Method, system, and apparatus for image forming and processing capable of appropriately adjusting input and output properties Number:7,088,472 from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) owispatent A novel image forming system which includes an image input apparatus, an image processing apparatus, and an image output apparatus. The image input apparatus has an input property profile, reads an image, and converts the image into image data using the input property profile. The image processing apparatus executes an image processing operation relative to the image data. The image output apparatus has an output property profile, outputs an image using the output property profile in accordance with the image data processed through the image processing operation. The above-mentioned image processing apparatus includes a property recognizer, a memory, and a property calculator. The property recognizer reads and recognizes the input property profile and the output property profile. The memory prestores a reference property profile. The property calculator calculates an optimal property based on the input property profile, the output property profile, and the reference property profile so that the image processing operation is optimally executed with the optimal property.<H appropriately, properties, Method, system, a, 7088472.html, Patent, pto, 7088472

Title: Method, system, and apparatus for image forming and processing capable of appropriately adjusting input and output properties

Abstract: A novel image forming system which includes an image input apparatus, an image processing apparatus, and an image output apparatus. The image input apparatus has an input property profile, reads an image, and converts the image into image data using the input property profile. The image processing apparatus executes an image processing operation relative to the image data. The image output apparatus has an output property profile, outputs an image using the output property profile in accordance with the image data processed through the image processing operation. The above-mentioned image processing apparatus includes a property recognizer, a memory, and a property calculator. The property recognizer reads and recognizes the input property profile and the output property profile. The memory prestores a reference property profile. The property calculator calculates an optimal property based on the input property profile, the output property profile, and the reference property profile so that the image processing operation is optimally executed with the optimal property.

Patent Number: 7,088,472 Issued on 08/08/2006 to Okubo, et al.

Inventors: Okubo; Hiromi (Yokohama, JP), Shibaki; Hiroyuki (Kawasaki, JP), Ishii; Hiroshi (Yokohama, JP), Kubozono; Hiroki (Yokohama, JP), Oneda; Shougu (Urayasu, JP)
Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd. (Tokyo, JP)

Appl. No.: 09/473,647

Filed: December 28, 1999

Foreign Application Priority Data


Dec 28, 1998 [JP]			10-377489
Feb 01, 1999 [JP]			11-024345
Feb 01, 1999 [JP]			11-024346

Current U.S. Class: 358/2.1 ; 358/434

Current International Class: H04N 1/40 (20060101)

Field of Search: 358/2.1,1.9,3.21-3.22,3.27,504,515-523,434

References Cited [Referenced By]

U.S. Patent Documents


4979129	December 1990	Okubo et al.
5392137	February 1995	Okubo
5410619	April 1995	Fujisawa et al.
5473444	December 1995	Sakano et al.
5647010	July 1997	Okubo et al.
5652803	July 1997	Tachikawa et al.
5659628	August 1997	Tachikawa et al.
5751854	May 1998	Saitoh et al.
5781653	July 1998	Okubo
5831751	November 1998	Ohneda et al.
6272248	August 2001	Saitoh et al.
2002/0021455	February 2002	Ishii et al.

Foreign Patent Documents


9-172543	Jun., 1997	JP

Other References

US. Appl. No. 09/473,647, filed Dec. 28, 1999, Okubo et al. cited by othe- r .
U.S. Appl. No. 10/785,034, filed Feb. 25, 2004, Shibaki et al. cited by other .
U.S. Appl. No. 10/760,460, filed Jan. 21, 2004, Miyagi et al. cited by oth- er .
U.S. Appl. No. 10/732,442, filed Dec. 11, 2003, Takenaka et al. cited by other .
U.S. Appl. No. 10/665,463, filed Sep. 22, 2003, Shibaki et al. cited by other.

Primary Examiner: Lee; Thomas D.
Assistant Examiner: Brinich; Stephen
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Oblon, Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

Claims

What is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An image forming system, comprising: an image input apparatus having an input property profile and configured to read an image from an image source and to convert said image into image data using said input property profile; an image processing apparatus configured to execute an image processing operation relative to said image data converted by said image input apparatus; and an image output apparatus having an output property profile and configured to output an image using said output property profile in accordance with said image data processed through said image processing operation executed by said image processing apparatus, wherein said image processing apparatus comprises: a property recognizer configured to read and recognize an input property profile of said image input apparatus and an output property profile of said image output apparatus; a memory configured to prestore a reference property profile; and a property calculator configured to calculate an optimal property based on said input property profile, said output property profile and said reference property profile, said image processing apparatus executing said image processing operation using said optimal property, wherein the image forming system further comprising a reference selector configured to receive said input and output property profiles from said property recognizer, and wherein said memory is configured to prestore a plurality of reference property profiles, said reference selector configured to select one of said plurality of reference property profiles prestored in said memory based on said input and output property profiles sent from said property recognizer, and said property calculator is configured to calculate said optimal property based on said input and output property profile and said selected reference property profile.

