Image processing device

Claim 2

An image processing device comprising: input means for entering an image signal representing a density level of an image; memory means storing data for binary or multi-level encoding for each density level of the image, the data stored in said memory means being fixed-threshold-value processed data or halftone processed data; and means for addressing said memory means using the image signal entered by said input means as address data for said memory means, wherein said memory means is adapted to release the binary or multi-level encoded data corresponding to the density level of the image, by addressing said memory means by means of said addressing means, and wherein said memory means stores plural sets of data for binary or multi-level encoding corresponding to each density level of the image.

Claim 3

An image processing device according to claim 1, wherein said memory means is adapted to have contents thereof rewritten, so than the data stored therein can be replaced with other data.

Claim 4

An image processing device according to claim 2, wherein said memory means stores plural sets of data for binary or multi-level encoding corresponding to each density level of the image.

Claim 5

An image processing device according to claim 1, wherein said input means comprises reader means for reading an original image and generating an image signal representing the density level of the image.

Claim 6

An image processing device according to claim 1, wherein said input means is adapted to generate a digital signal of plural bits representing the density level of the image.

Claim 7

An image processing device comprising: input means for entering an image signal representing a density level of an image; memory means for storing plural sets of data for binary or multi-level encoding corresponding to each density level of the image, the data stored in said memory means being fixed-threshold-value processed data or halftone processed data; selector means for selecting a process mode for the image signal; means for addressing said memory means using the image signal entered by said input means as address data for said memory means, wherein said memory means is adapted to selectively release binary or multi-level encoded data corresponding to the density level of the image, through addressing by means of said addressing means and by a selecting signal from said selector means, in a mode selected by said selector means.

Claim 8

An image processing device comprising: input means for entering an image signal representing a density level of an image; memory means for storing plural sets of data for binary or multi-level encoding corresponding to each density level of the image, the data stored in said memory means being fixed-threshold-value processed data or halftone processed data; selector means for selecting a process mode for the image signal; means for addressing said memory means using the image signal entered by said input means as address data for said memory means, wherein said memory means is adapted to selectively release binary or multi-level encoded data corresponding to the density level of the image, through addressing by means of said addressing means and by a selecting signal from said selector means, in a mode selected by said selector means.

Claim 9

An image processing device according to claim 6, wherein said selector means is adapted to set the density of the output image signal.

Claim 10

An image processing device according to claim 6, wherein said input means comprises reader means for reading an original image and generating an image signal representing the density level of the image.

Claim 11

An image processing device according to claim 6, wherein said input means is adapted to generate a digital signal of plural bits representing the density level of the image.

Claim 12

An image processing device comprising: input means for entering an image signal representing a density level of an image; memory means for storing plural sets of data for binary or multi-level encoding for each density level of the image, the data stored in said memory means being fixed-threshold-value processed data or halftone processed data; and means for addressing said memory means using the image signal entered by said input means as address data for said memory means, wherein said memory means is adapted to release plural binary or multi-level encoded data corresponding to a density level of the image, in response to addressing by said addressing means.

Claim 13

An image processing device comprising: input means for entering an image signal representing a density level of an image; memory means for storing plural sets of data for binary or multi-level encoding for each density level of the image, the data stored in said memory means being fixed-threshold-value processed data or halftone processed data; and means for addressing said memory means using the image signal entered by said input means as address data for said memory means, wherein said memory means is adapted to release plural binary or multi-level encoded data corresponding to a density level of the image, in response to addressing by said addressing means.

Claim 14

An image processing device according to claim 10, further comprising selector means for selecting one of plural data released from said memory means.

Claim 15

An image processing device according to claim 10, wherein said memory means is adapted to simultaneously release plural binary or multi-level encoded data.

Claim 16

An image processing device according to claim 10, wherein said input means comprises reader means for reading an original image and generating an image signal representing the density level of the image.

Claim 17

An image processing device according to claim 10, wherein said input means is adapted to generate a digital signal of plural bits representing the density level of the image.

Claim 18

An image processing device according to claim 10 wherein the data stored in said memory means is fixed-threshold-value processed data or halftone processed data.

