JP2003111093A - Color management system and method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a monitor used by each user of the Internet mail-order trading to reproduce a color of actual article goods. SOLUTION: The color management system for providing an environment of mail-order to users utilizing terminals connected to the Internet is characterized in to comprise; a means for allowing the user to register a monitor profile of a monitor provided to the terminal; a means for applying color conversion to image data by using the registered monitor profile with respect to an access request from the terminal provided with the registered monitor profile; and a means for transmitting the image data whose color is converted to the terminal provided with the registered monitor profile.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to color management in mail order using the Internet. Note that mail order using the Internet is abbreviated as online mail order.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in online shopping, a user of the online shopping sees product information on a screen and decides whether or not to purchase the product.

Among the product information, the product image is regarded as important as the description about the product.

Especially when the color image centering on apparel and the like is an important element of the product, the importance of the product image is further increased.

[0005]

However, in the case of online shopping, the internet terminal environment used by the users of the online shopping is different, so even if the product image is the same, the screen of the monitor provided in each terminal. When displayed with, the colors look very different.

For example, in the case of similar colors such as blue (blue) and navy (navy blue), it is often impossible to distinguish the color difference depending on the monitor used.

Even if they are distinguished, there is no guarantee that the color displayed on the screen of the monitor shows the same color as the actual product, and a difference may occur between the image received from the monitor and the actual product. is there.

Due to these factors, there have been the following problems in online shopping.

First, when purchasing a product, the consumer may be confused or misidentified, and the product may not be purchased.

Further, there is a case where a consumer misidentifies when purchasing a product, and a difference in color after the purchase causes a return of the product, resulting in a decrease in profitability.

Further, products whose color is the main factor for purchasing the products cannot enter online shopping because the environment where the color reproducibility is poor.

The present invention has been made in view of the drawbacks of the prior art, and an object thereof is to make it possible to reproduce the color of the actual product on the monitor used by each user of the online mail order.

[0013]

In order to achieve the above object in the present invention, first, in the invention of claim 1, an environment for online shopping is provided to a user who uses a terminal connected to the Internet. In the case of the color management system, a means for allowing a user to register a monitor profile of a monitor included in the terminal, and an access request from the terminal including the registered monitor profile, using the registered monitor profile, The color management system is provided with a means for color-converting the image data and a means for transmitting the color-converted image data to a terminal having a registered monitor profile.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a color management method for providing a user of a terminal connected to the Internet with an environment for online shopping, wherein a monitor profile of a monitor included in the terminal is used by the user. And a step of performing color conversion of the image data by using the registered monitor profile in response to an access request from a terminal having the registered monitor profile,
And a step of transmitting the color-converted image data to a terminal having a registered monitor profile, which is a color management method.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

1: Online mail order system for performing color management according to the present invention An online mail order system for performing color management according to the present invention includes an internet server, a color conversion server, and a database server, as shown in FIG. These servers may be composed of computers connected to each other via a network, or may be composed of one computer.

1-1: Internet Server The Internet server accepts the registration of a profile (hereinafter referred to as a monitor profile) representing the color characteristics of the monitor used by the online mail order user from the terminal of the online mail order user, and the registration. Do. The monitor profile is created on the terminal by the monitor profile creation tool. A specific example of creating this monitor profile will be described later.

After registering the monitor profile, the Internet server stores that the monitor profile is used for access by the registered user.

The Internet server manages the user who has registered the monitor profile by using the I
Use D and password.

The Internet server issues a color conversion instruction to the color conversion server when accessed from the terminal of the user who registered the monitor profile.

Upon receiving the color-converted image data from the color conversion server, the Internet server sends the page data in which the image data is embedded to the terminal of the user who has accessed.

1-2: Color conversion server When the color conversion server receives a color conversion instruction from the Internet server, the image data is extracted from the database server according to the instruction and is extracted using the monitor profile registered by the user. Color conversion processing is performed on the image data.

The color conversion server sends back the image data for which the color conversion processing has been completed to the Internet server.