2. The image forming system as defined in claim 1, wherein said image input apparatus is configured to specify an input image mode and said image output apparatus is configured to specify an output image mode, said image forming system further comprising an image mode recognizer configured to read and recognize at least one of said input image mode specified by said image input apparatus and said output image mode specified by said image output apparatus, and wherein said reference selector is configured to receive information of said at least one of said input and output image modes from said image mode recognizer and to select one of said plurality of reference property profiles prestored in said memory based on said information of said at least one of said input and output image modes sent from said image mode recognizer, and said property calculator is configured to calculate said optimal property based on said input and output property profile sent from said property recognizer and said reference property profile selected by said second reference selector.

3. The image forming system as defined in claim 2, wherein said image mode recognizer is configured to read and recognize said input property profile of said image input apparatus and said output property profile of said image output apparatus in addition to said at least one of said input image mode specified by said image input apparatus and said output image mode specified by said image output apparatus, said reference selector is configured to receive information of said input and output property profiles and said at least one of said input and output image mode sent from said image mode recognizer and to select one of said plurality of reference property profiles prestored in said memory based on said received information, and said property calculator is configured to calculate said optimal property based on said input and output property profile sent from said property recognizer and said reference property profile selected by said reference selector.

4. The image forming system as defined in claim 1, wherein said reference selector is configured to select one of said plurality of reference property profiles prestored in said memory based on information of color properties included in said input and output property profiles sent from said property recognizer.

5. The image forming system as defined in claim 2, wherein said reference selector is configured to select one of said plurality of reference property profiles prestored in said memory based on information of said output image mode specified by said image output apparatus when said image mode recognizer recognizes a difference in said input and output image modes.

6. The image forming system as defined in claim 2, wherein said reference selector is configured to select one of said plurality of reference property profiles prestored in said memory based on information of said input image mode specified by said image output apparatus when said image mode recognizer recognizes a difference in said input and output image modes.

7. The image forming system as defined in claim 2, wherein said reference selector is configured to select one of said plurality of reference property profiles prestored in said memory based on information of a predetermined output image mode when said image mode recognizer recognizes none of said input and output image modes.

8. The image forming system as defined in claim 3, wherein said image mode recognizer is configured to recognize said input and output property profiles, including resolution properties, in addition to said at least one of said input and output image modes and said reference selector is configured to select one of said plurality of reference property profiles prestored in said memory based on information of said at least one of said input and output image modes and of said resolution properties included in said input and output property profiles.

9. The image forming system as defined in claim 8, wherein said reference selector is configured to select one of said plurality of reference property profiles prestored in said memory based on information of one of said input and output image modes which corresponds to a resolution property having a lower value when said image mode recognizer recognizes said input and output image modes having resolution properties of different values.

10. The image forming system as defined in claim 8, wherein said reference selector is configured to select one of said plurality of reference property profiles prestored in said memory based on information of said input image mode when said image mode recognizer recognizes said input and output image modes having resolution properties of no difference in values.

11. The image forming system as defined in claim 8, wherein said reference selector is configured to select one of said plurality of reference property profiles prestored in said memory based on information of said output image mode when said image mode recognizer recognizes said input and output image modes having resolution properties of no difference in values.

12. The image forming system ad defined in claim 8, wherein said reference selector is configured to select one of said plurality of reference property profiles prestored in said memory based on information of a predetermined image mode when said image mode recognizer recognizes none of said input and output image modes.

13. An image forming system, comprising: an image input apparatus having an input property profile and configured to read an image from an image source and to convert said image into image data using said input property profile; an image processing apparatus configured to execute an image processing operation relative to said image data converted by said image input apparatus; and an image output apparatus having an output property profile and configured to output an image using said output property profile in accordance with said image data processed through said image processing operation executed by said image processing apparatus, wherein said image processing apparatus comprises: a property recognizer configured to read and recognize and input property profile of said image input apparatus and an output property profile of said image output apparatus; a memory configured to prestore a reference property profile; and a property calculator configured to calculate an optimal property based on said input property profile, said output property profile and said reference property profile, said image processing apparatus executing said image processing operation using said optimal property, wherein each of said input and output property profiles includes at least one of gamma, spatial frequency, color, scanner red/green/blue (RGB) dot displacement, and resolution properties.

14. The image forming system as defined in claim 13, further comprising: an image area separator configured to judge types of said image data converted by said image input apparatus and to separate said image into image areas by said types according to a judged result; an image area separation controller configured to control conditions under which said image area separator judges and separates said image data based on said input and output property profiles sent from said property recognizer, and wherein said image processing apparatus is configured to execute said image processing operation in accordance with said image areas separated by said image area separator.

