Image processing apparatus or system with plural reading units, capable of differently processing various areas of an original

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• reading means having a plurality of reading units for reading an original to produce an electric signal, said reading units each having a plurality of photosensitive elements and being arranged along a main scanning direction;
• discrimination means for discriminating a junction between two of said reading units;
• dither process means including a plurality of dither process units corresponding respectively to said reading units, each said dither process unit having a dither matrix and dither-processing an image signal from one of said reading units;
• and
• means for connecting the dither matrices of said plurality of dither process units to establish continuity of dither processing at the junction.

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• reading means for reading an original image for each scanning line;
• converter means, comprising a plurality of dither process means, for converting a signal from said reading means into a digital signal so as to have a plurality of bits for each picture element;
• memory means for storing the digital signal from said converter means;
• writing means for writing in parallel the plurality of bits of the digital signal in said memory means;
• and
• reading means for reading out in parallel the plurality of bits of the digital signal from said memory means,
• wherein said reading means forms recording signals having respective different pulse widths corresponding respectively to said plural dither process means.