JP2001331164A - Image processor capable of being processed by visually handicapped person, recording medium, image diagnostic method for object, and digital color chart file - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To decide or verify the coloration of an object which is easily visualized even by a visually handicapped person. SOLUTION: When a reference color which is to be used in preparing an object is specified, only the range of sunset 202 being selectable colors with respect to the reference color is displayed on a color palette CP. A creator selects one color from among plural colors included in the subset 202 to make it a plotting color Cp. In the subset 202, respective colors so as to be easily visualized by the handicapped person are preliminarily judged and decided. Thus, since the coloration can be decided in the range of chromatic colors while maintaining the visibility of the visually handicapped person, the expressing property of the coloration in the object is also high.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is capable of creating and verifying an object having a color scheme that is easily visible even to a person having a visual impairment such as a cataract, and is a barrier in a welfare society and an aging society. A new technology that can respond to free requests.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION With the development of computer network technology, many people are getting information from homepages and the like. Therefore, visual contents expressed on a computer are configured to be easily visible not only to healthy persons but also to visually impaired persons, and it is desired to respond to the needs of a welfare society and an aging society. Also, in determining the color scheme of the operation panel and appearance of an industrial product such as an industrial product, it is necessary to consider the visibility by a visually impaired person.

In particular, among various visual disorders, senile cataracts and the like are visual disorders that many people experience with aging. Consideration is no longer a special case.

[0004]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventional techniques for determining the color scheme of visual contents on a network and spatial industrial products (generally referred to as "objects" in this specification, detailed definition of which will be described later) on a network. As a mode considering the visually impaired, only a mode for generating a monochrome image using only a small number of monochrome gradation colors is prepared. For this reason, at present, visually impaired persons have no choice but to endure an object for a healthy person who is hard to see, or to endure an object image with poor expression.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned problems in the prior art, and is a technique useful for obtaining an image of an object that is easily visible to a visually impaired person while making full use of rich color expression. Is to provide.

[0006]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus for supporting creation of an image of an object in consideration of a visual impairment. A color combination rule holding unit that holds color combination rules that are easily distinguishable from each other under a specific type of visual impairment; and a color set that is easily distinguishable from a designated reference color in the color set. Color selection display control means for specifying a subset of the subset by referring to the color combination rules and displaying each color of the subset on a color monitor, and using a color selected from the subset by an operator as a drawing color It is characterized by comprising means for specifying as possible.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus according to the first aspect, the subset is constituted by a plurality of colors having a lightness difference greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value with respect to the reference color. And

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus capable of converting an image of an object in consideration of a visual impairment,
A conversion rule holding unit that holds a conversion rule that defines a relationship as to how each color is viewed under a particular type of visual impairment, and converts each color of an image of an object according to the conversion rule. Display control means for displaying the image on a color monitor using the converted color, and it is possible to confirm in what color state the object is viewed under the visual impairment It is characterized by the following.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the apparatus according to the third aspect, further comprising: a blur processing means for giving a blur to the image of the object and displaying the blur on the color monitor at the time of the conversion. I do.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus capable of performing image conversion of an object in consideration of visual impairment,
Inverting rule holding means for holding, as an inverting rule, a rule corresponding to an inverting conversion of what color is perceived as a color under a particular type of visual impairment, and an image of the object, Inverse conversion means for performing inverse conversion based on the inverse conversion rule.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the device according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, a cataract is targeted as the specific type of visual disorder.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, a pattern image display control means for displaying a pattern image on the color monitor, and operating while visually recognizing the pattern image. Display characteristic adjusting means for adjusting the display characteristic of the color monitor in response to the input from the operated operation means.

The invention according to claim 8 is the apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the object is visual content to be provided on a network.

The method according to claim 9 is the apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the object is a color model of an industrial product.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, the object is a printed matter relating to DTP.

An eleventh aspect of the present invention is the apparatus according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein the object is a moving image.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, the object is a content included in a broadcast.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, a program for causing the computer to operate as the device according to any one of the first to twelfth aspects of the present invention is stored in the computer to store the program. Storage medium.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, in the storage medium according to the thirteenth aspect, the program is configured as plug-in software of predetermined image processing software.