15. The image forming system as defined in claim 14, wherein when said property recognizer recognizes that one of said resolution property and said MTF property is within a predetermined range, said image area separation controller controls said conditions based on said at least one of resolution properties and MTF properties recognized by said property recognizer, and said image area separator separates said image into image areas by said types, which includes an edge image and a screened-print image, based on said conditions generated by said image area separation controller based on said at least one of said resolution properties and said MTF properties.

16. The image forming system as defined in claim 15, wherein said image area separation controller is configured to control said conditions such that one of said edge image and screened-print image detection operations becomes difficult and the other one of said edge image and screened-print image detection operations becomes easy as one of values of said resolution property and said MTF property is out of a predetermined range when said property recognizer recognizes that one of said resolution property and said MTF property is out of said predetermined range.

17. The image forming system as defined in claim 15, wherein said image area separation controller is configured to control said conditions such that said edge image detection operation becomes difficult and said screened-print image detection operation becomes easy as one of values of said resolution property and said MTF property is out of a predetermined range when said property recognizer recognizes that one of said resolution property and said MTF property is out of said predetermined range.

18. The image forming system as defined in claim 15, wherein said image area separation controller is configured to control said conditions such that one of edge image and screened-print image detection operations becomes easy and the other one of said edge image and screened-print image detection operations becomes difficult as one of values of said resolution property and said MTF property is out of a predetermined range when said property recognizer recognizes that one of said resolution property and said MTF property is out of said predetermined range.

19. The image forming system as defined in claim 15, wherein when said property recognizer recognizes that one of said resolution property and said MTF property is within said predetermined range, said image area separation controller changes a threshold value to be used for a pixel detection in one of said edge image and screened-print image detection operations based on values of said one of said resolution property and said MTF property.

20. The image forming system as defined in claim 15, wherein when said property recognizer recognizes that one of said resolution property and said MTF property varies in a direction within said predetermined range, said image area separation controller changes in a direction a threshold value to be used for a pixel detection in one of said edge image and screened-print image detection operations based on values of said one of said resolution property and said MTF property.

21. The image forming system as defined in claim 15, wherein when said property recognizer recognizes that one of said resolution property and said MTF property is out of said predetermined range, said image area separation controller cancels one of said edge image and screened-print image detection operations.

22. The image forming system as defined in claim 15, wherein when said property recognizer recognizes that said input property profile includes no resolution property, said image area separation controller cancels one of said edge image and screened-print image detection operations.

23. The image forming system as defined in claim 19, wherein said image area separation controller is configured to increase a threshold value for a white pixel detection and decreases a threshold value for a black pixel detection in said image area separation operation, performed during said edge image detection operation, in response to an increase of said resolution property of said image input apparatus.

24. The image forming system as defined in claim 19 wherein said image area separation controller is configured to decrease a threshold value for a white pixel detection and to increase a threshold value for a black pixel detection in said image area separation operation, performed during said edge image detection operation, in response to an increase of said MTF property of said image input apparatus.

25. The image forming system as defined in claim 19, wherein said image area separation controller is configured to decrease a threshold value for a pixel detection in said image area separation operation, performed during said screened-print image detection operation, in response to an increase of said resolution property of said image input apparatus.

26. The image forming system as defined in claim 19, wherein said image area separation controller is configured to increase a threshold value for a pixel detection in said image area separation operation, performed during said screened-print image detection operation, in response to an increase of said MTF property of said image input apparatus.

27. The image forming system as defined in claim 19, wherein when said property recognizer recognizes that said MTF property is decreased, said property recognizer narrows said predetermined range in response to a decrease of said MTF property.

28. An image forming system, comprising: an image input apparatus having an input property profile and configured to read an image from an image source and to convert said image into image data using said input property profile; an image processing apparatus configured to execute an image processing operation relative to said image data converted by said image input apparatus; and an image processing apparatus configured to execute an image processing operation relative to said image data converted by said image input apparatus; and an image output apparatus having an output property profile and configured to output an image using said output property profile in accordance with said image data processed through said image processing operation executed by said image processing apparatus, wherein said image processing apparatus comprises: a property recognizer configured to read and recognize an input property profile of said image input apparatus and an output property profile of said image output apparatus; a memory configured to prestore a reference property profile; and a property calculator configured to calculate an optimal property based on said input property profile, said output property profile and said reference property profile, said image processing apparatus executing said image processing operation using said optimal property, wherein said property recognizer is configured to read an input spatial frequency property of said image input apparatus and an output spatial frequency property of said image output apparatus and to recognize an input and output spatial frequency property information based on said input spatial frequency property of said image input apparatus and said output spatial frequency property of said image output apparatus respectively, said memory is configured to prestore a reference spatial frequency property, and said property calculator is configured to calculate said optimal property based on said input and output spatial frequency property information and said reference spatial frequency property, said image processing apparatus executing said image processing operation using said optimal property.

