Abstract: There is provided an image processing apparatus including an image processing unit for performing image processing on an input image to produce an output image; a storing unit for storing image-related information relating to at least one image processed by the image processing unit; a search unit for searching the storing unit in response to an instruction for reprocessing the input image and reading the image-related information previously stored in the storing unit; and a display unit for representing a result of a search performed by the search unit. The image processing unit performs reprocessing of the input image in accordance with the image-related information that the search unit read in response to the instruction for reprocessing the input image. A reprint, on which an image whose color and density are preferably in agreement with those of the image reproduced on a simultaneous print is reproduced, can be stably output with a simple manipulation.

Abstract: Storing of data items in a memory (31) is provided wherein the data items are divided into successive data pieces of decreasing significance, and the data pieces are stored in respective parts of the memory (31), and when applying a data piece to the memory (31) in case all candidate memory parts are assigned to other data pieces: if the significance of the applied data piece is lower than a lowest significance of the other data pieces, discarding the applied data piece; if the significance of the applied data piece in one of the candidate memory parts at expense of a given other data piece which has a lower significance that the significance of the applied data piece, wherein the significance value of a data piece is based on a total or absolute distortion value of the data item. Advantageous use of the invention is made in applications using a device of fixed storage capacity for storing a flexible number of compressible data items, such as video, images, audio, speech.

Abstract: Conventionally, a color-image processing apparatus, such as a computer, or the like, cannot determine whether or not color-image data stored in an image storage device, such as a hard disk, or the like, is an image corresponding to a specific original. According to the present invention, a color-image processing apparatus includes a determination unit for comparing color-image data stored in an image storage device with a pattern stored in a pattern storage device. The color-image data stored in the image storage device is read with a predetermined timing, and determination by the determination unit is performed. The color-image processing apparatus is a computer, and the image storage device is a hard disk.

Abstract: When an image read start command is received from a PC, an image reading unit first sequentially reads an image of an original. An output signal of the image reading unit is processed by an analog signal processing circuit, an A/D converter, and an image processing circuit and is supplied to a transfer control circuit. When an instruction from the PC indicates a direct transfer mode, the transfer control circuit outputs the image data from the image processing circuit as it is to an interface. When the instruction from the PC indicates a temporary storage mode, the transfer control unit temporarily stores the image data into a storage medium of an auxiliary storage device. When there is a reading request from the PC, the transfer control circuit reads out the image data which is stored into the auxiliary storage device and transfers it to the PC through the interface.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a printer capable of efficiently processing print data corresponding to a plurality of images in the main scanning direction, as in the case of an index print, with a limited memory capacity, thereby improving the throughput, and an image data processing method for executing the operations of the printer. An image data processing section accesses original image data including partial images of a plurality of images printed through one main scanning, and generates bit image data by executing predetermined image processing. An image data control section temporarily stores the image data in a primary buffer, and when necessary, reads out a part thereof from the primary buffer band by band, copies the read data to a band (secondary) buffer, and sends the data to a print processing section.

Abstract: A color management architecture includes multiple color transform modules chainable together by a framework, with each color transform module having access to color profiles which provide data necessary to convert color data in accordance with algorithmic functionality in the transform modules. The color profiles are stored in accordance with a pre-designated format, such as a standardized format that is neither vendor specific nor platform specific. Each color transform module further includes the functionality to read to and write from a phantom profile. The phantom profile is also organized in the same pre-designated format, and thus serves as a primary conduit for data transfer between chained ones of the color transform modules.

Abstract: A page to be printed is organized into a plurality of strips. To rendered the page using a tandem printer, each strip is rendered a plurality of times, once for each print engine of the tandem printer. Each time the selected strip is rendered for a different one of the print engines, the rendered image data for that print engine is stored into a separate memory area, such as a buffer, associated with that print engine Once a selected strip is rendered and the rendered image data stored into the associated memory areas, the rendered image data is used by the appropriate print engines to form image portions on a receiving sheet corresponding to the rendered image data. At the same time, a next strip is selected and repeatedly rendered for each of the print engines.

Abstract: A method of the present invention first stores color image data for an area corresponding to a height of entire nozzles in the sub scanning direction that are used during color printing into a line selection process buffer BF12. Then, the method selects color image data for printing-subject lines subject to recording of ink dots during a single main scan from the buffer BF12. In addition, the method performs on the color image data the color conversion process and the dither process in the printing resolution to create dot data representing recording states of ink dots in print pixels on the printing-subject lines, and then stores the dot data into a buffer BF14.

