Pattern image adding apparatus for adding a pattern to an end of a designated area

Claim 2

An image processing apparatus comprising: area designation means for designating a desired area on an original; mode setting means for setting a mode for superimposing, in the designated area of the original, a gradation image having a pattern size which varies periodically; pattern generation means for generating a dot pattern representing said gradation image; and control means for controlling said pattern generation means so as to superimpose said gradation image in the area designated by said area designation means when the mode is set, wherein said control means controls said pattern generation means so as to position a maximum size pattern or a minimum size pattern of said gradation image at an edge of the designated area in spite of a position of the area designated by said area designation means when the mode is set.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means is adapted to control said pattern generation means in such a manner that said gradation image is superimposed in a non-image area of said original.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: reading means for reading the image of the original; and superimposing means for superimposing the image of the original read by said reading means and the gradation image generated from said pattern generation means.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means is adapted to control said pattern generation means, when an area is not designated by said area designation means, in such a manner that the maximum size pattern or the minimum size pattern is positioned at a position corresponding to an edge of the original.

Claim 6

An image processing apparatus, comprising: generation means for generating a dot pattern representing a gradation image having periodical gradation; position designation means for designating a start position from which said gradation image generated by said generation means is superimposed on a desired image; and control means for controlling said generation means so as to superimpose said gradation image from the start position of the desired image designated by said position designation means, wherein said control means controls said generation means so that a start point of one cycle of a gradation of the gradation image generated by said generation means corresponds to the start position designated by said position designation means.

Claim 7

An image processing apparatus, comprising: generation means for generating a dot pattern representing a gradation image having periodical gradation; position designation means for designating a start position from which said gradation image generated by said generation means is superimposed on a desired image; and control means for controlling said generation means so as to superimpose said gradation image from the start position of the desired image designated by said position designation means, wherein said control means controls said generation means so that a start point of one cycle of a gradation of the gradation image generated by said generation means corresponds to the start position designated by said position designation means.

Claim 8

An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said position designation means is adapted to designate an end position of a range in which the gradation image is added.

Claim 9

An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said designation means is capable of designating plural desired positions, and said control means is adapted to control said generation means in such a manner that the dot pattern at the starting point of one cycle of said gradation is positioned at each of the designated plural positions.

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said control means is adapted to control said generation means, when a desired position is not designated by said position designation means, in such a manner that the dot pattern at the starting point of a period of the gradation is positioned at a position of an edge of the desired image.

Claim 11

An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said generation means is adapted to generate a gradation image consisting of patterns whose size varies periodically.

Claim 12

An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the dot pattern at the starting point of said one cycle is a maximum size pattern or a minimum size pattern in the gradation image.

Claim 13

An image processing apparatus comprising: pattern generation means for generating a dot pattern representing a gradation image having periodical gradation; designation means for designating a plurality of areas in which the gradation image generated by said pattern generation means is superimposed, on an original; and control means for controlling said pattern generation means so as to superimpose said gradation image in each of the plurality of areas designated by said designation means, wherein said control means controls said pattern generation means so that a start point of a cycle of a gradation of said gradation image corresponds to an edge of each of the plurality of areas designated by said designation means or an edge of one of the plurality of areas.

Claim 14

An image processing apparatus comprising: pattern generation means for generating a dot pattern representing a gradation image having periodical gradation; designation means for designating a plurality of areas in which the gradation image generated by said pattern generation means is superimposed, on an original; and control means for controlling said pattern generation means so as to superimpose said gradation image in each of the plurality of areas designated by said designation means, wherein said control means controls said pattern generation means so that a start point of a cycle of a gradation of said gradation image corresponds to an edge of each of the plurality of areas designated by said designation means or an edge of one of the plurality of areas.

Claim 15

An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said control means is adapted to control said pattern generation means in such a manner that said gradation image is superimposed in a non-image area of said original.

Claim 16

An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising: reading means for reading the image of the original; and superimposing means for superimposing the image of the original read by said reading means and the gradation image generated from said pattern generation means.

Claim 17

An image processing method comprising the steps of: a) setting a mode for superimposing, in a designated area of an original, a gradation image having pattern size which varies periodically; b) designating a desired area on the original; c) inputting an image of the original; d) generating the gradation image so as to position a maximum size pattern or a minimum size pattern of the gradation image at an edge of the designated area regardless of a position of the area designated in said step b); and e) superimposing the image of the original input in said step c) and the gradation image generated in said step d).

