IMAGE PROCESSING UNIT, IMAGE FORMING UNIT, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, IMAGE DATA PROCESSING PROGRAM, AND RECORDING MEDIUM

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable strict recognition whether recognition processing functions correctly. SOLUTION: An image processing unit includes a primary storage 107 for storing image data being input from a scanner 101 and attached information of the image data, and middleware 108, 110 and hardware 109 for respectively processing the image data being input from the scanner 101 and image data to a printer 103. Further, the image processing unit includes an IPU 104 and an option board 105, detachable from the IPU 104, including middleware 111 for processing the image data being input from the scanner 101. The IPU 104 includes a function of recognizing the input image data, a function of image processing based on the recognition result obtained by the recognition function, and a function of deciding whether the operation of a second image data processing means having the image recognition function is normal or abnormal. COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT