Image processing apparatus and method

摘要

An apparatus and a method for generating high-quality binary image are provided. An input unit inputs a binary image as a multi-valued image. A halftone dot image area map creating unit searches for a halftone dot image area that may be in the multi-valued image and creates a halftone dot image area map. A line drawing/character area map creating unit searches for a line drawing/character image area that may be in the multi-valued image and creates a line drawing/character image area map. A halftone dot image binarizing unit binarizes an input image corresponding to the halftone dot image area map while suppressing input read error that may occur when said input unit inputs the binary image, and generates a binarized halftone dot image. A line drawing/character smoothing unit smoothes a jaggy contained in an input image corresponding to the line drawing/character area map, and generates a binarized line drawing/character image. An image combining unit combines the binarized halftone dot image and the binarized line drawing/character image.