Image processing apparatus and method

A method performed by a computer of an image processing apparatus, the method comprising:

• receiving an input selecting between a first setting and a second setting, wherein the second setting designates a different detection method of the at least one encoded image on the plurality of sheets than a detection method used in the first setting;
• in response to receiving the input corresponding to the first setting, determining a detection area of an encoded image based on a teacher image which is an image read from a predetermined teacher sheet by an image reading device that reads an image on a sheet;
• recording information indicating the detection area in a storage device;
• detecting an encoded image in the detection area among the images read from a sheet to be read after the teacher sheet;
• and decoding the detected encoded image;
• and
• in response to receiving the input corresponding to the second setting, detecting an encoded image from an image read from each of the plurality of sheets;
• and decoding the detected encoded image.

An image processing apparatus, comprising:

• a control panel operable to receive an input from a user, the input selecting one of a first setting and a second setting, wherein the second setting designates a different detection method of the at least one encoded image on a plurality of sheets than a detection method used in the first setting;
• a display operable to communicate one or more options to the user, including options to select between the first setting and the second setting;
• an image reader having a document loader for loading at least one page of the plurality of sheets and an imaging unit for reading the at least one page into digital information;
• a storage device operable to store the digital information;
• and
• a processor operable to retrieve the digital information from the storage, in response to the input from the user, to process the digital information and identify an encoded image, and to decode the encoded image and save the decoded information in the storage device, wherein the processor operable to process the digital information includes determining, upon receiving a selection of the first setting from the input, a detection area based on a teacher image read from a first sheet of the plurality of sheets for identifying the encoded image;
• and upon receiving a selection of the second setting from the input, detecting the encoded image from at least one of the plurality of sheets for identifying the encoded image.