Television – Camera – system and detail
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-14
2003-12-02
Garber, Wendy R. (Department: 2612)
Television
Camera, system and detail
C348S333020, C348S333120, C348S222100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06657658
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to reproduction of digital image data obtained through a digital camera or the like as a visible image on a photographic print or a display system such as a WWW, and more particularly to a method of and a system for carrying out image processing on such digital image data, a method of and a system for reproducing such digital image data and an image confirmation system for use in carrying out the methods.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently there has been developed a system in which image data is read out from a negative film and the image data is reproduced as a visible image on a photographic print or a display system such as a CRT after subjected to various corrections such as on color, gradation and brightness. Such corrections are carried out when a high quality reproduced image would not be obtained when the image data is reproduced as it is due to inappropriate photographing conditions such as overexposure or underexposure, or when the image quality is to be modified according to the tastes of the photographer.
Further recently there has been offered a service in which a necessary correction is carried out according to the request of the customer on finish of the print, e.g., to make the image tinged with sepia or to make the image tinged with orange so that the mood of the sunset is emphasized.
Further recently the similar service (or publication on Web or the like) has come to be offered on images taken by use of a digital camera and reproduction of images at high quality is expected as in images on negative film.
In the case of a picture printed from negative film, when a customer wants to trim the picture, the customer instructs a photo studio how to trim the picture viewing the printed picture and the photo studio prints a picture trimmed according to the instruction of the customer. Generally the trimmed picture is enlarged.
In the case of an image recorded on a photographic film, whether photographing was satisfactorily effected cannot be known until the film is developed and the image is read out and reproduced. Similarly result of correction for obtaining a desired finish of the print, that is, whether the correction results in the customer's desired finish, cannot be known until processing at the laboratory is completed.
Further when a picture recorded on negative film is to be trimmed, a picture without trimming must be once printed and the customer must instruct how to trim the picture viewing the printed picture. Accordingly the customer must visit the photo studio at least twice, which is very troublesome.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing observations and description, the primary object of the present invention is to make it feasible to confirm whether processing set according to a desired finish of a picture actually results in the desired finish before the image is reproduced on a photographic print or a CRT according to the processed image data, thereby ensuring that a picture of the desired finish can be constantly obtained.
Another object of the present invention is to make it feasible to quickly reproduce a trimmed image when an image represented by a digital image data is to be trimmed.
In some digital camera, a liquid crystal monitor is provided and an image taken can be immediately displayed on the monitor. Even if a digital camera is not provided with such a monitor, an image taken by the digital camera can be displayed on a monitor by connecting the digital camera to the monitor. Further image data obtained through, for instance, an image scanner can be immediately subjected to data processing since the image data is inherently digital data.
The present invention has been made on the basis of this fact. That is, in an image processing method of the present invention, an image confirmation system having functions of setting a condition of image processing which is to be carried out on given digital image data according to a desired finish, displaying a visible image on the basis the digital image data processed according to the set image processing condition so that whether the processed digital image data actually produces a picture of the desired finish can be confirmed through the visible image displayed, and obtaining desired image processing condition information representing the image processing condition which has been confirmed to be suitable for producing a picture of the desired finish is used to take in the digital image data and the desired image processing condition information, and
image processing is carried out on the digital image data according to the image processing condition represented by the desired image processing condition information.
It is preferred that the digital image data processed according to the image processing condition represented by the desired image processing condition information be reproduced as a visible image.
An image processing system of the present invention comprises
a data taking means which takes in digital image data and desired image processing condition information from an image confirmation system having functions of setting a condition of image processing which is to be carried out on given digital image data according to a desired finish, displaying a visible image on the basis of the digital image data processed according to the set image processing condition so that whether the processed digital image data actually produces a picture of the desired finish can be confirmed through the visible image displayed, and obtaining desired image processing condition information representing the image processing condition which has been confirmed to be suitable for producing a picture of the desired finish, and
an image processing means which carries out image processing on the digital image data according to the image processing condition represented by the desired image processing condition information.
It is preferred that the image processing system of the present invention be provided with an image reproduction means which reproduces as a visible image the digital image data processed according to the image processing condition represented by the desired image processing condition information.
A first image confirmation system of the present invention comprises
an image processing condition setting means for setting a condition of image processing which is to be carried out on given digital image data according to a desired finish,
a display/confirmation means which displays a visible image on the basis of the digital image data processed according to the set image processing condition so that whether the processed digital image data actually produces a picture of the desired finish can be confirmed through the visible image displayed, and
an information taking means for obtaining desired image processing condition information representing the image processing condition which has been confirmed to be suitable for producing a picture of the desired finish.
The term “reproduction” as used herein means to reproduce the digital image data as a visible image on a recording material, thereby obtaining a hard copy, as in printing from negative film as well as to reproduce the digital image data as a visible image on a CRT or a monitor of a personal computer through a Web server. As a means for producing a hard copy, may be employed any known printer such as a photographic printer in which a photosensitive material is imagewise exposed to, for instance, a laser beam and developed, an ink jet printer, an electrophotograph, a sublimation printer and a type of printer in which a heat development photosensitive material exposed to a laser beam is superposed on an image receiving material and an image is heat-developed and transferred to the image receiving material such as a Pictrography 3000 (from Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd).
“Finish” is represented as color balance, gradation balance, brightness and/or reproduction area and is set as a numerical value by an operator or a photographer. Otherwise, a pl
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Fuji Photo Film Co. , Ltd.
Garber Wendy R.
Ye Lin
LandOfFree
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