Claim 19

An image processing device comprising: input means for entering an image signal representing a density level of an image; memory means for storing plural sets of data for binary or multi-level encoding for each density level of the image, in which at least one of said plural sets is the data for continuous tone reproduction; and means for addressing said memory means using the image signal entered by said input means as address data for said memory means, wherein said memory means is adapted to release plural binary or multi-level encoded data, containing at least halftone processed data, in response to addressing by means of said addressing means.

Claim 20

An image processing device comprising: input means for entering an image signal representing a density level of an image; memory means for storing plural sets of data for binary or multi-level encoding for each density level of the image, in which at least one of said plural sets is the data for continuous tone reproduction; and means for addressing said memory means using the image signal entered by said input means as address data for said memory means, wherein said memory means is adapted to release plural binary or multi-level encoded data, containing at least halftone processed data, in response to addressing by means of said addressing means.

Claim 21

An image processing device according to claim 16, further comprising selector means for selecting one of plural data released from said memory means.

Claim 22

An image processing device according to claim 16, wherein said input means comprises reader means for reading an original image and generating an image signal representing the density level of the image.

Claim 23

An image processing device according to claim 16, wherein said input means is adapted to generate a digital signal of plural bits representing the density level of the image.

Claim 24

An image processing device comprising: input means for entering an image signal representing a density level of an image; converting means for converting a characteristic of the image signal supplied from said input means; memory means for storing data for binary or multi-level encoding for each density level of the image signal, the data stored in said memory means being fixed-threshold-level processed data or halftone processed data; and means for addressing said memory means using the digital image signal entered by said input means and converted by said converting means as address data for said memory means, wherein said memory means is adapted to release binary or multi-level encoded data corresponding to the density level of the image, in response to addressing by the digital image signal of which the characteristic has been converted by said converting means, thereby performing encoding.

Claim 25

An image processing device comprising: input means for entering an image signal representing a density level of an image; converting means for converting a characteristic of the image signal supplied from said input means; memory means for storing data for binary or multi-level encoding for each density level of the image signal, the data stored in said memory means being fixed-threshold-level processed data or halftone processed data; and means for addressing said memory means using the digital image signal entered by said input means and converted by said converting means as address data for said memory means, wherein said memory means is adapted to release binary or multi-level encoded data corresponding to the density level of the image, in response to addressing by the digital image signal of which the characteristic has been converted by said converting means, thereby performing encoding.

Claim 26

An image processing device according to claim 20, wherein said converting means is capable of plural characteristic converting operations.

Claim 27

An image processing device according to claim 20, wherein said input means comprises reader means for reading an original image and generating an image signal representing the density level of the image.

Claim 28

An image processing device according to claim 20, wherein said input means is adapted to generate a digital signal of plural bits representing the density level of the image.

Claim 29

An image processing device comprising: input means for entering an image signal representing a density level of an image; counter means for counting a synchronization signal synchronized with the image signal entered from said input means; memory means for storing data for binary or multi-level encoding for each density level of the image, the data stored in said memory means being halftone processed data; and means for directly addressing said memory means based on the count of said counter means and the image signal entered by said input means as address data for said memory means, wherein said memory means is adapted to release binary or multi-level encoded data in response to addressing by said addressing means.

Claim 30

An image processing device comprising: input means for entering an image signal representing a density level of an image; counter means for counting a synchronization signal synchronized with the image signal entered from said input means; memory means for storing data for binary or multi-level encoding for each density level of the image, the data stored in said memory means being halftone processed data; and means for directly addressing said memory means based on the count of said counter means and the image signal entered by said input means as address data for said memory means, wherein said memory means is adapted to release binary or multi-level encoded data in response to addressing by said addressing means.

Claim 31

An image processing device according to claim 24, wherein said memory means stores plural sets of data for binary or multi-level encoding for continuous tone reproduction.

Claim 32

An image processing device according to claim 24, wherein said input means comprises reader means for reading an original image and generating an image signal representing the density level of the image.

Claim 33

An image processing device according to claim 24, wherein said input means is adapted to generate a digital signal of plural bits representing the density level of the image.

