JP2006279455A - Image processing apparatus, image processing method, image processing program and recoding medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize rapid and efficient image correction processing by reducing memory capacity to be used by reducing an operation quantity. <P>SOLUTION: This image processing apparatus includes an image data acquiring section 101, an image processing section 102, an image memory 103, an image reduction section 104, an image quantity correction processing target candidate extracting section 105, an image quality correction target determining section 106, a memory control section 107, an image quality correction processing section 108, an image correction processing finish detecting section 109, an image data substituting section 110, and a printing and outputting section 111. The image data subjected to predetermined image processing by the section 102 are reduced by the section 104, and the section 108 applies image quality correction to only a necessary region in the reduced image data. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, an image processing program, and a recording medium that perform image quality correction processing quickly and efficiently.

  When shooting a person with a camera, if the flash is fired, a so-called red-eye phenomenon may occur in which the human eye appears red. Thus, a number of techniques that can correct this red-eye phenomenon have been proposed (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3).

JP 2004-336230 A JP 2004-46802 A JP 2000-11140 A

  The prior art described in each of the above patent documents includes a first processing unit that performs image processing of all image data and a second image processing unit that performs only predetermined image processing, and includes image quality correction processing such as red-eye phenomenon correction processing. The load for correction is reduced. However, in the prior art, since the image data to be subjected to image quality correction is used as it is as data for printing without performing reduction processing or the like, the amount of calculation required for the processing also increases. As a result, an increase in the amount of memory to be used and a processing time are required, resulting in a problem of inefficiency.

  In order to solve the above-described problems caused by the prior art, the present invention reduces the amount of calculation and reduces the amount of memory to be used, and realizes an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and an image that realize a quick and efficient image quality correction process. It is an object to provide a processing program and a recording medium.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, an image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes an image data acquisition unit that acquires image data, and an image that generates reduced image data obtained by reducing the image data to a predetermined size. Data reduction means, memory means for temporarily storing the image data acquired by the image data acquisition means and the reduced image data generated by the image data reduction means, and reduction by the image data reduction means An image quality correction processing target candidate extraction unit that identifies an image quality correction processing target candidate region in the reduced image data, lists the image quality correction processing target candidate region, and temporarily stores it in the memory unit And determining whether or not the region listed by the image quality correction processing target candidate extraction unit is an image quality correction target. An image quality correction target determining means; an image quality correction processing means for applying a predetermined image quality correction process to the area of the image data corresponding to the area determined to be an image quality correction target by the image quality correction target determination means; and the memory means. Image data that reads the stored image data from the memory means and replaces the area subjected to image quality correction processing by the image quality correction processing means with the corresponding area of the image data read from the memory means Replacement means.

  According to the present invention, image quality correction processing such as red-eye correction and dust removal for image data can be executed quickly and efficiently by reducing the amount of calculation and reducing the amount of memory used.

  Further, the image processing apparatus according to the present invention is configured such that the image quality correction stored in the memory unit when the area of the image quality correction process target candidate is determined not to be an image quality correction target by the image quality correction target determination unit. It is characterized by comprising a memory control means for deleting data of a candidate area for processing.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the amount of memory to be used and execute a quick image quality correction process.

  The image processing apparatus according to the present invention further includes a print output unit that performs a predetermined print process on the image data subjected to the data replacement process by the image data replacement unit and outputs an image. To do.

  According to the present invention, an image for which image quality correction processing has been completed can be output.

  The image processing apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that the image data acquisition means is a scanner.

  According to the present invention, an image photographed on a photographic film by an ordinary camera or an image printed on a paper surface can be taken in as image data, and image quality correction processing can be performed on the image data.

  The image processing apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that the image data acquisition means is a recording medium decoding means.

  According to the present invention, for example, image data can be acquired from a recording medium on which image data of an image taken by a digital camera is recorded, and image quality correction processing can be performed on the image data.

  The image processing apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that the image data acquisition means is an interface means.

  According to the present invention, for example, image data can be taken in via a network and image quality correction processing can be performed on the image data.

