Image analysis – Editing – error checking – or correction
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-11
2003-10-14
Johnson, Timothy (Department: 2625)
Image analysis
Editing, error checking, or correction
C345S629000, C345S215000, C358S450000, C358S452000, C382S274000, C382S298000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06633689
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image reproducing apparatus that photoelectrically reads images recorded on a film original, and outputs photo prints in which these images are reproduced as visible images.
a user often takes pictures (picture images) of same or identical, or similar or analogous scenes under same or identical, or similar or analogous photographing conditions, and he becomes unsatisfactory if these pictures, that is, images of the similar scenes are not reproduced as identically finished photo prints.
To accommodate such needs of the user, various techniques for reproducing similar images as identically finished photo prints have been proposed. For example, one technique involves the steps of reading a negative film by an image sensor or the like such as a CCD sensor with a low resolution to obtain pre-scanned images, calculating setup parameters from the pre-scanned images, displaying the processed images on a screen of image display means for verifying the images, and subjecting a group of same or similar images to a similar processing to thereby obtain identically finished photo prints.
Further, in an Advanced Photo System (hereinafter referred to as “APS”) photographing information is recorded as magnetic information on a film by means of a camera when a user takes pictures with the camera. When the user specifies some frames as “series scene” when taking these picture images, designation of the series scene is recorded as the magnetic information to the specified frames on the film, and when the magnetic information is read (picked up) during an image reproducing process, the images of frames specified as the series scene are subjected to corrections so that images of photo prints will be finished identically as same or similar images.
However, according to an algorithm used for calculating the setup parameters, even if some images are specified as frames having similar scenes, they are sometimes finished, not as identical as expected. This is due to differences in the positions of the highlight portions and shadow portions of individual pictures, and due to differences in the position and size of main subjects to be photographed. There differences are attributable to image-to-image variations in average image density and variations in the overall color balance within each picture. That is, when the user takes a plurality of the pictures of similar scenes with his camera, the user obtains the images in which the density, color and the like of their main subject change little but in which the ratio of the occupying area of their backgrounds changes due to slightly changed compositions, etc., and these changed ratio of the background area cause the aforementioned variations in the average image density, overall color balance, etc.
To overcome this problem, the conventional techniques have required that the operator corrects the images of the similar scene manually on a frame by frame basis, in an effort to make all images of a similar scene uniform. Hence, the operator has to bear a heavy burden.
Similar problems arise in the case of the APS also. That is, the designation of the series scene is read from the magnetic information on the film, and processes the specified frames as the series scene identically based on the read magnetic information on the film. If the user specifies a group of pictures with the series scene in advance, and if he has pressed the shutter of his camera erroneously to include some foreign pictures in the group of the pictures with the series scene, then such improper frames to be processed as the series-scene pictures are processed as the series-scene pictures, and hence are inappropriately finished. This is unexpected, and is a problem.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is offered in view of the aforementioned conventional problems. An object of the invention is to provide an image reproducing apparatus capable of printing uniformly finished photo prints for similar frames on an identical film, in a simple manner, so as to reduce the burden on the part of the operator.
To achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image reproducing apparatus for photoelectrically reading images recorded on a photographic film and subjecting the read image data to image processing, to thereby reproduce the processed image data as visible images. The apparatus includes display means for displaying a plurality of frames of read images; means for specifying a plurality of frames of images as a group of images having a same or similar scene among the plurality of frames of the thus displayed on the display means; means for calculating image reproducing conditions under which the group of the specified images is processed, so that the group of the specified images are reproduces as same or similar images; and means for re-displaying the group of the specified images processed under the calculated image reproducing conditions on the display means.
It is also preferable that the image reproducing conditions include parameters for controlling at least one of density, tone balance and contrast.
It is further preferable that the image reproducing apparatus include means for performing a process, when an operator has manually corrected one of the plurality of the frames of the specified images in the group on the display means, for correcting the rest of the frames of the specified images in the group similarly, and for re-displaying the corrected images on the display means. Additionally, the apparatus may include means for switching whether the process is performed or not.
It is also preferable that the image reproducing apparatus include means for replacing the corrected images that are re-displayed on the display means, with the previous images. The previous images are the images displayed on the display means before the corrected images are re-displayed.
It is still further preferable that the image reproducing apparatus include means for replacing the processed images that are re-displayed on the display means with the previous images.
It is also still further preferable that the means for specifying the group of images simultaneously specifies two or more groups of images on the display means.
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Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Desire Gregory
Fuji Photo Film Co. , Ltd.
Johnson Timothy
LandOfFree
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