Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.

Dainippon Screen Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

Hiroshi Shibazaki

Masayuki Sasahara

Hideaki Kitamura

Katsuya Yamaguchi

In a tendency search phase, the user tentatively selects at least a predetermined number of plural images among displayed images. A computer system checks keywords of the tentatively selected images, which have been registered previously in an image database, in order to extract a common keyword that is common to the tentatively selected images. The computer system subsequently allocates first priorities to a plurality of images to be displayed as next candidates, based on the closeness of the images to the common keyword. In a relation extraction phase, the computer system displays the tentatively selected images as well as at least part of the plurality of images to be displayed as next candidates according to the first priorities. The user definitely selects at least one image among the plurality of images thus displayed.

Method and apparatus for retrieving a desired image from an image

Each image area in a total image is assigned with a screen angle mode Ms indicating whether screen angles of magenta and cyan separations are to be adjusted or not. Screen angle data representing screen angles of magenta and cyan are produced according to the screen angle modes Ms. A dot signal for recording a halftone image of each of the magenta and the cyan separations is generated by comparing screen pattern data of a certain screen angle specified by the screen angle data with image data for each color separation. Accordingly, the present invention effectively prevents a moire in any image area included in a printing image.

Method and apparatus for generating halftone images with adjusted screen

An image is read by an image reader and displayed on a color display. A segment (S) (or other graphic) is designated on the displayed image. Areas which overlap the segment and which have a designated color are specified as objective areas. The colors of the objective areas are changed to a newly designated color.

Method of and apparatus for processing image having a plurality of image

An image approximate to a vignette is to be generated from image data representing a first set of color steps CS1. A second set of color steps CS2 is first created from the first set of color steps CS1, where the second set of color steps CS2 has a plurality of figures inserted at equal intervals between two end figures of the first set of color steps CS1. Binary noise data BS are then generated in the vicinity of the boundary of each figure of the second color steps. Vignette image data VID approximately representing a vignette is generated by adding the binary noise data BS to bit map data of the second set of color steps CS2. Accordingly, a tone jump is eliminated from the image approximate to a vignette.

Method of and apparatus for converting format of an image having linear

A shadowing process in which offset values .DELTA.x and .DELTA.y indicating a gradient and a range of the shadowing effect are set as shadowing parameters. A target linework image area G is extracted from original image data on an n-th scanning line. On the next (n+1)-th line, a shadow pixel S1 is obtained for a start pixel GO of the target linework image area G according to a gradient k calculated by the offset values .DELTA.x and .DELTA.y. A shadow line segment on the (n+1)-th scanning line is determined based on the shadow pixel S1 and a length L of the target linework image area G. Shadow line segments are determined for (n+2)-th and (n+3)-th scanning lines in the same manner. The shadow line segments are combined to make a shadow area S.

Method of and apparatus for producing shadowed images

An overlapping image area is generated on a boundary between a linework image and a picture image by processing one-page linework data and one-page picture data previously prepared without the overlapping process. The overlapping process includes an outer mode and inner mode. In the outer mode, the linework data is corrected such that an overlapping image area is produced in an effective linework area of the one-page linework image, and the picture data is corrected such that an effective picture area is expanded in the one-page picture image. The corrected picture data and corrected linework data are then combined with each other to form a final composite image.

Method and apparatus for producing overlapping image area

The present invention forms overlapping regions on the boundaries of neighboring image regions in a block copy image. In the method of the invention, region numbers are allocated to separate image regions in an original image, and overlapping regions or frame regions of a predetermined width are created on the boundaries of the neighboring image regions while alternately applying an eight-neighbor window and a four-neighbor window (S52 and S57 ). Each window includes a center pixel and neighboring pixels with a predetermined priority. Region numbers are allocated to the frame regions based on the region numbers of the center pixel and the neighboring pixels and on the priorities. The color of each frame region is determined according to a predetermined method, which depends on printing types such as offset printing and gravure printing. Color components of each frame region are determined according to the color of the target frame region and the color of another frame region that is neighbor to the target frame region across the boundary of the original image regions.

Method of and apparatus for processing image data to produce additional

An image processing apparatus functions to convert a first image derived as color-pixel data into a second image generated by a lesser number of corresponding data through a pixel-skipping process. The first image data is segmented into pixel blocks each consisting of a plurality of the color-pixel data relative to the number of second-image pixels to be generated. Each pixel block corresponds to one pixel composing the second image, and serves as an objective block from which the data to produce the corresponding second-image pixel is determined. If this determination cannot be made, the relevant color-pixel data is determined by comparative reference to color data of both the objective pixel block and that of adjacent pixel blocks. Original dot and fine-line features of the first image are thus maintained in the pixel-skipped second image.

Pixel-skipping apparatus in an image processor

An image data extracting circuit extracts multi-gradation image data obtained by reading a binary original by prescribed image regions about a pixel to be processed and latches the same. A linear edge detecting circuit detects a pixel to be processed corresponding to a linear edge portion of the original that is in conformity to the scanning direction by mutually comparing the gradients of the respective latched pixels. The circuit outputs a signal expressing linear edge patterns thereof and a signal expressing the gradient, i.e., density thereof. A second high-resolving circuit receives the signals to generate high-resolution binary image data forming a smooth linear edge having a resolution higher than the read resolution with an average density in response to the gradient of the pixel to be processed.

Growing community of inventors

Kyoto, Japan

Hiroshi Shibazaki