Seiko Epson Corporation

Makoto Oyanagi

Kenji Sakuda

Hideyuki Narusawa

Hideki Morozumi

Shoji Kojima

Yoichi Wakai

Kazunori Suenaga

Toshihiko Katayama

Masakatsu Endo

Masatoshi Matsuhira

Yoichiro Maki

Goro Ishida

Kanako Ide

Masaya Kobayashi

Masahiko Mizoguchi

Kosuke Shingai

Reiko Nomura

Yuichi Kanai

Mitsuo Sakurai

Mastatoshi Matsuhira

An image processing apparatus synthesizing a plurality of sub-images in a panoramic way to create a panoramic image includes a face recognizing unit recognizing a person's face from a plurality of the sub-images, a sampling image selecting unit selecting a sub-image which has a face recognized by the face recognizing unit, out of a plurality of the sub-images as a sampling image, a sampling unit sampling a plurality of pixels from the selected sampling image.

Image processing apparatus for panoramic synthesis of a plurality of sub-images

An image processing apparatus includes a pre-rotation encoded data pair storing unit, a positional relationship storing unit, a post-rotation data pair creating unit, and an image creating unit. The pre-rotation encoded data pair storing unit stores a set of pre-rotation encoded data pairs. The set of pre-rotation encoded data pairs includes a plurality of pieces of pre-rotation encoded data that are data obtained by dividing object image data into a plurality of pieces of divided image data and individually encoding each of the plurality of pieces of divided image data, and pre-rotation position information that represents a position of the pre-rotation encoded data in the object image data, wherein the plurality of pieces of pre-rotation encoded data and the pre-rotation position information correspond to each other.

Image processing apparatus with mechanism for rotating image

In response to a print instruction of a specified print object image, the print control apparatus of the invention corrects print object image data representing the specified print object image with a preset correction parameter set for improving picture quality of the specified print object image and prints the specified print object image according to corrected print object image data. A print object image specification module of the print control apparatus specifies the print object image as a printing object. A preprocessing execution module of the print control apparatus performs predetermined preprocessing of the print object image data representing the specified print object image to set the correction parameter used for correcting the specified print object image. In response to specification of the print object image by the print object image specification module, a preprocessing management module of the print control apparatus instructs the preprocessing execution module to implement advanced preprocessing of the print object image data representing the specified print object image, prior to the print instruction. This arrangement of the invention desirably shortens a time period elapsed before start of required image processing for printing the specified print object image.

Print control apparatus for performing preprocessing of image data

An image processing system is provided and includes a first receiving unit, a print control unit, a second receiving unit, a read control unit, and a composition unit. The first receiving unit receives an order-sheet request, and the print control unit causes a printer unit to print an area notation indicating a free rendering area on paper in accordance with the order-sheet request. The second receiving unit receives a scan request, and the read control unit causes an scan unit to read the paper on which a subject is recorded in the free rendering area in accordance with the scan request. Also, the composition unit composites an image of the free rendering area read by the scan unit in accordance with the scan request and the other image or images. A method that the system performs is also provided.

Image processing system and image processing method

In a print control apparatus of the invention, it is assumed that preprocessing with regard to a print object image specified as an object of image processing is currently being performed by an advanced processing execution module, at an input timing of an image processing instruction in response to a print instruction. On condition that a processing amount of the preprocessing currently performed by the advanced processing execution module has reached a predetermined level, an image processor waits for completion of the preprocessing performed by the advanced processing execution module and implements a correction process by utilizing a result of the preprocessing performed by the advanced processing execution module. On condition that the processing amount of the preprocessing currently performed by the advanced processing execution module has not yet reached the predetermined level, on the other hand, the image processor stops the preprocessing currently performed by the advanced processing execution module, performs the preprocessing with regard to the print object image as the object of image processing at a higher speed than a processing speed by the advanced processing execution module, and utilizes a result of the preprocessing to implement the correction process. This arrangement of the invention effectively shortens the time period elapsed before start of image processing required for printing the print object image.

Print control apparatus and print control method

An image processing method is performed by an image supply device storing image data and an image output device performing image processing with respect to the image data, which are connected via a communication path through which the image data is communicated. A control information item including a script for image processing, which is described by a markup language, is communicated between the image supply device and the image output device. The image data is transmitted to the image output device, based on the script.

Image processing method and image processing system using the same

A multi processor system having a first processor; and one or more second processors is provided. Each of the one or more second processors is connected to the first processor by a dedicated interrupt signal line. Upon receiving a first interrupt signal indicating a power cutoff event, the first processor sends via the dedicated interrupt signal line a second interrupt signal to at least one second processor among the one or more second processors.

