IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ELIMINATING BACKGROUND DENSITY IN A DESIGNATED IMAGE AREA

A reproduction apparatus such as one having an electronic electrophotographic marking engine includes an image scanning device for scanning and outputting signals representing image density data on a document. An area designating device such as a digitizing tablet is provided for generating signals representing information relative to a selected image area of the document containing both foreground and background density. A processor is responsive to the density and area signals for operating on the image data in the area to define clipping signals representing parameters for substantially eliminating the background density while substantially preserving information with foreground density.