Image processing apparatus and method

Claim 2

An image processing apparatus comprising: a) input means for inputting image data; b) first compression means for subjecting the image data by said input means to color image compression; c) second compression means for subjecting the image data input by said input means to black-and-white image compression; d) selection means for manually selecting between said first and second compression means regardless of whether the image data input by said input means represents a color image or a black-and-white image; and e) transmission means for transmitting compressed data from said first or second compression means selected by said selection means, wherein said input means comprises a plurality of photoelectric conversion means, each of which generates a different color component signal.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising, conversion means for converting the image data input by said input means into black-and-white image data.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising, memory means for storing the image data compressed by said first or second compression means.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transmission means transmits the image data compressed by said first or second compression means via a digital network.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes image forming means for forming an image on a medium.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said image forming means is a bubble-jet printer.

Claim 8

An image processing apparatus comprising: a) input means for inputting image data; b) first compression means for subjecting the image data input by said input means to color image compression; c) second compression means for subjecting the image data input by said input means to black-and-white image compression; d) selection means for manually selecting between said first and second compression means regardless of whether the image data input by said input means represents a color image or a black-and-white image; e) transmission means for transmitting compressed data from said first or second compression means selected by said selection means; and f) conversion means for converting the image data input by said input means into black-and-white image data.

Claim 9

An image processing apparatus comprising: a) input means for inputting image data; b) first compression means for subjecting the image data input by said input means to color image compression; c) second compression means for subjecting the image data input by said input means to black-and-white image compression; d) selection means for manually selecting between said first and second compression means regardless of whether the image data input by said input means represents a color image or a black-and-white image; e) transmission means for transmitting compressed data from said first or second compression means selected by said selection means; and f) conversion means for converting the image data input by said input means into black-and-white image data.

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising, memory means for storing the image data compressed by said first or second compression means.

Claim 11

An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said transmission means transmits the image data compressed by said first or second compression means via a digital network.

Claim 12

An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the apparatus includes image forming means for forming an image on a medium.

Claim 13

An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said image forming means is a bubble-jet printer.

Claim 14

An image processing apparatus comprising: a) input means for inputting image data; b) first compression means for subjecting the image data input by said input means to color image compression; c) second compression means for subjecting the image data input by said input means to black-and-white image compression; d) selection means for manually selecting between said first and second compression means regardless of whether the image data input by said input means represents a color image or a black-and-white image; e) transmission means for transmitting compressed data from said first or second compression means selected by said selection means; and f) memory means for storing the image data compressed by said first or second compression means.

Claim 15

An image processing apparatus comprising: a) input means for inputting image data; b) first compression means for subjecting the image data input by said input means to color image compression; c) second compression means for subjecting the image data input by said input means to black-and-white image compression; d) selection means for manually selecting between said first and second compression means regardless of whether the image data input by said input means represents a color image or a black-and-white image; e) transmission means for transmitting compressed data from said first or second compression means selected by said selection means; and f) memory means for storing the image data compressed by said first or second compression means.

Claim 16

An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said transmission means transmits the image data compressed by said first or second compression means via a digital network.

Claim 17

An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the apparatus includes image forming means for forming an image on a medium.

Claim 18

An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said image forming means is a bubble-jet printer.

Claim 19

An image processing apparatus comprising: a) input means for inputting image data; b) first compression means for subjecting the image data input by said input means to color image compression; c) second compression means for subjecting the image data input by said input means to black-and-white image compression; d) selection means for manually selecting between said first and second compression means regardless of whether the image data input by said input means represents a color image or a black-and-white image; and e) transmission means for transmitting compressed data from said first or second compression means selected by said selection means, wherein said transmission means transmits the image data compressed by said first or second compression means via a digital network.

Claim 20

An image processing apparatus comprising: a) input means for inputting image data; b) first compression means for subjecting the image data input by said input means to color image compression; c) second compression means for subjecting the image data input by said input means to black-and-white image compression; d) selection means for manually selecting between said first and second compression means regardless of whether the image data input by said input means represents a color image or a black-and-white image; and e) transmission means for transmitting compressed data from said first or second compression means selected by said selection means, wherein said transmission means transmits the image data compressed by said first or second compression means via a digital network.

Claim 21

An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the apparatus includes image forming means for forming an image on a medium.

Claim 22

An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said image forming means is a bubble-jet printer.

