Image processing apparatus with improved image reduction

An image reducing apparatus comprising:

• black-pixel counting means for counting a number of black pixels in an N.times.M-pixel area in an original image represented by white and black levels, where N and M denote predetermined integers equal to or greater than 2;
• connection-direction extracting means for extracting a direction of a connection of black pixels in the N.times.M-pixel area, and a direction of a connection of black pixels in an area surrounding the N.times.M-pixel area;
• black-pixel connection judging means for judging a relation between the direction of the connection of the black pixels in the N.times.M-pixel area and the direction of the connection of the black pixels in the surrounding area which are extracted by the connection-direction extracting means;
• and
• level determining means for determining a level of a pixel in a reduction-resultant image in accordance with the black-pixel number counted by the black-pixel counting means and with a result of the relation judgment by the black-pixel connection judging means, the reduction-resultant image pixel corresponding to the N.times.M-pixel area in the original image.

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• means for generating data of a pixel in a first-type frame and data of a pixel in a second-type frame, wherein a position of the pixel in the first-type frame corresponds to a position of the pixel in the second-type frame;
• means for indicating the data of the pixel in the first-type frame during a first frame period, indicating the data of the pixel in the first-type frame during a second frame period following the first frame period, and indicating the data of the pixel in the second-type frame during a third frame period following the second frame period;
• means for setting both of the data of the pixel in the first-type frame and the data of the pixel in the second-type frame to a white level when a white pixel is indicated by the indicating means;
• means for setting the data of the pixel in the first-type frame and the data of the pixel in the second-type frame to the white level and a black level respectively when a light gray pixel is indicated by the indicating means;
• means for setting the data of the pixel in the first-type frame and the data of the pixel in the second-type frame to the black level and the white level respectively when a dark gray pixel is indicated by the indicating means;
• and
• means for setting both of the data of the pixel in the first-type frame and the data of the pixel in the second-type frame to the black level when a black pixel is indicated by the indicating means.

An image reducing apparatus comprising:

• black-pixel counting means for counting a number of black pixels in an N.times.M-pixel area in an original image represented by white and black levels, where N and M denote predetermined integers equal to or greater than 2;
• pattern comparing means for comparing a pixel pattern in the N.times.M-pixel area and an area surrounding the N.times.M-pixel area with predetermined reference patterns;
• first level determining means for determining a level of a pixel in a first-type frame of a reduction-resultant image in accordance with the black-pixel number counted by the black-pixel counting means and with a result of the pattern comparison by the pattern comparing means, the reduction-resultant image pixel corresponding to the N.times.M-pixel area in the original image;
• second level determining means for determining a level of a pixel in a second-type frame of the reduction-resultant image in accordance with the black-pixel number counted by the black-pixel counting means and with the result of the pattern comparison by the pattern comparing means, wherein a position of the pixel in the first-type frame corresponds to a position of the pixel in the second-type frame;
• and
• means for indicating the data of the pixel in the first-type frame during a first frame period, indicating the data of the pixel in the first-type frame during a second frame period following the first frame period, and indicating the data of the pixel in the second-type frame during a third frame period following the second frame period;
• wherein the first and second level determining means comprises means for setting both of the data of the pixel in the first-type frame and the data of the pixel in the second-type frame to a white level when a white pixel is indicated by the indicating means;
• means for setting the data of the pixel in the first-type frame and the data of the pixel in the second-type frame to the white level and a black level respectively when a light gray pixel is indicated by the indicating means;
• means for setting the data of the pixel in the first-type frame and the data of the pixel in the second-type frame to the black level and the white level respectively when a dark gray pixel is indicated by the indicating means;
• and means for setting both of the data of the pixel in the first-type frame and the data of the pixel in the second-type frame to the black level when a black pixel is indicated by the indicating means.