An image forming system includes a color test chart that has a pattern with three tonality levels for each color component. A reading device can read the test chart as well as an original image and generates image signals representing the one of the test chart and original image thus read. A γ-correcting circuit corrects the image signals in accordance with a γ-correction characteristic and an image forming apparatus forms an image on the basis of the image signal that has been γ-corrected by the γ-correcting circuit. A discriminator discriminates a reproduction condition of tonality, including half tones, on the basis of the image of the test chart when formed by the image forming apparatus and thus produces a discrimination signal representing the discrimination. The γ-correction characteristic used by the γ-correcting circuit is selected in accordance with the discrimination signal so produced so as to obtain an appropriate reproduction condition of tonality, including half tones, in its entirety. Accordingly, color images having high fidelity may be produced.

Image reproducing system

A method for obtaining image data from an image sensor array including the steps of: providing an image sensor array having a first component subset of panchromatic pixels for integrating charge and a second component subset of color pixels for integrating charge; reading pixel charge to produce pixel signals from the first component subset of the panchromatic pixels while exposing the second component subset of color pixels and digitizing and storing the first component subset signals; and reading pixel charge to produce pixel signals from the second component subset of color pixels that were exposed for at least a portion of time during the reading of pixel signals from the first component subset of the panchromatic pixels and digitizing and storing the second component subset signals.

Multiple component readout of image sensor

A color image processing apparatus comprising an input unit which receives a plurality of color component signals in parallel. A color correction device receives the plurality of color component signals and a signals representing the kind of a corrected color signal and outputs a selected kind of corrected color signal in order to sequentially obtain different corrected color signals for respective colors from the plurality of color component signals. A color image forming device forms respective color images sequentially using the corrected color signals output from the color correction device.

Color image processing apparatus

A method for producing a digital image from pixel signals captured by an image sensor array is disclosed. The method includes: providing an image sensor array having at least two groups of pixels wherein the pixels of each group are uniformly distributed over the sensor; exposing the image sensor array to scene light and reading pixel charge from only the first group of pixels to produce a first set of pixel signals; after producing the first set of pixel signals, exposing the image sensor array, and then reading pixel charge from the second group of pixels and reading again pixels from the first group to produce a second set of pixel signals; and using the first and second sets of pixel signals to produce the digital image.

Exposing pixel groups in producing digital images

A system for extracting handwritten or typed information from forms that have been printed in colors other than the color of the handwritten or typed information. The information extraction system includes a detector for detecting color values for scanned pixel locations on a printed form; a comparator for comparing the color values with reference color values; an identifier for identifying ones of the scanned pixel locations that have color values that correspond to the reference color values; and an optical character recognition engine for receiving data regarding the identified locations.

Method and apparatus for extracting information from forms

A dichromatic reading device is disclosed in which the difference is taken between output signals from a first image sensor receiving reflected light directly and a second image sensor receiving the reflected light after being passed through a filter which blocks a specific color component of the reflected light. The difference is converted into a binary signal which provides one color image information and which together with a binary signal obtained from at least the second image sensor and inverted, is NANDed to provide a second color image information.

Dichromatic reading device

PURPOSE:To realize the stable separation for a specified color, by obtaining the level difference between the picture signal read with no use of a filter and the picture signal read with use of a color compensating filter to a specified color. CONSTITUTION:The reflected light from an original irradiated by a white color beam is supplied to an image sensor 18, and the picture signal from the sensor 18 is supplied to a binary coding circuit 21 via an AGC circuit 19 to be binary- coded. On the other hand, the reflected light from an original which passed through a red color compensating cyano filter is supplied to an image sensor 22, and the picture signal from the sensor 22 is supplied to a binary coding circuit 24 via an AGC circuit 23 to be binary-coded. A differential amplifier 25 delivers the difference of outputs between the image sensors 18 and 22, and this output is supplied to a binary coding circuit 27 via an AGC circuit 26. An arithmetic circuit 28 produces the black and red picture signals by means of three different types of binary-coded signals which are produced by the circuits 21, 24 and 27.

Kurata Masami

Papers

Dichromatic reading device

Reader of two-color original