1-3: Database Server Images to be displayed by online mail order are registered and stored in advance in the database server. This database may be a server open to the Internet or a private server. The image data stored in the database server is unified regardless of device by using a profile (hereinafter referred to as a server profile) that represents the color characteristics of the device used when creating the image data at the time of registration / storage. It is registered after being color-converted into image data in the color space.

2: Processing until image data is registered The flow of processing until image data is registered in the database will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, image data is prepared (S1). Also, a server profile is created in advance (T1).

Using the server profile, the prepared image data is color-converted into image data in a uniform color space that does not depend on the device (S2).

Register and store in the color-converted server (S
3).

3: Processing until monitor profile is registered The flow of processing until the monitor profile used by the online mail order user is registered in the Internet server will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG. .

The monitor profile creation tool is distributed to Internet mail order users (S1). A specific example of the distribution method will be described later.

The online shop user installs the monitor profile creation tool in the terminal (S2).

The online shopper executes the monitor profile creation tool on the terminal and operates the terminal according to the instruction of the monitor profile creation tool to create the profile of the monitor included in the terminal (S3).

The terminal is connected to the Internet server via the Internet (S4).

The online shopper registers the monitor profile in the internet server according to the instructions on the online shop screen transmitted from the internet server (S
5).

4: Processing from access request to transmission of page data When an access request is made from the terminal to the Internet server, the flow of processing from the Internet server to transmission of page data to the terminal is shown in the flowchart of FIG. Will be described below.

S (STEP) 1; An access request is made to the Internet server from the terminal of the online mail order user.

S (STEP) 2; The Internet server determines whether or not the online mail order user of the terminal for which the access request is made has registered the monitor profile.
If the monitor profile is not registered, the process proceeds to STEP3. If you have registered a monitor profile, enter ST
Proceed to EP4.

S (STEP) 3; The Internet server takes out the image data from the database server and sends the page data in which the image data is embedded to the terminal of the user who has accessed.

S (STEP) 4; The Internet server issues a color conversion instruction to the color conversion server. Upon receiving the color conversion instruction from the Internet server, the color conversion server extracts the image data from the database server according to the instruction, and uses the monitor profile registered by the user to perform color conversion processing on the extracted image data. To do.

S (STEP) 5: The color conversion server sends back the image data for which the color conversion processing has been completed to the Internet server. Upon receiving the color-converted image data from the color conversion server, the Internet server sends the page data in which the image data is embedded to the terminal of the user who has accessed. As a result, users of online shopping can
You can browse the product listing page including the image converted according to the monitor you are using on your terminal.

5: Example of Creating Monitor Profile Included in Terminal Hereinafter, a specific example of how a monitor profile creation tool creates a profile of a monitor included in a terminal will be described in detail.

5-1: Monitor Profile To create a monitor profile (a file describing the color characteristics of the monitor), the R chromaticity point, G chromaticity point, B chromaticity point R gamma characteristic, G gamma characteristic , B gamma characteristics are required. Here, R, G, and B are each Re
Abbreviation for d, Green, and Blue.

5-2: Gamma characteristic The gamma characteristic is the relation of the output beam to the input voltage (OUT = INγ or OUT = IN in the monitor.
^{1 /} γ), and in the case of a CRT monitor γ = 1.8, 2.2
(Or 0.45, 0.55) is generally used.

For example, γ = 1.8 and γ = 2.2 (RGB
When the same image data is displayed on the monitor of the same value, as shown in FIG. 5, the halftone has γ = 2.
2 is displayed brighter.

The gamma characteristic is defined separately for R, G, and B, but most monitors have the same value. Therefore, in this embodiment, the gamma characteristic is
Description will be made assuming that R, G, and B have the same value.

5-3: RGB chromaticity point The chromaticity point represents a colorimetric value of a color when the maximum value of the signal (for example, Red) is displayed. Colorimetric values can be roughly divided into hue (color type: red, blue, yellow, etc.) and saturation (color intensity: how vivid), but based on the test results, direction (hue) Is the same for almost any monitor, and the difference is the color intensity (saturation).

