Colour image processing method and apparatus

Claim 2

A color image processing method comprising the steps of: inputting a color image signal; extracting a particular color of three color image signal components from the input color image signal; converting the particular color to another designated color; designating the particular color and the designated color; and forming a color image on the basis of the converted color image signal.

Claim 3

A method of Claim 1, further including the step of: selecting between outputting a color image signal indicative of the designated color and outputting a signal corresponding to the input color image signal.

Claim 4

A method of Claim 2, further including the step of: correcting the color of the input color image signal.

Claim 5

A color image signal processing method comprising the steps of: inputting a color image signal including a plurality of color component signals; extracting a particular color from the input color image signal; converting the particular color to another designated color including a plurality of color image signal components; designating the particular color and designated color; and forming a color image on the basis of the color image signal converted by the converting step.

Claim 6

A color image signal processing method comprising the steps of: inputting a color image signal including a plurality of color component signals; extracting a particular color from the input color image signal; converting the particular color to another designated color including a plurality of color image signal components; designating the particular color and designated color; and forming a color image on the basis of the color image signal converted by the converting step.

Claim 7

A method of Claim 4, further including the step of: selecting between outputting a color image signal indicative of the designated color and outputting a signal corresponding to the input color image signal.

Claim 8

A method of Claim 5, further including the step of: correcting the color of the input color image signal.

Claim 9

A color image processing apparatus comprising: input means for providing a color image signal corresponding to an original image; memory means for storing the values of the input color image signal including a plurality of color component signals corresponding to a predetermined portion of the original image; means for determining a coincidence between the values of the color image signal stored in the memory means and values of the input color image signal from the input means; means for designating a color to be substituted for the input color image signal in the memory means; means for selectively outputting the input color image signal from the input means or the color image signal from the memory means in accordance with the output from the determining means; and means for forming a color image of a plurality of colors in accordance with the output from the outputting means.

Claim 10

A color image processing apparatus comprising: input means for providing a color image signal corresponding to an original image; memory means for storing the values of the input color image signal including a plurality of color component signals corresponding to a predetermined portion of the original image; means for determining a coincidence between the values of the color image signal stored in the memory means and values of the input color image signal from the input means; means for designating a color to be substituted for the input color image signal in the memory means; means for selectively outputting the input color image signal from the input means or the color image signal from the memory means in accordance with the output from the determining means; and means for forming a color image of a plurality of colors in accordance with the output from the outputting means.

Claim 11

An apparatus of Claim 7, wherein the input means reads an original document and outputs a color image signal of a plurality of color components.

Claim 12

An apparatus of Claim 7, wherein the input color image signal includes a plurality of n bits and wherein the determining performs the determination using a converted color image signal of bits fewer than n.

Claim 13

An apparatus of Claim 7, further including: means for correcting the color of the input color image signal.

Claim 14

A method of Claim 1, wherein the input color image signal includes a plurality of n bits, and wherein the extracting step includes extracting a particular color on the basis of a converted color image signal of bits fewer than n.

Claim 15

A method of Claim 4, wherein the input color image signal includes a plurality of n bits, and wherein the extracting step includes extracting a particular color on the basis of a converted color image signal of bits fewer than n.

Claim 16

A colour image processing method in which a colour to be changed and a new colour to which that colour is to be changed can be selected, and wherein an image signal representing a plurality of colour components is processed and the colour component values are changed to represent the new colour if the colour component values in combination substantially represent the colour to be changed.

Claim 17

A colour image processing method in which a colour to be changed and a new colour to which that colour is to be changed can be selected, and wherein an image signal representing a plurality of colour components is processed and the colour component values are changed to represent the new colour if the colour component values in combination substantially represent the colour to be changed.