Patent ID: 7791778
Filing Date: 2010-09-07
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An image processing apparatus comprising: a boundary line position storage section that stores therein position information on boundary lines for dividing an image according to an image data unit into a plurality of regions; a position information changing section that changes the position information on boundary lines being stored in the boundary line position storage section, such that the position of a boundary line is changed in the image; a dividing section that divides the image data unit into a plurality of partial image data units corresponding to the respective regions, wherein the position information changing section includes a selecting section that selects a part of the boundary lines which divides into at least two regions neighboring to each other as a target boundary line, and a target boundary line position changing section that changes only position information on the target boundary line so that the at least two regions neighboring to each other and divided by the target boundary line are both changed in shape; wherein the apparatus further comprises: a print direction storage section that stores therein a print direction for each of the plurality of regions; a print direction rewriting section that rewrites a print direction being stored in the print direction storage section; and a total length judging section that judges which of the following cases brings about the shorter total length in the print direction: a case wherein a plurality of first neighboring regions in the plurality of regions, neighboring each other and common in the print direction being stored in the print direction storage section, are printed in the print direction of the first neighboring regions; and a case wherein a plurality of second neighboring regions obtained by dividing the whole of the plurality of first neighboring regions by a boundary line or lines perpendicular to the print direction being stored in the print direction storage section for the first neighboring regions, are printed in a direction perpendicular to the print direction being stored in the print direction storage section for the first neighboring regions, and when the total length judging section judges the case wherein the plurality of second neighboring regions are printed in the direction perpendicular to the print direction being stored in the print direction storage section for the first neighboring regions, to bring about the shorter total length, the position information changing section changes the position information on boundary lines being stored in the boundary line position storage section, such that the plurality of second neighboring regions are formed in place of the plurality of first neighboring regions; and the print direction rewriting section sets the print direction for the plurality of second neighboring regions to a direction perpendicular to the print direction being stored in the print direction storage section for the first neighboring regions.