An image reading apparatus of an embodiment includes a reading unit and a controller. The reading unit simultaneously reads a plurality of documents on a document table and generates an overall scan image as color image data including images of all the documents in the plurality of documents. The controller is configured to isolate an image of each document from the overall scan image, perform a color determination on each of the isolated images to determine if the document corresponding to the isolated image is a color document or a non-color document, and encode each of the isolated images with an image encoding method selected based on the color determination for the isolated image.

An image reading apparatus includes: a conveyance portion configured to convey a first medium; a first imaging portion; a first reading processing portion configured to cause the first imaging portion to read a first image of a first reading surface of the first medium conveyed by the conveyance portion; a second imaging portion; a second reading processing portion configured to cause the second imaging portion to read a second image of the second reading surface of the second medium by scanning while the second imaging portion is being moved along a second reading surface of a second medium placed on a medium placement surface; a reading control portion configured to control the first reading processing portion and the second reading processing portion to operate in parallel with each other; and a synthesis processing portion configured to generate a synthesized image by synthesizing the first image and the second image.

An image forming apparatus includes an image reading device, an image forming device, and a control device. The image reading device reads a source document image. The image forming device forms the source document image read by the image reading device, on a recording sheet. The control device includes a processor, and acts as a controller, when the processor executes a control program. The controller arranges a plurality of source document images sequentially read by the image reading device, in a consolidated form in an area corresponding to one recording sheet, and causes the image forming device to record the source document images on one recording sheet.

An image forming apparatus includes an image reading device, an image forming device, and a control device. The image reading device reads a source document image. The image forming device forms the source document image read by the image reading device, on a recording sheet. The control device includes a processor, and acts as a controller, when the processor executes a control program. The controller arranges a plurality of source document images sequentially read by the image reading device, in a consolidated form in an area corresponding to one recording sheet, and causes the image forming device to record the source document images on one recording sheet.

An image processing apparatus performs multiple image processes on target image information. The image processing apparatus has a control unit. The plurality of image processes include a first image process group including first image processes, and a second image process group including second image processes. The second image processes do not overlap with the first image processes. The control unit performs the first image processes included in the first image process group on the target image information, causes a first storage unit to store the target image information on which the first image processes included in the first image process group are performed, as first history information, performs the second image processes included in the second image process group on the target image information on which the first image processes included in the first image process group are performed, and outputs the first history information to a hardware resource.

An image reading apparatus includes a document reading device, an operation device, and a control device. The document reading device collectively reads a plurality of documents loaded on a document loading surface to generate image data. The control device functions as an individual image cutter, an operation receiver, and a generator. The individual image cutter cuts, from the image data generated by the document reading device, individual images independent for the respective documents. The operation receiver receives, via the operation device, a first instruction indicating a number of documents collected in one image. The generator generates document image data which is corresponding to an image of a size formable on a single recording medium and which has a collection of pieces of individual image data indicating the individual images, in unit of the number indicated by the first instruction.

An image reading apparatus includes a document reading device, an operation device, and a control device. The document reading device collectively reads a plurality of documents loaded on a document loading surface to generate image data. The control device functions as an individual image cutter, an operation receiver, and a generator. The individual image cutter cuts, from the image data generated by the document reading device, individual images independent for the respective documents. The operation receiver receives, via the operation device, a first instruction indicating a number of documents collected in one image. The generator generates document image data which is corresponding to an image of a size formable on a single recording medium and which has a collection of pieces of individual image data indicating the individual images, in unit of the number indicated by the first instruction.

An image reading apparatus includes: a conveyance portion configured to convey a first medium; a first imaging portion; a first reading processing portion configured to cause the first imaging portion to read a first image of a first reading surface of the first medium conveyed by the conveyance portion; a second imaging portion; a second reading processing portion configured to cause the second imaging portion to read a second image of the second reading surface of the second medium by scanning while the second imaging portion is being moved along a second reading surface of a second medium placed on a medium placement surface; a reading control portion configured to control the first reading processing portion and the second reading processing portion to operate in parallel with each other; and a synthesis processing portion configured to generate a synthesized image by synthesizing the first image and the second image.

An alignment sheet for alignment of an image forming position of a sheet includes a first side and a second side. The first side has a reference image which is formed in a periphery of the first side and which is used for measuring a position of an image on the first side. The second side has a background image with a predetermined area which is formed at a location where the background image does not overlap the reference image. The reference image and the background image are read at the same time by an image reading section while an area with the reference image is folded such that the background image appears as a background.