29. The image forming system as defined in claim 28, wherein said memory is configured to prestore a plurality of reference spatial frequency properties, said reference selector is configured to select one of said plurality of reference spatial frequency properties prestored in said memory based on said input and output spatial frequency property information sent from said property recognizer, and said property calculator is configured to calculate said optimal property based on said input and output spatial frequency property information and said selected reference spatial frequency property.

30. The image forming system as defined in claim 29, wherein said reference selector is configured to select one of said plurality of reference spatial frequency properties prestored in said memory in response to a value of said input and output spatial frequency property information sent from said property recognizer.

31. The image forming system as defined in claim 30, wherein when said property recognizer recognizes that a value of said input and output spatial frequency property information is lower than a value of a predetermined input and output spatial frequency property, said reference selector stepwise selects a next low reference spatial frequency property from among said plurality of reference spatial frequency properties prestored in said memory in response to a decrease of said input and output spatial frequency property information sent from said property recognizer.

32. The image forming system as defined in claim 28, wherein when said property recognizer recognizes that a value of said input and output spatial frequency property information is lower than a value of a predetermined input and output spatial frequency property, said image processing apparatus cancels an execution of a filter operation during said image processing operation.

33. An image forming system, comprising: image input means, having an input property profile, for reading an image from an image source and converting said image into image data using said input property profile; image processing means for executing an image processing operation relative to said image data converted by said image input means; and image output means, having an output property profile, for outputting an image using said output property profile in accordance with said image data processed through said image processing operation executed by said image processing means, wherein said image processing means comprises: property recognizing means for reading and recognizing an input property profile of said image input means and an output property profile of said image output means; memory means for prestoring a reference property profile; and property calculating means for calculating an optimal property based on said input property profile, said output property profile and said reference property profile, said image processing means executing said image processing operation using said optimal property, wherein the image forming system further comprising reference selecting means for receiving said input and output property profiles from said property recognizing means, and wherein said memory means prestores a plurality of reference property profiles, said reference selecting means selects one of said plurality of reference property profiles prestored in said memory means based on said input and output property profiles sent from said property recognizing means, and said property calculating means calculates said optimal property based on said input and output property profile and said selected reference property profile.

34. The image forming system as defined in claim 33, wherein said image input means specifies an input image mode and said image output means specifies an output image mode, said image forming system further comprising image mode recognizing means for reading and recognizing at least one of said input image mode specified by said image input means and said output image mode specified by said image output means, and wherein said reference selecting means receives information of said at least one of said input and output image modes from said image mode recognizing means and selects one of said plurality of reference property profiles prestored in said memory means based on said information of said at least one of said input and output image modes sent from said image mode recognizing means, and said property calculating means calculate said optimal property based on said input and output property profile sent from said property recognizing means and said reference property profile selected by said second reference selecting means.

35. The image forming system as defined in claim 34, wherein said image mode recognizing means reads and recognizes said input property profile of said image input means and said output property profile of said image output means in addition to said at least one of said input image mode specified by said image input means and said output image mode specified by said image output means, said reference selecting means receives information of said input and output property profiles and said at least one of said input and output image mode sent from said image mode recognizing means and selects one of said plurality of reference property profiles prestored in said memory means based on said received information, and said property calculating means calculates said optimal property based on said input and output property profile sent from said property recognizing means and said reference property profile selected by said reference selecting means.

36. The image forming system as defined in claim 33, wherein said reference selecting means selects one of said plurality of reference property profiles prestored in said memory means based on information of color properties included in said input and output property profiles sent from said property recognizing means.

37. The image forming system as defined in claim 34, wherein said reference selecting means selects one of said plurality of reference property profiles prestored in said memory means based on information of said output image mode specified by said image output means when said image mode recognizing means differently recognizes said input and output image modes.

38. The image forming system as defined in claim 34, wherein said reference selecting means selects one of said plurality of reference property profiles prestored in said memory means based on information of said input image mode specified by said image output means when said image mode recognizing means recognizes a difference said input and output image modes.

39. The image forming system as defined in claim 34, wherein said reference selecting means selects one of said plurality of reference property profiles prestored in said memory means based on information of a predetermined output image mode when said image mode recognizing means recognizes none of said input and output image modes.

40. The image forming system as defined in claim 35, wherein said image mode recognizing means recognizes said input and output property profiles, including resolution properties, in addition to said at least one of said input and output image modes and said reference selecting means selects one of said plurality of reference property profiles prestored in said memory means based on information of said at least one of said input and output image modes and of said resolution properties included in said input and output property profiles.

