JP2001036761A - Picture processor and its method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the capacity of data storage, to shorten processing time and to prevent an operation result for a processing condition of picture processing from being changed by the reading direction of an image. SOLUTION: A process 100 for inputting the number of frames M of an image using picture data for the operation of a color/density conversion condition for an individual image recorded in a picture film, a process (106 to 114) for setting up an image of M frames to be used for the operation of the conversion condition for the image to be processed in accordance with the position (m) of the image to be processed and the number M of frames, a process 120 for deciding whether the operation of a conversion condition can be executed or not, a process (122 to 128) for reading out images until operation can be attained when picture data are lacking, and a process (130, 132) for operating the conversion condition of the image to be processed and executing color/ density conversion processing are repeated while switching the image to be processed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and method, and more particularly, to an image processing apparatus for performing image processing on image information obtained by reading an image recorded on an image recording material. The present invention relates to an image processing method applicable to an image processing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The color of an image (hereinafter simply referred to as an image recorded on a photographic film) visualized on the photographic film by performing processing such as development on a photographic film in which a subject is photographed and recorded by a camera or the like. The balance is affected by the characteristics of the photographic film itself and the processing conditions in the development processing (hereinafter, these are collectively referred to as film characteristics).
It deviates from the color balance of the subject at the time of shooting. For this reason, when an image recorded on a photographic film is recorded on a recording material such as photographic paper or displayed on a display means such as a display, an image recorded on the recording material or an image displayed on the display means (hereinafter, referred to as an image). , These are collectively referred to as output images) so that the color balance of the output image matches the color balance of the subject at the time of shooting (so that the gray portion of the subject at the time of shooting is reproduced as gray on the output image). It is necessary to correct the color balance.

[0003] As a color balance correction method for an output image, various correction methods have been conventionally known. In a correction method for obtaining a color balance correction condition from the image information of a single image to be corrected, for example, When an image of a person photographed using a strobe is an image in which the cheek portion (skin color portion) of the person's face is highlighted, the color balance of the output image corresponds to the highlight. Highlight felia that deviates to a complementary color of the pixel color may occur, or, for example, an image to be corrected may be a non-gray area having a substantially constant hue (eg, an area corresponding to a green lawn or a blue sky or sea). In the case of an image occupying a relatively large area inside, there is a problem that the color balance of the output image often deviates to a complementary color of the color of the region.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, it is effective to determine correction conditions from image information of a plurality of images. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-297473 discloses that an image recorded on a photographic film is read. A large number of image information obtained by photographic film type is accumulated and stored for each photographic film type, and when an image recorded on a photographic film of a specific film type is exposed and recorded on photographic paper, the image information of the specific film type is stored. It is disclosed that an exposure condition is determined on the assumption that a color balance corresponding to an average represents a gray balance.

[0005]

However, in the technology described in the above publication, the accuracy of color balance (deviation from gray balance) corresponding to the average of the stored and stored image information is determined by the contents of the stored and stored image information. When the same image is exposed and recorded on photographic paper with a different exposure device, if the contents of the image information stored in the respective exposure devices are different, the print recorded on the photographic paper is exposed. Different from color balance. Further, even when exposure recording is performed on photographic paper by the same exposure apparatus, if the same image is exposed and recorded on the photographic paper with a time interval such as simultaneous printing and reprinting, new recording is performed within the time period. There is a problem that the color balance differs from the print color balance due to the influence of the image information stored and stored in the printer.

For this reason, the inventor of the present application has proposed a correction method for estimating a gray balance using image information of all images recorded on one photographic film and determining a correction condition (Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-214,878). Hei 11-64961). However, according to the above-described technology, since the reading of all the images on one photographic film is completed and the calculation of the correction conditions is performed after the image information of all the images is completed, the calculation of the correction conditions is completed after the reading is started. However, there is a problem that it takes a long time and a huge amount of storage means is required.

Each time a single image recorded on a photographic film is completely read, image correction information is calculated from the single image information obtained by the reading, and stored and stored. A method has been proposed in which a correction condition for the image is obtained using image correction information stored at the time of calculating the correction condition for each image. However, in this method, a reading direction of an image recorded on a photographic film is read. (Reading from the head side or reading from the tail side), the content of the image correction information accumulated and stored at the time of starting the calculation of the correction condition differs, so that the correction condition for each image differs depending on the image reading direction. Will do.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above facts, and can reduce the storage capacity required for storing data and the processing time, and can calculate the processing results of the image processing conditions depending on the image reading direction. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus and method capable of preventing the change of the image.

[0009]

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus comprising: a reading unit for sequentially reading a plurality of images recorded on a long image recording material; A storage unit for storing image information obtained by reading the image recorded on the image recording material by the reading unit, and a processing condition of image processing for the image information of the image to be processed; And the image information of an image having a predetermined number of exposures smaller than the total number of exposures of the image recorded on the image recording material, the image information comprising an image recorded at a position close to the image to be processed on the image recording material. A computing unit that performs computation using, sequentially performing each image recorded on the image recording material as an image to be processed,
It is comprised including.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a reading means for sequentially reading a plurality of images recorded on a long image recording material, and image information obtained by reading the images by the reading means is provided. It is stored in the storage means. The calculating means according to the first aspect of the present invention stores the processing conditions of the image processing on the image information of the processing target image at a position close to the processing target image on the processing target image and the image recording material. Calculation using the image information of images having a predetermined number of exposures smaller than the total number of exposures of the images recorded on the image recording material, the processing being performed on each image recorded on the image recording material. Are sequentially performed as images of

Since the predetermined number of exposures is smaller than the total number of exposures of the image recorded on the image recording material,
Before the image information of the images of the total number of exposures is stored in the storage means (at the time when the image information of the image of the predetermined number of exposures is stored in the storage means), the calculation means calculates the processing conditions of the image processing. And the processing time can be reduced. Also,
In calculating the image processing conditions for each image, it is not necessary to store the image information of the images for the total number of exposures, and the storage capacity required for storing data (image information) can be reduced.

Further, the calculation of the processing conditions of the image processing for the image to be processed is performed by determining the predetermined number of exposures consisting of the image to be processed and the image recorded at a position close to the image to be processed on the image recording material. Is performed using the image information of the image, the calculation of the image processing condition for each image is performed using the image information of the fixed image for each image, regardless of the reading direction of the image by the reading unit. Will be
Therefore, it is possible to prevent the calculation result of the processing condition of the image processing from changing depending on the image reading direction.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus, comprising: reading means for sequentially reading a plurality of images recorded on a long image recording material; and reading the image recorded on the image recording material. A storage unit for storing image information obtained by reading by the unit, and a processing condition of image processing for the image information of the image to be processed, the processing condition of the image to be processed and the image to be processed being close to the image of the processing target on the image recording material. Calculating means for performing the calculation using the image information of the image of the preset number of exposures consisting of the images recorded at the set positions, sequentially as the images to be processed, the images recorded on the image recording material And setting means for setting the number of exposures of an image using image information when the calculating means calculates the processing conditions of image processing for each of the images.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the same reading means and storage means as those of the first aspect of the invention are provided, and the arithmetic means calculates the image information when calculating the image processing conditions for each image. A setting means for setting the number of exposures of an image to be used is provided. As this setting means,
For example, it can be configured by an information input unit such as a keyboard or an information designating unit configured by a pointing device such as a mouse or a digitizer.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the calculating means sets the image processing conditions for the image information of the image to be processed to a position close to the image to be processed and the image to be processed on the image recording material. The calculation using the image information of the images having a preset number of exposures composed of the recorded images is sequentially performed with the images recorded on the image recording material as the images to be processed. Thus, if the number of exposures smaller than the total number of exposures of the images recorded on the image recording material is set via the setting unit, the calculation of the processing conditions of the image processing for each image is performed more than the total number of exposures. Since each of them is performed using image information of an image having a small number of exposures, it is possible to reduce the storage capacity required for storing data and the processing time as in the first aspect of the present invention.

