Image processing apparatus and method thereof

Claim 2

An image processing apparatus comprising: input means for inputting binary image data representing one picture including a plurality of pixels, wherein a value of each pixel of the binary image data has one of only two possible states; region division means for dividing the one picture into a pseudo halftone image portion and another portion; first encoding means for generating multi-value image data from the binary image data which indicates the pseudo halftone image portion, wherein the value of each pixel of the multi-value image data has one of more than two possible states, said first encoding means encoding the obtained multi-value image data; and second encoding means for encoding the binary image data which indicates at least a part of the other portion.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said region division means divides the image into portions with a block unit of n×n pixels.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first encoding means performs a non-reversible encoding and said second encoding means performs a reversible encoding.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first encoding means performs a non-reversible encoding of the multi-value image data in units of a block and said second encoding means performs a reversible encoding of the binary image data which indicates at least the part of the other portion in units of a line.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a region division performed by said region division means is conducted in response to a manual operation.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising display means for displaying a binary image input by said input means.

Claim 8

An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: reception means for receiving second multi-value image data indicating a multi-value portion of a second image including a plurality of second pixels, wherein a value of each second pixel in the multi-value portion is indicated in the multi-value code, said reception means further receiving second binary image data indicating a second other portion of the image, wherein a value of each second pixel in the second other portion is indicated in the binary code; binarization means for decoding the second multi-value image data into decoded binary image data wherein the value of each second pixel is indicated in the binary code and generating a second pseudo halftone image from the decoded binary image data; decoding means for decoding the second binary image data to generate a decoded binary image; and superimposing means for superimposing the second pseudo halftone image on the decoded binary image.

Claim 9

An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said superimposing means conducts the superimposing in accordance with region information received by said reception means.

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said output means is a printer which utilizes a head of a type for discharging ink droplets by film boiling caused by heat energy and utilizes a recording method using a head.

Claim 11

An image processing method comprising: an input step of inputting binary image data representing one picture including a plurality of pixels, wherein a value of each pixel of the binary image data has one of only two possible states; a region division step of dividing the one picture into a pseudo halftone image portion and another portion; a first encoding step of generating multi-value image data from the binary image data which indicates the pseudo halftone image portion, wherein the value of each pixel of the multi-value image data has one of more than two possible states, said first encoding step encoding the obtained multi-value image data; and a second encoding step of encoding the binary image data which indicates at least a part of the other portion.

Claim 12

An image processing method comprising: an input step of inputting binary image data representing one picture including a plurality of pixels, wherein a value of each pixel of the binary image data has one of only two possible states; a region division step of dividing the one picture into a pseudo halftone image portion and another portion; a first encoding step of generating multi-value image data from the binary image data which indicates the pseudo halftone image portion, wherein the value of each pixel of the multi-value image data has one of more than two possible states, said first encoding step encoding the obtained multi-value image data; and a second encoding step of encoding the binary image data which indicates at least a part of the other portion.

Claim 13

An image processing apparatus comprising: input means for inputting binary image data representing one picture including a plurality of pixels, wherein a value of each pixel of the binary image data has one of only two possible states; determination means for determining a portion to be multi-value encoded and a portion to be binary encoded from the one picture; conversion means for converting the binary image data of the portion to be multi-value encoded into multi-value image data, wherein the value of each pixel of the multi-value image data has one of more than two possible states; first encoding means for multi-value encoding the multi-value image data; and second encoding means for binary encoding the binary image data of the portion to be binary encoded.

Claim 14

An image processing apparatus comprising: input means for inputting binary image data representing one picture including a plurality of pixels, wherein a value of each pixel of the binary image data has one of only two possible states; determination means for determining a portion to be multi-value encoded and a portion to be binary encoded from the one picture; conversion means for converting the binary image data of the portion to be multi-value encoded into multi-value image data, wherein the value of each pixel of the multi-value image data has one of more than two possible states; first encoding means for multi-value encoding the multi-value image data; and second encoding means for binary encoding the binary image data of the portion to be binary encoded.

Claim 15

An image processing method comprising: an input step of inputting binary image data representing one picture including a plurality of pixels, wherein a value of each pixel of the binary image data has one of only two possible states; a determination step of determining a portion to be multi-value encoded and a portion to be binary encoded from the one picture; a conversion step of converting the binary image data of the portion to be multi-value encoded into multi-value image data, wherein the value of each pixel of the multi-value image data has one of more than two possible states; a first encoding step of multi-value encoding the multi-value image data; and a second encoding step of binary encoding the binary image data of the portion to be binary encoded.

Claim 16

An image processing method comprising: an input step of inputting binary image data representing one picture including a plurality of pixels, wherein a value of each pixel of the binary image data has one of only two possible states; a determination step of determining a portion to be multi-value encoded and a portion to be binary encoded from the one picture; a conversion step of converting the binary image data of the portion to be multi-value encoded into multi-value image data, wherein the value of each pixel of the multi-value image data has one of more than two possible states; a first encoding step of multi-value encoding the multi-value image data; and a second encoding step of binary encoding the binary image data of the portion to be binary encoded.

Claim 17

An image processing apparatus comprising: input means for inputting binary image data representing one picture including a plurality of pixels, wherein a value of each pixel of the binary image data has one of only two possible states; determination means for determining a portion to be non-reversibly encoded and a portion to be reversibly encoded from the one picture; conversion means for converting the binary image data of the portion to be non-reversibly encoded into multi-value image data, wherein the value of each pixel of the multi-value image data has one of more than two possible states; first encoding means for non-reversibly encoding the multi-value image data; and second encoding means for reversibly encoding the binary image data of the portion to be reversibly encoded.