For example, when the same image data is displayed on a monitor with a strong Red and a monitor with a weak Red, the same image data is displayed as shown in FIG. 6, and the distinction can be clearly seen especially in white and gray colors.

5-4: Basic Principle Here, the basic principle of the monitor profile creating method will be described. In order to obtain information on "gamma characteristics" and "chromaticity point" based on printed matter, first, "printed matter",
"Image data that looks the same on printed matter and on a standard monitor"
And prepare. This state is shown in FIG. The "standard monitor" here does not mean that all monitors are standardized, but one existing monitor is named standard. Further, "image data that looks the same color as the printed matter on the standard monitor" is also referred to as standard image data.

When this standard image data is displayed on another monitor, due to the difference in color characteristics between that monitor and the standard monitor,
The reference print and the image displayed on the monitor look different. This state is shown in FIG.

For example, the gamma characteristic of the standard monitor is 1.8.
If the other monitor is 2.2, the standard image looks brighter in the halftone than the printed matter. When the standard image data and the "dark" image data obtained by multiplying the standard image data by the input / output curve of 1.8 / 2.2 are displayed on this monitor as shown in FIG. The "dark" image data looks closer to the color of the print than the standard image data that is not printed. Therefore, prompting the user to select an image that looks the same as the printed matter will result in the selection of a "dark" image.

Similarly, when the standard image data is displayed on another monitor having a higher Red value than that of the standard monitor, it looks red compared to the printed matter. This state is shown in FIG. On this separate monitor, as shown in FIG. 11, the standard image data,
When "blue (weak)" image data that is obtained by multiplying the standard image data by the input / output curve that linearly decreases Red is displayed,
The "blue (weak)" image data looks closer to the color of the print than the standard image data without curves. Therefore, when the user is prompted to select an image that looks the same as the printed matter, the "blue (weak)" image is selected.

In the present invention, between the image displayed on the monitor and between the image displayed on the monitor and the printed matter,
A photograph is used as an image for easy visual comparison.

5-5: Monitor Profile Creation Processing A monitor profile is created by installing the distributed monitor profile creation tool in a terminal and executing it. An example of the flow of processing for creating a monitor profile will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

STEP 1; In order to obtain the gamma characteristic of the monitor, the terminal creates three standard image data a with changes in halftone (bright, middle, dark) and displays them on the monitor. . For example, as a concrete value,
As shown in FIG. 2, 1.0, 0.5, 0.0, −
Image data obtained by multiplying the standard image data a by a curve of gamma value to which 0.5 is added is displayed. The user looks at these three images and selects an image close to a printed matter with an input device such as a mouse.

STEP 2; The terminal further reduces the rate of change of the standard image data a, creates three halftone changes (bright, intermediate, dark) and displays them on the monitor. For example, as a specific value, STEP1
0.2, 0.0, -0.2 for the values selected in
The standard image data a
Create the image data multiplied by and display them. The user looks at these three images and selects an image close to a printed matter with an input device such as a mouse.

STEP3: In order to obtain the information on the brightness of the monitor, the terminal changes the maximum value (brightness) in the standard image data d (the maximum brightness of the monitor is easily recognizable, for example, a yellow image). , Middle, dark) are created and displayed on the monitor. For example, as shown in FIG. 13, as a specific value, 1.0 is 0.1,
Image data having a maximum value (RGB equivalent) obtained by adding 0.0 and -0.1 is created and displayed. The user looks at these three images and selects an image close to a printed matter with an input device such as a mouse.

STEP4; In order to acquire the strength of the red of the monitor, the terminal reads Re for the standard image data b.
Create three items with changes in d (strong, medium, weak) and display them on the monitor. For example, as shown in FIG. 14, as specific values, 1.0, 0.2, 0.0, −
Create image data with the maximum value of 0.2 added,
Show them. The user looks at these three images and selects an image close to a printed matter with an input device such as a mouse.

STEP 5: The terminal further reduces the rate of change of the standard image data b, creates three changes of Red (strong, medium, and weak) and displays them on the monitor. For example, as specific values, image data having maximum values of values obtained by adding 0.1, 0.0, and -0.1 to the values selected in STEP 4 is created and displayed. The user looks at these three images and selects an image close to a printed matter with an input device such as a mouse.

