Patent US 4,953,012

An image processing system includes a first input device for inputting an image signal that may include a plurality of color components, half-tone portions, and line image portions, and a second input device for inputting a character signal. A processor processes the image signal input by the first input device to reproduce a color image from the color components and includes a half-tone processing section for half-tone processing of the image signal. A discriminator discriminates the presence of a specific color component, half-tone portions, and line image portions in the image signal in accordance with the result of discrimination of the specific color component. A selector selects a predetermined sequence for processing by the processor of the image signal having the specific color component to reproduce a color image with the specific color component in accordance with the result of discrimination by said discrimination means. An output device outputs a first signal processed by the half-tone processing section when the discriminator discriminates the presence of half-tone portions in the image signal input by the first input device. The output device further outputs a second signal not processed by the half-tone processing section when either: (a) the discriminator does not discriminate the presence of half-tone portions in the image signal, or (b) the character signal is input by the second input apparatus.