Image processing apparatus and image forming apparatus
View Patent ↗The image processing equipment produces an image of enhanced quality, having dots with higher density than in an original image, by collating an original image with templates. The present invention reduces required number of templates. Original image data in a collation window is either mirror-converted, flip-converted or flip-and-mirror-converted in an array converter ( 33 ) and selected on a time-division basis to collate with a single template pattern ( 34 ). The effect is equivalent to the collation with maximum four templates. Thus the number of template patterns to be prepared is greatly reduced. Also, by preparing additional patterns to be stored into an area that became vacant attributed to the reduction of patterns, more sophisticated image enhancement may be attained.
1. An image processing apparatus for performing correction, the image processing apparatus comprising:
a plurality of templates;
a window array conversion unit that converts a data array of output data from an M×N window extracted from input data to a plurality of array conversion data patterns;
a pattern collation unit that collates the array conversion data pattern converted by the window array conversion unit with at least one of the templates, each of the templates including reference patterns; and
a pattern collation control unit that switches between the array conversion data patterns to collate with the template,
wherein the pattern collation control unit selects at least one of the templates based on a combination of mark dots and space dots from among a current dot of interest and its neighboring dots in the output data from the window; and
wherein the combination includes:
(a) a first template group of a continuous pattern consisting of three dots entirely having mark, or space;
(b) a second template group of a discontinuous mark pattern consisting of the current dot of interest having mark, excluding the template group (a); and
(c) a third template group of a discontinuous space pattern consisting of the current dot of interest having space, excluding said template group (a).
2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the pattern collation control unit starts collation with the first template group when the current dot of interest and its right and left neighboring dots entirely have mark, or space;
the pattern collation control unit starts collation with the second template group when the current dot of interest has mark, and at least either its right or left neighboring dot has space; and
the pattern collation control unit starts collation with the third template group when the current dot of interest has space, and at least either its right or left neighboring dot has mark.
3. An image processing method for performing correction comprising:
converting a data array of output data from an M×N window extracted from input data to a plurality of array conversion data patterns;
collating the array conversion data pattern converted with at least one of a plurality of templates, each of the templates including reference patterns; and
switching between the array conversion data pattern to collate with the template,
wherein the template is selected based on a combination of mark dots and space dots from among a current dot of interest and its neighboring dots in the output data from the window; and
wherein the combination includes:
(a) a first template group of a continuous pattern consisting of three dots entirely having mark, or space;
(b) a second template group of a discontinuous mark pattern consisting of the current dot of interest having mark, excluding the template group (a); and
(c) a third template group of a discontinuous space pattern consisting of the current dot of interest having space, excluding said template group (a).
4. The image processing method according to claim 3 ,
wherein a process of the collating starts collation with the first template group when the current dot of interest and its right and left neighboring dots entirely have mark, or space;
the process of collating starts collation with the second template group when the current dot of interest has mark, and at least either its right or left neighboring dot has space; and
the process of collating starts collation with the third template group when the current dot of interest has space, and at least either its right or left neighboring dot has mark.
5. A storage medium readable by a computer, the storage medium storing a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform a function for image processing, the function comprising:
converting a data array of output data from an M×N window extracted from input data to a plurality of array conversion data patterns;
collating the array conversion data pattern with at least one of a plurality of templates, each of the templates including reference patterns; and
switching between the array conversion data patterns to collate with the template,
wherein the template is selected based on a combination of mark dots and space dots from among a current dot of interest and its neighboring dots in the output data from the window; and
wherein the combination includes:
(a) a first template group of a continuous pattern consisting of three dots, entirely having mark, or space;
(b) a second template group of a discontinuous mark pattern consisting of the current dot of interest having mark, excluding the template group (a); and
(c) a third template group of a discontinuous space pattern consisting of the current dot of interest having space, excluding said template group (a).
6. The storage medium according to claim 5 ,
wherein a process of collating starts collation with the first template group when the current dot of interest and its right and left neighboring dots entirely have mark or space;
the process of collating starts collation with the second template group when the current dot of interest has mark, and at least either its right or left neighboring dot has space; and
the process of collating starts collation with the third template group when the current dot of interest has space, and at least either its right or left neighboring dot has mark.
7. The image processing apparatus for performing correction, the image processing apparatus comprising:
a plurality of templates;
a window array conversion unit that converts a data array of output data from an M×N window extracted from input data to a plurality of array conversion data patterns;
a pattern collation unit that collates the array conversion data pattern converted by the window array conversion unit with at least one of the templates, each of the templates including reference patterns; and
a pattern collation control unit that switches between the array conversion data patterns to collate with the template based on a time-division and selects at least one of the templates based on a combination of mark dots and space dots from among a current dot of interest and its neighboring dots in the output data from the window, wherein the combination includes
(a) a first template group of a continuous mark pattern consisting of three dots entirely having mark, or space;
(b) a second template group of a discontinuous mark pattern consisting of the current dot of interest having mark, excluding the template group (a); and
(c) third template group of a discontinuous space pattern consisting of the current dot of interest having space, excluding said template group (a), and the plurality of templates being classified by the template groups and a plurality of process of the pattern collation unit being performed in parallel based on the template groups.