The invention according to claim 15 is a method for diagnosing the color arrangement of an object via a network, wherein the relationship between each color as viewed under a particular type of visual impairment is determined. Holding the specified conversion rule, capturing an image of the object via a network, converting each color of the image of the object by the conversion rule, and converting the image of the object using the converted color. Displaying on a color monitor; determining from the display state of the color monitor whether or not the object is easily recognizable under the specific type of visual impairment to obtain a determination result; and And a notifying step of notifying an image provider of the determination result.

According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, in the method according to the fifteenth aspect, further, when the determination result includes a conclusion that the object is difficult to be visually recognized under the specific type of visual impairment, the image of the object is changed. Processing the image into an image that is easily visible under the specific type of visual impairment, and returning the processed image to a provider of the image of the object.

According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, in the method according to the sixteenth aspect, when the judgment result includes a conclusion that the object is easily visible under the specific type of visual impairment, The method further comprises the step of providing predetermined authentication information.

The invention according to claim 18 is characterized in that, in the method according to any one of claims 15 to 17, cataract is targeted as the specific type of visual disorder.

According to a nineteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a color chart file including digital information of a color arrangement, wherein a color combination which can be easily distinguished from each other under a specific type of visual impairment by being read by a computer. It is characterized in that it is arranged and displayed on a color monitor as an arrangement of the correspondence relation of the color areas.

[0025]

[Definition of terms] In this specification, "object" refers to image information such as digital images, analog images, physical objects such as industrial products and natural objects, printed materials in DTP (Desktop Publishing), moving images, and broadcast contents. Is a term that includes various objects.

[0026]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS <System Configuration> FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a network system NW including a computer 1 functioning as an image processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The main body 2 of the computer 1 includes an arithmetic unit such as an MPU and a storage device such as a semiconductor memory and a hard disk. Software for realizing each function as described later is stored in advance in a portable device such as a CD-ROM or DVD. It is read from the storage medium 7 and installed.

A color monitor (display) 3, a keyboard 4, a mouse 5, a color printer 6, and the like are connected to the computer main body 2. The computer 1 has two functions related to the features of the present invention.

The first function is to assist the visually impaired in creating an image of an object that is easily visible.

The second function is to determine whether the color scheme of a homepage created by another computer, the color scheme of an operation panel of an industrial product, or the color model of the appearance is appropriate for a visually impaired person. This is a function to diagnose.
The result of the diagnosis is notified to the creator of the object, and the object may be authenticated as a barrier-free object considering a visually impaired person.

Although the details of these will be described later, the computer 1 is hereinafter referred to as a “service computer” for convenience.

The service side computer 1 is a server 1
1 connected. The server 11 is a component of the network 10, and computers 20 and 30 are connected to the other servers 12 and 13 of the network 10, respectively. One of the computers 20 and 30 is assumed to be a computer (hereinafter, “user-side computer”) that browses a homepage created by the service-side computer 10 and registered in the server 11. The other computer 30 transfers the image of the object created by the user of the computer 30 to the service computer 1 via the network, and
Is assumed to be a computer that receives diagnosis and authentication of an image of the object (hereinafter, “client-side computer”).

Although only three computers 1, 20, and 30 are shown in FIG. 1 for convenience of illustration, many computers can be connected via a network 10. The network 10 may be a LAN or WAN, or may be the Internet.

<Outline of Function> FIG. 2 is a functional diagram showing an image processing function of the service computer 1. The computer 1 has image processing software (for example, Photo Shop
(Trademark)) 100 is installed. As a plug-in tool of the image processing software main body 100, cataract correspondence software 110 as an embodiment of the present invention is incorporated. The digital authentication software 120 is software for realizing the digital authentication issuing unit 121 and can be plugged into the image processing software main body 100. However, the digital authentication software 120 can be provided to the computer 1 only when the administrator of the server 11 and the computer 1 has a predetermined qualification described later.

Among them, the cataract software 110 realizes the following means. The description here is directed to visual contents on the web such as images of a homepage. However, in general, images of a three-dimensional or two-dimensional color model of a physical object such as an industrial product (for example, the color scheme and appearance of an operation panel of a device) ) Can handle images of various objects.

