Patent ID: 7414750

Claim:
An image reading apparatus comprising: a storage unit which stores reference image data including color tones of the reference image data, generated based on image data for reference color patches taken from a reference scan of the reference color patches to provide stored image data of the reference color patches; a display unit which reproduces two images, a first image based on processed image data taken from a comparison scan of the same reference color patches after a predetermined plurality of images have been scanned and a second image based on the reference image data stored in the storage unit containing the stored image data taken from the reference scan of the reference color patches, and which displays the two images so as to be contrasted with each other by said color tones, wherein the reference scan and the comparison scan are scans of the same reference color patches; and an instruction unit which issues an instruction to execute calibration of conversion characteristics in the processing for color conversion based on the two images displayed on the display unit.