Abstract: A system and methods introduce loss directly on display list commands. Various methods are described for introducing loss directly on display list color commands and on display list vector commands. Advantages of the disclosed system and methods include significant savings in printer memory with only subtle loss being introduced to printed images.

Abstract: A digital multifunction device is provided with a RAM having a virtual drive area. A persona computer is connected to the digital multifunction device and is capable of communicating therewith via USB interface. The digital multifunction device enables a personal computer to recognize this virtual drive area as an external storage device, and the personal computer can access to the virtual drive area. Upon receipt of facsimile data, the digital multifunction device converts one page worth data to image data of PDF or TIFF format each time the one page worth data is received. After full page worth data have been received and the converted PDT or TIFF image data are put together in a single data file, the data file is written to the virtual drive area.

Abstract: Image data for a page having an amount of data exceeding the capacity of a printer memory is suitably output. A comparison is made among areas of buffer management blocks (TIME) in four data queues in which cyan, magenta, yellow, and black image data commands are stored. Then, the image data command having the earliest time is selected and is transferred to a printer. As a result, the image data is transferred in the order in which it is to be output in the printer.

Abstract: In the case in which an image processing mode is a high-speed copy mode in which follow-up control is possible, setting is made to perform “follow-up control” for setting a mode for not compressing an image or a fixed length compression mode for an image read by a scanner, storing an inputted image in a memory in accordance with the setting, and outputting the image stored in the memory to a printer during scanning. Consequently, image input/output processing from input and storage of an image in the memory until output of the stored image can be performed at high speed.

Abstract: An image data processing system comprising;

Abstract: In an image forming circuit, a color image forming apparatus using it, and an image forming method according to this invention, the number of LUTs or RAMs which require different settings for four colors is decreased to two from four in the prior art. By alternately using the two LUTs or RAMs, the capacity, power consumption, and cost can be reduced while required performance such as the processing speed is maintained.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a private port selected from a group composed of a plurality of user's private ports assigned to a plurality of users, individually, and two or more function-only ports, a reception buffer which temporarily saves a print job received through the private port, and a setting/save section which is provided corresponding to the private port and saves set data on the printing system.

Abstract: To provide an image processing technique compatible with both a CCD and a CIS, which controls storage of image data read by each device in a memory and the read of the stored data for each rectangular area to obtain a high memory efficiency, an image processing apparatus includes an input section which executes input processing of image data read by an image reading device in accordance with the data output format of the device, an output data control section which distributes the image data that has undergone the input processing by the input section in accordance with the output format of the image reading device, an address generation section which generates address information corresponding to the output format to store the distributed image data in a memory, and a memory control section which DMA-transfers the distributed image data to the memory and stores the image data on the basis of the generated address information.

Abstract: An image scanning method, applied to a document, performs a preliminary scanning operation to distinguish the document into areas uniformly containing a same color level and scanned areas containing different color levels. An image scanning sequence is subsequently performed, during which an area of the document to be scanned is skipped if it has been determined as an area uniformly having a same color level. A color code value corresponding to the uniform color level of this area is consequently stored in a corresponding memory zone. The above image scanning sequence is executed until the scanning of the document is completed.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming an image, in which hardware resources for use in the forming of images are provided, and one or more processes run based on programs in respect of the forming of images. The apparatus includes an off-line unit which puts the one or more processes in a off-line state in which restriction is placed on the running of the one or more processes, a memory area releasing unit which releases one or more memory areas used by the one or more processes that are put in the off-line state, and a data laying-out unit which lays out data in the one or more memory areas released by the memory area releasing unit.

Abstract: An image transmitting device includes a scanner that scans an image of a document, a memory that stores scanned image data, a controller that connects to a communication medium and an extracting unit that extracts various pieces of information other than image data included in the stored image data. A converter converts the extracted various pieces of information into extracted image data and transmits the extracted image data along with the scanned image data as transmission image data.

Abstract: Image forming systems and image forming methods are provided. According to one aspect of the present invention, an image forming system comprises: a host computer including: a memory device configured to store original data; and an interface configured to receive edits of the original data providing edit data; and an image forming device including: an input coupled with the host computer and configured to receive the original data and the edit data; a processor configured to process the original data prior to the image forming device receiving the edit data, and to process the edit data after the processing the original data; and an image engine configured to form an image corresponding to the processed original data and the processed edit data.

Abstract: A method of removing memory of a scanning apparatus. The period of a shift signal is adjusted according to the speed of reading data from a scan line by a computer instead of using a memory buffer. Therefore, correct data transmission between the image extraction device and the computer can be achieved. As a result, the cost of the scanning apparatus is reduced.