41. The image forming system as defined in claim 40, wherein said reference selecting means selects one of said plurality of reference property profiles prestored in said memory means based on information of one of said input and output image modes which corresponds to a resolution property having a lower value when said image mode recognizing means recognizes said input and output image modes having resolution properties of different values.

42. The image forming system as defined in claim 40, wherein said reference selecting means selects one of said plurality of reference property profiles prestored in said memory means based on information of said input image mode when said image mode recognizing means recognizes said input and output image modes having resolution properties of no difference in values.

43. The image forming system as defined in claim 40, wherein said reference selecting means selects one of said plurality of reference property profiles prestored in said memory means based on information of said output image mode when said image mode recognizing means recognizes and input and output image modes having resolution properties of no difference in values.

44. The image forming system as defined in claim 40, wherein said reference selecting means selects one of said plurality of reference property profiles prestored in said memory means based on information of a predetermined image mode when said image mode recognizing means recognizes none of said input and output image modes.

45. An image forming system, comprising: image input means, having an input property profile, for reading an image from an image source and converting said image into image data using said input property profile; image processing means for executing an image processing operation relative to said image data converted by said image input means; and image output means, having an output property profile, for outputting an image using said output property profile in accordance with said image data processed through said image processing operation executed by said image processing means, wherein said image processing means comprises: property recognizing means for reading and recognizing an input property profile of said image input means and an output property profile of said image output means; memory means for prestoring a reference property profile; and property calculating means for calculating an optimal property based on said input property profile, said output property profile and said reference property profile, said image processing means executing said image processing operation using said optimal property, wherein each of said input and output property profiles includes at least one of gamma, spatial frequency, color, scanner red/green/blue (RGB) dot displacement, and resolution properties.

46. The image forming system as defined in claim 45, further comprising: image area separating means for judging types of said image data converted by said image input means and separating said image into image areas by said types according to a judged result; image area separation controlling means for controlling conditions, under which said image area separating means judges and separates said image data, based on said input and output property profiles sent from said property recognizing means, and wherein said image processing means executes said image processing operation in accordance with said image areas separated by said image area separating means.

47. The image forming system as defined in claim 46, wherein when said property recognizing means recognizes that one of said resolution property and said MTF property is within a predetermined range, said image area separation controlling means controls said conditions based on said at least one of resolution properties and MTF properties recognized by said property recognizing means, and said image area separating means separates said image into image areas by said types, which includes an edge image and a screened-print image, based on said conditions generated by said image area separation controlling means based on said at least one of said resolution properties and said MTF properties.

48. The image forming system as defined in claim 47, wherein said image area separation controlling means controls said conditions such that one of said edge image and screened-print image detection operations becomes difficult and the other one of said edge image and screened-print image detection operations becomes easy as one of values of said resolution property and said MTF property is out of a predetermined range when said property recognizing means recognizes that one of said resolution property and said MTF property is out of said predetermined range.

49. The image forming system as defined in claim 47, wherein said image area separation controlling means controls said conditions such that said edge image detection operation becomes difficult and said screened-print image detection operation becomes easy as one of values of said resolution property and said MTF property is out of a predetermined range when said property recognizing means recognizes that one of said resolution property and said MTF property is out of said predetermined range.

50. The image forming system as defined in claim 47, wherein said image area separation controlling means controls said conditions such that one of said edge image and screened-print image detection operations becomes easy and the other one of said edge image and screened-print image detection operations becomes difficult as one of values of said resolution property and said MTF property is out of a predetermined range when said property recognizing means recognizes that one of said resolution property and said MTF property is out of said predetermined range.

51. The image forming system as defined in claim 47, wherein when said property recognizing means recognizes that one of said resolution property and said MTF property is within said predetermined range, said image area separation controlling means changes a threshold value to be used for a pixel detection in one of said edge image and screened-print image detection operations based on values of said one of said resolution property and said MTF property.

52. The image forming system as defined in claim 47, wherein when said property recognizing means recognizes that one of said resolution property and said MTF property varies in a direction within said predetermined range, said image area separation controlling means changes in a direction a threshold value to be used for a pixel detection in one of said edge image and screened-print image detection operations based on values of said one of said resolution property and said MTF property.

53. The image forming system as defined in claim 47, wherein when said property recognizing means recognizes that one of said resolution property and said MTF property is out of said predetermined range, said image area separation controlling means cancels one of said edge image and screened-print image detection operations.

54. The image forming system as defined in claim 47, wherein when said property recognizing means recognizes that said input property profile includes no resolution property, said image area separation controlling means cancels one of said edge image and screened-print image detection operations.