  The image processing method according to the present invention includes an image data acquisition step for acquiring image data, an image data reduction step for generating reduced image data obtained by reducing the image data to a predetermined size, and the image data acquisition step. An image data storage step for temporarily storing the acquired image data and the reduced image data generated by the image data reduction step in a memory means; and the reduced image data reduced by the image data reduction step An image quality correction processing target candidate extraction step of identifying a region of the image quality correction processing target candidate therein, listing the image quality correction processing target candidate region, and temporarily storing the region in the memory means, and the image quality correction processing An image quality correction target format for determining whether or not the region listed in the target candidate extraction step is an image quality correction target. An image quality correction processing step for applying a predetermined image quality correction process to an area of the image data corresponding to the area determined to be an image quality correction target by the image quality correction target determination process; and The image data stored in the means is read out from the memory means, and the area subjected to image quality correction processing in the image quality correction processing step is replaced with the corresponding area of the image data read out from the memory means. And an image data replacement step.

  According to the present invention, the amount of memory to be used can be reduced by reducing the amount of calculation, and image quality correction processing such as red-eye correction and dust removal for image data can be realized quickly and efficiently.

  Further, the image processing method according to the present invention includes an image print output step of performing a predetermined print process on the image data replaced in the image data replacement step and outputting an image.

  According to the present invention, an image for which image quality correction processing has been completed can be output.

  An image processing program according to the present invention causes a computer to execute the above-described image processing method.

  According to the present invention, by executing the above-described image processing program, operations obtained by the above-described image processing method are executed by the computer, thereby producing various effects obtained by realizing the above-described image processing method. Can do.

  The recording medium according to the present invention records the above-described image processing program in a computer-readable manner.

  According to the present invention, various operations obtained by executing the above-described image processing program are realized by causing the computer to read and execute the recorded image processing program, whereby the above-described image processing program is executed. Various effects can be obtained.

  DETAILED DESCRIPTION Exemplary embodiments of an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, an image processing program, and a recording medium according to the present invention are explained in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(Functional configuration of image processing apparatus)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The functional configuration of the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an image data acquisition unit 101, an image processing unit 102, an image memory 103, an image reduction unit 104, and image quality correction processing target candidate extraction. Unit 105, image quality correction target determination unit 106, memory control unit 107, image quality correction processing unit 108, image quality correction processing end detection unit 109, image data replacement unit 110, and print output unit 111. Is done.

  In the image processing apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1, first, image data to be subjected to image processing is acquired from the image data acquisition unit 101. Here, for example, when an image photographed on a photographic film by an ordinary camera or an image printed on a paper surface is taken into the image processing apparatus as image data, the scanner corresponds to the image data acquisition unit 101. Further, when image data is taken into the image processing apparatus via a network (not shown), the interface corresponds to the image data acquisition unit 101.

  The image data captured by the image data acquisition unit 101 is sent to the image processing unit 102, where normal image processing is performed, for example, print image data is generated. This print image data is temporarily stored in the image memory 103.

  The image data captured by the image data acquisition unit 101 is sent to the image reduction unit 104. The image reduction unit 104 reads the transmitted image data or the image data stored in the image memory 103, and reduces it to, for example, about 1/4. The reduced image data reduced by the image reduction unit 104 is temporarily stored in the image memory 103.

  The image quality correction processing target candidate extraction unit 105 identifies an area of the image quality correction processing target candidate in the image data reduced to about ¼ by the image reduction unit 104, and lists the area of the image quality correction processing target candidate. This is temporarily stored in the image memory 103. Note that the image quality correction process target candidate area is an image area that may include a cause of deterioration in image quality, such as occurrence of a red-eye phenomenon or so-called dust.

  The image quality correction target determination unit 106 reads the area listed by the image quality correction processing target candidate extraction unit 105 from the image memory 103 and determines whether or not the area is an image quality correction target. A portion of the listed area that is determined not to be an image quality correction target by the image quality correction target determination unit 106 is erased from the image memory 103 by the processing of the memory control unit 107. The image quality correction processing unit 108 performs predetermined image quality correction processing on the area determined to be the image quality correction target by the image quality correction target determination unit 106.

  The image quality correction process end detection unit 109 determines, for example, whether the image quality correction process for image data for one page of the image has ended. For example, when the end of the predetermined image quality correction processing is detected by the image quality correction processing end detection unit 109, the image data replacement unit 110 stores the image data subjected to the predetermined image processing by the image processing unit 102 from the image memory 103. The area that has been read and subjected to the predetermined image quality correction processing by the image quality correction processing unit 108 is replaced with the corresponding area of the image data (original data) read from the image memory 103. The image data replaced here is sent to the print output unit 111, and an image subjected to image quality correction is printed out.

