JP2002185661A - Image processor and image processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To correct a read image by considering the frequency response characteristics of a reading sensor installed in a scanner, for each scanner. SOLUTION: An MIT correction filter for processing an image to be transmitted from a scanner 200 is decided based on characteristic data related with the frequency response characteristics of a reading sensor 201 of the scanner 200 to be transmitted from the scanner 200 so that an image to be transmitted from the scanner 200 can be corrected by using the MTF correction filter.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing system, and more particularly to an image processing apparatus and an image processing system in which a frequency response characteristic of a reading sensor provided in an image reading apparatus is considered.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional copying machine, an image read by a scanner is subjected to digital filter processing in order to correct the influence of a sensor frequency response characteristic (MTF) of the scanner (image reading device). An optimum image is output in the combination of the scanner and the printer.

[0003]

Due to the evolution of the network environment, a plurality of scanners and a plurality of printers may be used freely in recent years. In this case, the conventional method of correcting the sensor frequency response characteristics of the scanner,
That is, the correction method using one fixed digital filter cannot correct the read image in accordance with the sensor frequency response characteristics of each scanner. Further, even with scanners of the same model, the MTF characteristics of the reading sensors attached to the scanners actually vary, so if one fixed digital filter is used for a plurality of scanners, the corrected image There was a problem that there was a difference between them.

The present invention has been made in view of the above background. For example, a read image is corrected in consideration of a frequency response characteristic of a reading sensor provided in an image reading device for each image reading device. The purpose is to:

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A first aspect of the present invention is as follows.
A communication unit that communicates with the image reading apparatus via a network, and relates to an image processing apparatus used with the image reading apparatus, and relates to a frequency response characteristic of a reading sensor of the image reading apparatus sent from the image reading apparatus. Determining means for determining a processing method when processing an image sent from the image reading apparatus based on the data, and transmitting the processing method determined by the determining means to the image reading apparatus which is the transmission source of the characteristic data. It is characterized by comprising a registration unit for registering in association with the image reading device, and a processing unit for processing an image sent from the image reading device in accordance with the processing method registered by the registration unit in association with the image reading device.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the characteristic data is sent from the image reading device when the image reading device is connected to the network.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the characteristic data is sent to all the image processing apparatuses on the network when the image reading apparatus is connected to the network.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the characteristic data is preferably sent together with an image from an image reading device.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the registration means sets the processing method determined by the determination means based on the characteristic data sent from the specific image reading apparatus to the specific image reading. The processing unit processes the image sent from the specific image reading device in accordance with the processing method registered by the registration unit in association with the specific image reading device. Preferably, an image sent from an image reading device other than the specific image reading device is processed according to a processing method determined by the determining unit based on characteristic data attached to the image.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the determining means determines a filter used by the processing means when processing the image as a method of processing the image.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the characteristic data is data relating to characteristics of the reading sensor at a specific frequency, and the determining means is registered in advance based on the characteristic data. It is preferable to select an optimum filter from a plurality of filters.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the image processing apparatus further includes an output unit that outputs an image processed by the processing unit.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the output means preferably includes means for transmitting the image processed by the processing means to an image forming apparatus.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the output means preferably includes an image forming apparatus.

A second aspect of the present invention relates to an image processing system in which an image reading device and an image processing device are connected via a network, wherein the image reading device includes a reading sensor for reading an image, and a reading sensor for the reading sensor. A memory for storing characteristic data relating to frequency response characteristics, and a first for transmitting the characteristic data stored in the memory to the image processing apparatus.
Transmitting means, and a second transmitting means for transmitting an image read by the reading sensor to the image processing apparatus, the image processing apparatus, the image reading apparatus of the image reading apparatus sent from the image reading apparatus Determining means for determining a processing method for processing an image sent from the image reading apparatus based on characteristic data relating to a frequency response characteristic of the reading sensor; and determining the processing method determined by the determining means as the characteristic data. Registration means for registering the image reading apparatus in association with the image reading apparatus, and processing means for processing the image sent from the image reading apparatus in accordance with the processing method registered by the registration means in association with the image reading apparatus. And characterized in that:

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing method in an image processing apparatus used with the image reading apparatus, comprising communication means for communicating with the image reading apparatus via a network. A determining step of determining a processing method for processing an image sent from the image reading apparatus based on characteristic data on a frequency response characteristic of a reading sensor of the image reading apparatus, and the determining step; Registering the processed processing method in association with the image reading device of the transmission source of the characteristic data, and registering the image sent from the image reading device in association with the image reading device in the registration step. And a processing step of processing according to a processing method.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a memory medium including communication means for communicating with an image reading apparatus via a network, and storing software for controlling an image processing apparatus used with the image reading apparatus. The software determines a processing method when processing an image sent from the image reading device based on characteristic data on a frequency response characteristic of a reading sensor of the image reading device sent from the image reading device. A determining step, a registration step of registering the processing method determined in the determining step in association with an image reading apparatus of the transmission source of the characteristic data, and an image sent from the image reading apparatus corresponding to the image reading apparatus. And a processing step of processing according to the processing method registered in the registration step.

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image processing system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The image processing system includes one or a plurality of scanners 200, one or a plurality of printers 300, one or a plurality of image control devices 100, a server computer 20 having a large-capacity storage, one or a plurality of personal computers 30 for individual users, Network (for example, Ethernet (registered trademark)) 10, scanner 200
Video bus 90 connecting the printer and the printer 300
0. The scanner 200, the image control device 100, and the printer 300 connected by the local video bus 900 also function as one copier, but also function as independent devices on the network 10, respectively.

For the sake of simplicity, the following description will be made on the assumption that the scanner and the printer support only black and white. However, the present invention can be applied to a scanner and a printer supporting color.

<Image Controller> FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the image controller 100. As shown in FIG.
The image control apparatus 100 is connected to a scanner 200 which is an image input (image reading) device and a printer 300 which is an image output (image forming) device, and is connected to a network (L).
This is a controller for inputting and outputting image information and device information by connecting to an AN 10 or a public line (WAN) 800. The CPU 101 is a controller that controls components of the image control device 100 based on software stored in the ROM 103 and the hard disk 104.

The RAM 102 is a work memory used by the CPU 101, and temporarily stores, for example, image data. The ROM 103 is a boot ROM, and stores a system boot program. The hard disk 104 stores, in addition to various kinds of software, function information and installation positions of the scanner 200 and the printer 300 for each address. The soft wafer is, for example, CD-RO
Hard disk 10 read from a memory medium such as M
4 can be incorporated. The hard disk 104 stores image data.

The operation unit interface 106 is connected to an operation unit (UI) 160 and outputs image data of an image to be displayed on the operation unit 160 to the operation unit 160. The operation unit interface 106 has a function of transmitting information input by the user of the system from the operation unit 160 to the CPU 101. Network interface 11
0 connects to the network 10 and inputs and outputs information. The modem 120 connects to the public line 800 and inputs and outputs information. The above devices are arranged on the system bus 107.

The image bus I / F 105 is connected to the system bus 1
07, an image bus 108 for transferring image data at high speed
And a bus bridge for converting the data structure between the two. The image bus 108 includes a high-speed bus such as a PCI bus. The following devices are arranged on the image bus 108.

Raster image processor (RIP) 1
Reference numeral 50 expands the PDL code sent from the personal computer 30 or the like into a bitmap image. The device I / F unit 600 is connected to the scanner 200 and the printer 300, which are image input / output devices, and performs synchronous / asynchronous conversion of image data. Scanner image processing unit 4
00 performs processing such as correction, processing, and editing on image data provided from the scanner 200. The printer image processing unit 500 performs correction, resolution conversion, and the like suitable for the printer 300 on image data to be output to the printer 300. The image rotation unit 130 rotates an image. The image compression unit 140 may use, for example, a method such as JPEG for multi-valued image data,
The compression / expansion processing is performed by a method such as BIG, MMR, or MH.

<Scanner (Image Input Apparatus)> As shown in FIG. 1, the scanner 200 has a reading sensor 201 such as a CCD line sensor and a memory 202 for storing characteristic data relating to frequency response characteristics.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an overview of the scanner 200. A scanner 200 as an image input (image reading) device scans a sensor 201 while illuminating a document to convert an image of the document into an electric signal as raster image data. The original is fed to the original feeder 210.
Is set on the tray 220. In this state, the CPU (controller) 101 of the image control apparatus 100 gives an instruction to the scanner 200 in response to a reading start instruction given by the user of the operation unit 160 operating the operation unit 160.
In response, the scanner 200 reads the original while feeding the original one sheet at a time by the feeder 201.