(1) Color Selection Display Control Unit 111a and Color Assignment Unit 111b When creating visual contents, a plurality of colors Ci (i = 1 to N: N
> 3: Refer to FIG. 13) to display an N color set {C}. When the creator designates one of the colors as a reference color Ck such as a background color, Mk colors of the remaining (N-1) colors that are easily visible to a cataract person with respect to the reference color Ck (However,
Mk <(N-1)) subset {sub (Ck)}
(See FIG. 14) is a means that allows only the next color to be selected from among them. Subset ｛sub
(Ck)｝ differs depending on the reference color Ck, is predetermined as a selection rule table 112 that embodies a color combination rule, and is stored in the computer 1 as data. The selected color is
The color is assigned to the designated area of the visual content (the area designated by the creator) by the color assigning unit 111b.

(2) Color Order Conversion Means 113 This software simulates how visual contents created by normal color combinations for healthy persons are viewed by a cataract person. For this purpose, the color conversion rules 114 have been predetermined and stored in the computer 1. The color conversion rule 114 is also referred to as a “color conversion rule” or a “forward conversion rule” in order to distinguish it from the following “color reverse conversion rule”.

(3) Color Inverting Means 115 Conversely, a color scheme "I want a cataract person to look like this" is created by a color image viewed by a healthy person, In order to visually recognize such a color image, it is a function for determining what color scheme of the digital image should be actually formed. As will be described in detail later, at this time, a rule (hereinafter referred to as a “color reverse conversion rule” or “reverse conversion rule”) 116 having a relation of reverse conversion with respect to the above forward conversion is used.

The color reverse conversion rule 116 may be specified in advance and stored in the computer 1.
Inverse conversion rule 11 as an inverse conversion of color forward conversion rule 114
6 may be generated (conversely, the reverse conversion rule 116 may be held, and the forward conversion rule 114 may be generated as the reverse conversion).

(4) Display Control Means 117 for Pattern Image In order to accurately execute and visually recognize the above-described means, it is preferable to adjust the color of the color monitor 3 (FIG. 1). For this reason, a plurality of achromatic pattern images (see FIG. 19), which will be described later, are displayed on the monitor 3 so that the creator can obtain substantially the same visual recognition conditions on the dark side and the bright side. Of the brightness and contrast of the image. At this time, the pattern image is displayed by the pattern image display control means 117, which gives a command to a monitor adjustment circuit 1 m incorporated in the computer 1 to adjust the display characteristics of the monitor 3.

(5) Image processing means 130 The cataract correspondence software 110 is provided by the image processing means 130
The image processing apparatus includes a contour emphasis unit 131, a blur processing unit 132, and the like, and these units can be appropriately used.

The image processing software main body 100 also has an outline emphasis menu and a blur processing menu as standard. These parameters are used to select parameter values for the degree of outline emphasis and blur from a plurality of values. ing.
On the other hand, in the case of an average cataract, the blur processing means 132 in the cataract correspondence software 110 determines the degree of “blur” in advance in accordance with information on how much an image is visually blurred. Parameter value of USV
(Not shown) is fixedly set to one value. Further, the contour enhancing means 13 in the cataract response software 110 is used.
Similarly, in accordance with information on how much contour enhancement should be performed on an image of an object created for a healthy person to make it easier for an average cataract person to visually recognize, the degree of contour enhancement is determined in advance. The parameter value SPV (not shown) is fixedly set to one value.

By doing so, it is possible to perform image processing for visually impaired persons without hesitation in selecting these image processing parameter values USV and SPV.

<Basic data preparation process> Among these, each function of color selection, forward conversion, and inverse conversion, image processing function fixed to a specific parameter value for the visually impaired, etc. (Collectively referred to as "visual impairment function")
In order to realize the above, it is necessary to specify in advance a rule of how the color set selected for the healthy person is visually recognized by the cataract person.

However, even if a person has a cataract, the degree of the symptom varies, and the results of color observation tend to be subjective, so that individual tests by individual cataracts are less objective. Therefore, basic data for these visual impairment handling functions is collected using a cataract simulated experience filter that simulates an average cataract symptom.

Such a cataract simulated experience filter is known, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-19638, and FIGS. 3 and 4 show a process for collecting basic data using such a filter. Is shown.

