Image processing device for detecting one-color marks of a number of colors and image processing method thereof

An image processing device for detecting first and second particular patterns of given colors in a received color image data, said second pattern comprising a plurality of particular marks, said image processing device comprising:

• a first image processing unit to detect said first particular pattern in a binarized received color image, said first image processing unit comprising an image extracting unit for extracting said first particular pattern from a predetermined location using a mark location unit, and a matching unit for matching said extracted particular pattern against a first reference pattern;
• and
• a second image processing unit to detect said second particular pattern by detecting if said plurality of particular marks are arranged in a predetermined spatial relationship with each other,
• whereby said received color image data is processed by said first and second image processing units to detect if at least one of said first and second particular patterns is included in said received color image data.

A copy machine, comprising:

• an image processing device for detecting first and second particular patterns of given colors in a received color image data, said second pattern comprising a plurality of particular marks, said image processing device comprising:
• a first image processing unit to detect said first particular pattern in a binarized received color image, said first image processing unit comprising an image extracting unit for extracting said first particular pattern from a predetermined location using a mark location unit, and a matching unit for matching said extracted particular pattern against a first reference pattern;
• and
• a second image processing unit to detect said second particular pattern by detecting if said plurality of particular marks are arranged in a predetermined spatial relationship with each other,
• whereby said received color image data is processed by said first and second image processing units to detect if at least one of said first and second particular patterns is included in said received color image data.

A printer comprising:

• an image processing device for detecting first and second particular patterns of given colors in a received color image data, said second pattern comprising a plurality of particular marks, said image processing device comprising:
• a first image processing unit to detect said first particular pattern in a binarized received color image, said first image processing unit comprising an image extracting unit for extracting said first particular pattern from a predetermined location using a mark location unit, and a matching unit for matching said extracted particular pattern against a first reference pattern;
• and
• a second image processing unit to detect said second particular pattern by detecting if said plurality of particular marks are arranged in a predetermined spatial relationship with each other,
• whereby said received color image data is processed by said first and second image processing units to detect if at least one of said first and second particular patterns is included in said received color image data.

A fax machine comprising:

• an image processing device for detecting first and second particular patterns of given colors in a received color image data, said second pattern comprising a plurality of particular marks, said image processing device comprising:
• a first image processing unit to detect said first particular pattern in a binarized received color image, said first image processing unit comprising an image extracting unit for extracting said first particular pattern from a predetermined location using a mark location unit, and a matching unit for matching said extracted particular pattern against a first reference pattern;
• and
• a second image processing unit to detect said second particular pattern by detecting if said plurality of particular marks are arranged in a predetermined spatial relationship with each other,
• whereby said received color image data is processed by said first and second image processing units to detect if at least one of said first and second particular patterns is included in said received color image data.