The normal copying operation is performed by the local video bus 9
The process is executed by the scanner 200, the image control device 100, and the printer 300, which are interconnected at 00. On the other hand, when the scanner 200 and the printer 300 are used as network devices, for example, an image read by the scanner 200 is transferred to the image control device 100 connected by the local video bus 900, and The data is transferred to the designated printer 300, personal computer 30, or the like.

<Printer (Image Output Apparatus)> FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an overview of the printer 300. The printer 300, which is an image output (image forming) device, forms an image on a recording medium (for example, recording paper) according to the raster image data. As an image forming method, there are an electrophotographic method using a photosensitive drum or a photosensitive belt, an ink jet method in which ink is ejected from a minute nozzle array to directly form an image on a recording medium, and the like, but any method may be used. . Activation of the printing operation is started in accordance with an instruction from the CPU (controller) 101 of the image control apparatus 100. The printer 300 has, for example, a plurality of paper feed stages and a plurality of paper cassettes 302 to 305 corresponding to the paper feed stages in order to enable selection of different paper sizes or different paper orientations. The recording medium on which the image has been recorded is stored in a discharge tray 306.
Is discharged on top.

<Scanner Image Processing Unit> FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the scanner image processing unit 400 of the image control apparatus 100. The controller 401 has a function of controlling the bus access sequence by connecting to the image bus 108 and a function of controlling each device in the scanner image processing unit 400. The filter processing unit 402 performs a convolution operation using, for example, a spatial filter. The editing unit 403 recognizes, for example, a closed area surrounded by the marker pen from the read image, and performs image processing such as shading, shading, and negative / positive inversion on the image data in the closed area. Do. When changing the size of the read image, the scaling unit 404 performs an interpolation operation or the like in the main scanning direction. The magnification in the sub-scanning direction is changed by changing the scanning speed of the sensor (here, the line sensor) 201. The table 405 is a table referred to for converting image data as luminance data read by the sensor 201 into density data. Binarization unit 406
Converts the multi-value grayscale image data into a binary value by an error diffusion process or a screen process. The processed image data is transferred to the image bus 108 via the image bus controller 401 again.

<Printer Image Processing Unit> FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the printer image processing unit 500 of the image control apparatus 100. The image bus I / F controller 501 has a function of controlling a bus access sequence by connecting to the image bus 108 and a function of controlling each device in the printer image processing unit 500. The resolution conversion unit 502 converts image data transmitted from the scanner 200, the network 10, or the public line 800 into a resolution of the printer 300. The smoothing processing unit 503 performs a process of smoothing jaggies (roughness of an image appearing at a black-and-white boundary such as an oblique line) of the image data after resolution conversion.

<Filter Determination Method> The setting of the filter 402 of the scanner image processing unit 400 will be described below. An MTF characteristic of a reading sensor (for example, a CCD line sensor) 201 of the scanner 200 is measured in advance, and the measurement result is recorded in a memory 202 of the scanner 200. This measurement and recording may be performed, for example, at the time of shipment or periodically. The MTF characteristics of the reading sensor 201 differ depending on the type of the sensor 201, and there are variations due to individual differences even in the same model.
The shape of the characteristic curve on which the measured values are plotted generally has the shape shown in FIG.

Therefore, the relative value of the MTF measurement value at an arbitrary spatial frequency with respect to the MTF measurement value at a specific frequency can be considered to be substantially the same regardless of the type of the sensor 201 or individual differences. , An overall characteristic curve can be estimated based on MTF measurements at a particular spatial frequency. Here, as an example, the spatial frequency is 6 [lp / m].
m], the MTF of the reading sensor 201 is measured and stored in the memory 202. In the following, it is assumed that the MTF measurement value of the sensor 201 of the scanner 200 is 0.9 and stored in the memory 202 for convenience of description.

