to systems and methods for characterization of background regions of substantially-uniform color in a digital image. According to a first aspect of the present invention, a histogram of the first-channel values of a plurality of image pixels may be formed, and a peak region in the first-channel histogram may be detected. Subsequently a histogram of image values of a second channel may be formed accumulating second-channel values for only those image pixels with first-channel values within the peak region of the first-channel histogram, and a peak region in the second-channel histogram may be detected. An image characteristic may be associated with image pixels with first-channel and second-channel values within the first-channel peak and the second-channel peak regions, respectively.

Abstract: A method and system for high-speed and low-complexity geometric transformation of signals are described. In one embodiment, the system comprises an input patch consisting of a window of pixels from an input image. The system may further comprise a transformation selector to generate control data to control a geometric transformation mapping based on the location of a current pixel being processed. In one embodiment, the system may also comprise a hardware geometric transform engine to perform a geometric transformation mapping by switching on one path through the geometric transform engine from an input window to an output pixel using the control data. In one embodiment, the system may further comprise an interpolator to generate interpolated geometric transformation mappings using the control data and multiple outputs from the geometric transform engine by switching on multiple paths from an input window.

Abstract: According to a printer of the present invention, the displaying unit creates a print image of the image received by the receiving unit and displays a preview of the print image when the loss detecting unit detects the lost part of the image, and the displaying unit creates a print image of an image obtained as a result of the trimming and displays a preview of the print image when the trimming unit trims the image, and the printing unit prints an image obtained as a result of the trimming by the trimming unit. Consequently, if a user failed in communicating an image as the user did not set an external communication terminal to an appropriate place and the image has been lost, the user can display a preview of the image by removing the lost part by trimming and display the lost part by a preview, check the trimmed image and print it.

Abstract: A scanner device may create original data in an internal storage unit. The original data may include header information and actual image data representing a scan target object. The header information may include a first value as size information. The size information may indicate a size of image data corresponding to a scanning direction. In a case where the size of the actual image data is smaller than the first value, the original data may further include specific image data such that the size of entire image data including the actual image data and the specific image data is identical to the first value. The scanner device may calculate a digest value by utilizing the original data so as to create purpose data in an external storage unit by utilizing the original data and the digest value.

Abstract: A two-dimensional code printing apparatus includes a computer device and a tape printer. A print frame is arranged on a label making work area on an edit display screen displayed on the computer device. A user inputs a text into a text box arranged on the print frame, and then highlights the text to be coded in a two-dimensional code by a mouse, and then one-clicks a two-dimensional code button. Herewith, the text and the two-dimensional code are displayed on the text box. If the user clicks a print button, a label on which both the text and the two-dimensional code printed is printed.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a method for automatically identifying a scan area by a scanner is disclosed. The method comprises steps of scanning an original comprising an object, identifying the original to establish a location and a profile of the object in the original, displaying a preview window corresponding to the original, wherein a location and a profile of a confined area is exactly the location and the profile of the object, receiving a framed area selected from the preview window by user, wherein a portion of the framed area beyond the confined area is automatically removed to generate a scan area, and scanning the scan area. The present invention can also extend to a method for selecting a scan area by a user and a scanner with a feature of automatically identifying a scan area.

Abstract: The invention provides an information retrieval apparatus and an information retrieval method by which information can be retrieved in an improved operability. A CPU controls a video camera to fetch an image and controls a GPS to detect a current position. The CPU reads out, from within image data stored in a corresponding relationship with URLs of WWW servers, those image data which correspond to position data regarding positions around the detected current position from a WWW data base via a modem and a host machine. Then, the CPU selects, from among the read out image data, that image data which matches with the fetched data, reads out a URL corresponding to the image data and accesses a WWW server designated by the URL.

Abstract: A method and communication system is provided to identify a calling/called party when the call is being set up but before the call is answered. In the method, a first terminal and a second terminal are respectively provided with opposing terminal's image data before the call is answered. The image data of the first and second terminals can be registered in a media server disposed between the first and second terminals, and the image data can be transmitted between the first terminal and the media server and between the second terminal and the media server in accordance with an SIP protocol.