JP2001101436A - Device and method for processing image - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device and a method for processing image for shortening time required for filtering processing of image. SOLUTION: Reduced image data, for which input image data 9q are thinned by a reduction module 9c, are stored in a reduced image data storage area 9r of a RAM and simulation image data, for which these reduced image data are filtered by a simulation filtering processing module 9b, are displayed on a display. Since the data size of the reduced image data is smaller than that of the input image data, time required for displaying output picture quality corresponding to a parameter on the display is shortened.

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 an image processing method, and more particularly to a digital image filtering apparatus and a filtering method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a filtering process for changing the output image quality of digital image data is known. Here, the filter processing refers to a concept including spatial filter processing, gradation correction processing, and color tone correction processing on image data unless otherwise specified. For example, an enhancement filter process, which is a type of spatial filter process, is a filter process for improving the appearance of an image by sharpening details such as edges, corners, and lines.

[0003] Generally, in the filtering process in an image processing application, the filtering process is executed based on parameters selected by an operator, and the result is output to a display. The operator changes the parameters while checking the image quality output on the display, and determines the parameters when the desired image quality is obtained, and outputs the parameters to a printer or the like.

[0004]

However, since the data size of the image data is large, there is a problem that it takes a long time for the filtering process. In particular, if the parameter is changed while checking the result of the filter processing, the number of times of the filter processing increases, so that it takes a long time until a desired image quality is obtained.

The present invention has been made in order to solve such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus and an image processing method for reducing the time required for image filtering.

[0006]

According to the image processing apparatus of the present invention, the reduced image data obtained by thinning out the input image data by the reduction means is stored in the second area of the storage device, and the simulated display means stores the reduced image data. Simulated image data obtained by filtering the reduced image data is displayed on a display. Since the reduced image data has a smaller data size than the input image data, the time required to display the result of the filtering process according to the parameter on the display is reduced. After confirming the output image quality with respect to the parameters using the simulated image data output to the display, the input image is subjected to a filtering process with reference to the parameters stored in the third area, and output image data can be generated. . For example, if the operator changes the parameter five times and decides, the reduced image data is filtered five times, while the input image data is referred to the finally decided parameter. The filter processing need only be performed once. Note that the parameters used for filtering the input image data need not be the same as the parameters used for filtering the simulated image data. For example, referring to the parameters stored in the third area, new parameters are calculated for the input image data filtering process and the simulation image data filtering process in accordance with the print output size of the output image or the display display size. The input image data or the simulated image data may be filtered using these parameters. Further, in the claims, the storage device indicates a concept including a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device.

If the input image data is 24 Mbytes, and the filter processing is performed five times on the input image data, the data to be filtered is 120 Mbytes. On the other hand, if reduced image data obtained by thinning out 24 Mbytes of input image data to 960 Kbytes is used, the data to be filtered is 28.8 Mbytes due to 960 Kbytes × 5 + 24 Mbytes. Therefore, in this case, the time required for the filtering process of about 90 Mbytes can be reduced. As described above, according to the image processing apparatus of the first aspect of the present invention, the time required for the filter processing can be significantly reduced.

According to the image processing apparatus of the present invention, since the number of pixels of the reduced image data is larger than the number of pixels of the thumbnail data of the input image data, the output image quality according to the parameter is displayed more faithfully on the display. can do.

According to the image processing method of the present invention, the reduced image data obtained by thinning out the input image is stored in the second area of the storage device, and the simulated image data obtained by performing the filtering process on the reduced image data is stored. Display on the display. Since the reduced image data has a smaller data size than the input image data, the time required to display the output image quality according to the parameter on the display is reduced. After confirming the output image quality for the parameters with the simulated image data displayed on the display, the output image data can be generated by performing a filtering process on the input image with reference to the parameters stored in the third area. . Therefore, according to the image processing method of the third aspect of the present invention, the time required for the filter processing can be greatly reduced.

According to the image processing method of the present invention, since the number of pixels of the reduced image data is larger than the number of pixels of the thumbnail data of the input image data, the output image quality corresponding to the parameter is displayed more faithfully on the display. can do.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, a computer that reads and executes a recording medium stores reduced image data obtained by thinning an input image in a second area of a storage device, and performs a filtering process on the reduced image data. The simulated image data is displayed on a display. Since the reduced image data has a smaller data size than the input image data, the time required to display the output image quality according to the parameter on the display is reduced. After confirming the output image quality for the parameters with the simulated image data displayed on the display, the output image data can be generated by performing a filtering process on the input image with reference to the parameters stored in the third area. . Therefore, according to the recording medium of the fifth aspect of the present invention, the time required for the filter processing can be significantly reduced.