STEP 6; In order to acquire the intensity of the blue of the monitor, the terminal sets the standard image data c to B
Create three items with changes in lue (strong, medium, weak) and display them on the monitor. For example, as in the case of Red, specific values of 0.2, 0.
Image data having a maximum value of 0 and -0.2 is created and displayed. The user looks at these three images and selects an image close to a printed matter with an input device such as a mouse.

STEP 7: The terminal further reduces the rate of change with respect to the standard image data c, creates three changes in blue (strong, medium, and weak) and displays them on the monitor. For example, as in the case of Red, the specific value of 0.
Image data having a maximum value of 1, 0.0, and -0.1 is created and displayed. The user has these 3
Look at the two images and select the one close to the printed matter with an input device such as a mouse.

STEP 8: The terminal calculates the gamma characteristic of the monitor by the following formula. Gamma characteristic = value × K ₁ selected in standard monitor gamma value ÷ STEP2. Here, K ₁ is an empirically determined coefficient. Further, since the value selected in STEP2 is selected from a plurality of values obtained by differently changing the value selected in STEP1, STEP1
It includes the effect of the value selected in.

STEP 9: As an intermediate process for obtaining the R chromaticity point of the monitor, the terminal calculates the Red chromaticity point for each XYZ component of the XYZ color system by the following formula. Re
d chromaticity point = standard monitor R chromaticity point × value selected in STEP 5 × K ₂ . Here, K ₂ is an empirically determined coefficient. Further, since the value selected in STEP5 is selected from a plurality of values obtained by differently changing the value selected in STEP4, it includes the influence of the value selected in STEP4.

STEP 10: The terminal uses each XYZ of the XYZ color system as an intermediate process for obtaining the B chromaticity point of the monitor.
The Blue chromaticity point is calculated for each component by the following formula.
Blue chromaticity point = standard monitor B chromaticity point × value selected in STEP 7 × K ₃ . Here, K ₃ is an empirically determined coefficient. The value selected in STEP 7 is
Since it is selected from a plurality of values obtained by adding different changes to the value selected in 6, the influence of the value selected in STEP 6 is included.

STEP 11: The terminal calculates the total sum Y by the following formula. Sum Y = Y component of Red chromaticity point obtained in STEP 9 + Y of Blue chromaticity point obtained in STEP 10
Component + standard monitor Y component of G chromaticity point.

STEP 12: The terminal sets the normalized ratio r to
Calculate with the following formula. Normalization ratio r = value selected in STEP3 × K ₄ ÷ sum Y. Here, K ₄ is an empirically determined coefficient.

STEP 13: The terminal calculates the R chromaticity point of the monitor for each XYZ component of the XYZ color system by the following formula. R chromaticity point of monitor = normalization ratio r × STEP 9
Red chromaticity point obtained in.

STEP 14: The terminal calculates the G chromaticity point of the monitor by the following formula for each XYZ component of the XYZ color system. G chromaticity point of monitor = normalized ratio r × standard monitor G chromaticity point.

STEP 15: The terminal calculates the B chromaticity point of the monitor for each XYZ component of the XYZ color system by the following formula. B chromaticity point of monitor = normalization ratio r × STEP1
Blue chromaticity point obtained by 0.

STEP 16: The central processing unit of the terminal is X
For each XYZ component of the YZ color system, the white point of the monitor
Calculate with the following formula. White point of monitor = R chromaticity point of monitor + G chromaticity point of monitor + B chromaticity point of monitor.

STEP 17: The terminal is a monitor gamma characteristic, monitor R chromaticity point, monitor G chromaticity point, monitor B chromaticity point.
The chromaticity point and the white point of the monitor are stored in a file and stored in the main storage device or the auxiliary storage device. This file is the monitor profile.

5-6: Since the other gamma characteristics are acquired as RGB equivalent values, ST
The gamma characteristic is acquired only in EP1 and EP2.

It is Gr that does not acquire the strength of Green.
This is because it is determined that een has many luminance components and little tint components.

