Patent ID: 8368941

Claim:
An image processing apparatus comprising: an image obtaining member which obtains an original image and outputs original image data of the original image, a merging member which merges unique additional image data to the original image data so as to form merged image data on a page basis, the unique additional image data being added page by page, a position specifying member which specifies a position to which the additional image data is merged, a fine adjustment member which finely adjusts the position specified by the position specifying member to which the additional image data is merged, a memory which stores the original image data and the merged image data, an image forming member which forms an image based on the merged image data formed in the merging member, and a controller which executes one of a first mode and a second mode selectively, wherein in the first mode, the controller (i) controls the merging member to form the merged image data before the original image data is stored to the memory, (ii) stores the merged image data to the memory, (iii) reads the merged image data stored in the memory, and (iv) controls the image forming member to form an image based on the merged image data, wherein in the second mode, the controller (i) reads the original image data from the memory after the original image data is stored to the memory, (ii) controls the merging member to form the merged image data, and (iii) controls the image forming member to form an image based on the merged image data, wherein the controller executes the second mode when a proof mode to print a test sheet is specified, and wherein when the proof mode to print the test sheet ends, the controller sends and stores the merged image data formed by executing the second mode to the memory for storage.