Abstract: Storing of data items in a memory (31) is provided wherein the data items are divided into successive data pieces of decreasing significance, and the data pieces are stored in respective parts of the memory (31), and when applying a data piece to the memory (31) in case all candidate memory parts are assigned to other data pieces: if the significance of the applied data piece is lower than a lowest significance of the other data pieces, discarding the applied data piece; if the significance of the applied data piece is higher than the lowest significance, storing the applied data piece in one of the candidate memory parts at expense of a given other data piece which has a lower significance than the significance of the applied data piece. Advantageous use of the invention is made in applications using a device of fixed storage capacity for storing compressible data, such as video, images, audio, speech.

Abstract: Image data is processed appropriately even when there is a problem with a storage component of an image scanning apparatus. The image scanning apparatus acquires image data and stores it in local storage memory, and sends a storage result report to a terminal computer. Based on this storage result report the terminal computer determines the image data processing method. The image scanning apparatus then processes the image data according to the method determined by the terminal computer.

Abstract: A server of a facsimile information managing system receives facsimile image information, stores it, generates index information, which refers to its storage location, transmits it, accepts a request for specifying the storage location, and transmits facsimile image information stored in the specified storage location, a relay relays index information, the request for specifying the storage location of the facsimile image and facsimile image information, a client accepts an input for selecting the storage location of facsimile image information from the index information, transmits the request for specifying the selected storage location to the server, receives facsimile image information transmitted by the server, and displays it. An HTML format is used in index information, a GIF format is used in facsimile image information, and a WWW browser is used in processing of client.

Abstract: A color image processing device includes n line sensors which are arranged with a prescribed interval L between one another, an image signal output unit which outputs image signals under a prescribed cycle from the line sensors and a line memory which stores the image signals for a plurality of lines and outputs the image signals with a delay. A control unit is provided for controlling to input one of the image signals of a certain cycle into the line memory, and to output an image signal from the line memory by delaying a certain number of lines, in accordance with a prescribed rate of magnification N.

Abstract: An information sharing system capable of transferring determined data between a plurality of image forming apparatuses each other extremely efficiently and accurately, and an image forming apparatus for the information sharing system. The image forming apparatus has: a storage for storing determined data for controlling image formation; a determined data providing section for performing a processing concerning a predetermined request; a determined data obtaining section for making the predetermined request; and a controller for controlling the determined data providing section and the determined data obtaining section.

Abstract: A portable, free-standing universal scanner driving device includes a central processing unit, a memory, a slot for receiving an external storage medium, an I/O port, means for writing data on the external storage medium, a case, and one and only one push-button, touch pad, or touch screen for initiating an external optical document scanner to scan a document placed in the scanner and then directly write scanned electronic data into the external storage medium by touching thereon. The push-button, touch pad, or a touch screen is integrally formed on the case.

Abstract: A document reading device is provided with a reading unit for reading a document and generating image data corresponding to an image formed on the document. The image data is stored in an external memory that is detachably attached to a slot of the device. The operation for storing the image data to the external memory is interrupted if the external memory is removed from the slot after the document reading is started. Thereafter, when the external memory is reattached to the document reading device, the image storing operation is restarted.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for providing extra bits for post image processing, thereby to increase the image bit depth and compensate the loss of image accuracy. The present invention operates on multiple least insignificant bits of the post-pixel memory device and the pre-pixel memory device to generate compensation bits. The compensation bits can be appended to the rightmost bit positions of the current pixel. With the compensation bits, the image bit depth can be increased. Consequently, the image will be processed more accurately after post processing. Moreover, since the extended bitstream preserves the complete bits of the original pixel, therefore the accuracy of the original image will not be affected by the compensation bits.

Abstract: A facsimile apparatus includes an image data communication unit that transmits and receives image data, an accumulation unit that accumulates transmitted and received image data, and a transmission unit that transmits the image data accumulated in the accumulation unit to an e-mail address for archiving. A controller determines whether a predetermined execution time is coming and transmits the image data accumulated in the accumulation unit to the transmission unit.

Abstract: When image data read by a scanner apparatus is to be transferred to and displayed by a simplified portable terminal, the capability such as the size or color depth of an image display area may be lower than that of the scanned image data. If this is the case, the terminal transfers its capability to the scanner apparatus, and the scanner apparatus converts the scanned image data into image data matching the capability of the terminal. The obtained image data is transmitted to and displayed by the terminal. This obviates the need for a user to set complicated parameters on the scanner apparatus. This can also reduce the load of image processing performed by the terminal on image data transmitted from the scanner apparatus.