STEP 3 is to acquire the absolute brightness of the monitor, and is unnecessary if only relative information acquisition (for color conversion) is acquired. In that case, the normalized ratio r
Is calculated as follows. Normalization ratio r = 1.0 / sum Y.

In each of STEPs 1 to 7, the number of images to be selected is three, only a small number so as not to cause stress to the user, and may be three or more. Also, gamma characteristics, Red strength, Bl
The reason that the user does not feel stress is that the image selection is performed twice in order to acquire the strength of ue and the strength of ue, respectively. If there is no problem, the higher the number, the higher the accuracy. In addition, what is illustrated here as a specific value is not an absolute value but is described as "to be performed with such a value".

Further, in the processing here, the same standard image data a is used when the image selection is performed twice to obtain the gamma characteristic, but different standard image data may be used each time. . Similarly, when the image selection is performed twice in order to acquire the strength of Red, the same standard image data b is used, but different standard image data may be used each time. Similarly, the same standard image data c is used when image selection is performed twice in order to acquire the intensity of Blue, but different standard image data may be used each time.

FIG. 16 shows the gamma characteristic, the maximum value of brightness,
An example of an image displayed on the monitor to acquire the strength of Red and the strength of Blue is shown. In this example, a photo is used as the image, but this makes it easy to find the differences between the images displayed on the monitor and between the image displayed on the monitor and the printed material. Because there is. Further, the images displayed on the monitor for acquiring the gamma characteristic, the maximum brightness, the intensity of Red, and the intensity of Blue are the gamma characteristic, the maximum brightness, and the red Needless to say, changes in strength and blue strength are easy to understand.

6: Example of Distribution of Monitor Profile Creation Tool The distribution of the monitor profile creation tool may be carried out, for example, by the Internet server providing a downloadable environment to the terminals of each online mail order user. Further, for example, the distribution of the monitor profile creation tool may be performed by attaching a recording medium recording it to a mail order catalog.

The printed matter referred to when creating the monitor profile may be, for example, one imprinted inside a mail-order catalog.

[0079]

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention has the effect that the color of the actual product can be reproduced on the monitor used by each user of online shopping. For this reason, the following effects are derived from online shopping.

First, the user of the online mail order can accurately grasp the product image, is hard to get lost at the time of purchase, and leads to expansion of purchase.

Further, after the arrival of the goods, the number of returned goods due to the difference in image is reduced to prevent the decrease of the profit rate.

Furthermore, it is possible to sell products for which the color image is important and which has been difficult to buy without looking at the actual product, through online mail order.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an online mail order system for performing color management according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing flow until image data is registered.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing flow until a monitor profile is registered.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing flow from an access request to a page data transmission request.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating gamma characteristics.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the strength of R.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating that a printed matter and standard image data appear to have the same color on a standard monitor.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram for explaining that the standard image and the printed matter appear in different colors on another monitor having characteristics different from those of the standard monitor.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a basic principle of measuring a gamma characteristic.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating that the standard image and the printed matter appear in different colors on another monitor having a stronger R than the standard monitor.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the basic principle of measuring chromaticity points.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing how to change the gamma value.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing how to change the maximum brightness.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing how to change the strength of R.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of monitor profile creation processing.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram exemplifying an image displayed on a monitor to acquire a gamma characteristic, a maximum brightness value, a Red intensity, and a Blue intensity.

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Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A color management system for providing an environment for online shopping to a user who uses a terminal connected to the Internet, and means for registering a monitor profile of a monitor included in the terminal to the user. Means for color-converting image data using the registered monitor profile in response to an access request from a terminal having the registered monitor profile, and the color-converted image data having the registered monitor profile A color management system comprising: a means for transmitting to a terminal. 2. A color management method for providing an environment for online shopping to a user who uses a terminal connected to the Internet, the step of causing the user to register a monitor profile of a monitor included in the terminal. In response to an access request from a terminal having a registered monitor profile, the process of color-converting the image data using the registered monitor profile, and the color-converted image data having the registered monitor profile A color management method comprising: a step of transmitting to a terminal.