In addition, the calculation of the processing conditions of the image processing for the image to be processed includes the processing of the image to be processed and the image recorded on the image recording material at a position close to the image to be processed (read by the reading means). This is performed by using image information of images of a predetermined number of exposures, which are images having a similar order, so that the image processing is performed for each image irrespective of the image reading direction by the reading unit as in the first aspect of the present invention. The calculation of the processing conditions of the image processing is performed using the image information of a fixed image for each image. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the calculation result of the processing condition of the image processing from being changed depending on the image reading direction.

Further, according to the second aspect of the present invention, the number of exposures of an image using image information can be set via the setting means when calculating the processing conditions of the image processing. In such a case, the number of exposures can be changed according to the changed storage capacity.

In the first or second aspect of the invention, the processing conditions of the image processing calculated by the calculating means include, for example, the processing conditions of the color / density conversion processing. The processing conditions of the color / density conversion processing include, for example, obtaining an image characteristic value of the image based on image information of a single image, and corresponding to a gray portion of the subject from the image information based on the obtained image characteristic value. Extracting a gray candidate pixel that is likely to be a pixel is performed for each of the images of the predetermined number of exposures or a preset number of exposures, and from the image of the predetermined number of exposures or the number of preset exposures, respectively. The gray balance can be estimated based on the distribution of the extracted gray candidate pixel group of gray candidate pixels on predetermined coordinates, and can be obtained by calculation based on the gray balance estimation result.

By the way, a plurality of images representing the same or similar scenes (hereinafter referred to as similar image group) are obtained by performing image processing on the image information of each image belonging to the similar image group under the same or similar processing conditions. Although it is desirable to approximate the finish of each image represented by the image information after the image processing, the process of determining whether or not the images belong to a similar image group is very complicated. On the other hand, according to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, the calculating means reads the image other than the processing target image using the image information for calculating the processing conditions of the image processing. Is selected so that the number of exposures of the front image of the image to be processed and the number of exposures of the rear image thereof are substantially the same along the image reading direction according to.

For example, in an image recording material such as a photographic film, each image belonging to the similar image group is often recorded continuously, and accordingly, even when the image is read by the reading means, each image belonging to the similar image group is read. Images are often read continuously. According to the third aspect of the present invention, an image other than the image to be processed using the image information for the calculation of the processing conditions of the image processing is read along with the number of exposures of the image before the image to be processed along the reading direction of the image by the reading means. Since the number of exposures of the rear image is selected to be substantially the same, compared to the case where the image is selected so that the number of exposures is biased to the front or rear side of the image to be processed, the number of exposures recorded on the image recording material is reduced. When a similar image group is present in an image that is being processed, when calculating image processing conditions for each image of the similar image group, image information is used to calculate image processing conditions. The proportion of images belonging to the similar image group included in the number of exposures or the image of the preset number of exposures is equalized.

Therefore, according to the third aspect of the present invention, it is possible to perform a complicated process such as determining whether or not there is a similar image group without performing a complicated process.
The processing conditions for image processing on the image information of each image belonging to the similar image group can be the same or approximate.

As described above, in the calculation of the processing conditions of the image processing for the image to be processed, the position along the reading direction by the reading means (reading order by the reading means) has a fixed relationship with the image information of the image. In the aspect using the image, the image having the certain relationship may be dependent on the position of the image to be processed on the image recording material (for example, the image to be processed is located at the head of the long image recording material). May not exist.

In consideration of the above, as described in claim 4, the calculation of the processing conditions of the image processing for each image recorded on the image recording material is performed according to the position of each image on the image recording material. It is preferable to carry out each of them at the right timing. As an example, in a mode in which image information of an image whose position along the reading direction by the reading unit has a certain relationship is used for calculating the processing condition of the image processing for the image to be processed, the image having the certain relationship is For an image that does not exist, an image having a predetermined number of exposures or a predetermined number of exposures using image information for calculating the processing conditions of the image processing is determined according to a predetermined standard, and the image is determined at the timing when the image information of the determined image is completed. Calculation of the processing conditions of the processing can be performed. This makes it possible to calculate the processing conditions of the image processing at an optimal timing regardless of the position of the image to be processed on the image recording material.

Also, in the case where setting means for setting the number of exposures of an image using image information when calculating processing conditions of image processing for each image is provided, as in the second aspect of the present invention, The optimal timing for performing the processing conditions of the processing also changes depending on the set number of exposures. In contrast,
According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the timing for calculating the processing conditions of the image processing for each image recorded on the image recording material is changed according to the number of exposures set by the setting means. It is possible to calculate the processing conditions of the image processing at the optimum timing regardless of the number of exposures set in the above.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the image processing method, an image recorded on a long image recording material is read, and image information obtained by the reading is stored in a storage unit. A plurality of images recorded on the material are sequentially performed, and the processing conditions of the image processing for the image information of the image to be processed are recorded at a position close to the image to be processed and the image to be processed on the image recording material. It is possible to calculate using image information of an image having a predetermined number of exposures smaller than the total number of exposures of the image recorded on the image recording material, the image being recorded on the image recording material. Since images are sequentially processed as images to be processed, a reduction in storage capacity required for storing data and a reduction in processing time can be realized, as in the first aspect of the invention. It is possible to prevent the operation result of physical processing conditions are changed.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing method which uses image information when calculating image processing conditions for image information of each image recorded on a long image recording material. The number is set in advance, and the image recorded on the image recording material is read, and the image information obtained by the reading is stored in the storage unit in order for the plurality of images recorded on the image recording material. Along with the processing conditions of the image processing for the image information of the image to be processed, the set number of exposures comprising the image to be processed and the image recorded at a position close to the image to be processed on an image recording material. The calculation using the image information of the image is sequentially performed on each image recorded on the image recording material as an image to be processed. Can achieve shortening of the reduction and processing time storage capacity required for 憶, calculation results of the processing conditions of the image processing by the reading direction of the image can be prevented from being changed.

[0027]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an image processing system 10 to which the present invention is applied. The image processing system 10 includes a film scanner 12, an image processing device 14, and a printer 16 connected in series. The film scanner 12 and the image processing device 1
Reference numeral 4 corresponds to the image processing apparatus according to the present invention.

The film scanner 12 is a photographic film 2
6 (for example, a negative film or a reversal film) or another image (hereinafter simply referred to as a photographic film) recorded on a photographic material (a negative image or a positive image visualized by photographing a subject and developing it). The light source 20 is for reading and outputting image data obtained by the reading. The light source 20 includes a halogen lamp or the like and irradiates the photographic film 26 with light.