First, as shown in FIG.
Is prepared and the left half of the screen of the monitor 51 is set to be picked up by the video camera 53. The computer 52 generates a color signal that causes the left half of the screen of the monitor 51 to display a color pattern P1 composed of a pair of unit patterns 61a and 62a of different colors. In the unit pattern 61a, the first color C0i
, A character of a second color C0j is drawn in the background, and in the other unit pattern 62a, a character of a first color C0i is drawn in the background of the second color C0j. For example, when assuming the creation or diagnosis of contents on the web, the size of these characters is preferably about 10 to 14 points, which are frequently used on homepages. Further, the imaging output of the color pattern P1 by the video camera 53 is converted into a color pattern P1m (= 61b,
62b) is displayed on the right half of the screen of the monitor 51. Actually, the image signal of the left half and the image signal of the right half of the screen are combined as the image signal of each scanning line of the image signal to the monitor 51. However, in FIG. The flow of the image signal of the half display image is indicated by a broken line.

With such a configuration, the color pattern P1 and the corresponding color pattern P1m are displayed in parallel on the screen of the monitor 51. In the color pattern P1m, the colors C0i and C0j in the original color pattern P1 are displayed as the colors Ci and Cj.
This is due to the influence of the imaging characteristics of the video camera 53 and the like. Then, the color Ci in the color pattern P1m,
Bj component value of Cj (or component value in other color system)
Are identified using the color component analysis function of the computer 52. Note that the color component values of the colors Ci and Cj may be numerically specified using the colorimeter or the like.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG.
A cataract pseudo experience filter 50 is placed in front of the imaging lens. Then, the left half of the monitor 51 remains the same as the original color pattern P1, and the right half has the color pattern P2 (6).
1c, 62c) are displayed. Internal simulated simulated experience filter 5
Due to the influence of 0, the first color Cai and the second color Caj in the color pattern P2 become the first color Ci and the second color C
The color is shifted from j. With the color pattern P2, it is possible to confirm what colors Cai and Caj appear when the cataract person visually recognizes the colors Ci and Cj included in the color pattern P1m in FIG.
The imaging characteristics of the video camera 53 are represented by a color pattern P1.
Since the color patterns P1m and P2 are common to the color patterns P1m and P2, the effects of characteristics unique to the imaging system and the signal processing system have already been compensated for.

The data collector (healthy person) visually recognizes the color pattern P2 on the screen of the monitor 51, and feels that the characters of the second color Caj in the first color Cai are difficult to recognize, or If the character of the first color Cai in Caj is difficult to recognize, the color pattern P
The first color Ci and the second color Cj that make up 1m are a pair that should not be used for visual content for cataracts. If the color difference is perceived to be easy to recognize, the first color Ci and the second color Cj It can be seen that the pair of Ci and the second color Cj can be used for visual content for a person with cataract.

Therefore, the first color Ci is fixed and the second color Ci is fixed.
When the color Cj is variously changed among the remaining (N-1) colors and the same determination is performed, the first color Ci is obtained.
Is designated as a reference color, it is possible to know what colors can be used in combination with the reference color. The subset of colors for the first color (reference color) Ci is specified by such a set of identifiable colors. When a color other than the color Ci is used as the reference color, the subset can be specified in the same manner.
Note that the process of changing the colors Ci, Cj in various ways is actually the colors C0i,
This is achieved by variously changing C0j.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a situation in which, for a color set consisting of N colors distributed in an RGB color circle (constant saturation), a subset for each color is obtained by the method of FIG. 3 and FIG. It is. The center side of this circle is the low brightness area, the outer circumference side is the high brightness side, and the angle around the center indicates the hue. However, because the scale of lightness differs depending on the hue, not all color points equidistant from the center of the circle have the same lightness. For simplicity, only 13 color points are described as a color set.

For example, when the color 71 of FIG. 5 is adopted as the first color (reference color) Ci, the remaining colors 72,
, 73, 74, 75,...
As a test, these colors 72, 73, 7
Among the 4,75..., A person with a cataract specifies a color that is easily distinguishable from the reference color 71, and specifies a subset for the reference color 71. Also, when the colors 72, 73, 74, 75,... Are individually adopted as the reference colors,
Perform similar tests. As a result, a table as shown in FIG. 6 is completed. However, C1, C2, C
3,... CN indicate respective colors included in the original color set.

As a result of the actual color test performed by the inventor of the present invention, the following facts were found.

(1) The discriminability from the reference color does not depend much on the hue difference between the reference color and the main factor that makes it easy to discriminate the reference color from the reference color. Brightness difference. In the case of an average degree of cataract, the threshold value Th of the lightness difference ΔL can be determined to be, for example, about Th = 30 in the Lab color system.

