Patent ID: 7099025

Claim:
An image processing apparatus comprising: a communicator for performing two-way communications, via a communication line, with an image output unit that includes an update unit for updating condition information indicating a condition of the image output unit and a memory for storing the condition information, wherein the condition information is obtained by forming color patches and measuring colors on the color patches; an input unit for inputting an image output instruction to be communicated to the image output unit via the communication line; an acquisition unit for acquiring the updated condition information stored in the memory of the image output unit by utilizing said communicator to provide two-way communication, in response to the image output instruction from said input unit; and an image processor for performing a color conversion process on image data and a calibration process on the converted image data having a bit length, in accordance with the condition information acquired by said acquisition unit, wherein said image processor decreases the bit length of the calibrated image data processed by said image processor in accordance with the condition information and then outputs the bit-length-decreased image data to the image output unit via the communication line.