According to the recording medium of the present invention, since the number of pixels of the reduced image data is larger than the number of pixels of the thumbnail data of the input image data, the output image quality according to the parameter is displayed on the display more faithfully. be able to.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 shows an image processing system having an image processing apparatus 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention as a core. The image processing system includes an image processing device 1, a printer 8, and a display 10.

A CPU (Central Processing Unit) 2 and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 3 as a storage device are connected by a memory bus via a PCI memory control chipset (not shown). The memory bus is connected to a high-speed bus, and peripheral devices requiring high speed, such as the graphics control unit 4 and the hard disk 5, are connected to the high-speed bus. The high-speed bus is connected to a low-speed bus via a bridge circuit (not shown). An input unit 6 including a mouse, a keyboard, and the like, an interface unit 7, and the like are connected to the low-speed bus.

The image processing apparatus 1 executes an image processing application 9 loaded on the RAM 3 under the control of an operating system (hereinafter referred to as OS), and outputs image data to the graphics control unit 4 and the printer 8.
Hereinafter, the image processing application 9 will be described with reference to FIGS.

The image processing application 9 includes a graphical user interface module (hereinafter referred to as a GUI module) 9a and a parameter calculation module 9.
e, a filter processing module 9f, a printer driver interface module (hereinafter referred to as a PDI module) 9g, a reduction module 9c, a simulation parameter calculation module 9b, and a simulation filter processing module 9d. Further, at the time of execution, the image processing application 9 stores an input value storage area 9p for storing a value input by an operator,
An input image data storage area 9q for storing input image data called from the hard disk 5, an output image data storage area 9s for storing output image data, a reduced image data storage area 9r for storing reduced image data, a preview image The RAM 3 has a preview image data storage area 9t for storing data and a thumbnail storage area 9u for storing thumbnail data of input image data. The value stored in the input value storage area 9p by the input by the operator is stored in the parameter calculation module 9e.
And a filter setting reference code referred to by the simulation parameter calculation module 9b, and the parameter calculation module 9
e and the print setting reference code referred to by the PDI module 9g.

The GUI module 9a, which is executed by the CPU 2 and operates as parameter registering means, comprises:
The operation screens and the like shown in FIGS. 4 to 7 are output to the display 10, the values input by the operator using the input unit 6 are stored in the input value storage area 9 p, and the drawing command for the preview image data is sent to the graphics interface of the OS. It is a program to be issued to

The parameter calculation module 9e has a GUI
This is a program that calculates a parameter used for filtering input image data by referring to the filter setting reference code and the print setting reference code stored in the input value storage area 9p by the module 9a and transfers the parameter to the filter processing module 9f.

A filter processing module 9f which operates as a filter processing means when executed by the CPU 2.
Is a program that executes the following arithmetic processing on the input image data based on the parameters received from the parameter calculation module 9e.

The filter processing executed by the filter processing module 9f includes RGB (Red, Green,
Blue) The first arithmetic processing for changing the tone curve in the model, HSB (hue, Saturation, bri) of image data
ghtness) A second arithmetic processing for changing the saturation in the model, a third arithmetic processing for executing a spatial filter processing such as a filter processing for sharpening an outline, and a destructive filter processing such as a filter processing for generating random noise in an image. And a fifth operation for executing a mask synthesis process for generating a regular unevenness in the image.

The PDI module 9g is a program for transmitting the output image data filtered by the filter processing module 9f and a drawing command for the output image data to the printer driver through the graphics interface of the OS.

The reduction module 9c which operates as a reduction means when executed by the CPU 2 generates reduced image data by thinning out the input image data so that the reduced image data fits in a size of 400 pixels × 400 pixels. This is a program to be stored in the storage area.
For example, when the input image has a size of 1600 pixels × 1200 pixels, the total number of pixels is reduced to 1/16 to generate reduced image data of 400 pixels × 300 pixels and store the reduced image data in the reduced image data storage area 9r.

The simulation parameter calculation module 9b is a program for calculating parameters used for filtering the reduced image data with reference to the filter setting reference code stored in the input value storage area 9p and passing the calculated parameters to the simulation filter processing module 9d. . The parameters calculated by the simulation parameter calculation module 9b are calculated such that the result of the filter processing performed on the input image data and the result of the filter processing performed on the reduced image data are visually substantially the same.