Claim 34

An image processing device comprising: input means for entering an image signal representing a density level of an image; memory means for storing plural sets of data for binary or multi-level encoding corresponding to each density level of the image, the data stored in said memory means being halftone processed data; selector means for selecting a mode of continuous tone reproduction for the image signal; and means for addressing said memory means using the image signal input by said input means and a selector signal from said selector means as address data for said memory means, wherein said memory means is adapted to selectively release binary or multi-level encoded data for continuous tone reproduction corresponding to the density level of the image, in response to addressing by said addressing means, according to a mode selected by said selector means.

Claim 35

An image processing device comprising: input means for entering an image signal representing a density level of an image; memory means for storing plural sets of data for binary or multi-level encoding corresponding to each density level of the image, the data stored in said memory means being halftone processed data; selector means for selecting a mode of continuous tone reproduction for the image signal; and means for addressing said memory means using the image signal input by said input means and a selector signal from said selector means as address data for said memory means, wherein said memory means is adapted to selectively release binary or multi-level encoded data for continuous tone reproduction corresponding to the density level of the image, in response to addressing by said addressing means, according to a mode selected by said selector means.

Claim 36

An image processing device according to claim 28, wherein said selector means is adapted to set the density of the output image signal.

Claim 37

An image processing device according to claim 28, wherein said input means comprises reader means for reading an original image and generating an image signal representing the density level of the image.

Claim 38

An image processing device according to claim 28, wherein said input means is adapted to generate a digital signal of plural bits representing the density level of the image.

Claim 39

An image processing device comprising: input means for entering an image signal representing a density level of an image; memory means for storing plural sets of data for binary or multi-level encoding for continuous tone reproduction corresponding to each density level of the image, the data stored in said memory means being halftone processed data; and means for addressing said memory means using the image signal entered by said input means as address data for said memory means, wherein said memory means is adapted to release the binary or multi-level encoded data corresponding to the density level of the image, by addressing said memory means by means of said addressing means.

Claim 40

An image processing device comprising: input means for entering an image signal representing a density level of an image; memory means for storing plural sets of data for binary or multi-level encoding for continuous tone reproduction corresponding to each density level of the image, the data stored in said memory means being halftone processed data; and means for addressing said memory means using the image signal entered by said input means as address data for said memory means, wherein said memory means is adapted to release the binary or multi-level encoded data corresponding to the density level of the image, by addressing said memory means by means of said addressing means.

Claim 41

An image processing device according to claim 32, wherein said memory means is adapted to release plural binary or multi-level encoded data corresponding to the density level of the image, and said image processing device comprises selector means for selecting one of plural data released from said memory means.

Claim 42

An image processing device according to claim 32, wherein said input means comprises reader means for reading an original image and generating an image signal representing the density level of the image.

Claim 43

An image processing device according to claim 32, wherein said input means is adapted to generate a digital signal of plural bits representing the density level of the image.

Claim 44

An image processing device comprising: input means for entering an image signal representing a density level of an image; detector means for detecting the status of the image signal entered from said input means; memory means for storing data for binary or multi-level encoding corresponding to each density level of the image, the data stored in said memory means being threshold-value processed data; and means for addressing said memory means using the image signal entered by said input means as address data for said memory means, wherein said memory means is adapted to selectively release binary or multi-level encoded data corresponding to the detection of status by said detector means, in response to addressing by said addressing means.

Claim 45

An image processing device comprising: input means for entering an image signal representing a density level of an image; detector means for detecting the status of the image signal entered from said input means; memory means for storing data for binary or multi-level encoding corresponding to each density level of the image, the data stored in said memory means being threshold-value processed data; and means for addressing said memory means using the image signal entered by said input means as address data for said memory means, wherein said memory means is adapted to selectively release binary or multi-level encoded data corresponding to the detection of status by said detector means, in response to addressing by said addressing means.

Claim 46

An image processing device according to claim 36, wherein said detector means is adapted to detect the peak value of the image signal.

Claim 47

An image processing device according to claim 36, wherein said input means comprises reader means for reading an original image and generating an image signal representing the density level of the image.

Claim 48

An image processing device according to claim 36, wherein said input means is adapted to generate a digital signal of plural bits representing the density level of the image.

Claim 49

An image processing device according to claim 36 wherein said memory means stores plural sets of data for binary or multi-level encoding corresponding to each density level of the image.