(Hardware configuration of image processing device)
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. The hardware configuration of the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the image processing apparatus in this embodiment includes a CPU 201, a ROM 202, a RAM 203, a user operation unit 204, a display unit 205, an I / F 206, an HDD 207, an HD 208, and a recording medium. A decoding unit 209, a scanner 211, and a printer 212 are included.

  A CPU (Central Processing Unit) 201 executes predetermined arithmetic processing. A ROM (Read Only Memory) 202 stores various control programs (image processing programs). The data stored in the ROM 202 can be rewritten by a user operation, but is not erased by turning off the power. A RAM (Random Access Memory) 203 stores variable data in a rewritable manner, functions as a work area of the CPU 201, and realizes the function of the image memory 103 described above. The RAM 203 may be a volatile memory that erases data stored when the power is turned off, or may be a non-volatile memory that is backed up by a battery or the like.

  The CPU 201 controls the entire image processing apparatus. In addition, the CPU 201 executes the image processing program stored in the ROM 202, so that the image processing unit 102, the image reduction unit 104, the image quality correction processing target candidate extraction unit 105, the image quality correction target determination unit 106, and the memory described above. The functions of the control unit 107, the image quality correction processing unit 108, the image quality correction processing end detection unit 109, and the image data replacement unit 110 are realized.

  The user operation unit 204 outputs information input by the user, such as characters, numerical values, and various instructions, to the CPU 201. As the configuration of the user operation unit 204, various known forms such as a pushbutton switch for detecting physical depression / non-pressing, a touch panel, a keyboard, a joystick, and a trackball can be employed.

  The user operation unit 204 may be provided integrally with the image processing apparatus main body, or may be detachably attached to the image processing apparatus and remotely operated like a remote controller. Also good. The user operation unit 204 may be configured in any one of the various forms described above, or may be configured in a plurality of forms. The user inputs information by appropriately performing an input operation according to the form of the user operation unit 204. As information input by the operation of the user operation unit 204, for example, information instructing a response to an error warning display can be cited.

  As a form of the user operation unit 204, for example, when a touch panel is adopted, the touch panel is used by being stacked on the display surface side of the display unit 205. In this case, the input information is recognized by managing the display timing on the display unit 205, the operation timing on the touch panel (user operation unit 204), and the position coordinates thereof. By adopting a touch panel stacked on the display unit 205 as a form of the user operation unit 204, a large amount of information can be input without increasing the size of the user operation unit 204. As the touch panel, various known touch panels such as a resistance film type and a pressure sensitive type can be used.

  The display unit 205 includes display devices such as a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube), a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) liquid crystal display, an organic EL (Electroluminescence) display, and a plasma display.

  The display unit 205 displays icons, cursors, menus, windows, or various information such as characters and images. The display unit 205 displays information such as an image acquired from the outside of the apparatus, an image to be printed out, an image indicating an error warning display, and an image printing condition.

  The I / F 206 can be connected to a network via a communication line (not shown). The I / F 206 controls an interface between the network and the image processing apparatus, and controls data input / output with respect to the image processing apparatus. The I / F 206 is a modem or a LAN adapter, for example, and realizes the function as the image data acquisition unit 101 described above when acquiring image data via a network.

  An HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 207 controls reading / writing of information with respect to an HD (Hard Disk) 208. The image processing program is recorded on, for example, a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), CD (Compact Disk), CD-ROM (CD-R, CD-RW), MO (Magneto-Optical disk), memory card, or the like. In this case, instead of the HDD 207, a dedicated drive device capable of reading at least the information stored therein can be used.

  The HD 208 records various control programs and various information in a computer-readable manner. The HD 208 accepts writing of information by the HDD 207 and records the written information in a nonvolatile manner. In the HD 208 of this embodiment, an image processing program for executing image processing of an image processing apparatus to be described later is recorded. The HD 208 has a memory area in which various information necessary for executing the image processing program is recorded.

  The image processing program is not limited to the one recorded in the HD 208. Instead of the HD 208, an image processing program may be recorded on the above-described DVD, CD, CD-ROM (CD-R, CD-RW), MO, memory card, or the like. When executing an image processing program, an image processing program recorded on a DVD, CD, CD-ROM (CD-R, CD-RW), MO, memory card, or the like is used. A dedicated reader capable of reading information recorded on a CD-ROM (CD-R, CD-RW), MO, memory card or the like is provided. In addition, the HD 208 stores a dedicated drive driver for driving the printer 212.