A simulation filter processing module 9d that operates as simulation display means when executed by the CPU 2.
Is a program for executing the above-described first to fifth arithmetic processing on the reduced image data based on the parameters received from the simulation parameter calculating module 9b. The code loaded into the CPU 2 when the simulated filter processing module 9d executes the first to fifth arithmetic processing is substantially the same as the code loaded when the filter processing module 9d executes the first to fifth arithmetic processing. is there.

The operation of the image processing apparatus 1 when the image data is filtered according to the procedure shown in FIG. 3 and output to the printer 8 will be described. (STEP1
0) When the image processing application 9 is loaded into the RAM 3, the GUI module 9a sets the input value storage area 9p
The thumbnail data of the image data stored in the auxiliary storage device such as the hard disk 5 is loaded into the thumbnail storage area 9u, a drawing command is issued to the graphics interface of the OS, and the thumbnail is stored in the video memory 41. The data is transmitted, and the screen shown in FIG.

On this screen, the thumbnail data loaded from the hard disk 5 into the thumbnail storage area 9u is output, and an image 104 of 20 frames is displayed. The size of the frame 20 displayed by the thumbnail data is, for example, JPEG (Joint Photographic Coding Experts Groove).
According to the definition of (up), it is 160 × 120 pixels. On this screen, it is possible to select whether to perform filter setting or print setting next. Next, when performing the filter setting, by selecting the image 104 with the pointer 103 linked to the movement of the mouse, it is possible to specify that the filter setting is to be performed on the image data corresponding to the frame. When the image 104 is designated, the GUI module 9a stores the address of the image data corresponding to the image 104 in the input value storage area 9p.

(STEP 20) Filter setting switch 1
When 01 is selected, the GUI module 9a loads the image data from the address stored in the input value storage area 9p into the input image data storage area 9q. The reduction module 9c thins out the input image data to generate reduced image data and stores the reduced image data in the reduced image data storage area 9r. The GUI module 9a issues a drawing command to the graphics interface of the OS, and
At 0, the screen shown in FIG. 5 is displayed.

This screen is divided into an area on the left side of the screen displaying the reduced image 118 and an area on the right side of the screen displaying switches 107 to 111 and 114 to 117 for selecting the type of filtering.

In the area on the left side of the screen, the display content is the same regardless of whether the filter tab 105 or the original tab 106 is selected before executing the filter processing.
400 pixels x 40 when any tab is selected
Reduced image 1 in reduced image display area 119 of 0 pixel
18 is displayed. The reduced image 118 is displayed by the GUI module 9a transmitting the reduced image data stored in the reduced image data storage area 9r to the video memory 41.

In the area on the right side of the screen, switches 107 to 111 and 114 to 117 for selecting which of the first to fifth arithmetic processings to execute at the time of executing the filter processing are displayed. When one of the switches is selected, the display content of the area on the right side of the screen is switched as shown in FIG. 6, for example. When the brightness switch 107, the contrast switch 108, or the color balance switch 109 is selected, the screen is switched to a screen for setting parameters necessary for the first arithmetic processing. When the bruise switch 110 is selected, the screen is switched to a screen for setting parameters required for the second arithmetic processing. When the sharpness switch 111 is selected, the screen is switched to a screen for setting parameters required for the third arithmetic processing. Monotone switch 11
7. When the memory color correction switch 116 or the paint switch 115 is selected, the screen is switched to a screen for setting parameters required for the fourth arithmetic processing. When the texture switch 114 is selected, the screen is switched to a screen for setting parameters required for the fifth arithmetic processing. Note that no matter which switch is selected, the area on the left side of the screen does not change.

(STEP 30) FIG. 6 shows a screen displayed when the contrast switch 108 is selected.
On this screen, it is possible to change parameters for changing the brightness gradation of the entire image. Slide switch 12
Numeral 8 changes the parameters of the first arithmetic processing so as to make the bright pixels brighter and the dark pixels darker, and to change the gradation according to the brightness of the pixels. The slide switch 127 changes the parameter of the first calculation process so as to raise or lower the brightness limit value of a bright pixel. Slide switch 12
Numeral 6 changes the parameters of the first arithmetic processing so as to raise or lower the darkness limit value of the dark pixel. The preset switches 121, 122, and 123 slide the slide switches 126, 127, and 128 to predetermined positions, and set predetermined parameters.