The hard disk 104 includes the printer 30
Correction data for correcting the characteristic of the scanner 200 and the characteristic of the scanner 200 to obtain an image faithful to the original is stored.
As one of the correction data, a plurality of MTF correction filters assuming various MTF characteristics of the sensor 201 of the scanner 200 are included. A to G in FIG. 8B are examples of MTF correction filters respectively corresponding to various MTF characteristics.

9 and 10 are flowcharts showing the operation of the image control device 100. Software corresponding to this flowchart is stored in the hard disk 104. Note that software for controlling communication between the scanner 200 and the image control device 100 and the like is also incorporated in the scanner 200 side.

When the scanner 200 is connected to the network 10, data relating to the MTF characteristic of the sensor 201 of the scanner 200 (hereinafter referred to as MTF characteristic data. Here, the MTF characteristic data is a sensor at 6 [lp / mm]). 201 is read from the memory 202 and broadcast over the network 10. The image control apparatus 100 receives the broadcasted MTF characteristic data via the network interface 110 (S101), and the CPU 101 causes the filter list 801 (see FIG. 8A) stored in the hard disk 104 to be read out. MTF value is M
The MTF correction filter closest to the TF characteristic data (FIG. 8
In (a), “filter” is simply selected) (S102), and the MTF characteristic data is registered in the hard disk 104 in association with the scanner 200 of the transmission source (S103).

Thereafter, when the image data is received from the scanner 200 via the local video bus 900 or the network 10 (S201), the scanner 200 as the transmission source of the image data is specified (S202). The MTF correction filter registered for the scanner 200 is specified and set as the filter 402 (S203).
Using the MTF correction filter, the scanner 200
A process corresponding to the MTF characteristic is performed on the received image data (S204) and output (transmitted) to the printer 300 (S205).

In this example, the memory 20 of the scanner 200
MTF characteristic data (6 [lp / m
m] is 0.9, so that FIG.
The filter E is selected based on the filter list 801 shown in FIG. The selected filter E is stored in the hard disk 104 together with data (for example, an identifier and an address) specifying the scanner 200 that is the transmission source of the MTF specific data among the plurality of scanners 200 on the network 10.
Is stored in When the image data is sent from the scanner 200, the CPU 101 of the image control device 100 selects an MTF correction filter registered corresponding to the scanner 200 of the transmission source and sets it as the filter 402. Here, in addition to the above MTF correction filter, a filter for correcting the characteristics of the printer 300 to be used and / or a filter corresponding to the type of the document may be set as the filter 402. Alternatively, a filter obtained by combining a filter for correcting the characteristics of the printer 300 to be used and / or a filter corresponding to the type of the original may be set as the filter 402.

In this embodiment, by transmitting characteristic data from the scanner 200 to the image control device 100, the image control device 100 sets an optimum MTF correction filter for the scanner 200 based on the characteristic data. The MTF characteristics of the reading sensor 201 of the scanner 200 can be accurately corrected. Therefore, the image quality difference of the output image due to the difference in the model of the scanner 200 is reduced, and the image quality difference of the output image due to the individual difference of the reading sensor in the scanner 200 of the same model is reduced.

In the above embodiment, the MTF measurement value of the reading sensor 201 at a specific frequency is transmitted from the scanner 200 to the image control device 100 with the MTF characteristic data.
Alternatively, the MTF measurement value in the frequency domain having the predetermined width may be transmitted as MTF characteristic data from the scanner 200 to the image control device 100, and the MTF correction filter may be determined or created based on the MTF characteristic data.

[Second Embodiment] In the first embodiment, when the scanner 200 is connected to the network 10, the MTF characteristic data of the sensor 201 of the scanner 200 is broadcast to the network 10, and the image control is performed. The apparatus 100 receives the MTF characteristic data, selects MTF correction data corresponding to the scanner 200 from the filter list 801, and registers the MTF correction data in the hard disk 104 in association with the scanner 200. On the other hand, in the second embodiment, the scanner 200 is
When transmitting the image data to the
Transmit the F characteristic data.

In this embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, the scanner 200 sends the image control device 100
Is assumed to be an MTF measurement value at a specific frequency.

