Provided is an image forming apparatus that speeds up the performance in the auto color mode. A document reading unit reads a document and outputs image data. A document determination unit temporarily determines the document as a monochrome document when the ratio of the color components of the document is equal to or less than the monochrome threshold value at a specific timing after the document reading unit starts reading the document. An image processing unit performs monochrome image processing on the image data. A document determination unit determines that the document is a color document when the ratio of the color components of the image data is equal to or more than the color threshold value while the image processing for the monochrome document is being performed.

An image processing apparatus for converting color data into gray data extracts an object included in the color data in a page, and determines, based on color information and position information on a first object and a second object extracted, whether at least one of the first object and the second object is to be a target of conversion of a color value of the color data into a gray value with improved discriminability. The image processing apparatus controls to convert the color value of the object into a gray value by a conversion targeting all color values, or into a gray value with the improved discriminability, based on the determination whether or not to be the target of conversion.

Systems and methods are disclosed for content aware digital image enhancement. In particular, in one or more embodiments, the disclosed systems and methods analyze content of a digital image portraying a document with graphics and/or text and generate a cleaning confidence map. Specifically, in one or more embodiments, the disclosed systems and methods generate a cleaning confidence map indicating a likelihood that each pixel in the digital image portrays text or a graphic. Moreover, in one or more embodiments, the disclosed systems and methods utilize the cleaning confidence map as a reflection of how aggressively to modify digital images. In particular, in one or more embodiments, the disclosed systems and methods utilize the cleaning confidence map to remove shadows, identify and clean background pixels, and correct contrast in relation to the digital image.

An image processing apparatus includes a controller configured to execute: acquiring objective image data representing an objective image which includes a first character and a second character; analyzing first partial image data and specifying the first character in an image represented by the first partial image data; and generating processed image data representing a processed image which includes the first character and the second character by using the objective image data. The objective image data includes the first partial image data in a bitmap format which represents the image including the first character and second partial image data in a vector format which represents an image including the second character. The processed image data includes: first processed data representing an image including the first character; and second processed data representing an image including the second character.

Methods and apparatus for mapping an input image are suggested. The suggested method comprises: determining a computation capability available for the mapping; decomposing the input image into a number M of image portions based on the determined computation capability, M being a positive integer larger than 1; performing mappings on each of the number M of image portions, wherein the mappings are different for at least two of the number M of image portions; and recomposing an output image from the mapped image portions.

An image processing device is provided that enables an operator to reduce time and effort, and that enables an image to be read stably without receiving the influence of a shadow generated after calibration. The image processing device includes: a tint component removing unit that removes a tint component from a captured image; a character information removing unit that removes character information from an image obtained by removing the tint component; a dividing unit that performs grouping on the captured image according to a combination of hue and saturation; a calculating unit that calculates, for each group, correction data for correcting the shadow in accordance with an image obtained by removing the character information and an image obtained by grouping; and a correcting unit that corrects the captured image in accordance with the calculated correction data.

A chart includes a plurality of area images. Each area image of the plurality of area images includes a figure. The figure indicates positional information of each area image of the plurality of area images in the chart. An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device configured to form an image on a sheet to create the chart, and an image reading device configured to read the image in the chart.

In a case where a sample color is outside a color reproduction range of an image forming apparatus, there arises an issue that an adjustment target color cannot be brought close to a user-desired color. An image forming apparatus includes a generation unit configured to cause a printing unit to print a plurality of colors close to an acquired sample color and generate a color conversion table based on a user-selected color among the plurality of printed colors in a case where it is determined that the acquired sample color is outside a color reproduction range of the image forming apparatus, whereas in a case where it is determined that the acquired sample color is not outside the color reproduction range, the generation unit generates a color conversion table without causing the printing unit to print the plurality of colors close to the sample color.

An image processing apparatus and a method thereof for correcting image data in accordance with a feature of the image data, calculates a brightness component of image data and a color difference component of image data, determines whether the image data is a nightscape image or an underexposed image using the calculated brightness component and color difference component, and corrects the image data which has been determined as a nightscape image or an underexposed image.

A print job is analyzed to determine what page locations can use optional colors and different image quality increase values of different optional colors at the page locations are calculated. Only one of the optional colors is selected, based on which optional color produces the highest print job image quality increase for all of the page locations of the print job. Each individual page of the print job is evaluated to determine if use of the selected optional color increases image quality of the individual page to identify page exceptions. Instructions to mount a selected replaceable printing module corresponding to the selected optional color are displayed, and the print job is printed using the selected replaceable printing module.