(2) The dependence of the limit value (threshold value) on the hue as to how much lightness difference is required to distinguish two colors from each other is relatively small, and this limit value is approximated by a substantially constant value. be able to.

On the basis of such a result, the apparatus according to this embodiment tabulates rules corresponding to FIG.
Is held as the selection rule table 112 of the. Original N
If each color is a combination that is mutually identifiable to a healthy individual, then for each reference color, the subset of colors that are identifiable by a cataractist will include fewer colors than most (or all) (N-1) colors.

However, as described above, the main factor of color identification is the lightness difference, and the threshold value Th does not depend much on the hue. Therefore, the color combination rule is not a table format but a reference color is specified. Then, the brightness difference between the other color and the reference color is calculated by the calculating means, and a set of colors whose brightness difference ΔL from the reference color is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold Th may be used as a subset of the reference color. . In this case, the brightness calculation means for calculating the brightness of each color, the brightness difference calculation means for calculating the brightness difference ΔL, and the comparison means for comparing the brightness difference ΔL with the threshold value Th are implemented by software. The configuration is such as to be realized.

On the other hand, the systems shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 not only determine the mutual discrimination of colors as in the above selection rule, but also show how each color is visually recognized by a cataract person. Can also be used to specify the conversion rule and its inverse conversion rule. In this case, in the system of FIG. 3, only the single color C0i is displayed on the left half of the screen of the monitor 51 as shown in FIG. 7, and the color Ci obtained by the video camera 53 is displayed on the right half. The color component values of the color Ci in this state are
2 is specified using the color analysis function.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG.
A cataract pseudo experience filter 50 is placed in front of the imaging lens. Then, the color Cai when the cataract person visually recognizes the single color Ci displayed on the right half of the monitor 51 in FIG.
Are displayed on the right half of the monitor 51 in the state of FIG. Then, the RGB values of the color Cai are stored in the computer 5.
The conversion relationship between the original color Ci and the color Cai viewed by the person with cataract (Ci)
i: Cai). As another method, the conversion relationship (Ci: Cai) may be specified by measuring the color of the screen of each monitor 51 with a colorimeter.

By performing such an operation while using all the colors included in the predetermined color set as the reference colors, the set {(Ci: Cai)} of the conversion relation,
(Where i = 1, 2,..., N) to obtain a color correspondence rule. According to the color correspondence rule, the forward conversion rule 114 in FIG. 2 is obtained. Also, as the corresponding rule {(Cai: Ci)} viewed from the color Cai side, the inverse conversion rule 11
6 is obtained.

The color conversion rule 114 and the inverse conversion rule 116 may be stored as a numerical table as shown in FIG. However, FIG. 9A is a table for forward conversion, and is a look-up table in which a color Ci recognized by a healthy person is used as an address. FIG. 9 (b)
Is a reverse conversion table, which is a look-up table having a color Cai recognized by a visually impaired person as an address.

In FIG. 9B, the order of the colors Cai is not i = 1, 2, 3,..., For example, when the colors are arranged in the order of the size of the RGB components and are tabulated. This is because the order of the magnitude of the color components seen by a healthy person and the order of the magnitude of the color components seen by a visually impaired person are generally not the same. However, when viewed as a whole color set, a color set {Ci} seen by a healthy person and a color set {Cai} seen by a visually impaired person
Has been confirmed by the inventor of the present invention to be the same as a set of colors, and that the respective elements have a one-to-one correspondence (see FIG. 10: However, FIG. Each square indicates a color).

Since there is such a one-to-one correspondence rule,
The forward conversion rule 114 and the reverse conversion rule 116 can be expressed in the form of a forward conversion expression and an inverse conversion expression instead of being stored in a table. Use a simple conversion formula and an inverse conversion formula.

That is, by performing a multiple regression analysis on the numerical relationship between the color set {Ci} and the color set {Cai}, the RBG component display of the color recognized by a healthy person is as follows:

[0065]

(Equation 1)

The color RBG recognized by a person with cataract
Ingredient indication:

[0067]

(Equation 2)

Relationship to:

[0069]

(Equation 3)

The coefficients (a11 to a33, d1 to d3) can be specified. However, d1 to d3 are offset components.