The operator operates the preset switch 121,
122, 123 or slide switches 126, 12
When the user operates 7, 128, the GUI module 9a changes a part of the filter setting reference code stored in the input value storage area 9q in accordance with the input. The filter setting reference code that changes at this time is only one that is referred to when calculating a parameter used in the first calculation process. When the operator operates the preset switches 121, 122, 123 or the slide switches 126, 127, 128 so that the filter setting reference code can be returned to the state before the operation, the GUI module 9a stores the input value storage area before the operation. The filter setting reference code stored in 9q is saved in another area. The simulation parameter calculation module 9b refers to all the filter setting reference codes stored in the input value storage area 9q, calculates parameters used in the first to fifth arithmetic processing, and passes the parameters to the simulation filter processing module 9d. The simulation filter processing module 9d includes:
Using the parameters, the first to fifth arithmetic processes are performed on the reduced image data to generate preview image data, and store the generated preview image data in the preview image data storage area 9t.

When the original tab 106 is selected, the GUI module 9a transmits reduced image data to the video memory 41 when issuing a drawing command to the graphics interface of the OS, and transmits the reduced image display area 11
9 is displayed as a reduced image 118 that has not been subjected to the filtering process.

When the filter tab 105 is selected, the GUI module 9a issues a drawing command to the graphics interface of the OS, transmits the preview image data to the video memory 41, and outputs the preview image data to the reduced image display area 11.
9, a reduced image 118 that has been subjected to the filtering process is displayed.

When the OK switch 125 is selected, G
The UI module 9a switches the display in the area on the right side of the screen and displays the screen shown in FIG. When the cancel switch 124 is selected, the GUI module 9a returns the saved filter setting reference code to the input value storage area 9p, and displays the screen shown in FIG. Simulation parameter calculation module 9b
Calculates the parameters used in the first to fifth arithmetic processing with reference to all the filter setting reference codes stored in the input value storage area 9q, and executes the simulation filter processing module 9
pass to d. The simulation filter processing module 9d executes the first to fifth arithmetic processes on the reduced image data using the parameters, generates preview image data, and stores the generated preview image data in the preview image data storage area 9t.

When the original tab 106 is selected, the GUI module 9a transmits reduced image data to the video memory 41 when issuing a drawing command to the graphics interface of the OS, and sends the reduced image display area 1
19, a reduced image 118 that has not been subjected to the filtering process is displayed.

When the filter tab 105 is selected, the GUI module 9a issues a drawing command to the graphics interface of the OS, transmits the preview image data to the video memory 41, and sets a state before the contrast switch 108 is selected. The same reduced image 118 is displayed in the reduced image display area 119.

When the setting of the above-described filter processing is completed and the OK switch 112 is selected in a state where the screen shown in FIG. 5 is displayed, the GUI module 9a issues a drawing command to the graphics interface of the OS and issues a video command. The thumbnail data is transmitted to the memory 41 and the screen shown in FIG.

When the cancel switch 113 shown in FIG. 5 is selected, the GUI module 9a returns all the filter setting reference codes in the input value storage area 9p to the default, and then issues a drawing command to the graphics interface of the OS. Then, the thumbnail data is transmitted to the video memory 41 and the screen shown in FIG.

(STEP 30) When the print setting switch 102 is selected on the screen shown in FIG.
a issues a drawing command to the graphics interface of the OS and displays the screen shown in FIG.
To be displayed.

On this screen, for an image specified by the operator, a paper size and a layout on paper can be set at the time of printing. When the postcard tab 161, the photo card tab 160, or the A4 tab 159 is selected, the paper size is set to the size corresponding to each tab, and the layout icons 151, 152, 153, 157, and 158 is displayed. A check mark 156 is displayed on the icon selected by the operator. When each tab is selected, the GUI module 9a changes the print setting reference code corresponding to the parameter for determining the paper size. When each icon is selected, the print setting reference code corresponding to the parameter that determines the layout is changed.

(STEP 50) When the OK switch 154 is selected on the screen shown in FIG. 7, the image processing application 9 executes the filtering process and the printing process of the input image data in the following procedure.

The parameter calculation module 9e refers to all the filter setting reference codes and the print setting reference codes stored in the input value storage area 9q to calculate parameters used in the first to fifth arithmetic processing, Hand over to 9f. The filter processing module 9f performs first to fifth arithmetic processing on the input image data using the parameters, generates output image data, and stores the output image data in the output image data storage area 9s.

