Image processing apparatus and image processing method

An image processing method comprising:

• an input step of inputting an image formed by attribute regions which are a non-background region and a background region including pixels each having a preset luminance value and color difference value;
• a read step of sequentially reading a luminance value and color difference value of each pixel forming the image;
• a determination step of determining, based on a luminance value and color difference value of a pixel of interest read in the read step, whether the pixel of interest belongs to the background region or the non-background region;
• a recording step of recording the luminance value and color difference value of the pixel of interest as data of a group different from that to which a preceding pixel read in the read step immediately before the pixel of interest belongs if an attribute region to which the pixel of interest belongs is different from that to which the preceding pixel belongs, and recording the luminance value of the pixel of interest adjacent to data already recorded in the group to which the preceding pixel belongs if the attribute region to which the pixel of interest belongs is the same as that to which the preceding pixel belongs;
• and
• an output step of outputting the data recorded in the recording step.

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• an image acquisition unit adapted to acquire an image formed by a plurality of pixels;
• an acquisition unit adapted to acquire information on a region within the image;
• a first management unit adapted to manage a plurality of pixels adjacent to each other within the image as pixels having the same color;
• and
• a second management unit adapted to execute management different from that in the first management unit on a plurality of pixels, of the plurality of pixels, which are adjacent to a boundary between the regions within the image and which belong to different regions.

An image processing method comprising:

• an image acquisition step of acquiring an image formed by a plurality of pixels;
• an acquisition step of acquiring information on a region within the image;
• a first management step of managing a plurality of pixels adjacent to each other within the image as pixels having the same color;
• and
• a second management step of executing management different from that in the first management step on a plurality of pixels, of the plurality of pixels, which are adjacent to a boundary between the regions within the image and which belong to different regions.