When the scanner 200 reads a document and transmits the image data to the image control device 100, the image data includes MTF characteristic data of the sensor 201 of the scanner 200 (MTF measurement value at 6 [lp / mm] = 0). .9) is attached. The image control device 100 uses the attached MTF
When the characteristic data is received, similar to the first embodiment,
An MTF correction filter (here, filter E) whose MTF value is closest to the MTF characteristic data is stored in the filter list 801.
And set as the filter 402, and the MTF
By using a correction filter, a process according to the MTF characteristic of the scanner 200 is performed on the received image data and transmitted to the printer 300. Here, in addition to the MTF correction filter selected from the filter list 801, a filter for correcting the characteristics of the printer 300 to be used and / or a filter corresponding to the document type may be set as the filter 402. MTF correction filter selected from the filter list 801 and the printer 30 to be used.
A filter obtained by combining a filter for correcting the characteristic of 0 and / or a filter according to the type of the document may be set as the filter 402.

[Third Embodiment] In this embodiment, the transmission method of the MTF characteristic data of the first and second embodiments is combined to further improve the efficiency of the process for determining the filter.

In this embodiment, the MTF characteristic data of the frequently used scanner 200 is registered in the image control apparatus 100 on the network 10 in advance, and the MTF characteristic data of the infrequently used scanner 200 is registered in the image control apparatus. At the time of data transmission, it is attached to the image data. M
Whether the TF characteristic data is registered in advance in the image control device 100 on the network 10 or attached to the image data when the image data is transmitted may be freely set by the user. The user may automatically select which scanner 200 to register MTF characteristic data.

In this method, the frequently used scanner 2
00, it is possible to reduce the amount of transmission data and the processing time when copying an original, while using the MTF characteristic data of the scanner 200 that is not frequently used by the image control apparatus 100.
, The amount of use of the hard disk 104 can be suppressed by the amount not registered. This effect becomes more remarkable when the amount of MTF characteristic data is large, such as when the MTF characteristic data is not the MTF value at a specific frequency but the MTF value in a frequency region of a predetermined width.

[Other Embodiments] An object of the present invention is to provide a storage medium (or a storage medium) on which a program code of software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is recorded to a system or an apparatus, and to provide the system or apparatus. Alternatively, it is needless to say that the computer code (or the CPU or the MPU) of the apparatus reads out and executes the program code stored in the storage medium to achieve the above. In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium implements the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention. When the computer executes the readout program codes, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an operating system (OS) running on the computer based on the instructions of the program codes. It goes without saying that a case where some or all of the actual processing is performed and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing is also included.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided in a function expansion card inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the program code is read based on the instruction of the program code. , The CPU provided in the function expansion card or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing,
It goes without saying that a case where the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by the processing is also included.

[0049]

According to the present invention, for example, a read image can be corrected in consideration of the frequency response characteristics of a reading sensor provided in an image reading device for each image reading device. Therefore, for example, the image quality difference of the output image due to the difference in the model of the image reading device is reduced, and the image quality difference of the output image due to the individual difference of the reading sensor in the image reading device of the same model is reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image processing system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an image control device.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an overview of a scanner.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an overview of a printer.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a scanner image processing unit.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a printer image processing unit.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of an MTF measurement result of a reading sensor.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a filter list and filter data.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the image control device.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the image control device.

Claims (22)