55. The image forming system as defined in claim 51, wherein said image area separation controlling means increases a threshold value for a white pixel detection and decreases a threshold value for a blank pixel detection in said image area separation operation, performed during said edge image detection operation, in response to an increase of said resolution property of said image input means.

56. The image forming system as defined in claim 51, wherein said image area separation controlling means decreases a threshold value for a white pixel detection and increases a threshold value for a black pixel detection in said image area separation operation, performed during said edge image detection operation, in response to an increase of said MTF property of said image input means.

57. The image forming system as defined in claim 51, wherein said image area separation controlling means decreases a threshold value for a pixel detection in said image area separation operation, performed during said screened-print image detection operation, in response to an increase of said resolution property of said image input means.

58. The image forming system as defined in claim 51, wherein said image area separation controlling means increases a threshold value for a pixel detection in said image area separation operation, performed during said screened-print image detection operation, in response to an increase of said MTF property of said image input means.

59. The image forming system as defined in claim 51, wherein when said property recognizing means recognizes that said MTF property is decreased, said property recognizing means narrows said predetermined range in response to a decrease of said MTF property.

60. An image forming system, comprising: image input means, having an input property profile, for reading an image from an image source and converting said image into image data using said input property profile; image processing means for executing an image processing operation relative to said image data converted by said image input means; and image output means, having an output property profile, for outputting an image using said output property profile in accordance with said image data processed through said image processing operation executed by said image processing means, wherein said image processing means comprises: property recognizing means for reading and recognizing an input property profile of said image input means and an output property profile of said image output means; memory means for prestoring a reference property profile; and property calculating means for calculating an optimal property based on said input property profile, said output property profile and said reference property profile, said image processing means executing said image processing operation using said optimal property, wherein said property recognizing means reads an input spatial frequency property of said image input means and an output spatial frequency property of said image output means and recognizes an input and output spatial frequency property information based on said input spatial frequency property of said image input means and said output spatial frequency property of said image output means respectively, said memory means prestores a reference spatial frequency property, and said property calculating means calculates said optimal property based on said input and output spatial frequency property information, and said reference spatial frequency property, said image processing means executing said image processing operation using said optimal property, and wherein said memory means prestores a plurality of reference spatial frequency properties, said reference selecting means selects one of said plurality of reference spatial frequency properties prestored in said memory means based on said input and output spatial frequency property information sent from said property recognizing means, and said property calculating means calculates said optimal property based on said input and output spatial frequency property information and said selected reference spatial frequency property.

61. The image forming system as defined in claim 60, wherein said reference selecting means selects one of said plurality of reference spatial frequency properties prestored in said memory means in response to a value of said input and output spatial frequency property information sent from said property recognizing means.

62. The image forming system as defined in claim 61, wherein when said property recognizing means recognizes that a value of said input and output spatial frequency property information is lower than a value of a predetermined input and output spatial frequency property, said reference selecting means stepwise selects a next low reference spatial frequency property from among said plurality of reference spatial frequency properties prestored in said memory means in response to a decrease of said input and output spatial frequency property information sent from said property recognizing means.

63. An image forming system, comprising: image input means, having an input property profile, for reading an image from an image source and converting said image into image data using said input property profile; image processing means for executing an image processing operation relative to said image data converted by said image input means; and image output means, having an output property profile, for outputting an image using said output property profile in accordance with said image data processed through said image processing operation executed by said image processing means, wherein said image processing means comprises: property recognizing means for reading and recognizing an input property profile of said image input means and an output property profile of said image output means; memory means for prestoring a reference property profile; and property calculating means for calculating an optimal property based on said input property profile, said output property profile and said reference property profile, said image processing means executing said image processing operation using said optimal property, wherein said property recognizing means reads an input spatial frequency property of said image input means and an output spatial frequency property of said image output means and recognizes an input and output spatial frequency property information based on said input spatial frequency property of said image input means and said output spatial frequency property of said image output means respectively, said memory means prestores a reference spatial frequency property, and said property calculating means calculates said optimal property based on said input and output spatial frequency property information, and said reference spatial frequency property, said image processing means executing said image processing operation using said optimal property, and wherein when said property recognizing means recognizes that a value of said input and output spatial frequency property information is lower than a value of a predetermined input and output spatial frequency property, said image processing means cancels an execution of a filter operation during said image processing operation.

64. A method for image forming, comprising the steps of: reading an input image from an image source; converting said input image into image data; executing an image processing operation relative to said image data; outputting an output image in accordance with said image data processed through said image processing operation, prestoring a reference property profile; recognizing an input property profile including input properties with which said input image is converted during said converting step and an output property profile including output properties with which said output image is output during said outputting step; and calculating an optimal property based on said input property profile, said output property profile and said reference property profile, said executing step executing said image processing operation using said optimal property, wherein said prestoring step prestores a plurality of reference property profiles, said method further comprising a step of selecting one of said plurality of reference property profiles based on information of said input and output property profiles recognized in said recognizing step, and wherein said calculating step calculates an optimal property based on said input property profile, said output property profile and said reference property profile selected in said selecting step, said executing step executing said image processing operation using said optimal property.

