Patent ID: 6868180

Claim:
An image processing apparatus comprising: an acquisition unit for acquiring image data that includes a plurality of pixels, each of which is set as a target pixel to be judged; a color pixel judgment unit for judging whether the target pixel is a color pixel, the color pixel being a pixel other than a monochrome pixel; a color area judgment unit for judging whether the target pixel is in a color area that includes a plurality of color pixels, by referring to a judgment result of the color pixel judgment unit; a character-halftone judgment unit for judging whether the target pixel is in an edge area of a character that is present on a halftone-dot area; and a switch unit for switching, when a judgment result of the character-halftone judgment unit is affirmative, an operation of image processing to be performed on the target pixel in accordance with a judgment result of the color pixel judgment unit and a judgment result of the color area judgment unit.