On the light exit side of the light source 20, a photographic film 2
A stop 21, a filter unit 23, and a light diffusion box 22 for diffusing the light irradiated on the photographic film 26 are arranged in this order.
The filter unit 23 is configured by fitting three filters, a filter that transmits only R light, a filter that transmits only G light, and a filter 23Y that transmits only B light, into a turret.

On the opposite side of the photographic film 26 from the light source 20, an imaging lens 28 for forming an image of light transmitted through the photographic film 26 and an area CCD 30 are arranged in order along the optical axis L. The area CCD 30 is a monochrome CCD in which a large number of CCD cells are arranged in a matrix, and is arranged such that the light receiving surface substantially coincides with the imaging point position of the imaging lens 28. A shutter (not shown) is provided between the area CCD 30 and the imaging lens 28.

The area CCD 30 is connected to a scanner controller 33 via a CCD driver 31. The scanner control unit 33 includes a CPU, a ROM (for example, a ROM whose storage content is rewritable), a RAM, and an input / output port, which are connected to each other via a bus or the like.
The scanner control unit 33 controls the operation of each unit of the film scanner 12. In addition, the CCD driver 31 has an area CC.
A drive signal for driving D30 is generated, and area CC is generated.
The driving of D30 is controlled.

The photographic film 26 is a film carrier 24
And the image is positioned at a position (reading position) where the center of the screen of the image coincides with the optical axis L. Further, while the image is positioned at the reading position, the scanner control unit 33 rotates the turret so that each filter of the filter unit 23 is sequentially positioned on the optical axis L, and
The charge accumulation time of the area CCD 30 corresponding to the predetermined reading condition is set in the CCD driver 31, and the aperture 21 is moved to a position corresponding to the predetermined reading condition.

As a result, the image recording area on the photographic film 26 is irradiated with light in the wavelength range (R, G, or B) corresponding to each filter of the filter unit 23 in order, and transmitted through the image recording area on the photographic film 26. The shining light is area CC
It is detected by D30 (specifically, photoelectrically converted) and output from the area CCD 30 as a signal representing the amount of transmitted light. The signal output from the area CCD 30 is converted into digital image data representing the amount of transmitted light by the A / D converter 32 and input to the image processing device 14.

The scanner correction unit 36 of the image processing device 14
Performs various correction processes such as dark correction, density conversion, and shading correction on input image data (R, G, and B data input from the film scanner 12) in order. An output terminal of the scanner correction unit 36 is connected to an input terminal of the I / O controller 38, and the image data subjected to each of the processes in the scanner correction unit 36 is input to the I / O controller 38. An input terminal of the I / O controller 38 is also connected to a data output terminal of the image processor 40, and receives image data subjected to image processing (details will be described later) from the image processor 40.

The input terminal of the I / O controller 38 is also connected to the control unit 42. The control unit 42 has an expansion slot (not shown). The expansion slot includes a PC card or an I / O card that can be loaded into the digital still camera.
A driver (not shown) for reading / writing data (or a program) from / to an information storage medium such as a C card (hereinafter collectively referred to as a digital camera card), a CD-ROM, an MO, and a CD-R; A communication control device for communicating with another information processing device is connected. Image data input from outside via the expansion slot is input to the I / O controller 38.

The output terminal of the I / O controller 38 is connected to the data input terminal of the image processor 40 and the control unit 42, and further connected to the printer 16 via the I / F circuit 54. The I / O controller 38
The input image data is selectively output to each of the devices connected to the output terminal.

In this embodiment, the film scanner 12 continuously reads each image recorded on the photographic film 26 twice at different resolutions. In the embodiment using the area sensor (area CCD 30) as the reading sensor as in the present embodiment, switching of the reading resolution (obtaining image data of different resolutions in each reading) is performed, for example, in fine scanning even during pre-scanning. Scanning is performed at the same high resolution as during scanning, and post-processing such as pixel thinning or pixel integration is performed on the obtained image data. The reading can be realized by moving the area sensor by a distance corresponding to an integer fraction of the pixel interval by an actuator such as a piezo element at the time of reading.

In the first reading at a relatively low resolution (pre-scan), even when the image density is very low,
Reading conditions (R, R of light applied to the photographic film 26, determined so as not to cause saturation of accumulated charges in the area CCD 30)
Each image is read based on the amount of light for each of the G and B wavelength ranges and the charge accumulation time of the area CCD 30). Data (pre-scan image data) obtained by this pre-scan is input from the I / O controller 38 to the control unit 42.

The control unit 42 includes a CPU 46, a RAM 48,
ROM 50 (for example, a ROM whose storage content can be rewritten),
An input / output port 52 is provided, and these are connected to each other via a bus. Note that the RAM 48 includes a large-capacity frame memory, and image data (pre-scan image data and fine scan image data) input from the film scanner 12 is stored in the RAM 4.
8 is stored once. Thus, the RAM 48 corresponds to the storage unit of the present invention.

The control unit 42 calculates image features such as image density based on the prescanned image data input from the I / O controller 38, and the film scanner 12 operates at a relatively high resolution for each image. The reading conditions for re-scanning (fine scan) are determined, and the determined reading conditions are output to the film scanner 12.

The control unit 42 calculates an image feature amount including extraction of a main image area (for example, an area corresponding to a person's face (face area)) in the image based on the prescanned image data. The scanner 12 automatically determines the processing conditions of various image processing for the image data (fine scan image data) obtained by performing the fine scan by calculation (setup calculation), and outputs the determined processing conditions to the image processor 40. I do. A display 43 for displaying images and the like, a keyboard 44 for inputting information, and a mouse (not shown) are connected to the bus of the control unit 42.

On the other hand, the image data (fine scan image data) input to the I / O controller 38 by performing the fine scan on the image by the film scanner 12 is temporarily stored in the RAM 48 of the control unit 42 and thereafter. Input to the image processor 40.

The image processor 40 includes a color / density conversion process including a tone conversion and a color conversion, a pixel density conversion process, a hypertone process for compressing a tone of an ultra-low frequency luminance component of an image, and a sharpness while suppressing graininess. Image processing circuits for performing various image processing such as hyper-sharpness processing for enhancing the image data.
Various image processing is performed according to the processing conditions determined and notified for each image by the control unit 42.

When the image data processed by the image processor 40 is used for recording an image on photographic paper, the image data processed by the image processor 40 is transmitted from the I / O controller 38 to the I / O controller 38. / F circuit 54
Is output to the printer 16 as image data for recording via the. When the image data after the image processing is output to the outside as an image file, the image data is output from the I / O controller 38 to the control unit 42. As a result, the control unit 42 outputs the image data input from the I / O controller 38 for output to the outside to the outside (the driver, the communication control device, or the like) as an image file via the expansion slot.