65. A method for image forming, comprising the steps of: reading an input image from an image source; converting said input image into image data; executing an image processing operation relative to said image data; outputting an output image in accordance with said image data processed through said image processing operation, prestoring a reference property profile; recognizing an input property profile including input properties with which said input image is converted during said converting step and an output property profile including output properties with which said output image is output during said outputting step; and calculating an optimal property based on said input property profile, said output property profile and said reference property profile, said executing step executing said image processing operation using said optimal property, wherein said prestoring step prestores a plurality of reference property profiles, aid method further comprising the steps of obtaining at least one of an input image mode under which said reading step reads said input image and an output image mode under which said outputting step outputs said output image and selecting one of said plurality of reference property profiles based on information of said input and output image modes obtained in said obtaining step, and wherein said calculating step calculates an optimal property based on said input property profile, said output property profile and said reference property profile selected in said selecting step, said executing step executing said image processing operation using said optimal property.

66. A method for image forming, comprising the steps of: reading an input image from an image source; converting said input image into image data; executing an image processing operation relative to said image data; outputting an output image in accordance with said image data processed through said image processing operation, prestoring a reference property profile; recognizing an input property profile including input properties with which said input image is converted during said converting step and an output property profile including output properties with which said output image is output during said outputting step; and calculating an optimal property based on said input property profile, said output property profile and said reference property profile, said executing step executing said image processing operation using said optimal property, wherein said prestoring step prestores a plurality of reference property profiles, said method further comprising the steps of: obtaining at least one of an input image mode under which said reading step reads said input image and an output image mode under which said outputting step outputs said output image; and selecting one of said plurality of reference property profiles based on information of said input and output property profiles recognized in said recognizing step and said input and output image modes obtained in said obtaining step, and wherein said calculating step calculates an optimal property based on said input property profile, said output property profile and said reference property profile selected in said selecting step and executing step executing said image processing operation using said optimal property.

67. A method for image forming, comprising the steps of: reading an input image from an image source; converting said input image into image data; executing an image processing operation relative to said image data; outputting an output image in accordance with said image data processed through said image processing operation, prestoring a reference property profile; recognizing an input property profile including input properties with which said input image is converted during said converting step and an output property profile including output properties with which said output image is output during said outputting step; and calculating an optimal property based on said input property profile, said output property profile and said reference property profile, said executing step executing said image processing operation using said optimal property, wherein each of said input and output property profiles includes at least one of gamma, spatial frequency, color, scanner red/green/blue RGB dot displacement, and resolution properties.

68. The method as defined in claim 67, further comprising the steps of: judging types of said image data; and separating said image data into image areas in accordance with said types judged in said judging step, and wherein said executing step executes said image processing operation based on said image areas separated in said separating step.

69. The method as defined in claim 68, wherein said recognizing step recognizes at least one of a resolution property included in said input property profile and an MTF property included in said output property profile, and said executing step execute said image processing operation which comprises steps of performing at least one of an edge area detection and a screened-print area detection based on information of said at least one of said resolution property and said MTF property recognized in said recognizing step.

70. The method as defined in claim 69, further comprising the steps of: checking whether at least one of said resolution property and said MTF property is out of a predetermined range; and controlling easiness in performing said edge area detection and said screened-print area detection, and wherein when a result of said checking step is such that at least one of said resolution property and said MTF property is out of said predetermined range, said controlling step controls such that one of said edge area detection and said screened-print area detection becomes more difficult and the other one of said edge area detection and said screened-print area detection becomes easier.

71. The method as defined in claim 69, further comprising steps of checking whether at least one of said resolution property and said MTF property is out of a predetermined range; and controlling easiness in performing said edge area detection and said screened-print area detection, and wherein when a result of said checking step is such that at least one of said resolution property and said MTF property is out of said predetermined range, said controlling step controls such that said edge area detection becomes more difficult and said screened-print area detection becomes easier.

72. The method as defined in claim 69, further comprising the steps of: checking whether at least one of said resolution property and said MTF property is out of a predetermined range; and controlling easiness in performing said edge area detection and said screened-print area detection, and wherein when a result of said checking step is such that at least one of said resolution property and said MTF property is out of said predetermined range, said controlling step controls such that said edge area detection becomes easier and said screened-print area detection becomes more difficult.

