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Image processing apparatus and image processing method

  • US 7,365,880 B2
  • Filed: 11/05/2003
  • Issued: 04/29/2008
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2003
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

  • a characteristic signal calculation section that calculates at least one characteristic amount of an input image signal to produce a first characteristic signal;

    a conversion process section that executes a conversion process for decreasing a resolution and the number of bits of the first characteristic signal produced by the characteristic signal calculation section to convert the first characteristic signal into a second characteristic signal having a characteristic amount smaller than that of the first characteristic signal;

    a storing section that stores the second characteristic signal that is obtained by conversion by the conversion process section;

    a processor that reads out the second characteristic signal stored in the storing section, and executes an arithmetic operation for only a macro-scoped correction process with software or an arithmetic operation for both the macro-scoped correction process and a macro-discrimination process with the software;

    a synthesizing process section that outputs a discrimination signal obtained by synthesizing an arithmetic result of the processor and the first characteristic signal produced by the characteristic signal calculation section; and

    an image processing section that executes a color conversion process, a frequency filtering process and a tone process for the image signal in accordance with the discrimination signal output from the synthesizing process section,wherein in the macro-scoped process, a pixel value is corrected by one of a smearing process in which pixel values of pixels interposed between two pixels which both have a value “

    1”

    , and which are separated from each other by a distance of a predetermined value or less are changed to “

    1”

    , and a majority process in which the number of pixels having pixel value “

    1”

    , which are included in pixels close to a pixel of interest, is counted, and when the counted number is greater than a predetermined value, an output value is determined as “

    1”

    , and when the counted number is smaller than the predetermined value, the output value is determined as “

    0”

    , andwherein in the macro-discrimination process, a connected region is extracted with respect to a white background region, a halftone region, a character region and a halftone-dot region, and the extracted connected region is determined as one of a background graphic, a halftone-dot background graphic, a halftone-dot photo and a continuous photo region.

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