The printer 16 has image memories 58, R,
G and B laser light sources 60 and a laser driver 62 for controlling the operation of the laser light sources 60 are provided. The recording image data input from the image processing device 14 is stored in an image memory 58.
Is read out after being stored once, and is used for modulating the R, G, B laser light emitted from the laser light source 60.
The laser light emitted from the laser light source 60 is scanned on a printing paper 68 via a polygon mirror 64 and an fθ lens 66, and an image is exposed and recorded on the printing paper 68. The photographic paper 68 on which the image has been exposed and recorded is sent to the processor section 18 and subjected to color development, bleach-fixing, washing and drying.
Thus, the image recorded on the printing paper 68 by exposure is visualized.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described. In the present embodiment, the number of exposures M of an image used for calculation of the color / density conversion condition, which is the processing condition of the color / density conversion process executed for each image in the image processor 40, is
The setting can be made via a keyboard 44 or a mouse. The number of exposures M may be set by the operator to set an arbitrary numerical value, or may be set by the operator selecting an arbitrary numerical value from a plurality of numerical values prepared in advance. As described above, the keyboard 44 or the mouse is used in claim 2.
Corresponds to the setting means.

The number of exposures M is usually the total number of exposures N of the image recorded on the photographic film 26 (for example, N = 2
A value smaller than 4) is set. In the present embodiment, in order to simplify the description, an odd number smaller than the total number of exposures N (for example, M = 3, 5,
7,...) Are prepared in advance, and an arbitrary numerical value is selectively set by the operator from these numerical values. The number of exposures M set by the operator operating the keyboard 44 or the mouse is, for example, R
It is stored in the OM 50 or the like.

Next, the image reading / processing condition calculation processing according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. This image reading / processing condition calculation processing
This corresponds to the calculation means described in claims 1 and 2 (however, except for step 126 described later).

In step 100, the number of exposures M set by the operator and stored in the ROM 50 or the like is fetched, and the total number of exposures N of the image recorded on the photographic film 26 is fetched. In step 102, 1 is assigned to each of a variable n representing an image to be read and a variable m representing an image to be processed (hereinafter referred to as an "image to be processed") to be subjected to a process including a calculation of color / density conversion conditions. . Note that the variable m is
The variable n indicates that the image to be read is the m-th image from the top of the photographic film 26 along the reading direction of the film scanner 12 and the image to be processed is the top of the photographic film 26 along the reading direction. Represents the nth image from.

In step 104, the value of the variable x is set according to the following equation. x = (M-1) / 2 According to the above expression, an image other than the processing target image used for calculating the color / density conversion condition of the processing target image (the number of exposures of the image is M-1) is set as the variable x. When the number of exposures of the front image of the image to be processed and the number of exposures of the rear image are selected to be substantially the same along the image reading direction, this corresponds to the number of exposures of the front or rear image. (For example, if M = 3, x
= 1, M = 5, x = 2).

In the next step 106, it is determined whether or not the value of the variable m is equal to or less than the variable x. If the determination in step 106 is affirmative, the image to be processed is located at or near the head of the photographic film 26 along the reading direction, and exists in front of the image to be processed along the reading direction. Image is x
It can be determined that it is less than the number. In this case, it is impossible to select an image used for the calculation of the color / density conversion condition so that the number of exposures of the front image and the number of exposure of the rear image of the processing target image are substantially the same.

For this reason, if the determination in step 106 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 110, where the image to be processed (the m-th image from the head) is used as an image to be used in the calculation of the color / density conversion conditions in the reading direction. Along the first from the top
An image of the Mth M exposure is set. In this case, the image of the M exposure used for the calculation of the color / density conversion condition is selected such that its range is shifted rearward along the reading direction with respect to the image to be processed.

When the processing of step 110 is performed, step 1
Then, the flow proceeds to step S16, and it is determined whether or not there is any erasable image data in the image data input by the film scanner 12 reading the image and stored in the RAM. At this time, since the image reading by the film scanner 12 has not been started, no image data is stored in the RAM 48. Therefore, the determination in step 116 is unconditionally denied, and the process proceeds to step 120.

In step 120, it is determined whether or not the image data of the image to be used for the calculation of the color / density conversion condition of the image to be processed (m-th image from the top) is stored in the RAM 48. In this case, the determination is also negative, and the process proceeds to step 122, where it is determined whether the n-th image exists (that is, whether n ≦ the total number of exposures M). If the determination is affirmative, the routine proceeds to step 124, where the film scanner 1
Instruct 2 to read the n-th image.

Thus, in the film scanner 12,
First, the photographic film 26 is transported by the film carrier 24, the image to be read (the n-th image) is positioned at the reading position, and the positioned n-th image is obtained at a relatively low resolution under the fixed reading conditions. A pre-scan for reading in order for each of R, G, and B is performed. The pre-scan image data of the n-th image obtained by the pre-scan is input to the image processing unit 14 and stored in the RAM 48, and the control unit 42 calculates reading conditions at the time of fine scan based on the pre-scan image data. , Film scanner 12
Notify. Then, the film scanner 12 performs a fine scan for sequentially reading the positioned n-th image at a relatively high resolution for each of R, G, and B according to the notified reading conditions.

As described above, the reading of the n-th image (image to be read) is completed, and the fine scan image data of the n-th image obtained by the fine scan is input to the image processing unit 14, and in step 126, the RAM 48
Is stored. As described above, step 124 corresponds to the reading unit of the present invention together with the film scanner 12 for actually reading an image.

In the next step 128, the value of the variable n is set to 1
The image to be read is switched by incrementing only by one, and the process returns to step 120. Thus, steps 122 to 128 are repeated until all the image data of the image to be used for the calculation of the color / density conversion conditions of the image to be processed (m-th image from the head) is stored in the RAM 48. Are sequentially read.

The first to Mth images from the top are read along the reading direction, and pre-scan image data and fine scan image data of each image are stored in the RAM 48.
Is stored, the result of the determination in step 120 is affirmative, and the process proceeds to step 130, where a color / density conversion condition setting process for setting a color / density conversion condition for the m-th image is performed. Hereinafter, the color / density conversion condition setting processing will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the following, as an example, a case where color / density conversion conditions are calculated for a negative image recorded on a negative film as the photographic film 26 will be described.

In step 150, prescanned image data of a single image is fetched from among the M exposure images including the image to be processed. The pre-scan image data is data representing the density value of each component color (R, G, B) of all pixels of the image. In the next step 152, the maximum density Dj _max and the minimum density Dj _min (j is any of R, G, B) for each component color based on the density value of each pixel of the image represented by the captured pre-scan image data. Is calculated.

In step 154, the pre-scan image data
Density Dj obtained for each component color from the data_maxAnd minimum
Density Dj_minBased on the maximum concentration (D
r_max, Dg _max, Db_max) Is the darkness of the temporary highlight point.
Degree, minimum density (Dr_min, Dg_min, D
b_min) Is the tentative shadow point density, for example, as shown in FIG.
Such R density Dr, G density Dg and B density Db are coordinate axes.
On the three-dimensional density coordinates (RGB density coordinates)
The density point corresponding to the illuminated point (each component of the tentative highlighted point)
Point at the position defined by the density value for each color separation)
Axis connecting the density point corresponding to the shadow point (temporary gray
(Referred to as an axis) (see FIG. 4A).

For example, if the image is an image containing a large number of high-saturation pixels (for example, an image in which color fear is likely to occur), the points are plotted at the positions corresponding to the respective pixels of the image on the RGB density coordinates. Distribution (hereinafter simply referred to as “RGB
FIG. 4 shows an example of the distribution of pixels on density coordinates.
As shown in (A) and (B), at a slightly distant position around the set of pixels estimated to represent gray balance (“the set of gray candidate pixels” in FIGS. 4A and 4B). , A distribution in which a set of high-saturation pixels appears.

