An image reading apparatus including a reading unit comprising a photodetector configured to read an image information on a sheet, and a projecting portion, a case storing the photodetector therein, the case comprising a transparent portion configured to transmit light to be received by the photodetector, and a portion defining an opening through which the projecting portion is projected outward from the case, and an elastic portion provided to fill a space where the projecting portion is not present in the opening. The case movably stores the photodetector within a range where the projecting portion is movable in the opening.

An image processing device includes a processor configured to: obtain image information obtained by reading a sheet that is folded with an intention that a folding line is formed at a position apart from a sheet center position in a specific direction by a predetermined distance, using an image reading device in a state in which a short folded piece of the sheet faces a sensor surface; obtain positions of two edges that are opposite to each other across a folding back of the sheet in the image information; and detect a deviation amount of the folding line based on the positions of the two edges and the predetermined distance.

An information processing apparatus includes a receiver that receives an input image to be recognized and a processor configured to, by executing a program, align the input image with a template image in such a way as to match a recognition area of the input image and a recognition area defined on the template image, perform a process for recognizing the recognition area of the aligned input image, generate a check image including the template image and the aligned input image, and display the check image and a result of the process for recognizing the recognition area of the aligned input image such that a correspondence between the check image and the result is recognizable.

An image scanning method is applied in an image scanning device which includes an input tray and a paper feeding sensor. The method detects whether there are papers on the input tray in step one. If there are papers, step two is executed. Otherwise, the method ends and an error is reported. In step two, papers are separated and fed. Whether the papers contact the paper feeding sensor is detected in step three. The method executes step four if the papers contact the paper feeding sensor, and ends the method with an error message otherwise. In step four, the method scans and detects whether an image of a fed edge of each of the papers is abnormal. If the image is abnormal, the method ends and an error is reported. Otherwise, scanning continues.

The present invention provides a technique capable of obtaining image data without a missing part even in a case where a business form is not rectangular. An image reading device including a reading unit which reads an image of a business form, the image reading device includes a skew angle calculation unit which calculates a skew angle used for correcting inclination of the business form according to image data of the image read by the reading unit, a circumscribed region detection unit which generates an image after a first skew correction obtained by rotating the image according to the skew angle, scans the generated image after the first skew correction, and thus detects a circumscribed quadrangle circumscribed around the image of the business form and included in the image after the first skew correction, and an image cutout unit which cuts out a business-form image after cutout from the image read by the reading unit, according to coordinates of four corner points of the circumscribed quadrangle.

An image processing apparatus includes: a controller configured to perform: acquiring objective image data representing an objective image, the objective image data being obtained by optically reading a manuscript analyzing the objective image data generating an image processing command in which image processing to be executed for the objective image data is described, by using a result of analysis of the objective image data; and generating an image file including the objective image data and the image processing command. The image processing command is to be executed when a reproduction image is reproduced at a reproduction unit by using the image file.

A method for reproducing images comprises the steps of: obtaining 1.sup.st to N.sup.th scan images in order, where N is a positive integer greater than 2; processing the 1.sup.st to N.sup.th scan images into 1.sup.st to N.sup.th document images and obtaining sizes of the 1.sup.st to N.sup.th document images; and performing an ordered document typesetting according to an ordered accumulated size of the 1.sup.st to N.sup.th document images to generate image data corresponding to one or multiple output pages. An image-processing apparatus is also provided. Thus, it is possible to prevent the waste of printing a small-size document image on a large-size sheet, and the user can obtain the order of documents according to the order of the output pages. So, an instinctive and environment protective copying technical solution can be provided, and an output result can be further adjusted.

A document reading device includes: a conveying unit configured to convey a document; a background member having a mark for correcting an inclination of the document; a color reading unit configured to read an image of the document and to output color image data; a monochrome reading unit configured to read the image of the document and to output monochrome image data; a switching unit configured to switch between a first state and a second state; and a hardware processor configured to switch into the first state at the time of a color mode, and to switch into the second state at the time of the monochrome mode, configured to detect the inclination of the document, and configured to correct the inclination of the color image data, and to correct the inclination of the monochrome image data, in accordance with the detected inclination of the document.

Disclosed is a belt transfer type multi-function device for printing an image transferred on a belt to paper moving between a transfer roller and a belt roller, including a control device performing controlling such that an image to be printed on paper already caught between the transfer roller and the belt roller is printed as it is, and if printing should not be performed on next paper along a movement direction of paper, movement of the next paper is stopped on a transfer path of paper before the next paper is positioned between the transfer roller and the belt roller, the image already transferred on the transfer belt is deleted in a state in which the next paper is maintained to be stopped on the transfer path of paper, and the next paper in a stopped state is ejected as a blank paper through a ejection port of printed paper along the transfer path of paper, so that the image already transferred to the transfer belt, which is to be printed on the next paper along the movement direction of paper, is not printed on the next paper.

A position detection device includes a background member, a reader, and processing circuitry. The background member has a higher absorption characteristic in an invisible wavelength region than in a visible wavelength region. The reader opposite the background member irradiates a recording medium having a mark and the background member with light of a visible wavelength to output a visible image or with light of an invisible wavelength to output an invisible image. The processing circuitry is configured to: detect an end position of the recording medium and a position of the mark on the recording medium from a read image output from the reader; and select the visible or invisible image as the read image used for position detection, according to an absorption characteristic of a color material forming the mark read by the reader and an absorption characteristic of the recording medium in the invisible wavelength region.