Claim 23

An image processing method comprising steps of: a) input step of inputting image data; b) first compression step of subjecting the image data input in said input step to color image compression; c) second compression step for subjecting the image data input in said input step to black-and-white image compression; d) selection step for manually selecting compressed image data compressed in said first or second compression step regardless of whether the image data input in said input step represents a color image or a black-and-white image; and e) transmission step for transmitting compressed data compressed in said first or second compression steps selected by said selection step, wherein in said input step, the image data is input by input means which comprises a plurality of photoelectric conversion means, each of which generates a different color component signal.

Claim 24

An image processing method comprising steps of: a) input step of inputting image data; b) first compression step of subjecting the image data input in said input step to color image compression; c) second compression step for subjecting the image data input in said input step to black-and-white image compression; d) selection step for manually selecting compressed image data compressed in said first or second compression step regardless of whether the image data input in said input step represents a color image or a black-and-white image; and e) transmission step for transmitting compressed data compressed in said first or second compression steps selected by said selection step, wherein in said input step, the image data is input by input means which comprises a plurality of photoelectric conversion means, each of which generates a different color component signal.

Claim 25

A method according to claim 19, further comprising, conversion step for converting the image data input by said input step into black-and-white image data.

Claim 26

An apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising, storing step of storing the image data compressed in said first or second compression step.

Claim 27

An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein in said transmission step, the image data compressed in said first or second compression step is transmitted via a digital network.

Claim 28

An image processing method comprising steps of: a) input step of inputting image data; b) first compression means of subjecting the image data input in said input step to color image compression; c) second compression step for subjecting the image data input in said input step to black-and-white image compression; d) selection step for manually selecting compressed image data compressed in said first or second compression step regardless of whether the image data input in said input step represents a color image or a black-and-white image; e) transmission step for transmitting compressed data compressed in said first or second compression steps selected by said selection step; and f) conversion step for converting the image data input by said input step into black-and-white image data.

Claim 29

An image processing method comprising steps of: a) input step of inputting image data; b) first compression means of subjecting the image data input in said input step to color image compression; c) second compression step for subjecting the image data input in said input step to black-and-white image compression; d) selection step for manually selecting compressed image data compressed in said first or second compression step regardless of whether the image data input in said input step represents a color image or a black-and-white image; e) transmission step for transmitting compressed data compressed in said first or second compression steps selected by said selection step; and f) conversion step for converting the image data input by said input step into black-and-white image data.

Claim 30

An apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising, storing step of storing the image data compressed in said first or second compression step.

Claim 31

An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein in said transmission step, the image data compressed in said first or second compression step is transmitted via a digital network.

Claim 32

An image processing method comprising steps of: a) input step of inputting image data; b) first compression step of subjecting the image data input in said input step to color image compression; c) second compression step for subjecting the image data input in said input step to black-and-white image compression; d) selection step for manually selecting compressed image data compressed in said first or second compression step regardless of whether the image data input in said input step represents a color image or a black-and-white image; e) transmission step for transmitting compressed data compressed in said first or second compression steps selected by said selection step; and f) storing step of storing the image data compressed in said first or second compression step.

Claim 33

An image processing method comprising steps of: a) input step of inputting image data; b) first compression step of subjecting the image data input in said input step to color image compression; c) second compression step for subjecting the image data input in said input step to black-and-white image compression; d) selection step for manually selecting compressed image data compressed in said first or second compression step regardless of whether the image data input in said input step represents a color image or a black-and-white image; e) transmission step for transmitting compressed data compressed in said first or second compression steps selected by said selection step; and f) storing step of storing the image data compressed in said first or second compression step.

Claim 34

An apparatus according to claim 26, wherein in said transmission step, the image data compressed in said first or second compression step is transmitted via a digital network.

Claim 35

An image processing method comprising steps of: a) input step of inputting image data; b) first compression step of subjecting the image data input in said input step to color image compression; c) second compression step for subjecting the image data input in said input step to black-and-white image compression; d) selection step for manually selecting compressed image data compressed in said first or second compression step regardless of whether the image data input in said input step represents a color image or a black-and-white image; and e) transmission step for transmitting compressed data compressed in said first or second compression steps selected by said selection step, wherein in said transmission step, the image data compressed in said first or second compression step is transmitted via a digital network.

Claim 36

An image processing method comprising steps of: a) input step of inputting image data; b) first compression step of subjecting the image data input in said input step to color image compression; c) second compression step for subjecting the image data input in said input step to black-and-white image compression; d) selection step for manually selecting compressed image data compressed in said first or second compression step regardless of whether the image data input in said input step represents a color image or a black-and-white image; and e) transmission step for transmitting compressed data compressed in said first or second compression steps selected by said selection step, wherein in said transmission step, the image data compressed in said first or second compression step is transmitted via a digital network.