Based on the above, in step 156, for each pixel of the image, the position of the corresponding point on the RGB density coordinates is determined, and the distance between the determined position and the temporary gray axis (defined by the RGB density coordinates). (The geometric distance in the density space to be obtained) is calculated, and a pixel in which the position of the corresponding point on the RGB density coordinates is separated from the temporary gray axis by a predetermined distance or more is extracted as a high-saturation pixel.

The extraction of high chroma pixels may be performed as follows. In other words, the maximum density Dj _max and the minimum density Dj
After calculating _min , the density value of each pixel of the image is normalized for each component color. This normalization can be performed using the following equation. Dj '= 100 × (Dj -Dj min) / (Dj max -D
j _min ) where Dj is the density value of the component color j of the calculation target pixel, and Dj ′ is the normalized density value of the component color j.

Next, the saturation of each pixel is calculated based on the normalized density value for each component color of each pixel of the image. FIG. 5 as an example
As shown in (A), the origin (0, 0,
0) and a plane 垂直 (a plane of R + G + B = 0) perpendicular to the straight line Q passing through the point (1,1,1) in the RGB density space and including the origin (0,0,0), respectively. R corresponding to the normalized density value (Dr ', Dg', Db ') for each component color of the pixel
The density point of each pixel on the GB density coordinates is mapped on the plane ψ.

Then, on the plane ψ, xy shown in FIG.
Set the rectangular coordinate system. Assuming that the mapping position of the density point corresponding to the normalized density value of a certain pixel on the plane ψ is a point P, the hue of the pixel is the angle between the straight line passing through the origin of the xy coordinates and the point P and the x axis. The saturation of the pixel corresponds to the distance between the origin of the xy coordinate and the point P. For reference, the lightness is calculated based on the normalized density of each pixel as "lightness = (Dr '
+ Dg '+ Db') / 3 ".

Therefore, for each pixel, the mapping position of the density point corresponding to the normalized density value on the plane ψ (the position of the point P) is obtained, and as shown in FIG. Origin and point P
It is possible to determine whether or not the pixel is a high-saturation pixel by comparing the distance with the saturation threshold Lth, and extract a pixel whose distance between the origin and the point P is larger than the saturation threshold Lth as a high-saturation pixel. Can be.

In the next step 158, step 156
The hue of the specific high-saturation pixel extracted in step (b) is compared with the hues of eight pixels (so-called eight-neighbor pixels) existing in the vicinity of the specific high-saturation pixel on the image. If there is a pixel whose hue is similar to a specific high-saturation pixel among the eight pixels, the pixel is determined to be a high-saturation pixel for all the high-saturation pixels extracted in step 156.

In step 160, it is determined whether or not the number of pixels determined as high-saturation pixels has increased by the processing in step 158. If the determination in step 160 is affirmative, the process returns to step 158, where the pixels that have been newly determined to be high-saturation pixels are compared with neighboring pixels (excluding pixels that have already been determined to be high-saturation pixels). The hues are compared, and a pixel having a similar hue among the neighboring pixels is determined to be a high-saturation pixel. This step 158 is repeated until the determination in step 160 is denied. If the determination in step 160 is negative, the process proceeds to step 162, in which the pixels determined to be high-saturation pixels are excluded, and only pixels that are not determined to be high-saturation pixels are recognized as gray candidate pixels. Then, the data of the pixel identified as the gray candidate pixel is stored.

By performing the above-described processing, even when an image includes an area that is highly likely to cause color feria, that is, an area of a specific hue including a high-saturation pixel, most of the area is not affected. Pixels can be excluded as high-saturation pixels, and among the pixels that have been identified as gray candidate pixels, a high proportion of pixels (pixels representing gray balance) corresponding to the gray portion of the subject are included.

In the next step 164, for each component color,
Highlight point density Dhj (maximum density) in gray candidate pixels
And the shadow point density Dsj (minimum density).
Note that the dynamic range IR = (Dhr
−Dsr), IG = (Dhg−Dsg), IB = (Dhb−
Dsb) is calculated, and the dynamic range differences (IR-IG), (IG-IB), and (IB-IR) for each component color are calculated. If the dynamic range difference exceeds a predetermined allowable value, The highlight point densities (Dhr, Dhg, D) are set so that the dynamic ranges IR, IG, IB are equal to each other.
hb) may be modified.

In step 166, the highlight point density (Dhr, Dhg, Dhb) of each component is highlighted based on the highlight point density Dhj and the shadow point density Dsj obtained from the gray candidate pixel for each component color. The density of a point, the shadow point density (Dsr, Dsg, Dsb) of each component is defined as the shadow point density, and an axis connecting the density point corresponding to the highlight point and the density point corresponding to the shadow point on RGB density coordinates. (Referred to as highlight-shadow axis) (see FIG. 4C).

In a photographic film, in order to realize vivid color development, a photosensitive layer is generally designed so that multi-color exposure is more intense than gray exposure even when the exposure amount is the same. Yes (so-called multilayer effect), the maximum density may be higher in an image area corresponding to a non-gray part (for example, red) of the subject than in an image area corresponding to a gray part of the subject in the image. There is.

Based on the above, in the present embodiment, step 1
Set the gray axis of the tentative based on the maximum density Dj _max and the minimum density Dj _min obtained in 52 (step 154), after removal of the high saturation pixel (step 156～ step 162), the highlight point density and in step 166 The highlight-shadow axis (also a kind of temporary gray axis) is set again based on the shadow point density. By performing the above-described correction of the highlight point density and resetting of the temporary gray axis, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of highlight feria.

In the next step 168, for each of the gray candidate pixels, the position of the corresponding point on the RGB density coordinates is determined, and the determined position and the highlight-
Distance to shadow axis (geometric distance in concentration space:
(Corresponding to the density difference between the highlight-shadow axis) and the distance between the corresponding point on the RGB density coordinates and the distance (density difference) between the highlight-shadow axis and the weight become smaller. (So that the weight increases as the distance (density difference) decreases), a weight is set for each gray candidate pixel. Then, the set weight is stored.

In step 170, it is determined whether or not the above processing has been performed on the M exposure image. If the determination is negative, the process returns to step 150, and the processing of steps 150 to 168 is repeated. As a result, gray candidate pixels are extracted from the M exposure image including the image to be processed, and weights are set for all the extracted gray candidate pixels.

When the determination in step 170 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 172, and in step 172 and thereafter, based on a gray candidate pixel group (see FIG. 6A) composed of gray candidate pixels extracted from the M exposure image. Then, a gray axis representing the gray balance of the image to be processed is obtained by linear approximation.

That is, in step 172, the density range of the image to be processed (the maximum density Dj _max and the minimum density Dj _min calculated for the image to be processed in step 152) is fetched. In the next step 174, among the gray candidate pixels constituting the gray candidate pixel group, the previous step 172
Density range (maximum density Dj _m
Data of gray candidate pixels corresponding to a density range from _ax to the minimum density Dj _min ) is extracted.

