Image processor, image forming apparatus, and image processing method

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image reader including an image sensor;
• an image processor including:
• a memory;
• a signal processing circuit configured to perform signal processing on a first visible light component and a first invisible light component received from an image sensor, to generate a second visible light component and a second invisible light component, respectively, the first visible light component including an invisible light component;
• a signal setting circuit configured to set a first operation enable signal to a valid level in a first period based on execution of the signal processing, and set a second operation enable signal to a valid level after an elapse of the first period;
• an offset component removal circuit configured to perform an offset component removal operation in a period in which the first operation enable signal indicates the valid level while storing data in process in the memory, the offset component removal operation being for removing an offset component from each of the second visible light component and the second invisible light component, to output a third invisible light component and a third visible light component, respectively;
• and
• an invisible component removal circuit configured to perform an invisible component removal operation in a period in which the second operation enable signal indicates the valid level while storing data in process in the memory, the invisible component removal operation being for removing the third invisible light component from the third visible light component, to generate image data of a fourth visible light component from which the invisible light component has been removed;
• and
• an image forming device to form an image using the image data processed by the image processor.

A method for processing a visible light component and an invisible light component, the method comprising:

• performing signal processing on a first visible light component and a first invisible light component received from an image sensor, to generate a second visible light component and a second invisible light component, respectively, the first visible light component including an invisible light component;
• setting a first operation enable signal to a valid level in a first period based on execution of the signal processing;
• performing an offset component removal operation in a period in which the first operation enable signal indicates the valid level while storing data in process in a memory, the offset component removal operation being for removing an offset component from each of the second visible light component and the second invisible light component, to output a third invisible light component and a third visible light component, respectively;
• setting a second operation enable signal to a valid level in a second period after an elapse of the first period;
• and
• performing an invisible component removal operation in a period in which the second operation enable signal indicates the valid level while storing data in process in the memory, the invisible component removal operation being for removing the third invisible light component from the third visible light component, to generate image data of a fourth visible light component.