Patent ID: 7085013

Claim:
An image processing apparatus which processes image data and outputs the processed image data, comprising: a maximum/minimum density detecting unit detecting whether a first pixel has a maximum or minimum density among a group of pixels; a determination unit determining whether the absolute value of a difference between the average density of pairs of pixels and the density of the first pixel is larger than a predetermined threshold value, wherein said pairs of pixels are within said group of pixels, and wherein said first pixel is located between the pixels of said pairs of pixels; a peak pixel detecting unit detecting a peak pixel when said first pixel has a maximum or minimum density among said group of pixels and the absolute value of the difference between the average density of said pairs of pixels and the density of the first pixel is larger than the predetermined threshold value; and a dot region detecting unit for detecting a dot region based on a relationship between the number of peak pixels in a two-dimensional target region and the number of peak pixels in two-dimensional neighboring regions of the target region.