Facsimile and static presentation processing – Natural color facsimile – Specific image-processing circuitry
Reexamination Certificate
1996-07-19
2001-12-11
Lee, Thomas D. (Department: 2624)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Natural color facsimile
Specific image-processing circuitry
C358S448000, C358S453000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06330085
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and method for performing an area editing process.
2. Related Background Art
High image quality and sophisticated functions of digital color copiers are becoming more common. A color adjustment process and an editing process for an output image nowadays meet most of requirements of users. Copiers having a so-called preview function are also being manufactured. With this preview function, instead of printing out an image several times on recording sheets in order to obtain a desired image, an image is displayed on a CRT or the like.
There are copiers having a monochrome liquid crystal display for displaying and confirming a read original image. For a color copier, however, a preview system of full-color is desired in order to adjust colors.
One example of a preview system is shown in FIG.
24
. Blocks
101
to
109
constitute a full-color copier, and blocks
110
and
111
, and
219
constitute a preview system.
In
FIG. 24
, reference numeral
101
represents an RGB output sensor for reading a reflection original, reference numeral
102
represents an S/H and A/D converter, reference numeral
103
represents a shading correction circuit, reference numeral
104
represents an input masking circuit, reference numeral
105
represents a LOG converter circuit, reference numeral
106
represents a masking UCR for adjusting the colors to match the printer characteristics, reference numeral
107
represents an image editing circuit for performing various processes such as trimming, masking, painting, and a variable power process, reference numeral
108
represents an edge emphasis circuit, and reference numeral
109
represents a printer unit for scanning a reflection original three or four times to print out a full-color image.
Reference numeral
110
represents an image memory unit for storing image signals (RGB) after input masking, reference numeral
111
represents a memory control circuit for controlling the image memory
110
(the memory control circuit having an address counter and controlling data transfer between an unrepresented CPU and image memory), and reference numeral
219
represents a CRT for displaying data in the image memory. If a read image is simply displayed on CRT, a desired editing process entered from an operation unit is not reflected on the image. Therefore, data in the image memory unit
110
is made accessible by CPU and the editing process equivalent to the editing circuit
107
is performed by software to obtain a final image.
Requirements for high speed digital color copiers are strong. In order to achieve high speed processing, a color LBP has been proposed which has four photosensitive drums and Y, M, C, and K developers. For this color LBP, an image memory is essential in order to compensate for a spacial shift between drums, and it is preferable to provide a full-page image memory in order to realize highly sophisticated image processing.
Consider now that the editing process is set, changed, or modified while referring to a final image reflecting the editing process. If a plurality of areas are designated as shown in
FIG. 18
, it is not clear that the editing process is set, changed, or modified to which area. Further, if the color of a frame of an area to be modified is similar to the original color, the range of the area becomes indefinite.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention has been made under the above circumstances and aims at making it easy to recognize an area frame during the area editing process and allowing the editing process to be efficiently performed.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus comprising: area setting means for setting an area in an image; image processing setting means for setting a desired image processing to each area set by the area setting means; calculation means for calculating an outer frame in accordance with the set area; and designating means for a user to designate a color of the outer frame, wherein the image is synthesized with the set outer frame having the designated color, and the synthesized image is displayed.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus for performing a desired image processing relative to an arbitrary area in a color image, comprising: setting means for setting an outer frame in accordance with the arbitrary area; and means for generating outer frame color image data by performing a color inversion process for color image data corresponding to the outer frame, wherein the color image is synthesized with the outer frame of the outer frame color image data, and the synthesized image is displayed.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus capable of setting a plurality of area processes each performing a desired image processing for a plurality of areas in an image, comprising: setting means for setting an area in the image; and area process setting means for dividing set areas into groups, and setting an image processing to a group of areas, wherein: if the position of an area in the image set by the area setting means is to be distinguished, the image is synthesized with the frame image of the outer frame of the area in a first color and the synthesized image is displayed; and if the positions of a group of areas set by the area process setting means is to be distinguished, the image is synthesized with the frame image of the outer frames of the group of areas in a second color and the synthesized image is displayed.
According to a still further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus comprising: area setting means for setting a plurality of areas in an image; image processing setting means for setting a desired image processing to each area set by the area setting means; and calculation means for calculating an outer frame of the area set by the area setting means, in accordance with the contents of the set image processing and the set area, wherein the image is synthesized with the calculated outer frame, and the synthesized image is displayed.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus comprising: area setting means for setting a plurality of areas in an image; and calculation means for calculating an outer frame of the area to which the image processing is performed in accordance with a priority order of the area, wherein the image is synthesized with the calculated outer frame, and the synthesized image is displayed.
The above and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and the claims when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4007362 (1977-02-01), Sindermann
patent: 5027197 (1991-06-01), Endo
patent: 5086346 (1992-02-01), Fujisawa
patent: 5239370 (1993-08-01), Yamaguchi
patent: 5493424 (1996-02-01), Tomita et al.
patent: 5576847 (1996-11-01), Sekine et al.
patent: 5666207 (1997-09-01), Ohmura
Ishimoto Koichi
Yamamoto Nobuo
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Lee Thomas D.
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