An image reading apparatus includes a reading section that receives light input via a transparent member to perform reading, a background section configured to switch a background facing the transparent member either to a first background that is a background of a first color or to a second background that is a background of a second color brighter than the first color, and a control section. The control section compares, with a threshold set in advance, first read data generated by causing the reading section to perform reading of the first background, compares, with the threshold, second read data generated by causing the reading section to perform reading of the second background, and, when the first read data is above the threshold or when the second read data is below the threshold, determines that dirt is present on the transparent member.

A reading device includes a light source, an imaging element, a controller, a correcting unit, and a notifying unit. The light source is configured to irradiate an object with light. The imaging element is configured to receive and read the light from the object. The controller is configured to control a second reading operation of reading the object with an invisible image. The correcting unit is configured to perform correction with respect to the invisible image. The notifying unit is configured to notify an outside of at least the invisible image corrected.

An image inspection device includes a reading device and a processor. The reading device is configured to read a chart image on a recording medium to generate a first read image. The reading device is configured to read an image to be inspected on a recording medium to generate a second read image. The processor is configured to calculate a plurality of types of correction parameters on basis of the first read image and image data of the chart image, correct the image data with the plurality of types of correction parameters to generate a reference image, and compare the reference image and the second read image to inspect the second read image.

An image forming apparatus includes the following. A measuring unit measures a physical property of media as a target on which an image is formed. An image forming operator forms an image on the media. A hardware processor controls an operation of the image forming operator and extracts a candidate of a type of media based on a measured result by the measuring unit. An operation receiver receives input to specify one type from the candidate extracted by the hardware processor. The hardware processor controls the image forming operator to form on the media an identification image determined according to a combination of the extracted candidates.

A method, non-transitory computer readable medium and apparatus for applying an image shear to correct a digital image-paper registration error are disclosed. For example, the method, performed by a processor of a printing device, includes detecting an amount of skew of a paper traveling through a registration system of a printing device, determining that the amount of skew is greater than a predefined threshold, applying an image shear to a digital image that will be printed on the paper, and controlling a plurality of printheads of the printing device to print the digital image on the paper with the image shear that is applied.

An image forming apparatus including: a measurer which measures a physical property of a medium on which an image is formed; an image forming operator which forms the image on the medium; a reader which reads the formed image; and a hardware processor which specifics a medium type based on a measurement result by the measurer and a reading result by the reader.

An image processing apparatus includes a processor for acquiring an image of a reference member, calculating a dirt degree at an imaging position by comparing a gradient value of a pixel with a gradient value of peripheral pixels of the pixel or comparing the gradient value of the pixel with a reference value, with regard to a pixel included in the acquired image of the reference member, and generating when the dirt degree is equal to or more than a first threshold. When the dirt degree is less than the first threshold and equal to or more than a second threshold that is smaller than the first threshold, the processor generates the warning only when a scan count exceeds a scan count threshold, and when the dirt degree is less than the second threshold, the processor does not generate the warning.

There is provided an inspection apparatus that inspects a printed material for a smudge, in accordance with an inspection image formed by reading a printed material, a print image being formed on the printed material, the inspection apparatus including: a hardware processor that: performs position adjustment between a reference image serving as an inspection standard for the print image, and the inspection image; detects a region presumed to be a smudge on the printed material as a smudge candidate region, in accordance with a difference image generated from the reference image and the inspection image after the position adjustment; and determines whether the smudge candidate region is a false smudge candidate region resulting from a positional shift of an object in the print image, in accordance with the smudge candidate region detected by the hardware processor and difference data characteristics of the difference image.

An object is to provide a technique allowing photographed data acquired by a camera to be converted properly to an image having a resolution necessary for inspection. An imaging device includes a camera, an image data output unit, and an external output signal generator. The camera outputs photographed data obtained by photographing an image on the basis of a camera output signal generated with a constant period. The image is printed on a printing medium transported in a transport direction X. The image data output unit outputs image data based on the photographed data to an inspection device. The external output signal generator generates an external output signal indicating timing of output of the image data by the image data output unit. The image data output unit calculates a weighted average of several pieces of photographed data stored in a buffer while giving respective weights responsive to a time gap between the camera output signal and the external output signal to the several pieces of photographed data.

An image inspector includes a recording device and circuitry. The reading device is configured to read an image on a recording medium. The circuitry is configured to determine whether the recording medium has a wrinkle and an edge folding based on a plurality of positions on the image on the recording medium read by the reading device satisfying a predetermined relation. The circuitry is configured to determine whether the recording medium has the wrinkle based on the predetermined relation, and then determine whether the recording medium has the edge folding based on the predetermined relation.