According to the actual measurement and calculation by the inventor of the present invention, the approximate values of the coefficients (a11 to a33, d1 to d3) of the forward transform are as shown in Equation 4.

[0072]

(Equation 4)

Further, when a matrix A having coefficients (a11 to a33) as components and a vector D having components (d1 to d3) as components are used, an inverse conversion equation is obtained:

[0074]

(Equation 5)

(T11 to t33, e1 to e3)
To

[0076]

(Equation 6)

The specific approximate value can be obtained from the following equation (7).

[0078]

(Equation 7)

When these forward conversion formulas and inverse conversion formulas are used, the coefficients (a11 to a33, d1 to d3) are used as the data of the forward conversion rule 114 in FIG.
3, e1 to e3) are stored in the storage device of the computer 1 in FIG. 1 as data of the inverse conversion rule 116 in FIG.

The system shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is similar to the system shown in FIG.
It can also be used to determine a parameter value USV such as That is, in the color pattern P2 of FIG. 4, the outline of the character (the character “A” in the illustrated example) is actually blurred due to the effect of the cataract symptom simulated by the cataract pseudo experience filter 50 ( The blurred state is not shown in the figure for convenience.) Therefore, the computer 52 specifies the sharpness value of the contour in each of the color patterns P1m and P2, and compares them with each other to know how much blur effect is acting. Then, the effect is blurred by the processing means 13.
It is set as a parameter value USV of 2. Further, a contour emphasis degree for substantially compensating for such blurring is obtained as a parameter value SPV, and is obtained by the contour emphasis means 13.
Set to 1. These parameter values USV, SP
V can be expressed as the size of a digital filter (mask) and the coefficient value of each pixel.

<Color Selection Function> Under the above preparation, the specific contents of the color selection function and how to use it will be described with reference to an example in which a simple digital color illustration is created.

In the flowchart of FIG. 11, first, the image processing software is activated in the computer 1 of FIG. 1 (step S1). After completing the basic settings such as the setting of the canvas size of the visual content, a dialog including a color palette is displayed on the screen of the monitor 3 (step S2). An example of the color palette at this time is shown as a color palette CP in FIG. The color palette CP in this example is a circular color wheel, and displays colors (including both chromatic and achromatic colors) in the entire range of the color set 201 for any of the designated high, medium, and low saturations. Have been. Actually, each section in the color pallet CP is displayed in a separate color, and the center side of the color wheel is a low brightness color. The color set color palette CP can be switched between high, medium and low saturations. However, for simplicity, it is assumed that only high saturation colors are used. Also, the color palette CP at this time
Let the total number of colors above be N (eg, N = 216).

Next, the creator uses the mouse 5 in FIG. 1 to arbitrarily select a background color from the N colors and click "OK" in the dialog to specify the background color ( Step S3). If the designated background color is Ck, this background color Ck is displayed in the background color box. This background color Ck can be used for drawing the background area 301 of the target range in the canvas shown in FIG.

The MPU refers to the selection rule table 112 shown in FIGS. 2 and 6 to specify a color subset {sub (Ck)} having the specified background color Ck as a reference color ( Step S4). And
This subset パ レ ッ ト sub (C
k) Only the colors belonging to the range belonging to｝ are selectable, and the other colors are displayed in a mask in gray so that the selection of colors to be used for the next drawing is subset {sub (Ck)}.
(Step S5). The state at this time is illustrated in FIG. 14, in which a color selectable range (subset) 202 of a drawing color and a non-selectable range 203 are distinguished. In FIG. 14, each color area of the non-selectable range 203 is shown in white, but the actual non-selectable range 2
The display color of 03 is a gray inactive color. When performing color limitation by calculation based on the lightness difference instead of the selection rule table 112, the background color Ck is excluded (N
-1) For each color, a lightness difference ΔL from the background color Ck is calculated, and the lightness difference ΔL is set to a threshold Th (for example, Th = 3).
0) Only those above are displayed as subset {sub (Ck)}.

The creator then proceeds to subset ｛sub (C
k) Select an arbitrary drawing color Cp with the mouse 5 from the area 202 corresponding to マ ウ ス, and click “OK” in the dialog (step S6). This drawing color Cp is displayed in the drawing color box. Then, the operator sets the drawing color C
Using p, an arbitrary area 302 in the background area 301 is drawn as shown in FIG. 12B (step S7). This drawing uses the drawing color C for drawing and painting operations.
This is performed by passing the information of p, and the color providing unit 111b of FIG. 2 has this function.

