Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Computer graphics processing – Attributes
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-30
2001-12-04
Hjerpe, Richard (Department: 2674)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Computer graphics processing
Attributes
C345S601000, C345S593000, C345S602000, C345S606000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06326974
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for coloring support, in particular for support of coloring such geometric graphic images as lines and flat nets. In the industrial sector handling two or more colors for coloring printing, such apparatus is needed for coloring on a computer display.
2. Description of the Related Art
As shown in
FIG. 19
, a typical coloring apparatus backed up by a computer comprises a color display
191
, an operating unit
192
, and an arithmetic unit
193
. On a screen
200
for the color display
191
, such graphic images as shown in
FIG. 20
are displayed.
The operator uses a cursor mark
204
controlled by the operating unit
192
to operate a means for generating or correcting colors given in a color selection area
201
on the color display
191
. This operation allows color arrangement for coloring any area on a linear graphic image
203
displayed in a rendering region
202
. Typically, as the operating unit
192
, highly operable mice and track balls are used. The arithmetic unit
193
assumes the tasks of operation and storage needed for coloring, input control of the operating unit
192
, and control of the color display
191
.
An equivalent to such coloring apparatus is installed in a color document creation system including a simple photoengraving system. Under the current environment, even the operator not familiar with photoengraving and coloring can create color documents. Under such environment, however, problems with coloring have occurred. For the quality of a document depends significantly on coloring.
For example, a chart where colors are well arranged can correctly and rapidly inform the reader of what the document argues. To the contrary, a chart where colors are arranged poorly causes the significant degradation of the quality of the document. In other words, orderly color arrangement is a key for developing a clear document.
All operators are not always familiar with orderly coloring based on knowledge and experiences, however. It is difficult for some operators to use the above color document creation system to create a clear color document where colors are well arranged in a short period.
To bridge over this difficulty, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. Heisei 6-203118 comes up with technology for supporting coloring under the standpoint of harmonious color arrangement. The feature of the technology consists in using an arithmetic expression to generate a plurality of colors under systematization of such intuitive color tones as “light” and “loud”. The color selection area
201
shown in
FIG. 20
is enhanced by the addition of a means based on the expression for providing systematic tone colors and easily changing tones. The addition aims to reduce a period needed for color selection and modification, and to implement harmonious color arrangement.
The purpose of developing a color document consists in more rapidly and correctly transmitting a message to the reader than a document not colored. In other words, precise document expression requires proper color arrangement. The method disclosed in above Japanese Paten Application Laid-open No. 203118/1994 focuses on improving means for color selection and correction. The final color adoption is left to the operator's discretion. Even though a set of colors with systematized tones should be available, the operator not familiar with color processing according to the target of document expression cannot develop a clear color document.
The following gives the reasons why such linear graphic images as charts, and organizational and structural trees are colored.
(a) Visual classification of contents to be expressed
(b) Partial emphasis for clear message transmission
(c) Combination of the above two elements
Effects of visual classification (a) are enhanced if such linear graphic images as organizational trees are colored suitably.
A whole organizational tree is not colored without any purposes, but different colors are assigned to such divisions as staff, business activity and engineering ones. Assigning divisions and sub-divisions consistent colors provides a clear organizational tree. Partial emphasis (b) is such that only portions to be spotlighted are colored or such portions are colored differently from the other portions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a method of and an apparatus for coloring support that enables even the operator unfamiliar with color arrangement to easily develop a clear, expressive, harmonious document. The method and apparatus are based on coloring according to the above three elements, and on coloring images on linear graphics developed by the operator. This means creates a set of harmonious colors from such coloring images for automatic coloring.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a method of and an apparatus for coloring support that allows the operator to interactively enter coloring factors and efficiently carry out a job through checking the coloring process.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a method of and an apparatus for coloring support that prevents the use of hue that has already been applied to coloring.
According to one aspect of the invention, a coloring support apparatus comprising:
a table storage means for storing a coloring table having an emphasis column for describing the degree of color emphasis of a domain in a linear graphic image to be colored, and a color coordinate column for describing a color coordinate value in any color space in said domain to be colored for each image element constituting said linear graphic image, a whole color tone column for describing the impression of coloring for said linear graphic image;
a color number determination means for determining the number of colors to be produced in said linear graphic image according to said coloring table stored in said table storage means;
a hue determination means for determining hue values according to the number of colors obtained by said color number determination means for description in said color coordinate column in said coloring table;
a reference coordinate determination means for determining the tone, saturation and brightness of a color corresponding to the impression of coloring described in said whole color tone column in said coloring table as the reference point on a plane with the same hue;
a color generation means for determining the saturation and brightness values of the hue of colors to be generated on said linear graphic image according to coordinates of said plane with the same hue at said reference point obtained by said reference coordinate determination means for description in said color coordinate column in said coloring table; and
a coloring means for referencing said coloring table covering a certain value in said each column to determine color coordinates for said color coordinate column and color said linear graphic image.
In the preferred construction, the coloring table stored in said table storage means includes a domain ID column for describing domain IDs to identify domains in graphic elements constituting said linear graphic image.
In the preferred construction, the color generation means moves said reference point on said plane with the same hue obtained by said reference coordinate determination means in the direction of emphasis predefined on said plane with the same hue according to the degree of emphasis described at said emphasis column in said coloring table stored in said table storage means to determine the saturation and brightness values of the hue of colors to be generated on said linear graphic image according to coordinates of said moved point on said plane with the same hue for description in said color coordinate column in said coloring table.
Also, the coloring table stored in said table storage means includes a group ID column for describing a group ID used to identify a domain to be assigned the same hue color; and
Satoh Youichi
Tajima Johji
Foley & Lardner
Hjerpe Richard
NEC Corporation
Zamani Ali A.
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