Image processing apparatus, image processing system, image processing method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11012585-B2
Application number	US-201916431954-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 5, 2019
Priority date	Aug 10, 2018
Publication date	May 18, 2021
Grant date	May 18, 2021

Abstract

An image processing apparatus includes a sensor and circuitry. The sensor is configured to read a visible spectrum and an invisible spectrum of an image. The circuitry is configured to separate the image read into a visible image and an invisible image and perform different image correction processes on the visible image and the invisible image, respectively.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image processing apparatus, comprising:
a sensor configured to read an image by reading a visible spectrum and an invisible spectrum of the image; and
circuitry configured to
separate the read image into a visible image and an invisible image; and
perform a particular image correction process on the visible image using a first parameter determined based on an image characteristic of the visible image, and perform the particular image correction process on the invisible image using a second parameter determined based on an image characteristic of the invisible image.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the circuitry is further configured to select a mode to acquire a given image, and
wherein the circuitry is further configured to switch between first and second image correction processes, according to the mode selected, for the visible image and the invisible image.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a visible light source and an invisible light source,
wherein the circuitry is further configured to switch between the visible light source and the invisible light source.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to retain a difference between the image characteristic of the visible image and the image characteristic of the invisible image, and correct the visible image and the invisible image according to a parameter corresponding to the difference.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 4 ,
wherein the circuitry is further configured to perform spatial filtering with a parameter having a restoration intensity corresponding to a difference between a modulation transfer function (MTF) intensity of the Visible image and an MTF intensity of the invisible image.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an optical filter,
wherein the circuitry is further configured to cause the optical filter to cut the invisible image.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6 ,
wherein the circuitry is further configured to perform gamma correction with a parameter having a restoration intensity corresponding to a difference between a bleed-through intensity of the visible image and a bleed-through intensity of the invisible image.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to perform image separation by image processing.

9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 . wherein the circuitry is further configured to incorporate the corrected invisible image into the corrected visible image .

10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to detect a blank area in the visible image and incorporate the invisible image into the blank area.

11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to color the invisible image and incorporate the colored invisible image into the visible image.

12. The image processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to place the invisible image at a position in the visible image.

13. An image forming system comprising:
the image processing apparatus according claim 1 ; and
an image forming device configured to form an image.

14. An image processing method, comprising:
reading an image by reading a visible spectrum and an invisible spectrum of the image;
separating the read image into a visible image and an invisible image; and
performing a particular image correction process on the visible image using a first parameter determined based on an image characteristic of the visible image, and performing the particular image correction process on the invisible image, using a second parameter determined based on an image characteristic of the invisible image.

15. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable program code that causes a computer to perform an image processing method, the method comprising:
reading an image by reading a visible spectrum and an invisible spectrum of the image;
separating e read image into a visible image and an invisible image; and
performing a particular image correction process on the visible image using a first parameter determined based on an image characteristic of the visible image, and performing the particular image correction process on the invisible image using a second parameter determined based on an image characteristic of the invisible image.

16. The image processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to, in performing the particular image correction process on the visible and invisible images, apply a first spatial filter to the visible image and a second spatial filter to the invisible image, the first spatial filter being different from the second spatial filter.

17. The image processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to, in performing the particular image correction process on the visible and invisible images, apply a first image processing to an entirety of the visible image and apply a second image processing, different from the first image processing, to an entirety of the invisible image.

18. The image processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to perform different image correction processes on the visible image and the invisible image, respectively, so as to correct the visible image and correct the invisible image to match the image characteristic of the visible image with the image characteristic of the invisible image.

19. The image processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to perform spatial filtering with a parameter having a restoration intensity corresponding to a difference between a modulation transfer function (MTF) intensity of the visible image and an MTF intensity of the invisible image.

Assignees

• Hashimoto Ayumu
• Nakazawa Masamoto
• Watanabe Masashi
• Itoh Masahiro
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hashimoto Ayumu
• Nakazawa Masamoto
• Watanabe Masashi
• Itoh Masahiro

Classifications

• H04N23/11

  for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths · CPC title

• H04N1/40056 Primary

  Circuits for driving or energising particular reading heads or original illumination means (H04N1/401, H04N1/407 take precedence) · CPC title

• H04N1/32128

  attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image (for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144) · CPC title

• H04N1/6072

  adapting to different types of images, e.g. characters, graphs, black and white image portions · CPC title

• H04N1/0087 Primary

  with hidden additional data, e.g. data invisible to the human eye · CPC title