Image processing apparatus and image processing method

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• a first reading sensor comprising a plurality of light receiving elements arrayed in a predetermined direction;
• a second reading sensor comprising a plurality of light receiving elements arrayed in the predetermined direction, the second reading sensor being arranged so as to have an overlapping area with the first reading sensor in the predetermined direction;
• and
• one or more processors and one or more computer-readable media serving as:
• an acquisition unit configured to acquire read data generated by the first reading sensor reading an image on a document during relative movement of the document and the first reading sensor in a cross direction crossing the predetermined direction and read data generated by the second reading sensor reading an image on the document during relative movement of the document and the second reading sensor in the cross direction;
• and
• an image processing unit configured to generate a read image of the document by performing predetermined image processing for read data of the first reading sensor and read data of the second reading sensor,
• wherein the predetermined image processing includes color correction processing of correcting a combination of color signals corresponding to respective color components detected by the light receiving elements to different color signals such that coordinates represented by the color signals are converted into different coordinates in a color space, with respect to each of pixels forming each of read data of the first reading sensor and read data of the second reading sensor, and
• the image processing unit performs the color correction processing for first read data obtained from light receiving elements of the first reading sensor not included in the overlapping area and the color correction processing for second read data obtained from light receiving elements of the second reading sensor not included in the overlapping area in accordance with different correction characteristics, and
• wherein before the color correction processing, the image processing unit generates third read data by combining color signals obtained from light receiving elements of the first reading sensor included in the overlapping area with color signals obtained from light receiving elements of the second reading sensor included in the overlapping area, and
• the image processing unit performs the color correction processing for the third read data in accordance with a correction characteristic different from the color correction processing for the first read data and the second read data, and
• the image processing unit generates the third read data by using mask patterns in which adoption or non-adoption of the color signals from the first reading sensor and the second reading sensor is determined per pixel.