Image analysis – Image enhancement or restoration – Edge or contour enhancement
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-08
2004-05-18
Lee, Thomas D. (Department: 2724)
Image analysis
Image enhancement or restoration
Edge or contour enhancement
C358S462000, C358S464000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06738527
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image processing method wherein an optimum image processing is performed automatically on photograph image data such as digital photograph image, and the image is evaluated, to an image processing apparatus, a medium on which an image processing control program is recorded, an image evaluation device, an image evaluation method, and a medium on which an image evaluation program is recorded.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various kinds of image processing may be performed on digital image data, i.e., in which processing: contrast may be increased; color may be corrected; or lightness may be corrected. This image processing can usually be performed with a microcomputer. An operator confirms the image on a monitor, the necessary image processing is selected, and image processing parameters are determined.
In recent years various types of image processing techniques have been proposed, and are now having considerable impact. However, a human operator is still required when it is a question of which technique to apply, and to what extent it should be used. This is because it was otherwise impossible to determine which digital image data had to be subjected to image processing. For example, in the case of image processing to correct the lightness of an image, the screen is made lighter if it is dark on the whole, and is made darker if it is too light.
Now, consider the case of a photographic image of a person filmed at night, where the background is near to pitch-darkness but the person in the picture has been well photographed. If this photograph is automatically corrected, it is attempted to make the image brighter due to the fact that the background is pitch black, so the final image appears as if the photo was taken in the daytime.
In this case, if a human operator is involved, he pays attention only to the person in the picture. If the image of the person is dark, it would be made a little brighter, conversely darkening would be selected if the effect of flash, etc., was too bright.
Hence, there was a problem in the prior art in that a human operator had to participate to determine the important part (referred to hereafter as the “object”) of a photographic image.
However, even when the importance of the image is evaluated by some technique, the determination process is performed in picture element units, and varying the importance in real time causes an increase in computation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of this invention, which was conceived in view of the aforesaid problems, to provide an image processing method which permits an important part of a photographic image such as a digital photograph image to be detected, and an optimum image processing to be automatically selected, to provide an image processing apparatus, and to provide a medium on which an image processing control program is recorded.
In order to achieve the aforesaid object, this invention is an image processing apparatus into which photographic image data comprising dot matrix picture elements is input, and which performs predetermined image processing on the input data. The apparatus comprises an image processing acquiring unit which acquires the aforesaid photographic image data, an image processing indicator specifying unit which performs predetermined summation processing on picture elements and specifies an image processing indicator based on the acquired image data, and a processing unit which determines image processing contents based on the specified image processing indicator, wherein the aforesaid image processing indicator specifying unit comprises an object determining unit which determines picture elements having a large image variation amount to be those of the object, and the aforesaid processing unit determines image processing contents based on image data for picture elements determined to be those of the object and performs image processing on the determined contents.
Herein, it is assumed that in the case of an image of a photographic image of a person, the person is usually photographed in the center of the field. Therefore, the person is brought into focus to give a sharp image. When the image is sharp, the outline part becomes clear, and the amount of image variation becomes large. As a result, there is an extremely high possibility that there will be no error if it is assumed that picture elements with a large image variation amount are those of the original object which has been brought into focus.
In the invention thus comprised, in the image processing indicator specifying unit based on photographic image data comprising dot matrix picture elements acquired in the image data acquiring unit, predetermined summation processing is performed on picture elements. This summation processing may take various forms, and the image processing indicator is basically specified based on the summation result. In the processing unit, the image processing contents are determined based on the specified indicator, and the determined image processing is performed.
This means that useful information about the corresponding image can be obtained by performing summation processing on dot matrix photographic image data, and image processing is performed on the data. In this way, the image processing indicator is specified by actual photographic image data, so optimum image processing can be performed even without human intervention.
The photographic image data comprises dot matrix picture elements and image processing is performed in picture element units, but first, in the object determining unit, picture elements having a large image variation are determined to be those of the object. Image processing contents are then determined in the processing unit based on image data for picture elements determined to be those of the object, and image processing is performed based on the determined contents.
Therefore, according to this invention, the determination of the object, which in the past required human participation, can be automated by determining the object as picture elements with a large image variation. The invention therefore provides an image processing method whereby optimum image processing can be performed by suitably modifying the image processing contents according to the object.
This method for specifying an image processing indicator from actual photographic data may of course be applied not only to a real device but also to a system on the method. In such a sense, this invention is also an image processing method wherein photographic image data comprising dot matrix picture elements is input, and predetermined image processing is performed, this image processing method comprising an image data acquiring step for acquiring the aforesaid photographic image data, an image processing indicator specifying step for performing a predetermined summation processing on picture elements based on this acquired image data, and specifying an image processing indicator, and a processing step for determining image processing contents based on the specified indicator, and performing image processing, wherein the aforesaid image processing indicator specifying step comprises an object determining step wherein picture elements having a large image variation amount are determined to be those of the object, and wherein in the aforesaid processing step, image processing contents are determined based on image data for picture elements determined to be those of the object, and image processing is performed based on the determined image processing contents. In this case, the apparatus offers all the attendant benefits and advantages of the invention.
This apparatus for determining an object and performing image processing method may be implemented by a stand-alone apparatus as mentioned above, or may be incorporated in another instrument which comprises such an apparatus. In other words, the scope of this invention covers various forms of implementation. It may also be implemented by hardware or software, and
Kuwata Naoki
Nakami Yoshihiro
Lee Thomas D.
Seiko Epson Corporation
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