(STEP 60) PDI module 9g
Issues a drawing command for output image data to the printer driver through the graphics interface of the OS. At this time, the PDI module 9g reflects the paper size and the layout on the paper at the time of printing in the drawing command with reference to the print setting reference code. The printer driver issues a print command to the printer 8, and the printer 8 receiving the print command executes printing. FIG.
The operation of the image processing apparatus 1 when the image data is subjected to the filtering process according to the procedure shown in FIG.

According to the image processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment,
At the time of setting the filter processing, the result of the simulated filter processing is displayed on the screen in real time according to the operation of the operator. Therefore, the operator can set the filter processing while checking the result of the filter processing. Also, what is simulated when setting the filter processing is the reduced image data obtained by thinning out the input image data. Since the reduced image data has a smaller data size than the input image data, the result of the filter processing can be displayed on the screen at a high speed when the filter processing is set. The size of the reduced image display area 119 is 400 pixels × 400 pixels, and the size of the thumbnail image is 160 pixels × 400 pixels.
Larger than 120 pixels. Therefore, when the simulated filtered image data is output to the display 10, an image that faithfully reproduces an image obtained as a result of filtering the input image can be displayed on the display 10.

In this embodiment, the output image data is finally output to the printer 8, but the output image data may be stored in an auxiliary storage device such as the hard disk 5 without outputting to the printer 8. The storage locations of data input at the time of execution of each module, final output data, intermediate output data, and the like are not limited to the RAM 3. For example, the data can be stored in a register of the CPU 2 without storing the data. The preview image data may be directly output to the video memory 41 without securing the preview image data storage area 9t in the RAM 9t.

The distribution of the image processing application 9 includes
In addition to using a recording medium such as a compact disk or a floppy disk, it can be downloaded to a terminal computer by transmitting a carrier wave from a server machine to an electric communication line via the Internet or the like.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a correlation between modules of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an image processing system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a process chart showing a filter processing procedure of the image processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a screen displayed on a display in the image processing system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a screen displayed on a display in the image processing system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a screen displayed on a display in the image processing system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a screen displayed on a display in the image processing system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image processing apparatus 3 RAM (storage device) 9a GUI module (parameter registration means) 9c Reduction module (reduction means) 9d Simulated filter processing module (simulated display means) 9f Filter processing module (filter processing means) 9p Input image data storage area (First area) 9q Reduced image data storage area (Second area) 9r Input value storage area (Third area) 10 Display

Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5B050 BA10 CA04 CA07 DA10 EA12 EA14 EA19 FA02 FA03 FA09 5B057 BA01 BA24 BA26 CA01 CA08 CA12 CA16 CB01 CB08 CB12 CB16 CC01 CD07 CE03 CE04 CE05 CE06 CE08 CH09 CH18 DA16 DA17

Claims (6)

[Claims] A storage device for storing input image data in a first area; a reducing unit for generating reduced image data obtained by thinning out the input image data in the first area and storing the reduced image data in a second area of the storage device; Simulation display means for outputting, on a display, simulation image data obtained by filtering the reduced image data of the second area, and parameter registration means for storing parameters referred to in the filter processing in a third area of the storage device; An image processing apparatus comprising: a filter processing unit configured to generate output image data obtained by performing a filtering process on input image data of the first area with reference to a parameter of the third area. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the number of pixels of the reduced image data is larger than the number of pixels of the thumbnail data of the input image data. 3. A reduction step of generating reduced image data obtained by thinning out input image data stored in a first area of a storage device and storing the reduced image data in a second area of the storage device. A simulated display step of outputting simulated image data that has been subjected to the filter processing to a display; a parameter registration step of storing parameters referred to in the filter processing in a third area of the storage device; and referencing parameters in the third area. And a filter processing step of generating output image data by filtering the input image data of the first area. 4. The image processing method according to claim 3, wherein the number of pixels of the reduced image data is larger than the number of pixels of the thumbnail data of the input image data. 5. A reduction procedure of generating reduced image data obtained by thinning out input image data stored in a first area of a storage device and storing the reduced image data in a second area of the storage device. A simulated display procedure for outputting simulated image data that has been subjected to the filter processing to a display; a parameter registration procedure for storing parameters referred to in the filter processing in a third area of the storage device; and referring to parameters in the third area. And a computer-readable recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a filter processing procedure of generating output image data obtained by performing a filter process on the input image data of the first area. 6. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 5, wherein the number of pixels of the reduced image data is larger than the number of pixels of the thumbnail data of the input image data.