An image forming apparatus includes: a hardware processor that: generates image data for composition; and divides the image data for composition into bands; an output memory; a storage that determines whether image data of each band coincides with image data of another band, secures a unique region, transfers the image data of the band to the unique region and associates the band with the unique region, secures common regions, transfers the image data of one of the bands to the common region and associates any one of the common regions to each of the bands; a reader that reads the image data from the region associated with each band and outputs the image data for composition; a composer that composes the image data for composition with the image data to be printed; and an image former that forms an image based on the composed image data.

An image forming apparatus includes: a hardware processor that: generates image data for composition; and divides the image data for composition into bands; an output memory; a storage that determines whether image data of each band coincides with image data of another band, secures a unique region, transfers the image data of the band to the unique region and associates the band with the unique region, secures common regions, transfers the image data of one of the bands to the common region and associates any one of the common regions to each of the bands; a reader that reads the image data from the region associated with each band and outputs the image data for composition; a composer that composes the image data for composition with the image data to be printed; and an image former that forms an image based on the composed image data.

Techniques for converting mechanical markings on hardcopy textual content into digital annotations in a digital document file. In accordance with some embodiments, the techniques include identifying at least one block of text in a digital (scanned) image of a hardcopy document, and identifying at least one mechanical marking in the digital image of the hardcopy document. The mechanical marking, such as an underline, strike-through, highlight or circle, covers or lies adjacent to the corresponding block of text. An annotated digital document file is generated from the digital image of the hardcopy document. The annotated digital document file includes computer-executable instructions representing the original text of the hardcopy document and at least one annotation corresponding to the mechanical marking in the hardcopy document.

Techniques for converting mechanical markings on hardcopy textual content into digital annotations in a digital document file. In accordance with some embodiments, the techniques include identifying at least one block of text in a digital (scanned) image of a hardcopy document, and identifying at least one mechanical marking in the digital image of the hardcopy document. The mechanical marking, such as an underline, strike-through, highlight or circle, covers or lies adjacent to the corresponding block of text. An annotated digital document file is generated from the digital image of the hardcopy document. The annotated digital document file includes computer-executable instructions representing the original text of the hardcopy document and at least one annotation corresponding to the mechanical marking in the hardcopy document.

An example embodiment may involve obtaining an ab pixel macro-cell from an input image. Pixels in the ab pixel macro-cell may have respective pixel values and may be associated with respective tags. It may be determined whether at least e of the respective tags indicate that their associated pixels represent edges in the input image. Based on this determination, either a first encoding or a second encoding of the ab pixel macro-cell may be selected. The first encoding may weigh pixels that represent edges in the input image heavier than pixels that do not represent edges in the input image, and the second encoding might not consider whether pixels represent edges. The selected encoding may be performed and written to a computer-readable output medium.

An example embodiment may involve obtaining an ab pixel macro-cell from an input image. Pixels in the ab pixel macro-cell may have respective pixel values and may be associated with respective tags. It may be determined whether at least e of the respective tags indicate that their associated pixels represent edges in the input image. Based on this determination, either a first encoding or a second encoding of the ab pixel macro-cell may be selected. The first encoding may weigh pixels that represent edges in the input image heavier than pixels that do not represent edges in the input image, and the second encoding might not consider whether pixels represent edges. The selected encoding may be performed and written to a computer-readable output medium.

According to an embodiment, an image processing apparatus includes a read image processor, a write image processor, an image path selector, and a communication controller. The read image processor is configured to execute an image processing module corresponding to read of image data. The write image processor is configured to execute an image processing module corresponding to write of image data. The image path selector is configured to select a path for transmitting image data output from the image processing modules corresponding to read and write of image data to an external apparatus, and select a path for inputting image data processed by the external apparatus to an image processing module in a subsequent stage. The communication controller is configured to control transmission and reception of image data to and from the external apparatus.

An image processing apparatus which segments a raster image of a region having a predetermined width and a predetermined height includes an acquiring unit configured to acquire print data, a plurality of rendering units each configured to perform rendering in regions each having the predetermined width and a height smaller than the predetermined height based on the print data to generate a raster image of a region having the predetermined width and the predetermined height, the rendering being performed in parallel by the plurality of rendering units, and a segmenting unit configured to segment the generated raster image of the region having the predetermined width and the predetermined height into raster images of a plurality of segment regions each having a width smaller than the predetermined width and the predetermined height.

Image data representing a desktop image for a client device that is accessing the desktop remotely is compressed according to a method that preserves image fidelity in selected non-text regions. The method, which is carried out in a remote server, includes the steps of generating image data for the remote desktop image and analyzing different regions of the remote desktop image, identifying those regions of the remote desktop image that are text regions, selecting non-text regions of the remote desktop image for lossless compression based on a spatial relationship between the non-text regions and the text regions, compressing the image data using a lossless compression protocol for a portion of the image data corresponding to the selected non-text regions, and transmitting the compressed image data to the client device.

Image data representing a desktop image for a client device that is accessing the desktop remotely is compressed according to a method that preserves image fidelity in selected non-text regions. The method, which is carried out in a remote server, includes the steps of generating image data for the remote desktop image and analyzing different regions of the remote desktop image, identifying those regions of the remote desktop image that are text regions, selecting non-text regions of the remote desktop image for lossless compression based on a spatial relationship between the non-text regions and the text regions, compressing the image data using a lossless compression protocol for a portion of the image data corresponding to the selected non-text regions, and transmitting the compressed image data to the client device.