IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD

Abstract

An image processing apparatus is disclosed. The image processing apparatus includes: an image processing unit configured to perform a plurality of image processes on image data that is input to the image processing apparatus; a unit configured to receive a specified function; an image debugging interface unit configured to output the image data on which an image process, of the plurality of image processes, corresponding to the specified function has been performed to an external apparatus in a debugging mode; and an image output unit configured to output the image data on which the image process corresponding to the specified function and following at least one image process of the plurality of image processes have been performed in the debugging mode.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a drawing for explaining an example of operation of the image processing apparatus in a normal operation mode;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart (1) showing a first example of operation of the image processing apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart (2) showing the first example of operation of the image processing apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart (1) showing a second example of operation of the image processing apparatus;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart (2) showing the second example of operation of the image processing apparatus;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart (1) showing a third example of operation of the image processing apparatus;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart (2) showing the third example of operation of the image processing apparatus.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising: an image processing unit configured to perform a plurality of image processes on image data that is input to the image processing apparatus;a unit configured to receive a specified function;an image debugging interface unit configured to output the image data on which an image process, of the plurality of image processes, corresponding to the specified function has been performed to an external apparatus in a debugging mode; andan image output unit configured to output the image data on which the image process corresponding to the specified function and following at least one image process of the plurality of image processes have been performed in the debugging mode.

2. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, the image processing apparatus further comprising an image input unit configured to read a document image to generate the image data and input the image data into the image processing apparatus.

3. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the image data is input via the image debugging interface unit.

4. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein additional information corresponding to a particular image process is added to the image data when the particular image process has been performed on the image data, the image processing apparatus further comprising a control unit to cause the image debugging interface unit to output the image data when the control unit determines that additional information added to the image data corresponds to the image process corresponding to the specified function.

5. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the control unit further causes the image processing unit to perform image processes following the image process corresponding to the specified function on the image data, and causes the image output unit to output the image data on which the image processes have been performed.

6. An image processing method performed by an image processing apparatus, the image processing method comprising the steps of: receiving a specified function;performing an image process corresponding to the specified function on input image data by an image processing unit;outputting the image data on which the image process corresponding to the specified function has been performed to an external apparatus via an image debugging interface unit; andperforming at least one image process following the image process corresponding to the specified function on the image data on which the image process corresponding to the specified function has been performed so as to output the image data via an image output unit.

7. The image processing method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the image data is input from an image input unit configured to read a document image to generate the image data.

8. The image processing method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the image data is input via the image debugging interface unit.

9. The image processing method as claimed in claim 6, wherein additional information corresponding to a particular image process is added to the image data when the particular image process has been performed on the image data, and a control unit in the image processing apparatus cause the image debugging interface unit to output the image data when the control unit determines that additional information added to the image data corresponds to the image process corresponding to the specified function.

10. The image processing method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the control unit further causes the image processing unit to perform image processes following the image process corresponding to the specified function, and causes the image output unit to output the image data on which all of image processes have been performed.