Abstract: Documents to be transmitted, not-yet-transmitted documents and information about addressees of not-yet-transmitted documents are stored in a storage device. When a call was received, caller information from a network is also acquired by a caller information acquiring portion. The caller information is compared with addressee information for respective not-yet-transmitted documents. If the addressee information is matched to the caller information, the not-yet-transmitted document is retransmitted automatically to the address specified by the caller information.

Abstract: For blending two color transformation look-up tables, the weights used for combining the tables are designed such that transitions from one look-up table to another are smooth and do not create objectionable artifacts. Building the individual weights includes obtaining the position of a given input point from the input color space, both in the input device and an output device gamut. Weight calculation is obtained by (1) if the input color falls in the intersection of predefined percentages of both the input gamut and the output gamut, then a pictorial LUT is used and the weight is set to 1.0; (2) if the input color falls outside the input and/or output gamut, then a graphics LUT is used and the weight is set to 1.

Abstract: A device and method of scanning a job on a document-processing device when a print path is not available. The method includes initiating a job and determining that a printer job channel is not available. The method further includes scanning the job and spooling the job to a mass storage device. The method also includes storing the job in the mass storage device until the printer job channel becomes available.

Abstract: A digital copying machine comprising an image scanner part for reading an original image to reproduce image data of the original image, a laser printer part for printing an image according to given image data, a removable memory card, and a reader/writer of the memory card is provided. For offline print, the image data of a document prepared in an external computer and output control data are stored into the memory card. By installing this memory card in the digital copying machine, the digital copying machine prints the image data read out from the memory card offline in a desired output form. For offline image input, read control data obtained by using an image scanner such as a read gradation level, a read size, density, and the degree of edge enhancement is stored in the removable memory card using software executed in an external computer.

Abstract: An inexpensive image reading apparatus which does not need a delay buffer and which permits image inputting with an image sensor array with reduced color dislocation on character edge etc. Color images are inputted in this process: Line reading circuit 102 reads three color data simultaneously. On the basis of the top and end points of a line of green data obtained by encoders and scanned position detection circuit, offset size deriving circuit 107 works out the top and end scanned positions for the data on the other colors, that is, red and blue. From the top to the end scanned positions for the respective colors, the mapping coordinates deriving circuit 108 works out the coordinates of the picture elements for the read color data. Mapping circuit 109 maps the respective color data on the image memory 110 at the positions corresponding to the coordinates obtained by the mapping coordinates deriving circuit 108.

Abstract: A data communications apparatus comprises a memory and a system controller including a data transfer unit and a determination unit. The data transfer unit receives data from a source terminal, stores the received data in the memory, and transfers the stored data to a destination terminal. The determination unit determines whether data transfer to the destination terminal has been successfully carried out. The data transfer unit further tries to retransmit the data up to a predetermined number of times if the data transfer has been unsuccessful. The memory retains the data for a predetermined period of time if the predetermined number of retransmissions was unsuccessful.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus, method and computer program for processing documents using color marking. The apparatus includes a color scanner, a memory and a processor. The color scanner creates an image of each document. The memory stores one or more document processing instructions associated with the presence or absence of one or more color swatches within the image. The processor is coupled to the color scanner and the memory. In addition, the processor controls the color scanner, determining whether one or more color swatches are present or absent in the image and executing the document processing instructions associated with the presence or absence of the one or more color swatches.

Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for rendering a halftone image on a medium. The original continuous tone image is divided into a plurality of pixels and each pixel is representative of an area of the original image. Each pixel may comprise a plurality of dots and a level represents the number of dots to be placed within the pixel. Level also refers to an amount of ink which is placed on a medium. Each level is represented as a dot placement and potential dot placements are stored in a data structure. The data structure is large enough to hold the potential levels of one or more pixels. Thus, more than one pixel can be processed and rendered at the same time. The data structure is referenced by the levels of the pixel to be printed and the dot placement stored at the referenced level is output to the output device.

Abstract: An application 11, a printer driver 12, and a Graphical Device Interface 13 cooperate to prepare Enhanced Meta Files for each print job. The Enhanced Meta Files do not depend on the type of device. The Enhanced Meta Files are then stored as a spool file 18. The page separation unit 22 recognizes the print job of the spool file 18, and separates the Enhanced Meta Files for the respective pages from one another. The job preparation unit 27 prepares a new print job by processing the separated Enhanced Meta Files based on commands for processing the separated Enhanced Meta Files. According to these operations, a new print job comprised of the processed Enhanced Meta Files does not depend on the device. The personal computer can thus control special types of printing using simple processes.

