Patent ID: 7480073
Filing Date: 2009-01-20
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An image processing method in an image processing apparatus, comprising: a reading step of reading a document image; an identification step of identifying, based upon document format, whether or not the read document image contains settings information; a processing step, if the read document image has not been identified as a document image containing settings information, that transmits the document image to a printing unit and print-processes the document image in accordance with settings previously stored in a data table; and a setting step, if the read document image has been identified as being a document image containing settings information, that writes the settings information into the data table, so that a document image later read is print-processed in accordance with the settings, wherein the settings information which is carried on the read document image may include a subset of the settings included in the data table, and wherein, if a read document image includes a subset of the settings in the data table and references a previously read document image containing settings information, settings from the referenced document image are first written into the data table, then any settings contained on the later read document image are written into the data table, replacing corresponding settings from the referenced document image, and wherein, if a read document image includes a subset of the settings in the data table and no previously read document image containing settings information is referenced by the later read document, default settings are written into the data table, then any settings contained on the later read document are written into the data table, replacing the corresponding default settings.