Image analysis – Image enhancement or restoration – Intensity – brightness – contrast – or shading correction
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-31
2003-08-05
Chen, Wenpeng (Department: 2624)
Image analysis
Image enhancement or restoration
Intensity, brightness, contrast, or shading correction
C382S232000, C358S520000, C358S461000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06603886
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image processing method and system. This invention particularly relates to an image processing method and system, wherein shutting light processing is carried out under desired conditions in a second image processing apparatus by utilizing a digital image signal representing an image before being subjected to the shutting light processing, and which is formed by a first image processing apparatus, and an unsharp image signal, which represents an unsharp mask image used for the shutting light processing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, research of digital photo printers has been carried out. With the digital photo printers, an image recorded on photographic film (such as negative film or reversal film) or which is recorded on printed matter is photoelectrically read out. The obtained image signal is then converted into a digital signal which is then subjected to various kinds of image processing to produce a processed image signal. Thereafter, recording light is modulated with the processed image signal, and a photosensitive material, such as photographic paper, is scanned with and exposed to the modulated recording light. In this manner, a visible image is printed on the hotosensitive material.
With the digital photo printers, layouts of printed images, such as combining a plurality of images, dividing image, and editing characters and images, as well as various kinds of image processing, such as color/image density adjustment, conversion of magnification, and contour emphasis, may be freely carried out. Therefore, prints edited and processed freely in accordance with certain applications can be obtained. Also, where conventional surface exposure techniques are employed, the image density information recorded on film, or the like, cannot be reproduced perfectly due to limitations imposed upon the reproducible image density range of photosensitive materials. However, with digital photo printers, prints can be obtained such that the image density information can be reproduced approximately perfectly, alternately prints may obtained with image processing, or the like, by perfectly utilizing the image density information recorded on film.
Basically, digital photo printers comprise a read-out means for reading out an image recorded on an image storage sheet, such as film, and an image reproducing means. The image reproducing means carries out image processing on an image signal detected by the read-out means, and adjusts exposure conditions. Also, the image reproducing means carries out a scanning exposure operation on a photosensitive material under the adjusted exposure conditions, and carries out development processing on the exposed photosensitive material. Further, the image reproducing means can reproduce a visible image from the image signal obtained from the image processing, and can display the visible image on a monitor.
For example, in a read-out apparatus for reading out an image recorded on film using, slit scanning, reading light having a slit-like shape extending in a one-dimensional direction irradiates to the film, and the film is moved in a direction approximately normal to the one-dimensional direction. (Alternatively, the reading light and a photoelectric converting device are moved in the direction, which is approximately normal to the one-dimensional direction.) In this manner, the film is scanned in a two-dimensional direction. An image of the light, which has passed through the film and carries the film image information, is then formed on a light receiving face of the photoelectric converting device, such as a CCD line sensor, and is photoelectrically converted into a light amount signal. This light amount signal is amplified and then converted into a digital signal by an analog-to-digital converter. Thereafter, the digital signal is subjected to various kinds of image processing, such as compensation for a fluctuation in the characteristics among the CCD elements of the CCD line sensor, image density conversion, and conversion of magnification, and is transferred to a reproducing means.
In the reproducing means, for example, a visible image is reproduced from the received image signal and displayed on a display device, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT) display device. When necessary, an operator, viewing the reproduced image will correct the gradation, color and image density of the reproduced image (i.e., sets the set-up conditions). Where the reproduced image is judged as being an acceptable finished print, the image signal is transferred as the recording image information into a development means or a monitor.
In an image reproducing apparatus, in which the image reproduction with raster scanning (i.e., light beam scanning) is utilized, three kinds of light beams corresponding to exposure of the layers (which are formed on a photosensitive material and are sensitive to three primary colors, e.g. red (R), green (G), and blue (B)), are modulated in accordance with the recording image information, and then deflected in a main scanning direction (which corresponds to the aforesaid one-dimensional direction). Also, the photosensitive material is conveyed in a sub-scanning direction, which is approximately normal to the main scanning direction (i.e. the photosensitive material is moved with respect to the deflected light beams and in the sub-scanning direction,). In this manner, the photosensitive material is scanned in two-dimension with the light beams. Since these that beams have been modulated in accordance with the recording image information, the image read out from the film is thereby reproduced on the photosensitive material.
The photosensitive material is then subjected to development processing which is dependent on the particular kind of photosensitive material. For example, where the photosensitive material is a silver halide photographic material, it is subjected to the development processing comprising the steps of color development, bleach-fix, washing, drying, and the like. A finished print is thereby obtained.
Such a photosensitive material can record a comparatively wide range of luminance of the object. However, the maximum image density on the photosensitive material is limited. Therefore, in cases where a print of a scene having a large difference in luminance is obtained with an ordinary printing technique, details become imperceptible due to insufficient gradation in either one of a bright portion (a highlight) and a dark portion (a shadow) on the print. For example, in cases where a picture of a person is taken against the light, if the picture is printed such that the image of the person may become clear, the bright portion, (such as the sky region), will become white and its details will become imperceptible. Also, if the picture is printed such that the bright portion, such as the sky region, may become clear, the image of the person will become black and its details will become imperceptible. In order to solve the problems, a shutting light technique or a masking print technique has heretofore been employed.
With the shutting light technique, an ordinary level of exposure is given to a region having an intermediate level of image density in a scene. Also, a long time of exposure is given selectively to a region, which has to become whit such hat the details of the region are imperceptible on the print, by using a perforated blocking sheet. Further, as for a region, which has to become black such hat the details of the region are imperceptible on the print, the exposure time is kept selectively short by using a blocking sheet. In this manner, the print is obtained such that the contrast of each object may be kept appropriate, and the details of the highlight and the shadow may be kept perceptible. At least one such method has been proposed, in which unsharp image film photographically formed by the negative-positive reversal of the original image film is used as a blocking sheet for locally controlling the exposure time, and in which printin
Chen Wenpeng
Fuji Photo Film Co. , Ltd.
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