  The recording medium decoding unit 209 controls reading of information recorded on the recording medium 210. The recording medium decoding unit 209 functions as the image data acquisition unit 101 described above when, for example, image data is captured from the recording medium 210 on which image data of an image captured by a digital camera is recorded. Is realized.

  Note that the recording medium decoding unit 209 has a portable recording medium 210 that can be attached to and detached from the recording medium decoding unit 209 as a reading target. Specific examples of the recording medium 210 include a DVD, CD, CD-ROM (CD-R, CD-RW), MO, and memory card. When the recording medium 210 is, for example, a CD-ROM (CD-R, CD-RW), the recording medium decoding unit 209 is realized by a CD-ROM drive. Since the CD-ROM drive is a known technique, its illustration and description are omitted. For example, when the recording medium 210 is realized by a DVD, CD, CD-ROM (CD-R, CD-RW), MO, memory card, or the like, a drive device capable of reading information from the recording medium 210 is used. A recording medium decoding unit 209 is realized.

  The scanner 211 realizes the function as the image data acquisition unit 101 described above when an image photographed on a photographic film by an ordinary camera, an image printed on a paper surface, or the like is taken into the image processing apparatus as image data.

  The printer 212 realizes the function as the print output unit 111 described above, and prints out an image.

(Processing procedure of image processing apparatus)
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a process (image processing method) of the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. The processing procedure of the image processing apparatus in this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG. In the following description, the same parts as those already described are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted. Further, in FIG. 3, the portion described as “memory” is specifically described here as “RAM (image memory)”.

  In the flowchart shown in FIG. 3, first, an image captured on a photographic film by a scanner 211 (image data acquisition unit 101) or an image printed on paper is acquired as image data (step S301). In this step S301, the image data is acquired via the network by the I / F 206, or the image data is acquired from the recording medium 210 in which the image data of the image taken by the digital camera is recorded by the recording medium decoding unit 209. Or you may get it.

  Next, the CPU 201 (image processing unit 102) performs predetermined image processing on the acquired image data (step S302). In the process of step S302, general image print data is generated. The image data processed in step S302 is temporarily stored in a predetermined area of the RAM 203 (image memory 103) by the processing of the CPU 201 (step S303).

  Next, the CPU 201 (image reduction unit 104) reads out image data on which predetermined image processing has been performed from the RAM 203, and reduces it to about ¼ (step S304). Note that the CPU 201 may temporarily store the acquired image data directly in the RAM 203 without performing predetermined image processing in step S302, and use this to perform reduction processing in step S304.

  The CPU 201 (image quality correction processing target candidate extraction unit 105) specifies an image quality correction processing target candidate area in the image data reduced to about ¼ by the processing in step S304, and determines the image quality correction processing target candidate area. The list is saved and stored in a predetermined area of the RAM 203 (step S305). The image quality correction process target candidate area is an image area that may include a cause of deterioration in image quality, such as occurrence of a red-eye phenomenon or so-called dust.

  The CPU 201 (image quality correction target determination unit 106) reads one of the areas listed in the process of step S305 from the RAM 203, and determines whether or not the area is an image quality correction target (step S306). In the process of step S306, if the area is not an image quality correction target (step S306: No), the CPU 201 (memory control unit 107) deletes the area from the ROM 203 (step S307). Thereafter, the process returns to step S306.

  On the other hand, in the process of step S306, when the area is an image quality correction target (step S306: Yes), the CPU 201 (image quality correction processing unit 108) performs the image quality correction process on the area (step S308). For example, the CPU 201 (image quality correction process end detection unit 109) detects whether the image quality correction process for one page of image data has been completed (step S309). In the process of step S309, when it is not detected that the image quality correction process for the image data for one page of the image has been completed (step S309: No), the process returns to step S306.

  On the other hand, in the process of step S309, for example, when it is detected that the image quality correction process for one page of image data has been completed (step S309: Yes), the CPU 201 (image data replacement unit 110) performs the process of step S303. The image data (original data) once saved by the process is read from the RAM 203, and the area subjected to the image quality correction process by the process of step S308 is replaced with the corresponding area of the read image data (step S310).