Since the density range of each of the plurality of images recorded on the photographic film is indefinite, RGB of a gray candidate pixel group composed of gray candidate pixels extracted from each of the plurality of images is used.
The distribution on the density coordinates has a spread corresponding to the color density range of the photographic film 26 (generally, the density value is close to 3.0). On the other hand, the density range of each image recorded on the photographic film is about 1.0 in density value. Accordingly, in step 174, as shown in FIG. 4B, as an example of the “density area of the image to be estimated with the gray axis”, the gray candidate pixels in some of the density areas of the gray candidate pixel group are displayed. Only data is extracted.

In the next step 176, step 174
The data representing the weight of the gray candidate pixel from which the data has been extracted is taken in, and in step 178, a plurality of values are set in advance corresponding to a plurality of numerical values prepared in advance as the value of the number of exposures M of the image used for calculating the processing conditions. The allowable range of the gray axis tilt corresponding to the current value of the number of exposures M is taken in from the allowable range of the gray axis tilt. The allowable range of the inclination of the gray axis is set so that the allowable range becomes smaller as the value of the number of exposures M becomes smaller.

Then, in step 180, step 17
Gray candidate pixel data extracted in step 4 and step 17
Based on the weight of each gray candidate pixel extracted in step 6, the distribution of the extracted gray candidate pixels on the RGB density coordinates is linearly approximated in consideration of the weight given to each gray candidate pixel. The gray axis of the image to be processed is estimated and calculated so as to fall within the allowable range fetched in (1).

The linear approximation can be performed by applying a method such as the least squares method used in linear multiple regression analysis or the like so that the sum of squares of the prediction error is minimized. In this case, setting the gradient of the gray axis within the allowable range means that, for example, in the calculation by the least square method or the like, the value of the variable defining the gradient of the gray axis among the variables defining the gray axis is set in the allowable range. This can be realized by adding a conditional expression restricting to a value within a corresponding numerical range to the simultaneous equations.

The linear approximation reflecting the weight of each gray candidate pixel is, for example, RGB for a pixel having a large weight.
The gray candidate pixel data is converted so that the number of gray candidate pixels existing at substantially the same position in the density space increases on the data (for example, one pixel data is converted into 100 pixel data, etc.), and the weight is changed. For the pixels having a small value, the data of the gray candidate pixels is converted so that the number of gray candidate pixels existing at substantially the same position in the RGB density space is reduced on the data (for example, 100 pixel data is converted into 1 pixel data). Conversion, etc.) can be realized by performing linear approximation using the data of the converted gray candidate pixels.

The linear approximation may be performed on a three-dimensional space (RGB density space), or on a plurality of two-dimensional spaces (for example, each of the RGB, GB and BR density spaces). You may. For example, the estimation of the gray axis by linear approximation in the RGB density space is performed by using the density range of the image for the specific component color or the density range of the image for the RGB average density as the density range of the image to be processed. This can be performed by linearly approximating the distribution of the gray candidate pixels existing in the area on the RGB density space.

The estimation of the gray axis by linear approximation in each of the density spaces RG, GB, and BR is performed by, for example, R-
For the G density space, linearly approximate the distribution of gray candidate pixels existing in the R density area of the image, and for the GB density space, linearly approximate the distribution of gray candidate pixels existing in the G density area of the image, Regarding the BR density space,
, The distribution of the gray candidate pixels existing in the density range is linearly approximated, and the axis corresponding to the center of gravity of the three axes obtained by the linear approximation in each space can be calculated as the gray axis.

In the next step 182, based on the result of estimating and calculating the gray axis of the image to be processed, the fine scan image data is reproduced so that the gray portion of the subject at the time of photographing is reproduced as gray on the output image. Color against
The processing conditions of the density conversion processing (color / density conversion conditions: specifically, for example, conversion data set in an LUT (lookup table) for performing the color / density conversion processing) are set, and the color / density conversion conditions are set. The process ends.

The above-mentioned color / density conversion conditions include, for example, the G density D of the gray balance represented by the estimated and calculated gray axis.
Relationship between g and R density Dr (corresponding to the result of projecting two-dimensional density coordinates using the gray axis as G density and R density as coordinate axes)
Is represented by Dg = αrg · Dr + βrg, and the relationship between the G density Dg and the B density Db (corresponding to the result of projecting the gray axis onto the two-dimensional density coordinates using the G density and the B density as coordinate axes) is Dg =
If it is expressed by αbg · Db + βbg, for example, G concentration D
g is not converted, and for the R concentration Dr, Dr = αrg · D
It can be set so as to be converted according to a conversion formula of r + βrg, and the B concentration Db is converted according to a conversion formula of Db = αbg · Db + βbg.

Steps 150 to 1 described above
There is a limit to the extraction accuracy of the gray candidate pixels in 62. For example, when the image to be processed is an image in which color feria or highlight fear is likely to occur, a pixel (pixel representing gray balance) suitable as a gray candidate pixel )
May not be extracted.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, gray candidate pixels are extracted from the M exposure image, and a gray candidate pixel group composed of the gray candidate pixels extracted from the M exposure image is used for estimating the gray balance. ing. Since the gray candidate pixel group is composed of gray candidate pixels extracted from the M exposure image, variations in the image content of the M exposure image are averaged in the entire gray candidate pixel group, and the gray candidate pixel Even when a proper pixel is not extracted, the influence of the fact that the proper pixel is not extracted is reduced.

Therefore, the distribution of the gray candidate pixel group on the RGB density coordinates is, as a whole, the gray balance (photographic film 2) in the entire color density range of the photographic film 26.
6 accurately represents the gray balance on each image recorded on the same photographic film by estimating the gray balance using the gray candidate pixel group. The balance can be estimated with high accuracy, and appropriate color / density conversion conditions capable of converting image data of an image to be processed can be obtained so that a gray portion of a subject at the time of shooting is reproduced as gray. .

The gray balance in the entire color density range of the photographic film 26, which is represented by the distribution of the gray candidate pixel group on the RGB density coordinates, reflects film characteristics and the like, and is indicated by a broken line in FIG. Is represented as a curve on the RGB density coordinates as shown by: “Characteristic curve representing actual gray balance” shown by a broken line in FIG. 4A).

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the distribution of the gray candidate pixel group on the RGB density coordinates in each image is set within the density range of the individual image (larger than the color density range of the photographic film 26). Since the gray axis representing the gray balance is estimated and calculated by linear approximation within a narrow density range), the processing is much more complicated than when a characteristic curve representing the gray balance is obtained by higher-order nonlinear approximation. In addition to being simple, the gray balance can be estimated with sufficiently high and stable estimation accuracy for each image.

When the color / density conversion condition setting processing is completed as described above, step 13 in the flowchart of FIG.
Then, the fine scan image data of the mth image is transferred to the image processor 40 by transferring the fine scan image data of the mth image and the color / density conversion condition for the mth image stored in the RAM 48 to the image processor 40. Processor 4 performs color / density conversion processing for
Perform at 0.

The image processor 40 sets the transferred color / density conversion conditions in the LUT, and performs color / density conversion processing by converting the transferred fine scan image data by the LUT. Thus, even if the image to be processed is an image in which color fear is likely to occur or an image in which highlight fear is likely to occur, the gray portion of the subject at the time of shooting is grayed out from the fine scan image data of the image to be processed. Output image data to be reproduced is obtained.

In the next step 134, it is determined whether or not the value of the variable m is equal to the total number of exposures M. If the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step 136, in which the image to be processed is switched by incrementing the value of the variable m by 1, and the process returns to step 106.