73. The method as defined in claim 69, further comprising the steps of: checking whether at least one of values of said resolution property and said MTF property is out of a predetermined range; and changing a threshold value to be used for a pixel detection in an image area separation operation during said edge area detection and said screened-print area detection, and wherein when a result of said checking step is such that at least one of said resolution property and said MTF property is out of said predetermined range, said changing step changes said threshold value based on said at least one of values of said resolution property and said MTF property which is out of said predetermined range as checked by said checking step.

74. The method as defined in claim 69, further comprising the steps of: checking whether at least one of values of said resolution property and said MTF property is within a predetermined range in a direction; and changing a threshold value to be used for a pixel detection in an image area separation operation during said edge area detection and said screened-print area detection, and wherein when a result of said checking step is such that at least one of said resolution property and said MTF property is within said predetermined range in a direction, said changing step changes said threshold value in a direction based on said at least one of said values of said resolution property and said MTF property which is within said predetermined range as checked by said checking step.

75. The method as defined in claim 69, further comprising the steps of: checking whether at least one of values of said resolution property and said MTF property is out of a predetermined range; and canceling at least one of said edge area detection and said screened-print area detection when a result of said checking step is such that at least one of said resolution property and said MTF property is out of said predetermined range.

76. The method as defined in claim 69, further comprising a step of canceling said edge area detection and said screened-print area detection, and wherein when said recognizing step recognizes no resolution property, said canceling step cancels at least one of said edge area detection and said screened-print area detection.

77. A method for image forming, comprising the steps of: reading an input image from an image source; converting said input image into image data; executing an image processing operation relative to said image data; outputting an output image in accordance with said image data processed through said image processing operation, prestoring a reference property profile; recognizing an input property profile including input properties with which said input image is converted during said converting step and an output property profile including output properties with which said output image is output during said outputting step; and calculating an optimal property based on said input property profile, said output property profile and said reference property profile, said executing step executing said image processing operation using said optimal property, wherein said recognizing step recognizes an input spatial frequency property included in said input property profile and an output spatial frequency property included in said output property profile and said calculating step calculates an optimal property based on said input spatial frequency property, said output spatial frequency property, and said reference property profile selected in said selecting step said executing step executing said image processing operation using said optimal property.

78. A method for image forming, comprising the steps of: reading an input image from an image source; converting said input image into image data; executing an image processing operation relative to said image data; outputting an output image in accordance with said image data processed through said image processing operation, prestoring a reference property profile; recognizing an input property profile including input properties with which said input image is converted during said converting step and an output property profile including output properties with which said output image is output during said outputting step; and calculating an optimal property based on said input property profile, said output property profile and said reference property profile, said executing step executing said image processing operation using said optimal property, wherein said prestoring step prestores a plurality of reference spatial frequency properties, said method further comprising a step of selecting one of said plurality of reference spatial frequency properties based on information of said input and output spatial frequency properties recognized in said recognizing step, and wherein said calculating step calculates an optimal property based on said input spatial frequency property, said output spatial frequency property and said reference spatial frequency property selected in said selecting step said executing step executing said image processing operation using said optimal property.

79. The method as defined in claim 78, further comprising a step of obtaining input and output spatial frequency property information based on said input spatial frequency property and said output spatial frequency property, and wherein said selecting step differently selects one of said plurality of reference spatial frequency properties in accordance with a value of said input and output spatial frequency property information obtained in said obtaining step.

80. The method as defined in claim 79, further comprising step of checking whether said value of said input and output spatial frequency property information is lower than a predetermined value, and wherein when a result of said checking step is such that said value of said input and output spatial frequency property information is lower than said predetermined value, said selecting step stepwise selects one of said plurality of said reference spatial frequency properties in accordance with a decrease of said value of said input and output spatial frequency property information.

81. An image processing apparatus, comprising: an input property profile manager including an input property profile which defines an input conversion property used when an input image is converted into input image data; an output property profile manager including an output property profile which defines an output conversion property used when an output image data is converted into an output image; an image processing mechanism configured to execute an image processing operation relative to said input image data converted with said input property profile; a property recognizer configured to read and recognize said input property profile and said output property profile; a memory configured to prestore a reference property profile; a property calculator configured to calculate an optimal property based on said input property profile, said output property profile and said reference property profile, said image processing mechanism executing said image processing operating using said optimal property; a reference selector configured to receive said input and output property profiles from said property recognizer, and wherein said memory is configured to prestore a plurality of reference property profiles, said reference selector is configured to select one of said plurality of reference property profiles prestored in said memory based on said input and output property profiles sent from said property recognizer, and said property calculator is configured to calculate said optimal property based on said input and output property profile and said selected reference property profile.

82. An image processing apparatus, comprising: an input property profile manager including an input property profile which defines an input conversion property used when an input image is converted into input image data; an output property profile manager including an output property profile which defines an