Claim 18

An image processing apparatus comprising: input means for inputting binary image data representing one picture including a plurality of pixels, wherein a value of each pixel of the binary image data has one of only two possible states; determination means for determining a portion to be non-reversibly encoded and a portion to be reversibly encoded from the one picture; conversion means for converting the binary image data of the portion to be non-reversibly encoded into multi-value image data, wherein the value of each pixel of the multi-value image data has one of more than two possible states; first encoding means for non-reversibly encoding the multi-value image data; and second encoding means for reversibly encoding the binary image data of the portion to be reversibly encoded.

Claim 19

An image processing method comprising: an input step of inputting binary image data representing one picture including a plurality of pixels, wherein a value of each pixel of the binary image data has one of only two possible states; a determination step of determining a portion to be non-reversibly encoded and a portion to be reversibly encoded from the one picture; a conversion step of converting the binary image data of the portion to be non-reversibly encoded into multi-value image data, wherein the value of each pixel of the multi-value image data has one of more than two possible states; a first encoding step of non-reversibly encoding the multi-value image data; and a second encoding step of reversibly encoding the binary image data of the portion to be reversibly encoded.

Claim 20

An image processing method comprising: an input step of inputting binary image data representing one picture including a plurality of pixels, wherein a value of each pixel of the binary image data has one of only two possible states; a determination step of determining a portion to be non-reversibly encoded and a portion to be reversibly encoded from the one picture; a conversion step of converting the binary image data of the portion to be non-reversibly encoded into multi-value image data, wherein the value of each pixel of the multi-value image data has one of more than two possible states; a first encoding step of non-reversibly encoding the multi-value image data; and a second encoding step of reversibly encoding the binary image data of the portion to be reversibly encoded.

Claim 21

A computer readable medium which stores a computer-executable program for causing an apparatus to perform a method for encoding binary image data representing one picture including a plurality of pixels, wherein a value of each pixel of the binary image data has one of only two possible states, said method comprising: a region division step of dividing the one picture into a pseudo halftone image portion and another portion; a first encoding step of generating multi-value image data from the binary image data which indicates the pseudo halftone image portion, wherein the value of each pixel of the multi-value image data has one of more than two possible states, said first encoding step encoding the obtained multi-value image data; and a second encoding step of encoding the binary image data which indicates at least a part of the other portion.

Claim 22

A computer readable medium which stores a computer-executable program for causing an apparatus to perform a method for encoding binary image data representing one picture including a plurality of pixels, wherein a value of each pixel of the binary image data has one of only two possible states, said method comprising: a region division step of dividing the one picture into a pseudo halftone image portion and another portion; a first encoding step of generating multi-value image data from the binary image data which indicates the pseudo halftone image portion, wherein the value of each pixel of the multi-value image data has one of more than two possible states, said first encoding step encoding the obtained multi-value image data; and a second encoding step of encoding the binary image data which indicates at least a part of the other portion.

Claim 23

A computer readable medium which stores a computer-executable program for causing an apparatus to perform a method for encoding binary image data representing one picture including a plurality of pixels, wherein a value of each pixel of the binary image data has one of only two possible states, said method comprising: a determination step of determining a portion to be multi-value encoded and a portion to be binary encoded from the one picture; a conversion step of converting the binary image data of the portion to be multi-value encoded into multi-value image data, wherein the value of each pixel of the multi-value image data has one of more than two possible states; a first encoding step of multi-value encoding the multi-value image data; and a second encoding step of binary encoding the binary image data of the portion to be binary encoded.

Claim 24

A computer readable medium which stores a computer-executable program for causing an apparatus to perform a method for encoding binary image data representing one picture including a plurality of pixels, wherein a value of each pixel of the binary image data has one of only two possible states, said method comprising: a determination step of determining a portion to be multi-value encoded and a portion to be binary encoded from the one picture; a conversion step of converting the binary image data of the portion to be multi-value encoded into multi-value image data, wherein the value of each pixel of the multi-value image data has one of more than two possible states; a first encoding step of multi-value encoding the multi-value image data; and a second encoding step of binary encoding the binary image data of the portion to be binary encoded.

Claim 25

A computer readable medium which stores a computer-executable program for causing an apparatus to perform a method for encoding binary image data representing one picture including a plurality of pixels, wherein a value of each pixel of the binary image data has one of only two possible states, said method comprising: a determination step of determining a portion to be non-reversibly encoded and a portion to be reversibly encoded from the one picture; a conversion step of converting the binary image data of the portion to be non-reversibly encoded into multi-value image data, wherein the value of each pixel of the multi-value image data has one of more than two possible states; a first encoding step of non-reversibly encoding the multi-value image data; and a second encoding step of reversibly encoding the binary image data of the portion to be reversibly encoded.

Claim 26

A computer readable medium which stores a computer-executable program for causing an apparatus to perform a method for encoding binary image data representing one picture including a plurality of pixels, wherein a value of each pixel of the binary image data has one of only two possible states, said method comprising: a determination step of determining a portion to be non-reversibly encoded and a portion to be reversibly encoded from the one picture; a conversion step of converting the binary image data of the portion to be non-reversibly encoded into multi-value image data, wherein the value of each pixel of the multi-value image data has one of more than two possible states; a first encoding step of non-reversibly encoding the multi-value image data; and a second encoding step of reversibly encoding the binary image data of the portion to be reversibly encoded.