Abstract: In the printing apparatus according to the present invention, the central processing section determines as to whether an empty area required for loading of image data is available in a swap page used as a swap area of a real page or not, and directly loads the image data on the swap page and compresses the image data when an empty area is available in a memory of the swap page. On the other hand, when an empty area is not available, the central processing section loads the image data in a real page via a virtual frame buffer and transfers the image data to the swap page for compression thereof.

Abstract: When the image processing device is a digital multifunction device, at which are provided a facsimile device application, a printer application, and the like in addition to a copier application, or when there are problems with the network environment, image data and bibliography information, which are stored in a mass storage device, are selectively transferred to an external device in accordance with the respective applications and the network environment.

Abstract: In order to realize to improve safety performance of a filing system by satisfying the minimum requirement of protecting the filing system even if a shooting operation is performed in any condition, management information of a file for a shot image is to be priorly written in a storage medium, and the management information of the filing system is to be updated immediately after performing the shooting operation even if the shooting operation is performed in any condition. Accordingly, even if an unexpected accident such as detaching of a storage medium or extraction of a power supply unit by a user is happened, since the minimum requirement of protecting the filing system is satisfied, it is possible to prevent a state that image data which was already shot can not be accessed.

Abstract: In a virtual gamut-obtaining step, lightness, saturation, and/or hue angle of the second gamut is converted and an expanded virtual gamut including at least all of the lightness values of the first gamut is obtained. In a color data changing step, for color data which is not included in the virtual gamut in color data of the first gamut, lightness, saturation, and hue angle are changed, thereby obtaining third color data included in the virtual gamut. In a color data forming step, a conversion opposite to the conversion performed to the second gamut in the virtual gamut obtaining step is executed to the third color data, thereby forming second color data.

Abstract: A color printer driver binarizes continuous tone color print data stored in raster form and stores the binarized data directly into column form, without the intermediary of storage in horizontal raster form, for printout by a print engine having vertically-arranged print elements.

Abstract: The invention described herein uses minimization techniques to find a good single-channel transformation that preserves the accuracy of critical colors. The invention takes as inputs a set of critical colors and from these colors determines a set of constraints on the output device and simulated device colorants that is used for the minimization. The constraints are selected to allow the minimization step to determine a consistent single-channel transformation. Then, the color characteristics of a simulated and an output printer are used to find a transformation that minimizes color distance, given the constraints. The invention takes into account certain critical colors during the generation of the single-channel transformation. The invention consists first selecting a set of colorant values in the simulated device color space that are critical to render accurately.

Abstract: An image processor includes a first write device which serially inputs each of plural kinds of color component data for each pixel, and writes each color component data into a first line buffer for each line. A second write device reads in a unit of a line for each color component data written in the first line buffer, and writes each color component data corresponding to the plural lines into a second line buffer having a storage capacity which is larger than that of the first line buffer. A conversion device performs longitudinal-to-lateral conversion by using each color component data corresponding to the plural lines written in the second buffer. An output device serially outputs a visible image representing each color component data corresponding to the plural lines converted by the conversion device.

Abstract: A print controller includes a band memory which stores data to be output on a predetermined basis from a printer engine, and a decompressor which decompresses compressed font data to bit map font data. Also included is a discrimination which discriminates whether or not the decompressed bit map font data is developed across a plurality of bands which are set in the band memory. Lastly included is a cache memory which caches the decompressed bit map font data in the case where the discrimination discriminates that the decompressed bit map font data is developed across the plurality of bands.

Abstract: An apparatus for converting an input image in an input color space to an output image in an output color space. The apparatus has a cache memory for storing from external memory, sparsely located output color values corresponding to input pixels closest to the current input pixel of an image stream, if not already present in the cache memory. The apparatus also has retrieval means for retrieving, from said cache memory, the sparsely located output color values corresponding to the current input pixel of the stream. The retrieved output color values are interpolated by interpolation means to derive an output color value in said output color space.

Abstract: An image processing device of the present invention includes a storage for storing image data and a printer for printing images on a plurality of copies of sheets in accordance with the image data. The printer produces a single copy of printings at a time on the basis of a plurality of pages of image data stored in the storage. When a plurality of copies of printings are desired, and if a copy proof mode is selected, the operation of the printer is interrupted before the printer produces the second copy of printings. The operation of the printing section is resumed in response to a print restart command. The image processing device therefore allows the operator desiring a plurality of copies of printings to proof a printed image before the image is printed on the second sheet.