EP0843465A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Image processing apparatus and image processing method
Assignee: Seiko Epson Corp
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Filing: 1997-11-19
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2017-11-19
Abstract
Abstract Traditionally, the operator must determine the type of an image displayed on a screen and manually select one of various kinds of effect processing for the type of the image. As is generally known, however, such operations have a lack of accuracy and are difficult for an untrained user to carry out. In addition, the image is not correctly compensated for color slippages over the entire gradation range. Furthermore, in the case of image data including an abnormal element other than just a color slippage, the image can not be corrected with a high degree of efficiency. At a step S102, a sample-count distribution of image data is found for each color component by applying a thinning technique on samples. At a step S116, a judgment as to whether or not analogy exists among the sample-count distributions of the color components is formed. A low degree of analogy is regarded as an indicator which suggests that characteristics recognized from the sample-count distributions shall naturally be made uniform among the color components. In this case, the characteristics are compensated for a color slippage included therein by correcting an offset, putting an emphasis on the contrast and correcting the brightness at steps S204 to S216 in order to produce a well pitched and good image from the image data with poor color reproducibility. In addition, since the compensation and correction work is automated, even an untrained user is capable of correcting the balance of color with ease. Furthermore, at a step S205, an offset quantity reflecting a degree of analogy is calculated for use in the compensation of the characteristics for a color slippage.
Inventors
- 👤 Naoki Kuwata
- 👤 Yoshihiro Nakami
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 01:40
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/46; H04N1/56; H04N1/60; H04N1/6077
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
127 words
An image processing apparatus for carrying out predetermined
transformation processing on an input comprising component
values of image data produced as gradation-color-specification
data composed of all but equal color components
of an image to represent said image as a set of picture elements
arranged to form a dot matrix, producing an output from said
transformation processing and carrying out transformation based
on a relation between said input and said output to correct a
balance of color, said image processing apparatus characterized
by employing a characteristic uniforming means wherein a
distribution of said gradation-color-specification data is
found for each of said color components, a slippage among said
color components is recognized and said recognized slippage is
used as a basis for making characteristics uniform among said
color components.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
37 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 1
characterized in that said characteristic uniforming means
treats only picture elements approximated by said
gradation-color-specification data for each of said color
components as an object for finding said distribution.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2
characterized in that said characteristic uniforming means
finds said characteristics from predetermined positions at said
distributions, computes offset quantities for slippages among
said color components and uses said offset quantities for
correction of values of said color components in order to make
said characteristics uniform.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 3
characterized in that said characteristic uniforming means
treats end positions of the range of each of said distributions
as a characteristic of said distribution.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 3
characterized in that said characteristic uniforming means
treats a position approximately at the center of the range of
each of said distributions as a characteristic of said
distribution.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
An image processing apparatus according to any one of claims
1 to 5 characterized in that said characteristic uniforming means
makes degrees of spreading of said distributions all but uniform
among said color components.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 6
characterized in that said characteristic uniforming means
increases a degree of spreading of each of said distribution
by shifting the ends of said distribution outward over an
effective gradation range.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
58 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 6 or 7
characterized in that said characteristic uniforming means uses
said degrees of spreading of said distributions as a basis for
allocating a large number of gradations to a range with a high
distribution density and allocating a small number of gradations
to a range with a low distribution density.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
An image processing apparatus according to any one of claims
1 to 8 characterized in that said characteristic uniforming means
makes degrees of brightness based on each of said distributions
all but uniform among said color components.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 9
characterized in that said characteristic uniforming means
forms a judgment as to whether an image is bright or dark by
comparing a gradation approximately at the center of the range
of each of said distributions with a predetermined gradation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
50 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 9 or 10
characterized in that said characteristic uniforming means
makes degrees of brightness of an image uniform among said color
components by carrying out γ correction based on an outcome of
said judgment as to whether said image is bright or dark.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
53 words
An image processing apparatus according to any one of claim
1 to 11 characterized in that said characteristic uniforming
means includes a correction control means for finding a degree
of analogy among said distributions of said color components
and bypassing said transformation processing in case said degree
of analogy has a small value.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
58 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 12
characterized in that said correction control means divides a
gradation range that said gradation-color-specification data
can have, into a plurality of sub-ranges and finds a degree of
analogy among said color components by comparing partial
distributions of a color component with those of another color
component in the same sub-ranges.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
67 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 12 or 13
characterized in that said correction control means sets a
characteristic vector to represent each of said distributions
wherein said sub-ranges of said distribution represented by said
characteristic vector each serve as a member of said
characteristic vector representing said distribution, and finds
a degree of analogy among said color components from inner
products of said character vectors.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
70 words
An image processing apparatus according to any one of claims
12 to 14 characterized in that said characteristic uniforming
means provides an effective value for making a decision as to
whether or not to make said characteristics uniform and said
correction control means in essence makes a decision as to
whether or not to make said characteristics uniform by varying
said effective value and makes said effective value continuously
variable.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
46 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 1
characterized in that said characteristic uniforming means has
a color-slippage computing means for finding a color slippage
of said gradation-color-specification data from slippages in
value among said color components in low-brightness and
high-brightness zones in said gradation-color-specification
data.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 16
characterized in that said color-slippage computing means forms
a judgment on said color slippage based on a slippage in value
among said color components in said high-brightness zone.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
40 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 16 or 17
characterized in that said color-slippage computing means forms
a judgment on said color slippage by finding a slippage in value
among said color components at the same degree of brightness.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
63 words
An image processing apparatus according to any one of claims
16 to 18 characterized in that said color-slippage computing
means finds a representative value representing said
gradation-color-specification data for each of said color
components for a degree of brightness at which a color slippage
is found and regards a difference between said representative
value and said degree of brightness as a color slippage.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
68 words
An image processing apparatus according to any one of claims
16 to 19 characterized in that said color-slippage computing
means tabulates a brightness distribution for said
gradation-color-specification data and finds a slippage in
value among said color components at a degree of brightness of
a point shifted inward from an end of a reproducible range of
said brightness distribution by a distance determined by a
predetermined distribution ratio.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
43 words
An image processing apparatus according to any one of claims
16 to 20 characterized in that said characteristic uniforming
means has a color-shift correcting means for compressing a
detected color slippage and using said compressed color slippage
in correction of a component value.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
40 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 21
characterized in that said color-shift correcting means adapts
a color slippage found at a predetermined gradation for each
gradation value and uses said adapted color slippage for
correction of a component value.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
121 words
An image processing method for carrying out predetermined
transformation processing on an input comprising component
values of image data produced as an gradation-color-specification
data composed of all but equal color components
of an image to represent said image as a set of picture elements
arranged to form a dot matrix, producing an output from said
transformation processing and carrying out transformation based
on a relation between said input and said output to correct a
balance of color, said method characterized by comprising the
steps of: finding a distribution of said gradation-color-specification
data for each of said color components; recognizing a slippage among said color components; and using said recognized slippage as a basis for making
characteristics uniform among said color components.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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