[Claims] 1. An image processing apparatus comprising communication means for communicating with an image reading apparatus via a network, wherein the image processing apparatus is used together with the image reading apparatus, and a reading sensor of the image reading apparatus sent from the image reading apparatus. Based on the characteristic data on the frequency response characteristics of
Determining means for determining a processing method when processing an image sent from the image reading apparatus; and registering the processing method determined by the determining means in association with the image reading apparatus from which the characteristic data is transmitted. An image processing apparatus comprising: a registration unit; and a processing unit that processes an image transmitted from the image reading device in accordance with the processing method registered by the registration unit in association with the image reading device. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic data is sent from the image reading device when the image reading device is connected to the network. 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic data is sent to all image processing apparatuses on the network when the image reading apparatus is connected to the network. . 4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic data is sent together with an image from an image reading device. 5. The registration unit registers a processing method determined by the determination unit based on characteristic data sent from a specific image reading device in association with the specific image reading device, and registers the processing method. Means for processing the image sent from the specific image reading device in accordance with the processing method registered by the registration means in association with the specific image reading device, 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an image sent from the image reading apparatus is processed according to a processing method determined by the determination unit based on characteristic data attached to the image. 6. The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein the determining unit determines a filter used by the processing unit when processing the image. An image processing apparatus according to the item. 7. The characteristic data is data relating to characteristics of the reading sensor at a specific frequency, and the determining unit selects an optimal filter from a plurality of pre-registered filters based on the characteristic data. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the selection is made. 8. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an output unit for outputting an image processed by said processing unit.
The image processing device according to claim 7. 9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said output means includes means for transmitting an image processed by said processing means to an image forming apparatus. 10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said output means includes an image forming apparatus. 11. An image processing system in which an image reading device and an image processing device are connected via a network, wherein the image reading device comprises: a reading sensor for reading an image; and characteristic data on frequency response characteristics of the reading sensor. A first transmission unit that transmits the characteristic data stored in the memory to the image processing apparatus; and a second transmission that transmits an image read by the reading sensor to the image processing apparatus. Means for processing an image sent from the image reading device based on characteristic data on a frequency response characteristic of a reading sensor of the image reading device sent from the image reading device. Determining means for determining a processing method at the time of performing, and an image reading apparatus which transmits the processing method determined by the determining means to a source of the characteristic data. Registration means for registering in association with the image reading apparatus, and processing means for processing an image sent from the image reading apparatus in accordance with the processing method registered by the registration means in association with the image reading apparatus. Image processing system. 12. An image processing method in an image processing device used with the image reading device, comprising a communication unit for communicating with the image reading device via a network, wherein the image reading device receives the image reading from the image reading device. Based on the characteristic data on the frequency response characteristic of the reading sensor of the device,
A determining step of determining a processing method when processing an image sent from the image reading apparatus; and registering the processing method determined in the determining step in association with the image reading apparatus from which the characteristic data is transmitted. Controlling the image processing apparatus, comprising: a registration step; and a processing step of processing an image sent from the image reading apparatus in accordance with the processing method registered in the registration step in association with the image reading apparatus. Method. 13. The image processing method according to claim 12, wherein the characteristic data is sent from the image reading device when the image reading device is connected to the network. 14. The image processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the characteristic data is sent to all image processing apparatuses on the network when the image reading apparatus is connected to the network. Method. 15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic data is sent from the image reading device together with an image.
3. The image processing method according to 2. 16. In the registration step, a processing method determined in the determination step based on characteristic data sent from a specific image reading device is registered in association with the specific image reading device, and In the step, an image sent from the specific image reading device is processed according to the processing method registered in the registration step in association with the specific image reading device, and an image other than the specific image reading device is processed. 13. The image processing method according to claim 12, wherein the image sent from the reading device is processed according to the processing method determined in the determination step based on the characteristic data attached to the image. 17. The image processing method according to claim 12, wherein, in the determining step, a filter used in the processing step when processing the image is determined. The image processing method according to the item. 18. The characteristic data is data relating to characteristics of the reading sensor at a specific frequency. In the determining step, an optimal filter is selected from a plurality of filters registered in advance based on the characteristic data. 18. The image processing method according to claim 17, wherein the selection is performed. 19. The image processing method according to claim 12, further comprising an output step of outputting an image processed in the processing step. 20. The image processing method according to claim 19, wherein said outputting step includes a step of transmitting the image processed in said processing step to an image forming apparatus. 21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the output step includes a step of outputting an image by an image forming apparatus.
The image processing method according to 1. 22. A memory medium comprising communication means for communicating with an image reading apparatus via a network, and storing software for controlling an image processing apparatus used with the image reading apparatus, wherein the software is an image reading apparatus. Based on the characteristic data about the frequency response characteristic of the reading sensor of the image reading device sent from the device,
A determining step of determining a processing method when processing an image sent from the image reading apparatus; and registering the processing method determined in the determining step in association with the image reading apparatus from which the characteristic data is transmitted. A memory medium comprising: a registration step; and a processing step of processing an image sent from the image reading device in accordance with the processing method registered in the registration step in association with the image reading device.