  Finally, the printer 212 performs a predetermined printing process on the image data replaced in the process of step S310, and outputs an image (step S311). Thereby, a series of processing by this flowchart is complete | finished.

  As described above, in the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, when performing image quality correction (removal and correction of the cause of deterioration in image quality such as occurrence of red-eye phenomenon, so-called dust) with respect to image data, Only the area where the image quality correction is required is extracted, and the image quality correction is performed on the area. As a result, the amount of memory used by reducing the amount of computation required for image quality correction can be reduced, and quick and efficient image quality correction can be realized.

  Note that the image processing method described in this embodiment can be realized by executing a program prepared in advance on a computer such as a computer or a personal computer incorporated in a printing apparatus. This program is recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a hard disk, a flexible disk, a CD-ROM, an MO, and a DVD, and is executed by being read from the recording medium by the computer. The program may be a transmission medium that can be distributed via a network such as the Internet.

1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of an image processing apparatus. The block diagram which shows the hardware constitutions of an image processing apparatus. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing procedure of the image processing apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

  101 image data acquisition unit, 102 image processing unit, 103 image memory, 104 image reduction unit, 105 image quality correction processing target candidate extraction unit, 106 image quality correction target determination unit, 107 memory control unit, 108 image quality correction processing unit, 109 image quality correction Processing end detection unit, 110 Image data replacement unit, 111 Print output unit, 201 CPU, 202 ROM, 203 RAM, 204 User operation unit, 205 Display unit, 206 I / F, 207 HDD, 208 HD, 209 Recording medium decoding unit , 210 recording medium, 211 scanner, 212 printer

Claims (10)

Image data acquisition means for acquiring image data;
Image data reduction means for generating reduced image data obtained by reducing the image data to a predetermined size;
Memory means for temporarily storing the image data acquired by the image data acquisition means and the reduced image data generated by the image data reduction means;
An area for image quality correction process candidate candidates in the reduced image data reduced by the image data reduction means is specified, and the areas of the image quality correction process target candidates are listed and temporarily stored in the memory means. Image quality correction processing target candidate extraction means;
Image quality correction target determination means for determining whether or not the area listed by the image quality correction processing target candidate extraction means is an image quality correction target;
Image quality correction processing means for applying a predetermined image quality correction process to the area of the image data corresponding to the area determined to be an image quality correction target by the image quality correction target determination means;
The image data stored by the memory means is read from the memory means, and the area subjected to image quality correction processing by the image quality correction processing means and the corresponding area of the image data read from the memory means Image data replacing means for replacing;
An image processing apparatus comprising:   Deleting the image quality correction processing target candidate area data stored in the memory means when the image quality correction processing target candidate area is determined not to be an image quality correction target by the image quality correction target determination means; The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a memory control unit.   3. The image processing according to claim 1, further comprising: a print output unit that performs a predetermined print process on the image data subjected to the data replacement process by the image data replacement unit and outputs an image. apparatus.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image data acquisition unit is a scanner.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image data acquisition unit is a recording medium decoding unit.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image data acquisition unit is an interface unit. An image data acquisition process for acquiring image data;
An image data reduction step for generating reduced image data obtained by reducing the image data to a predetermined size;
An image data storage step for temporarily storing in the memory means the image data acquired by the image data acquisition step and the reduced image data generated by the image data reduction step;
The image quality correction processing candidate area in the reduced image data reduced by the image data reduction process is specified, and the image quality correction process candidate area is listed and temporarily stored in the memory means. Candidate extraction process for image quality correction processing; and
An image quality correction target determination step for determining whether or not the region listed in the image quality correction processing target candidate extraction step is an image quality correction target;
An image quality correction processing step of performing a predetermined image quality correction process on an area of the image data corresponding to the area determined to be an image quality correction target by the image quality correction target determination process;
The image data saved in the memory means by the image data saving step is read out from the memory means, the area subjected to the image quality correction processing by the image quality correction processing step, and the image data read from the memory means An image data replacement step of replacing the corresponding area of
An image processing method comprising:   8. The image processing method according to claim 7, further comprising an image print output step of performing a predetermined print process on the image data replaced in the image data replacement step and outputting an image.   An image processing program for causing a computer to execute the image processing method according to claim 7 or 8. A computer-readable recording medium on which the image processing program according to claim 9 is recorded.

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