Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and storage medium, that determine a type of edge pixel

An image processing apparatus for an image forming unit configured to form an image using electrophotography, the apparatus comprising:

• a first determination unit configured to determine whether a pixel of interest in image data has a pixel value equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold;
• a second determination unit configured to determine whether an adjacent pixel adjacent to the pixel of interest in a first direction has a pixel value smaller than the predetermined threshold and an area including the adjacent pixel and composed of pixels having pixel values smaller than the predetermined threshold satisfies a predetermined condition;
• and
• a correction unit configured to correct the pixel value of the pixel of interest according to a result of determination by the second determination unit,
• wherein image data output from the correction unit is used by the image forming unit, and
• in a case where the adjacent pixel has a pixel value smaller than the predetermined threshold, the second determination unit determines whether the area satisfies the predetermined condition based on a number of pixels which have pixel values smaller than the predetermined threshold and are consecutive from the adjacent pixel in the first direction and a number of pixels which include the adjacent pixel, have pixel values smaller than the predetermined threshold, and are consecutive in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

A method of controlling an image processing apparatus for an image forming unit configured to form an image using electrophotography, the method comprising:

• a first determination step of determining whether a pixel of interest in image data has a pixel value equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold;
• a second determination step of determining whether an adjacent pixel adjacent to the pixel of interest in a first direction has a pixel value smaller than the predetermined threshold and an area including the adjacent pixel and composed of pixels having pixel values smaller than the predetermined threshold satisfies a predetermined condition;
• and
• a correction step of correcting the pixel value of the pixel of interest according to a result of determination in the second determination step,
• wherein image data output in the correction step is used by the image forming unit, and
• in the second determination step, in a case where the adjacent pixel has a pixel value smaller than the predetermined threshold, whether the area satisfies the predetermined condition is determined based on a number of pixels which have pixel values smaller than the predetermined threshold and are consecutive from the adjacent pixel in the first direction and a number of pixels which include the adjacent pixel, have pixel values smaller than the predetermined threshold, and are consecutive in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to perform processing of an image processing apparatus for an image forming unit configured to form an image using electrophotography, the image processing apparatus comprising:

• a first determination unit configured to determine whether a pixel of interest in image data has a pixel value equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold;
• a second determination unit configured to determine whether an adjacent pixel adjacent to the pixel of interest in a first direction has a pixel value smaller than the predetermined threshold and an area including the adjacent pixel and composed of pixels having pixel values smaller than the predetermined threshold satisfies a predetermined condition;
• and
• a correction unit configured to correct the pixel value of the pixel of interest according to a result of determination by the second determination unit,
• wherein image data output from the correction unit is used by the image forming unit, and
• in a case where the adjacent pixel has a pixel value smaller than the predetermined threshold, the second determination unit determines whether the area satisfies the predetermined condition based on a number of pixels which have pixel values smaller than the predetermined threshold and are consecutive from the adjacent pixel in the first direction and a number of pixels which include the adjacent pixel, have pixel values smaller than the predetermined threshold, and are consecutive in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.