Image Processing Apparatus

Abstract

There is described an image processing apparatus, which makes it possible not only to eliminate the deterioration of the perceptibility, but also to determine the pages being suitable for applying the predetermined image processing. The control section determines specific pages, being suitable for applying a predetermined image processing, based on the attributes detected by the detecting section, so as to apply the predetermined image processing to the specific pages. On the other hand, the control section applies image processing, including a variable power processing, to both the partial image area and the partial character area by employing different magnification factors, so as to generate a size-changed partial image area and a size-changed partial character area, and to arrange both of them into a predetermined imaginary area being smaller than an area of the original image, so as to accommodate them within the predetermined imaginary area.

1 . An image processing apparatus, comprising:
 an image data acquiring section to acquire image data representing an original image;   a detecting section to detect a partial image area and a partial character area, both of which are included in the original image, based on the image data outputted by the image data acquiring section; and   a control section to apply image processing, including a variable power processing, to both the partial image area and the partial character area by employing a first variable magnification factor and a second variable magnification factor, which are different from each other, respectively, so as to generate a size-changed partial image area and a size-changed partial character area, and to arrange both the size-changed partial image area and the size-changed partial character area into a predetermined imaginary area being smaller than an area of the original image, so as to accommodate them within the predetermined imaginary area.   
     
     
         2 . The image processing apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the control section applies the variable power processing to any one of the partial image area and the partial character area by employing a predetermined variable magnification factor so as to arrange the size-changed one into the imaginary area, while applies the variable power processing to another one of the partial image area and the partial character area by employing such a specific variable magnification factor that makes it possible to accommodate the other size-changed one within a residual area remained in the imaginary area.   
     
     
         3 . The image processing apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the control section applies an integration print processing, included in the image processing, to plural pages included in the original image so as to integrate the plural pages into a single page; and   wherein the control section applies the variable power processing, included in the image processing, to both the partial image area and the partial character area by employing the first variable magnification factor and the second variable magnification factor, which are different from each other, to arrange both the size-changed partial image area and the size-changed partial character area into the predetermined imaginary area being same as an area of the single page.   
     
     
         4 . The image processing apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first variable magnification factor to be employed for changing a size of the partial image area is greater than the second variable magnification factor to be employed for changing a size of the partial character area.   
     
     
         5 . The image processing apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the control section sets the first variable magnification factor at 100%.   
     
     
         6 . The image processing apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the second variable magnification factor to be employed for changing a size of the partial character area is greater than the first variable magnification factor to be employed for changing a size of the partial image area.   
     
     
         7 . The image processing apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the control section sets the second variable magnification factor at 100%.   
     
     
         8 . The image processing apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein, in the image processing, the control section divides the partial character area into a plurality of character blocks, each of which includes a plurality of consecutive characters, and then, applies the variable power processing to each of the plurality of character blocks so as to generate a plurality of size-changed character blocks, and then, arranges the plurality of size-changed character blocks within a residual area remained after arranging the size-changed partial image area in the imaginary area.   
     
     
         9 . The image processing apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein, in the image processing, the control section divides the partial character area into a plurality of character images, each of which represents each of characters included in the partial character area, to apply the variable power processing to each of the plurality of character images so as to generate a plurality of size-changed character images, and then, arranges the plurality of size-changed character images within a residual area remained after arranging the size-changed partial image area into the imaginary area.   
     
     
         10 . The image processing apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a selecting section to accept a selecting operation for selecting any one of the partial image area and the partial character area, to which a priority is to be given by overriding the other one;   wherein the control section changes the first variable magnification factor and the second variable magnification factor respectively and independently from each other, corresponding to a priority order of them, determined as a result of the selecting operation accepted by the selecting section.   
     
     
         11 . The image processing apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an operating section to accept operations for establishing setting items in regard to a printing operation based on the original image and for inputting an upper limit of money amount to be charged for the printing operation;   wherein the control section compares the upper limit of money amount, inputted from the operating section, with a charged fee to be actually charged when the printing operation is implemented according to the setting items established from the operating section, so as to perform the image processing when the charged fee exceeds the upper limit of money amount.   
     
     
         12 . The image processing apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the control section perform the image processing when a residual amount of printing agent, to be used for a printing operation based on the original image, is lower than a predetermined lower limit of the printing agent.   
     
     
         13 . An image processing apparatus, comprising:
 an image data acquiring section to acquire image data representing an original image;   a detecting section to detect attributes of each of pages included in the original image represented by the image data acquired by the image data acquiring section; and   a control section to determine specific pages, being suitable for applying a predetermined image processing, among the pages included in the original image, based on the attributes detected by the detecting section, so as to apply the predetermined image processing to the specific pages.   
     
     
         14 . The image processing apparatus of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the control section also determines a priority order of the specific pages to which the predetermined image processing is to be applied, based on the attributes detected by the detecting section.   
     
     
         15 . The image processing apparatus of  claim 14 ,
 wherein the attributes include plural kinds of attributes, and the priority order is determined by weighting each of the plural kinds of attributes corresponding to contents of the predetermined image processing.   
     
     
         16 . The image processing apparatus of  claim 13 ,
 wherein, when applying the predetermined image processing to the specific pages as a single set of processing objects, the control section employs a combination of the attributes in regard to each of the specific pages as one of criteria for determining the specific pages.   
     
     
         17 . The image processing apparatus of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the attributes includes at least one of a size of characters residing on a page serving as one of the pages, a size of a partial image area residing on the page concerned, a kind of the partial image area residing on the page concerned, a kind of color used for the page concerned and a density of whole image itself included in the page concerned.   
     
     
         18 . The image processing apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 an operating section to accept operations for establishing setting items in regard to a printing operation based on the original image and for inputting an upper limit of money amount to be charged for the printing operation;   wherein the control section compares the upper limit of money amount, inputted from the operating section, with a charged fee to be actually charged when the printing operation is implemented according to the setting items established from the operating section, so as to apply the predetermined image processing, which makes it possible to reduce the charged fee, to the specific pages determined in advance, when the charged fee exceeds the upper limit of money amount.   
     
     
         19 . The image processing apparatus of  claim 13 ,
 wherein, when a residual amount of printing agent, to be used for a printing operation based on the original image, is lower than a predetermined lower limit of the printing agent, the control section apply the predetermined image processing, which makes it possible to reduce a consuming amount of the printing agent to a level lower than that in a normal printing operation, to the specific pages determined in advance.   
     
     
         20 . The image processing apparatus of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the control section applies an integration print processing, serving as the predetermined image processing in which the specific pages are integrated and printed into a single page area, to the specific pages.   
     
     
         21 . The image processing apparatus of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the control section applies a duplex print processing, serving as the predetermined image processing in which a single pair or plural pairs of the specific pages are respectively printed onto both sides of a single paper sheet or plural paper sheets, to the specific pages.   
     
     
         22 . The image processing apparatus of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the control section applies such an image processing, serving as the predetermined image processing, that makes it possible to reduce a consuming amount of printing agent to a level lower than that in a normal printing operation, to the specific pages.