US5060060A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for processing color images having high maximum saturation
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1990-07-27
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Granted: 1991-10-22
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Expires: 2010-07-27
Abstract
Abstract A color image processing apparatus comprises: a circuit to provide a color image signal comprising a luminance signal and two color difference signals; a converter to convert the two color difference signals into a hue signal and a saturation signal; a compressing circuit to independently compress the dynamic range of one or both of the luminance signal and the saturation signal a memory to store the hue signal and the output of the compressing circuit; and a color printer to reproduce the color image on the basis of the hue signal, and signals stored in the memory. The compressing circuit performs the compression on the basis of a frequency distribution of the input signal levels. With this apparatus, the color balance can be automatically adjusted by use of correction ROMs of a small memory capacity.
Inventors
- 👤 Yoshiro Udagawa
- 👤 Hideo Takiguchi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 10:00
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/46; H04N1/56; H04N1/60; H04N1/6027; H04N1/6002; H04N1/6005; H04N1/6016; H04N1/6019; H04N1/62; H04N1/628; H04N1/64; H04N1/646
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
83 words
A color image processing apparatus comprising: extracting means for extracting a hue component from a color image signal; memory means for storing a predetermined hue component indicative of a hue of a preferable skin color; and color correcting means for automatically correcting by adjusting the hue component to within a first predetermined range of the predetermined hue component indicative of the hue of skin color when the hue component extracted by said extracting means is present within a second predetermined range of hue.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
83 words
A color image processing apparatus comprising: extracting means for extracting a hue component from a color image signal; memory means for storing a predetermined hue component indicative of a hue of a preferable skin color; and color correcting means for automatically correcting by adjusting the hue component to within a first predetermined range of the predetermined hue component indicative of the hue of skin color when the hue component extracted by said extracting means is present within a second predetermined range of hue.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
A color image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said color correcting means comprises a conversion table.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
A color image processing method comprising the steps of: providing a color image signal; extracting a saturation component from the color image signal; roughly digitizing the color image signal when the saturation of the color image signal is high; and finely digitizing the color image signal when the saturation of the color image signal is low.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
56 words
A color image processing method comprising the steps of: providing a color image signal; extracting a saturation component from the color image signal; roughly digitizing the color image signal when the saturation of the color image signal is high; and finely digitizing the color image signal when the saturation of the color image signal is low.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
A color image processing method according to claim 3, wherein said digitization is performed by means of a table conversion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A color image processing method according to claim 3, further comprising the step of performing a color correcting process using the digitized color image signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
A color image processing method according to claim 5, wherein the color correcting process is a masking process.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
106 words
A color image processing apparatus comprising: extracting means for extracting a hue component from a color image signal; memory means for storing a predetermined hue component; and color correcting means for automatically correcting the extracted hue component to a value within a first predetermined range of the predetermined hue component when the hue component extracted by said extracting means is within a second predetermined range of the predetermined hue component, wherein said correcting means outputs the color image signal without correcting the extracted hue component when the hue component extracted by said extracting means is not within the second predetermined range of the predetermined hue component.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
106 words
A color image processing apparatus comprising: extracting means for extracting a hue component from a color image signal; memory means for storing a predetermined hue component; and color correcting means for automatically correcting the extracted hue component to a value within a first predetermined range of the predetermined hue component when the hue component extracted by said extracting means is within a second predetermined range of the predetermined hue component, wherein said correcting means outputs the color image signal without correcting the extracted hue component when the hue component extracted by said extracting means is not within the second predetermined range of the predetermined hue component.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
54 words
A color image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein when a saturation of said color image signal is not within a third predetermined range even if the hue component of a color image signal extracted by said extracted means is within said second predetermined range, said color correcting means exhibits a correction operation.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
A color image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said color correcting means comprises a conversion table.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
A color image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined hue component is a skin color.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
58 words
A color image processing apparatus comprising: means for supplying a color image signal; and means for non-linearly digitizing the color image signal on the basis of the saturation of the color image signal, wherein said non-linearly digitizing means digitizes the color image signal more finely in a case of low saturation compared with a case of high saturation.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
58 words
A color image processing apparatus comprising: means for supplying a color image signal; and means for non-linearly digitizing the color image signal on the basis of the saturation of the color image signal, wherein said non-linearly digitizing means digitizes the color image signal more finely in a case of low saturation compared with a case of high saturation.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the color image signal is supplied in a form of digital data, and wherein said non-linearly digitizing means includes a table to which the color image signal is inputted as an address.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising process means for executing color-masking processing for the color image data digitized by said non-linearly digitizing means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising reproduction means for visually reproducing an image corresponding to the color image data processed by said process means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
13 words
An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said reproduction means includes a printer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
84 words
A color image processing method comprising the steps of: extracting a hue component from a color image signal; storing a predetermined hue component indicative of a hue of a preferable skin color; and automatically correcting the hue component extracted in said extracting step by adjusting the hue component to within a first predetermined range of the predetermined hue component indicative of the hue of skin color when the hue component extracted in said extracting step is present within a second predetermined range of hue.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
84 words
A color image processing method comprising the steps of: extracting a hue component from a color image signal; storing a predetermined hue component indicative of a hue of a preferable skin color; and automatically correcting the hue component extracted in said extracting step by adjusting the hue component to within a first predetermined range of the predetermined hue component indicative of the hue of skin color when the hue component extracted in said extracting step is present within a second predetermined range of hue.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
48 words
A color image processing method according to claim 16, wherein, in said correcting step, a color correcting process is performed only when the saturation falls within a third predetermined range when the extracted hue is within the second predetermined range of the predetermined hue indicative of skin color.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
102 words
A color image processing method comprising the steps of: extracting a hue component from a color image signal; storing a predetermined hue component; and automatically correcting the extracted hue component to a value within a first predetermined range of the predetermined hue component when the hue component extracted in said extracting step is within a second predetermined range of the predetermined hue component, wherein, in said correcting step, the color image signal is output without correction of the extracted hue component when the hue component extracted in said extracting step is not within the second predetermined range of the predetermined hue component.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
102 words
A color image processing method comprising the steps of: extracting a hue component from a color image signal; storing a predetermined hue component; and automatically correcting the extracted hue component to a value within a first predetermined range of the predetermined hue component when the hue component extracted in said extracting step is within a second predetermined range of the predetermined hue component, wherein, in said correcting step, the color image signal is output without correction of the extracted hue component when the hue component extracted in said extracting step is not within the second predetermined range of the predetermined hue component.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
43 words
A color image processing method according to claim 18, wherein, in said correcting step, color correction is performed only when the saturation falls within a third predetermined range when the extracted hue is within the second predetermined range of the predetermined hue component.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
19 words
A color image processing method according to claim 18, wherein said correcting step is performed using a conversion table.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
18 words
A color image processing method according to claim 18, wherein the predetermined hue component is a skin color.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-10-21 | 1995-04-22 | 1995-10-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-10-21 | 1999-04-22 | 1999-10-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-10-21 | 2003-04-22 | 2003-10-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |