Image forming apparatus

Abstract

In an image forming apparatus having a particular area setting unit for setting an arbitrary area of a document image as a particular area, an image processing unit (scanner/IPU section) receives, when a particular area is specified, image data for the particular area, and generates a plurality of monitor image data having been subjected to image processing by setting a different image quality mode for each particular area, and further an image forming unit (printer section) receives the plurality of monitor image data and forms a plurality of monitor images on the same transfer material by arranging the monitor images at different positions on the transfer material.

1 - 18 . (Cancelled)  
   
   
       19 . An image forming apparatus, comprising: 
 an image reader configured to read image data by optically scanning a document image from a document medium placed at a reading position;    an image processor configured to receive the image data from said image reader and to process the received image data to form a plurality of potential monitor image data;    an image forming unit configured to form each of a plurality of monitor images at separate locations on a transfer material based on the plurality of potential monitor image data, wherein each of the plurality of monitor images is a reproduction of a same particular area of the document image in a different respective image quality mode; and    an image mode setting unit configured to set the different respective image quality mode for each of said plurality of potential monitor image data,    wherein the image mode setting unit is configured (1) to display at least one image mode category, each image mode category including a plurality of image modes, the image modes varying within each image mode category according to different manufacturers or printer types, and (2) to allow a user to select each different respective image quality mode for each of said plurality of potential monitor image data.    
   
   
       20 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein said image processor receives, when said image quality mode is set by said image mode setting unit, particular area image data corresponding to said particular area and generates a plurality of potential monitor image data by setting a plurality of image processing parameters corresponding to said set different respective image quality modes.  
   
   
       21 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 a specifying unit configured to specify an image quality mode indicator used for generation of said plurality of monitor images using a plurality of image quality modes based on said document medium,    wherein said image processor receives, when an image quality mode indicator is specified by said specifying unit, particular area image data corresponding to said particular area and generates a plurality of potential monitor image data using said specified image quality mode.    
   
   
       22 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein said image processor generates, together with said plurality of potential monitor image data, mode identifying information indicating to which image quality mode each plurality of potential monitor image data corresponds.  
   
   
       23 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein a particular area setting unit is configured to set the particular area so that a second plurality of monitor images formed according to said particular area are accommodated on a specified transfer material.  
   
   
       24 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 a monitor image arrangement specifying unit configured to specify or change arrangement of said plurality of monitor images formed on said transfer material.    
   
   
       25 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 a monitor image size-changing unit configured to specify a size change of said monitor images.    
   
   
       26 . An image forming apparatus, comprising: 
 an image reader configured to read image data by optically scanning an original image;    a display unit configured to display an image corresponding to the image data read, the display unit including an area specifying unit configured to specify an arbitrary area of the image displayed;    a storage unit configured to store area data corresponding to the arbitrary area specified;    an image processor configured to receive the area data from said storage unit and to process the area data received to form a plurality of potential monitor image data; and    an image forming unit configured to form each of a plurality of monitor images at separate locations on a transfer material based on the plurality of potential monitor image data, wherein each of the plurality of monitor images is a reproduction of the arbitrary area in a different respective image quality mode.    
   
   
       27 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein the display unit is configured to display the monitor images.