Method and system for executing a power-cutoff-specific process within a specific processor of a multiprocessor system

A file management apparatus includes the following elements: a first non-volatile storage medium that holds a metadata group including a plurality of pieces of metadata corresponding to a predetermined file type; a detector that detects a file of the predetermined file type; a metadata guide unit that introduces, as selection options, the plurality of pieces of metadata included in the metadata group corresponding to the predetermined file type of the detected file; a metadata selection unit that accepts selection of at least one piece of the introduced metadata; and a management data storage unit that stores the selected metadata in association with the detected file in a second non-volatile storage medium in which the detected file is stored.

File management apparatus

An image processing apparatus including: a generating section, operable to analyze compressed image data stored in an external memory and generate an analytic table indicative of a storage manner of the compressed image data; an internal memory, adapted to store the compressed image data therein; a storage section, operable to acquire at least a part of the compressed image data from the external memory and store the compressed image data in the internal memory with reference to the analytic table; a decoding section, operable to read and decode the compressed image data stored in the storage section, and rotate and then output the compressed image data as a rotated image data; and an updater, operable to update the analytic table in accordance with a decoding situation of the decoding section.

Image processing apparatus, printing apparatus and image processing method

An image forming system is provided and includes an access unit, a reductive color processing unit, an order sheet print control unit, a composition unit, and a composite print control unit. The access unit accesses a user image stored in a recording medium, the processing unit forms a background image by reducing a color gamut of the user image, and the order sheet print control unit causes a printer unit to create an order sheet on which the background image is printed in a free rendering area. Also, the composition unit separates an area of a subject recorded by a user in the free rendering area from an image of the free rendering area read by a scan unit based on a color gamut of the background image and superimposing the area of the subject on the user image to thereby form a composite image. Finally, the composite print control unit causes the printer unit to print the composite image. A method that the system performs is also provided.

A printer has a display for selectively displaying a plurality of menu screens for setting various printing conditions. The menu screens include a standard menu screen and a specific-purpose menu screen. The standard menu screen includes a plurality of menus selectable for setting the printing conditions. The specific-purpose menu screen is, for example, a CD-R menu screen including some of the menus of the standard menu screen, or the menus related to printing conditions of a CD-R. The printer includes an insert opening into which the CD-R, or a printing medium, is inserted and a CD-R guide selectively opening or closing the insert opening. When the CD-R guide is open, the CD-R menu screen is automatically displayed on the display.

Printer equipped with display for displaying menu screens for setting printing conditions

It is generated a control information item including a script for the image processing which is described by a markup language. The control information item is communicated between an image supply device and an image output device connected via a communication path. A control protocol for communicating the control information item is interpreted by a first entity which executes processing for a first hierarchic layer of a communication protocol. A management protocol for managing an image data file including the image data is interpreted by a second entity which executes processing for a second hierarchic layer of the communication protocol which is lower than the first hierarchic layer. A physical layer of the communication path is controlled by a third entity which executes processing for a third hierarchic layer of the communication protocol which is lower than the second hierarchic layer. A command in the control information item is translated between the control protocol and the management protocol.

At one of an image supply device storing image data and an image output device performing image processing with respect to the image data which are connected via a communication path through which the image data is communicated, one of a text command described by a markup language and a binary command described by a binary is selected as a command including a control information item for the image processing. From one of the image supply device and the image output device to the other, the selected one of the text command and the binary command is transmitted. At the other one of the image supply device and the image output device, it is performed processing specified by the control information included in the selected one of the text command and the binary command.

The present invention increases the freedom of usage of a page design. A digital cameragenerates, in a file format that can be parsed by a printer, a print job for printing a full page design in which an image desired by a user is applied to a page layout by using a layout definition file that describes a page layout containing one or more image areas disposed on a page, as well as an image file desired by the user that is applied to a predetermined image area in the page layout. The print job file thus generated (print job file) is parsed by a printerand printing is executed on the basis of the result of this parsing. The layout definition file and image file are associated with the print job file.

Device and its operation method for enabling printer to print page of desired design

In a multifunction printer having a scanner section and a printer section in one piece, upon reception of a printer section reset command, an interface control task forcibly writes NULL into an input buffer and a job control task sets a reset flag RSF. Various nested loop processes are executed in a main task. Since NULL is stored in the input buffer, the process is terminated in due time and since the reset flag RSF is set, control gradually returns to the main loop process. Thus, if the scanner section and the printer section operate concurrently, the main task can be initialized and only the printer section can be reset.

Growing community of inventors

Nagano-ken, Japan

Makoto Oyanagi