Claim 18

An image processing method comprising the steps of: a) setting a mode for superimposing, in a designated area of an original, a gradation image having pattern size which varies periodically; b) designating a desired area on the original; c) inputting an image of the original; d) generating the gradation image so as to position a maximum size pattern or a minimum size pattern of the gradation image at an edge of the designated area regardless of a position of the area designated in said step b); and e) superimposing the image of the original input in said step c) and the gradation image generated in said step d).

Claim 19

A method according to claim 14, wherein a priority is given to the image of the original as to an area of overlap between the image of the original and the gradation image, in said step e).

Claim 20

An image processing method comprising the steps of: a) designating a start position from which a gradation image having a periodical gradation is superimposed on an original; b) inputting an image of the original; c) generating the gradation image so that a start point of one cycle of a gradation of the gradation image corresponds to the start position designated in said step a); and d) superimposing the image of the original input in said step b) and the gradation image generated in said step c).

Claim 21

An image processing method comprising the steps of: a) designating a start position from which a gradation image having a periodical gradation is superimposed on an original; b) inputting an image of the original; c) generating the gradation image so that a start point of one cycle of a gradation of the gradation image corresponds to the start position designated in said step a); and d) superimposing the image of the original input in said step b) and the gradation image generated in said step c).

Claim 22

A method according to claim 16, wherein a priority is given to the image of the original as to an area of overlap between the image of the original and the gradation image, in said step d).

Claim 23

A method according to claim 16, wherein said step a) includes designating an area in which the gradation image is superimposed.

Claim 24

An image processing apparatus comprising: area designation means for designating a desired area on an original; mode setting means for setting a mode for superimposing, in the designated area of the original, a gradation image having a pattern size which varies periodically; pattern generation means for generating a dot pattern representing the gradation image; and control means for controlling said pattern generation means so as to superimpose said gradation image in the area designated by said area designation means when the mode is set by said mode setting means, wherein said control means controls said pattern generation means so as to position a maximum size pattern or a minimum size pattern of said gradation image on a predetermined position of the designated area regardless of a position of the area designated by said area designation means when the mode is set.

Claim 25

An image processing apparatus comprising: area designation means for designating a desired area on an original; mode setting means for setting a mode for superimposing, in the designated area of the original, a gradation image having a pattern size which varies periodically; pattern generation means for generating a dot pattern representing the gradation image; and control means for controlling said pattern generation means so as to superimpose said gradation image in the area designated by said area designation means when the mode is set by said mode setting means, wherein said control means controls said pattern generation means so as to position a maximum size pattern or a minimum size pattern of said gradation image on a predetermined position of the designated area regardless of a position of the area designated by said area designation means when the mode is set.

Claim 28

An apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising: reading means for reading the image of the original; and superimposing means for superimposing the image of the original read by said reading means and the gradation image generated from said pattern generation means.

Claim 29

An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein a priority is given to the image of the original as to an area of overlap between the image of the original and the gradation image.

Claim 30

An image processing method comprising the steps of: a) designating a desired area on an original; b) setting a mode for superimposing, in the designated area of the original, a gradation image having a pattern size which varies periodically; c) inputting an image of the original; d) generating the gradation image so as to position a maximum size pattern or a minimum size pattern of the gradation image on a predetermined position of the designated area regardless of a position of the area designated in said step a); and e) superimposing the image of the original input in said step c) and the gradation image generated in said step d).

Claim 31

An image processing method comprising the steps of: a) designating a desired area on an original; b) setting a mode for superimposing, in the designated area of the original, a gradation image having a pattern size which varies periodically; c) inputting an image of the original; d) generating the gradation image so as to position a maximum size pattern or a minimum size pattern of the gradation image on a predetermined position of the designated area regardless of a position of the area designated in said step a); and e) superimposing the image of the original input in said step c) and the gradation image generated in said step d).

Claim 32

A method according to claim 23, wherein a priority is given to the image of the original as to an area of overlap between the image of the original and the gradation image in said step e).

Claim 33

A method according to claim 23, wherein the predetermined position is an edge of the designated area.