A mat for an image pickup apparatus, where the image pickup apparatus operates to recognize a real object, the mat includes: a play field that defines a bottom region of a space in which the real object is placed; and a calibration chart located in the space and having a plurality of color regions in which respective luminances thereof differ from one another, where: the image pickup apparatus: (i) obtains data of a picked up image of the space in which the real object is located; and (ii) evaluates the picked up image and adjusts at least one of an image pickup condition in which the picked up image of the space is taken, and a processing condition in which the data are analyzed to recognize the real object, and at least one of the image pickup condition and the processing condition are adjusted based on color information in the data of the picked up image resulting from the plurality of color regions of the calibration chart.

An image forming system includes an image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a recording medium and an output device configured to output information for a user. The image forming system further includes circuitry configured to acquire, from a reading device read data of the image on the recording medium; calculate a correction value of an image density of the read image; cause the image forming apparatus to form, on a recording medium, a corrected image based on the correction value; and acquire, from the reading device, read data of the corrected image; and cause the output device to output report information representing a relation between a density variation value of the corrected image and a threshold of the density variation value.

There is herein described a method and apparatus for the calibration and validation of motion picture scans.

A method and system for printing 3D structures using 2D monochromatic images (for example, greyscale images) is provided. The method can include instructing a printing device to print a 2D monochromatic image using print material in a reservoir known to contain a structural print material. Greater amounts of print material are printed in locations corresponding to relatively darker regions of the 2D monochromatic image.

An image processing apparatus for processing image data to be used for image formation, comprises: a black background area determination unit configured to determine a black background area formed from a plurality of black lines using the number of consecutive black lines and the number of consecutive lines adjacent to the black lines and other than the black lines out of the image data; and a thinning processing unit configured to perform thinning processing for the black background area by switching a thinning pattern to convert a value of a pixel based on the number of lines included in the black background area determined by the black background area determination unit.

An image forming apparatus includes a conversion unit configured to convert image data based on a conversion condition, an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet based on the converted image data, a detection unit configured to detect a pattern image on a transfer member, a reading unit configured to read a test image formed on a sheet, a controller configured to perform calibration based on a reading result of the reading unit, and a reception unit. In a case where the calibration is performed, the controller determines an image forming condition based on a result of detection by the detection unit before the test image is formed. In a case where the reception unit receives the discontinuation instruction, the controller changes the image forming condition to an image forming condition before the pattern image is formed.

An image of a block or the like entering a space above a play mat is picked up by an image pickup apparatus, and an information processing apparatus detects and recognizes the block on the basis of a picture of the block in a picked up image and performs information processing. The play mat includes a play field that defines a detection space for the block, and a calibration chart including at least a plurality of regions of colors of different luminances. The image pickup apparatus adjusts an exposure time period, a gain value for each color component and a correction rule upon gamma correction on the basis of the picture of the calibration chart in the picked up image.

A scanner includes a marked reference plate in which a mark is made on a reference plate, and a non-volatile memory that stores reference data, which is a result of the reference plate disposed facing an image reading sensor being read by the image reading sensor, in which read data is acquired a result of the marked reference plate being read by the image reading sensor, and shading data is calculated by comparing the read data and the reference data.

A printing apparatus includes a printer with printing elements that print dots and a controller that acquires input image data. The controller acquires a pre-correction printing density that is based on test pattern data, which includes a uniform array of pixels, and printing characteristics of printing positions of the dots printed by the plurality of printing elements. The controller calculates a target density by averaging the pre-correction printing density and offsets the target density so that the target density is equal to or greater than the pre-correction printing density. The controller calculates a correction gain of the plurality of printing elements on the basis of the ratio of the target density to the pre-correction printing density and controls the printer on the basis of the correction gain and the input image data.

White-balance is improved when printing on colored media, while minimizing the time and use of costly materials required by present approaches. In an embodiment, the typical solid white fill or background layer is altered by including in the white layer one or more of the other colors already available in the printer to shade this layer. Thus, a small amount of cyan, for example, helps balance a pink-ish (red) media; yellow is used for blue media; and magenta is used for green media; as well as combinations thereof. A combination of transparent process inks and opaque white helps to maintain brightness (luminosity).