The determination in step 106 is that the number of images on which the color / density conversion conditions have been calculated increases and the value of the variable m is the variable x
Is denied if it becomes larger than the value of. If the determination in step 106 is negative, the process proceeds to step 108, where it is determined whether the value obtained by subtracting the variable m from the total number of exposures N is smaller than the value of the variable x. If the determination in step 108 is also negative, the image to be processed is not located at the beginning, end, or vicinity of the photographic film 26 along the reading direction,
It can be determined that x or more images exist on the front side and the rear side of the image to be processed along the reading direction, respectively.

For this reason, if the determination in step 108 is denied, the process proceeds to step 114, in which the image to be processed (the m-th image from the top) is used as an image to be used in the calculation of the color / density conversion conditions. From the beginning along (m-
The (x) -th to (m + x) -th M exposure images are set. In this case, the M exposure image used for calculating the color / density conversion condition is selected such that the number of exposures of the front image and the number of exposure of the rear image of the image to be processed are substantially the same. . This step 114 corresponds to the calculating means according to the third aspect. After the process of step 108, the process proceeds to step 116, and the presence or absence of unnecessary data is determined again.

Here, the range of the M exposure image used for the calculation of the color / density conversion condition moves toward the tail of the film as the value of the variable m increases. The image data of the image (n-th image: n <mx) located on the leading side of the (mx) -th image may not be used for calculating the color / density conversion condition. It can be determined that there is no For this reason, when the image data of the image meeting the above condition is stored in the RAM 48, the determination in the step 116 is affirmed and the step 118
Then, after erasing the image data (pre-scan image data and fine scan image data) of the corresponding image, the process proceeds to step 120, and the processing and determination after step 120 are repeated.

When the image located at the end of the film is to be processed along with the progress of the image reading / processing condition calculation processing, the value obtained by subtracting the variable m from the total number of exposures N is the variable x
, And the determination in step 108 is affirmed. In this case, since it can be determined that the number of images existing behind the image to be processed along the reading direction is less than x, the image used for calculating the color / density conversion condition is set to the front side of the image to be processed. Cannot be selected such that the number of exposures of the image No. and the number of exposures of the rear image are substantially the same.

For this reason, if the determination in step 108 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 112, in which the image to be processed (m-th image from the top) is used as an image to be used in the calculation of the color / density conversion conditions in the reading direction. From the beginning (N-M
(+1) -th to N-th M exposure images are set. In this case, the image of the M exposure used for the calculation of the color / density conversion condition is selected such that its range is shifted forward with respect to the image to be processed along the reading direction. Step 11
When the process of step 2 is performed, the process proceeds to step 116, where it is determined again whether or not there is unnecessary data.

When the calculation of the color / density conversion conditions and the color / density conversion processing are completed for the image of the Nth frame from the top along the reading direction, the determination in step 134 is affirmed, and the image reading / processing conditions The arithmetic processing ends. As described above, steps 110, 112, 114, 120
Is the photographic film 2 represented by the number of exposures M and the variable m
6. An image used for calculating the color / density conversion condition is selected in accordance with the position of the image to be processed on the image processing device 6, and the timing for calculating the color / density conversion condition is changed. 5 corresponds to the calculating means.

Next, an example of a processing sequence realized by the above-described image reading / processing condition calculation processing will be further described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 shows the number of exposures M = 3 (variable x
= 1) shows a processing sequence.

The image data of the images of "exposure 1" to "exposure 3" are used to calculate the color / density conversion conditions for the image of "exposure 1" located at the head of the film along the reading direction. Therefore, until the image data of the images of "exposure 1" to "exposure 3" are stored in the RAM 48, the determination of step 120 is denied, and the reading of the images of "exposure 1" to "exposure 3" is sequentially performed. Will be Image data of "exposure 1" to "exposure 3" are stored in RAM
48, the determination in step 120 is affirmed,
The calculation of the color / density conversion condition and the color / density conversion processing for the image of “exposure 1” are performed.

For the image of the next “exposure 2”, although the determinations in steps 106 and 108 are denied,
In step 114, the color / image for the “exposure 2” image
“Exposure 1” to “exposure 3” that are the same as the image of “exposure 1” are set as the images used for calculating the density conversion conditions. Therefore,
If the determination in step 120 is affirmative, the calculation of the color / density conversion condition and the color / density conversion processing for the image of “exposure 2” are performed after the image of “exposure 1”.

For the next image of “exposure 3”, in step 114, “exposure 2” to “exposure 4” are set as images used for calculating the color / density conversion conditions. Accordingly, the image data of the image of “exposure 1” is not required, and
The determination at 16 is affirmative, and the image data of the image of “exposure 1” is deleted at step 118. Then, when "exposure 4" is read and the image data is stored in the RAM 48, the calculation of the color / density conversion condition and the color / density conversion processing for the image of "exposure 3" are performed, and "exposure 2" is performed. Is deleted.

As described above, only the M-frame image data is stored in the RAM 48 at the maximum, and the storage capacity of the storage means (in this case, the RAM 48) for storing the image data can be reduced. When the image of the M exposure is read and the image data of the M exposure is stored in the RAM 48, the calculation of the color / density conversion condition and the color / density conversion processing can be performed, and the image data of all the images is stored. Calculation of color / density conversion conditions can be started before
Processing time can be reduced.

Further, according to the algorithm shown in FIG. 2, even when the images recorded on the photographic film 26 are read in order from the reverse direction, the same M exposure is used to calculate the color / density conversion conditions for each image. Since the image data of the image is used, it is possible to prevent the calculation result of the color / density conversion condition from fluctuating depending on the image reading direction.

In the above description, each image is read twice at a relatively low resolution (pre-scan) and at a relatively high resolution (fine scan), and obtained by pre-scan. The color / density conversion conditions were set using low resolution image data.
However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, image data obtained by pre-scanning may be used only for determining reading conditions at the time of fine scanning, or a single scan at a resolution equivalent to fine scanning may be performed on an image. May be read only.

In the above description, the number of exposures M is an odd number. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the number of exposures M may be an even number. When the number of exposures M is an even number, in selecting an image to be used for calculating processing conditions, the number of exposures of the front image and the number of exposure of the rear image of the image to be processed should be the same along the reading direction of the image. However, if an image used for calculating the processing condition is selected so that the difference in the number of exposures is as small as possible (the minimum value is 1), the variation in the calculation result of the processing condition for each image reading direction can be suppressed.

Further, the head / end of the photographic film is fixedly defined irrespective of the image reading direction (for example, based on the exposure number optically recorded on the side edge of the photographic film,
The end on the side where a small numerical value is recorded as the exposure number is set as the head, etc.), and the image reading direction with respect to the defined head / end is detected (whether the image is read from the head or the end), Depending on the detection result, whether the image used for calculating the processing conditions is selected so that the number of exposures of the image on the front side of the processing target image is large or the number of exposures of the image on the rear side is large is selected. (That is, the number of exposures of the image on the head side and the number of exposures of the image on the end side of the image to be processed do not change regardless of the reading direction).

Further, the case where the present invention is applied to the calculation and setting of the color / density conversion conditions used in the color / density conversion processing has been described above. However, the image processing and the processing conditions according to the present invention are not limited to the above. However, it is needless to say that the present invention can be applied to any image processing and calculation of processing conditions.

