Photography – Fluid-treating apparatus – Photographic medium or cartridge sensing
Reexamination Certificate
2003-02-14
2004-05-25
Rutledge, D. (Department: 2851)
Photography
Fluid-treating apparatus
Photographic medium or cartridge sensing
C396S569000, C396S125000, C355S032000, C355S038000, C355S077000, C382S274000, C358S516000, C358S530000, C348S223100, C348S225100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06739767
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image processing method, an image processing apparatus and an image recording apparatus, all for conducting prescribed image processing on image signals indicating photographed images generated by flash photographing, and thereby for finishing superb images.
In recent years, when image signals indicating photographed images are observed by the use of images outputted on a medium or on CRT, prescribed image processing is generally conducted on the image signals indicating inputted photographed images for giving favorable impression to an observer.
For example, as a known technology, there is a white balance adjustment function. In general, when a scene including a white object is photographed under a fluorescent lamp, for example, the sense of sight of a person recognizes basically the white object to be white on account of color adaptation, and stores it, although the white object is greenish in the photographing location. However, when some color correction or other is not conducted on image data obtained through photographing, the white object turns out to be greenish to be different from memory of a person, which is not preferable. Under a white balance adjustment function equipped on a digital camera and others, therefore, a fluorescent lamp is recognized as environment light, and color correction processing to eliminate greenish tint is conducted.
In addition to the foregoing, there is caused a gap between an impression given to a photographer in the case of photographing and an impression given by an output image, by influences of environment light and color temperature in the case of photographing and of flashlight in the case of flash photographing.
For example, TOKKAIHEI No. 7-322274 discloses a technology that can reproduce images having an excellent white balance, by conducting gamma correction for R, G and B signals based on color temperature information recorded in each frame on a magnetic recording layer of a developed still photo-film, and thereby by correcting color temperature in photographing, with respect to image signals obtained through scanning of frame images on the developed still photo-film. There is further disclosed simultaneously an image processing method, which prevents that a subject turns black by controlling correction and conducting image processing for halftone when conducting gamma correction for RGB signals based on backlight information recorded in each frame on a magnetic recording layer.
Further, in TOKKAI No. 2000-261825, there are disclosed an image processing method and a processing apparatus wherein color conversion is conducted based on specified information wherein specification of color temperature desired by a customer to be outputted is expressed with sensitive expression such as “sober” when color temperature owned by images is changed and outputted, and output images with impression according to an image of a person who observes is obtained.
Further, in TOKKAI No. 2001-238177, there are disclosed an image processing method and an image processing apparatus wherein image data of photographing scene of a subject is obtained in a camera, then, camera information obtained or inputted in photographing of a subject is obtained, and further when occasion demands, related information concerning this photographing scene is taken in, and photographing scene is estimated by at least one of camera information and related information or by a combination of this and image data, and prescribed image processing according to the estimated photographing scene is conducted.
Further, in TOKKAI No. 2001-177732, there is disclosed an image processing apparatus wherein environment light information, flash information and an object distance in flash photographing are obtained, and in accordance with information of the aforesaid information, color reproduction condition that differs for each image area is established, and image processing is conducted so that a principal subject and a background may show suitable color preference.
(Subjects to be Solved by the Invention)
However, when recent diversification of generating means for image signals indicating photographed images, including an inexpensive digital camera for toy use, a lens shutter digital camera, an SLR high-grade digital camera, a film scanner and a flat-bed scanner, diversification of photographing surroundings and photographing scenes which advance following the aforementioned diversification of generating means for image signals, and demands of customers for further high quality are considered, for example, it cannot be said that all of them have sufficient effects.
For example, the technology disclosed in the aforesaid TOKKAIHEI No. 7-322274 is one to conduct image processing on a magnetic recording layer of a developed still photo-film based on color temperature information recorded in each frame, but for an image on a developed still photo-film having no magnetic recording layer and an image obtained through scanning in a digital camera, it is impossible to record color temperature information on each frame, which makes the aforesaid technology to be poor in versatility. In addition, there is caused a difference between equipment models in terms of writing of information, depending on camera types and performances, which also makes the aforesaid technology to be poor in versatility. Further, the technology cannot be applied to the scene that is controlled in flash photographing by plural light sources such as environment light and flashlight, because a color temperature varies depending on an area in the image.
Further, the technology disclosed in TOKKAI No. 2000-261825 is one in which color conversion is conducted based on specified information wherein color temperature which is desired by a customer to be outputted is expressed with specified sensitive expression such as “sober”, in which one sensitive expression corresponds to one color temperature value. However, an image imagined by a customer from the sensitive expression is various and is not univocal, which makes it difficult to say positively that customers are fully satisfied.
The technology disclosed in the aforesaid TOKKAI No. 2001-238177 is one wherein image data of photographing scene of a subject photographed in a camera are obtained, then, camera information obtained or inputted in the course of photographing a subject and related information concerning the photographing scene are obtained, and photographing scene is estimated by the use of the obtained information so that prescribed image processing is conducted in accordance with the estimated photographing scene. In this technology, however, there is no consideration about a scene controlled by plural light sources such as environment light and flashlight which are used frequently by general users for photographing represented by indoor flash photographing under a fluorescent lamp or a tungsten lamp, thus, it is impossible to cope with images wherein a light source varies depending on an area in the image.
The technology disclosed in the aforesaid TOKKAI No. 2001-177732 is one wherein environment light information, flash information and an object distance are obtained, then, a color reproduction condition that varies depending on each area in the image is established in accordance with the aforesaid information, and image processing is conducted so that a principal subject and a background may show suitable color preference. However, the technology does not pay any attention to the fact that an effective area and an effective light amount of flashlight for the area for a subject to be photographed are dependent greatly not only on the object distance but also on a zoom magnification and ISO speed. When the image acquired has already been subjected to color correction processing by a white balance function in a digital camera, for example, there is no consideration about conditions for conducting processing, namely, about intention to correct an influence of light, which makes the technology stated ab
Ikeda Chizuko
Ito Tsukasa
Takano Hiroaki
Cantor & Colburn LLP
Konica Corporation
Rutledge D.
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