IMAGE ENCODER AND ENCODING METHOD AND IMAGE DECODER AND DECODING METHOD

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To efficiently encode image data containing a tag for switching the print method from pixel to pixel depending on the print data and the print characteristics of a printer. SOLUTION: The image encoder encodes image data while embedding a tag therein using correlation between a pixel value and the tag. Since an image is split according to the print characteristics of a printer and an optimal encoding system is applied to each split data, the image data can be encoded efficiently. Furthermore, since a tag for switching the print system matches a tag for switching the print characteristics of the printer, processing load is low as compared with a case where they are encoded separately.