In the above description, the configuration in which an image is read by an area sensor (area CCD 30) in which photoelectric conversion cells are arranged in a matrix has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the photoelectric conversion cells are arranged in a line. The image may be read by the line sensor provided. In the above description, the configuration in which an image is read by photoelectrically converting light transmitted through a photographic film has been described. However, the configuration is not limited to this, and the configuration in which an image is read by photoelectrically converting light reflected by a photographic film is described. May be adopted. The image recording material is not limited to a photographic film, and it goes without saying that a photographic photosensitive material other than a photographic film, plain paper, an OHP sheet, or the like may be used as the image recording material.

The embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the above-described embodiments include the embodiments described below in addition to the embodiments described in the claims.

(1) The calculating means determines an image characteristic value of the image based on image information of a single image recorded on a photographic film as the image recording material, and determines the image characteristic value based on the determined image characteristic value. Extracting a gray candidate pixel likely to be a pixel corresponding to a gray portion of a subject from the image information is performed for each of the predetermined number of exposures or the image of the preset number of exposures, and Performing a process of estimating gray balance based on the distribution of gray candidate pixels consisting of gray candidate pixels extracted on the basis of predetermined coordinates on the predetermined coordinates, and processing conditions of image processing for image information of an image to be processed include color・ Color used for density conversion processing
3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a density conversion condition is calculated.

[0114]

As described above, according to the first and sixth aspects of the present invention, the processing conditions of the image processing for the image information of the image to be processed are set on the image to be processed and the long image recording material. Comprising using the image information of the image of a predetermined number of exposures smaller than the total number of exposures of the image recorded on the image recording material, consisting of images recorded at a position close to the image to be processed, Since each image recorded on the image recording material is sequentially processed as an image to be processed, a reduction in storage capacity necessary for storing data and a reduction in processing time can be realized. There is an excellent effect that the calculation result can be prevented from changing.

According to the second and seventh aspects of the present invention, the processing conditions of the image processing for the image information of the image to be processed are
The image processing is performed by using image information of a predetermined number of exposures consisting of an image to be processed and an image recorded at a position close to the image to be processed on a long image recording material. Since each image recorded on the recording material is sequentially processed as an image to be processed, a reduction in storage capacity required for data storage and a reduction in processing time can be realized, and the calculation of image processing processing conditions according to the image reading direction. It has an excellent effect that the result can be prevented from changing.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or the second aspect of the present invention, an image other than an image to be processed, which uses image information for calculating a processing condition of the image processing, is read along the image reading direction. Since the number of exposures of the front image and the number of exposures of the rear image of the image to be processed are selected to be substantially the same, in addition to the above effects, complicated processing such as determining the presence or absence of a similar image group is performed. This has the effect that the processing conditions of the image processing for the image information of each image belonging to the similar image group can be the same or approximate.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first or the second aspect of the present invention, the calculation of the image processing conditions for each image recorded on the image recording material is performed by each of the operations on the image recording material. Since each is performed at a timing according to the position of the image, in addition to the above effects, regardless of the position of the image to be processed on the image recording material, it is possible to calculate the processing conditions of the image processing at the optimal timing. It has the effect of.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, the timing at which the image processing conditions are calculated for each image recorded on the image recording material is adjusted to the number of exposures set by the setting means. Since it is changed in accordance with the above-described effects, in addition to the above-described effects, there is an effect that the processing conditions of the image processing can be calculated at an optimum timing regardless of the number of exposures set via the setting unit.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image processing system according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the contents of image reading / processing condition calculation processing according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the contents of a color / density conversion condition setting process.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are images including a large number of high-saturation pixels, and FIG. 4C is a diagram after removing high-saturation pixels from the image;
FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a distribution of data of each pixel on RGB density coordinates.

FIGS. 5A to 5C are conceptual diagrams for explaining another example of a method for extracting a high-saturation pixel.

FIG. 6A is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a distribution on a RGB density coordinate of a gray candidate pixel group composed of gray candidate pixels respectively extracted from a plurality of images, and FIG. 6B is a conceptual diagram showing the gray candidate shown in FIG. It is a conceptual diagram for explaining estimation of the gray axis of the specific image from a pixel group.

FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a processing sequence when the number of exposures of an image used for calculating a conversion condition is M = 3.

[Explanation of symbols]

 12 Film Scanner 14 Image Processing Device 26 Photo Film 30 Area CCD 40 Image Processor 42 Control Unit 44 Keyboard

Claims (7)

[Claims] A reading unit for sequentially reading a plurality of images recorded on a long image recording material; and image information obtained by reading the image recorded on the image recording material by the reading unit. A storage unit for storing, the processing conditions of the image processing for the image information of the image to be processed, the image to be processed, and an image recorded on the image recording material at a position close to the image to be processed, To calculate using the image information of the image of the predetermined number of exposures smaller than the total number of exposures of the image recorded on the image recording material, each image recorded on the image recording material as an image to be processed An image processing apparatus comprising: an arithmetic unit that performs an order; 2. A reading unit for sequentially reading a plurality of images recorded on a long image recording material, and image information obtained by reading the image recorded on the image recording material by the reading unit. A storage unit for storing, and a processing condition of the image processing for the image information of the image to be processed, wherein the processing conditions are determined in advance from the image to be processed and the image recorded at a position close to the image to be processed on the image recording material. A calculating means for sequentially calculating each image recorded on the image recording material as an image to be processed, wherein the calculating means performs the calculation using the image information of the image having the set number of exposures; and Setting means for setting the number of exposures of an image using image information when calculating processing conditions of the processing. 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the calculating unit is configured to convert an image other than a processing target image using image information into a calculation of a processing condition of the image processing.
2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the number of exposures of an image on the front side of the image to be processed and the number of exposures of an image on the rear side of the image to be processed are selected to be substantially the same along the reading direction of the image. 2. The image processing apparatus according to 2. 4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the calculation unit calculates the processing conditions of the image processing for each image recorded on the image recording material at a timing corresponding to a position of each image on the image recording material. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: 5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the calculating unit changes a timing at which a processing condition of the image processing is calculated for each image recorded on the image recording material according to the number of exposures set by the setting unit. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: 6. An image recorded on a long image recording material is read, and image information obtained by the reading is stored in a storage unit in order for a plurality of images recorded on the image recording material. The image recording material, comprising: a processing condition of image processing for image information of an image to be processed, wherein the image recording material comprises an image recorded at a position close to the image to be processed on the image to be processed and the image recording material. Image processing of calculating each image recorded on the image recording material as an image to be processed in order to calculate using image information of an image having a predetermined number of exposures smaller than the total number of exposures of images recorded on the image recording material Method. 7. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the number of exposures of the image using the image information is calculated in advance when calculating image processing conditions for the image information of each image recorded on the long image recording material. Reading the image recorded on the material, and storing the image information obtained by the reading in the storage means for the plurality of images recorded on the image recording material in order, and performing image processing for the image information of the image to be processed. Calculating a processing condition of the processing by using image information of the image of the set number of exposures, which includes the image to be processed and an image recorded at a position close to the image to be processed on the image recording material. In which the images recorded on the image recording material are sequentially processed as images to be processed.