Patent ID: 7158271

Claim:
An image processing apparatus which processes a plurality of image signals input from an image reading apparatus for reading an image of an original document, the image reading apparatus comprising a first image reading section formed of a plurality of line CCD sensors with different color characteristics and a second image reading section formed of a single or a plurality of line CCD sensors, wherein said second image reading section is a luminance sensor with high resolution, said image processing apparatus comprising: a color conversion section which converts a first image signal read in said first image reading section and represented by a first color space into a second image signal represented by a second color space; a generating section which generates a fourth image signal from a third image signal read at said second image reading section; a determining section which determines whether or not each of a plurality of pixels has low-saturation color with respect to the first image signal read in said first image reading section; a selecting section which selects the fourth image signal generated at said generating section when it is determined as low-saturation color and which selects the second image signal converted at said color conversion section when it is determined as not low saturation; and an image processing section which performs an image processing for the fourth or the second image signal selected at the selecting section.