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EP0695079A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Image processing method and apparatus

Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1995-07-28
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2015-07-28
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Abstract

Abstract This invention has as an object to perform smooth black color processing of a character, line, and the like and to prevent deterioration of image quality. A character-thickness judgment unit (114) in a black character judgment unit (113) judges the thickness of a character/line image portion in an image on the basis of R, G, and B signals representing an image supplied from a host computer. An edge detection unit (115) obtains edge information of a character/line image, and a saturation judgment unit (116) obtains saturation information thereof. When image processing is performed by combining the edge information and the saturation information, the thickness judgment signal is corrected, so that the thickness of the character or line changes continuously. A UCR unit (1065) is arranged to perform black color processing in accordance with the substrate.

Inventors

  • 👤 Yoshiki C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Uchida
  • 👤 Shinobu C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Arimoto
  • 👤 Yushi C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Matsukubo

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 10:37
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/46; H04N1/56; H04N1/60; H04N1/6016; H04N1/6022; H04N1/58

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim 70 words
An image processing apparatus comprising: first input means for inputting a first set of plural color component signals; second input means for inputting a second set of plural color component signals; judging means for judging a line image portion having a specific color of an image represented by said first or second set of plural color component signals; and setting means for setting a judging standard for said judging means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 32 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising processing means for processing said first or second set of plural color component signals in accordance with the judgment result of said judging means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 36 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said processing means processes said first or second set of plural color component signals, such that the line image portion having a specific color is reproduced with high resolution.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 25 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said processing means performs at least one of spatial filter processing, under color removal processing, and halftone processing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 46 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said setting means sets a first judging standard corresponding to said first set of plural color component signals and a second judging standard, different from the first judging standard, corresponding to said second set of plural color component signals.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 29 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said judging means comprises extracting means for extracting a black component from said first or second set of plural color component signals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 29 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said judging means comprises edge detecting means for detecting an edge from said first or second set of plural color component signals.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 29 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said judging means comprises saturation judging means for judging a saturation from said first or second set of plural color component signals.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 33 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said judging means comprises thickness judging means for judging a thickness of a line image from said first or second set of plural color component signals.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 37 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first set of plural color component signals are input from an image scanning device, and said second set of plural color component signals are input from a host computer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 22 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first and second sets of plural color component signals are mixed in one frame.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 17 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said setting means can be controlled by an external device.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 28 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said judging means comprises circuit means arranged common to both of said first and second sets of plural color component signals.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 67 words
An image processing apparatus comprising: receiving means for receiving information from an external device; processing means for processing the information and generating image data for each pixel; transmitting means for outputting the image data to an image forming apparatus; and generating means for generating a judging standard which is used by said image forming apparatus for judging a characteristic of an image represented by the image data.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 27 words
An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said characteristic of an image represents whether or not the image has a line image portion of a predetermined color.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 14 words
An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said external device comprises a host computer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 31 words
An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said image forming apparatus comprises process means for processing the image data in accordance with judgment of a line image of a predetermined color.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 61 words
An image processing method for controlling, by an external apparatus, an image forming apparatus which detects a line image of a specific color on the basis of a predetermined parameter and performs processing for the line image under a predetermined processing condition, wherein the parameter or the processing condition in said image forming apparatus can be set by said external apparatus.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 46 words
An image processing method for controlling, by an external apparatus, an image forming apparatus which performs predetermined under color removal processing for an input image, wherein a parameter of the under color removal processing in said image forming apparatus can be set by said external apparatus.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 25 words
Apparatus for processing color image signals comprising means for varying the thickness of characters or lines in accordance with selected parameters of the image signals.

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