Facsimile and static presentation processing – Static presentation processing – Attribute control
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-16
2003-03-18
Nguyen, Madeleine (Department: 2622)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Static presentation processing
Attribute control
C358S520000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06535301
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method and an image processing program recording medium for inputting digital photographic image data containing dot-matrix pixels and converting each pixel of the image data according to predetermined correspondence relationship information, and it is also concerned with a color adjustment method, a color adjustment device and a color adjustment control program recording medium for carrying out optimum color adjustment.
2. Description of Related Art
There are a variety of conventional image processing techniques for processing digital photographic image data, more specifically such image processing techniques for contrast enhancement, chromaticity correction, and brightness correction, for example. Each pixel of image data is converted according to predetermined correspondence relationship information in these conventional image processing techniques. In an example of chromaticity correction, a color conversion table is prepared beforehand, and when original image data is input, the color conversion table is referenced to produce output image data. Thus, in flesh color correction, for example, a flesh color part of an image is made vivid on output.
In conventional image processing techniques mentioned above, however, when correction of certain chromaticity is made, an entire image may be affected by the correction, causing an unsatisfactory result of image adjustment. For instance, if it is attempted to make a pallid complexion of a person's image look ruddy, an entire image may become reddish. Namely, although a certain kind of image adjustment provides a desired effect on an image, it may cause an undesired side effect thereon.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus which is capable of minimizing an adverse side effect in adjustment of an image data.
In accomplishing this object of the present invention and according to one aspect thereof, there is provided an image processing apparatus for inputting photographic image data containing dot-matrix pixels and converting each pixel of the image data according to predetermined correspondence relationship information, which comprises the correspondence relationship holding unit which holds a plurality of correspondence relationship information of the image data in combination with applicable object information thereof, the correspondence relationship judging unit which judges each correspondence relationship for converting each pixel of the image data according to the correspondence relationship and applicable object information which are held by the correspondence relationship holding unit, and the image data converting unit which converts each pixel of the image data by referencing each correspondence relationship judged by the correspondence relationship judging unit from the correspondence relationship holding unit.
Where an image contains dot-matrix pixels and each pixel is indicated in image data representation, each pixel of image data is converted according to predetermined correspondence relationship information in the above-mentioned arrangement of the present invention. In this image processing, a plurality of correspondence relationship information for image data conversion and applicable object information are held in combination. According to these information, a judgment is formed on each correspondence relationship for conversion of each pixel of image data, and based on result of judgment, conversion of each pixel of image data is carried out.
More specifically, there are provided plural correspondence relationships for image data conversion, and it is judged which correspondence relationship is to be applied to each pixel. Then, image data conversion is performed by applying a proper correspondence relationship to each pixel. For example, a correspondence relationship for making green color of tree leaves more vivid is applied to green color pixels indicating tree leaves, and a correspondence relationship for making a complexion ruddy is applied to flesh color pixels. In this manner, each correspondence relationship is flexibly applied as required.
In accordance with the present invention, since correspondence relationship information for image data conversion can be changed for each pixel, it is possible to provide an image processing method which allows execution of desired image processing without giving an adverse effect to unspecified parts of an image.
It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the image processing method in which plural correspondence relationship information can be changed for each pixel is practicable not only in a substantial apparatus, but also in a system on its method. From this point of view, the present invention provides an image processing apparatus of inputting photographic image data containing dot-matrix pixels and converting each pixel of the image data according to predetermined correspondence relationship information, in which a plurality of correspondence relationship information for conversion of the image data and applicable object information thereof are held in combination, each correspondence relationship for converting each pixel of the image data is judged according to the correspondence relationship and applicable object information thus held, and each pixel of the image data is converted according to result of judgment.
The present invention for realizing image processing as mentioned above may be practiced in a variety of forms, i.e., it may be embodied in hardware, software or combination thereof in various arrangements that are modifiable as required. As an example of practicing the present invention, it may be embodied in image processing software. In this case, according to the present invention, there is provided a software storage medium for recording the image processing software. From this viewpoint, the present invention provides a storage medium for recording an image processing program for inputting photographic image data containing dot-matrix pixels on a computer and converting each pixel of the image data according to predetermined correspondence relationship information, the image processing program comprising the steps of; holding a plurality of correspondence relationship information for conversion of the image data in combination with applicable object information thereof, forming judgment on each correspondence relationship for converting each pixel of the image data according to the correspondence relationship and applicable object information thus held, and converting each pixel of the image data according to result of judgment thus formed. In this case, the same functionalities as in the foregoing description can be provided.
The storage medium for recording the image processing program may be a magnetic storage medium, a magneto-optical storage medium or any software storage medium to be developed in the future. Obviously, the present invention embodied in image processing software may take such a replicated form as a primary replicated product, secondary replicated product, etc. In addition, the image processing software according to the present invention may be supplied through use of a communication line or in a form of contents written in a semiconductor chip.
Still more, there may be provided such an arrangement that some parts of the present invention are embodied in software while the other parts thereof are embodied in hardware. In a modified embodiment of the present invention, some parts thereof may be formed as software recorded on a storage medium to be read into hardware as required.
In image processing according to the present invention, photographic image data is particularly suitable as object data to be processed. However, it is not necessarily required to use 100% photographic image data as object data, and semi-synthetic image data or composite-photographic image data produced from plural photo
Kuwata Naoki
Nakami Yoshihiro
Nguyen Madeleine
Seiko Epson Corporation
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