Further, when it is desired to perform drawing in another color in the area 302, the creator sets the current drawing color Cp as a background color (steps S8 to S3). In response, the MPU refers to the selection rule table 112 again, so that the subset {s
ub (Cp)} is specified. Then, as shown in FIG. 15, each color range on the color palette CP includes a selection area 204 corresponding to a new subset {sub (Cp)},
It is distinguished from other non-selectable areas. The creator selects a drawing color Ct from the new subset {sub (Cp)}, and draws the area 303 as shown in FIG. 12C using the drawing color Ct (step S7).

When the necessary illustration is completed by repeating such operations, the process exits from the repetition routine of FIG.

Although an example of a very simple image has been described here, complicated operations such as correction of an image once created are also possible. The background color can also be set by a function of extracting a color component of a drawn area (a so-called spoid function).

As described above, a color range that is easily visible to a person with a cataract or the like is automatically specified with respect to a reference color (a reference color already used for an image) specified by a creator (generally, an operator). The next available color can be selected only from the color range. Therefore, it is possible to easily and reliably create barrier-free visual content.

Although the range of colors used in combination with the reference color is limited, it is a limitation that allows selection in a range including chromatic colors. Therefore, the image expression becomes much richer than a technique for simply drawing in monochrome for the visually impaired.

The visual contents created in this manner are activated by activating the contour emphasizing means 131 shown in FIG. 2 and performing contour emphasizing processing (sharpness processing) with a preset parameter value SPV.
Furthermore, an image having high visibility by a visually impaired person is obtained.

The color palette may be a color palette 205 as shown in FIG. 16 in which a smaller number of colors (for example, 64 colors) are arranged in a matrix. In this case, when a reference color (background color) is selected, the color selection rule table 112 is referred to, and as shown in FIG. 17, only a subset of colors for the background color is arranged as a color range 206 selectable as a drawing color. Colors that are displayed and are difficult to distinguish from the background color are excluded from selection.

Although only the correlation between two colors is considered here, a rule considering the correlation of three colors or more may be used. When three-color correlation is considered, when two colors (for example, Ck and Ct) are designated as reference colors, a subset of colors that are easily identifiable for both of them is specified in advance.

<Color Forward Conversion Unit (FIG. 18A)> Next, the operation of the color forward conversion unit 113 will be described.

By using this means 113, it is possible to confirm whether or not visual content (generally, a color arrangement of various objects) created without being particularly conscious of the visually impaired is easy to see for the visually impaired. it can.

Examples of such objects include visual contents created without using a device corresponding to the present invention, and natural images such as photographs. That is, the image read by the digital camera or the scanner has no natural color for the subject, so that no processing is performed for the visually impaired. Therefore, it is necessary to confirm how the image is visually recognized by a visually impaired person.

When a model such as an industrial product is used as an object, it is preferable to confirm whether or not switches and the like on the operation panel have a color scheme that is easy for a visually impaired person to see. At this time, the object can be directly observed with the naked eye through the cataract simulated experience filter 50 shown in FIG. 3, but the cataract simulated experience filter 50 is expensive. It is difficult to communicate objectively to others.

On the other hand, by using the color order conversion means 113 included in the apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to objectively simulate and grasp the impression of the image of the object as seen by a cataract person. .

Further, in the color selection restriction function of the above-described example, only the discrimination correlation between two colors is considered, so that the discriminability of an area where three or more colors are adjacent to each other is not improved.
It is preferable that the created visual content be converted into an image viewed by a visually impaired person and actually confirmed.

In the specific operation of the color order conversion means 113 used for such a purpose, first, the color order conversion means 113 realized as plug-in software of the image processing software main body 100 is activated, and the visual to be converted is executed. Specify the content file. Then, the MPU refers to the color forward conversion rule 114 (the table shown in FIG. 9A or the conversion formula given by the above-described equations 3 and 4), and determines the color scheme included in the visual content by the cataract person. Automatically converts to the color scheme seen by.

Then, the operator observes the converted image through the monitor 3, and if there is a combination of colors that are difficult to identify, the operator changes the original color of the area to another color. Then, the corrected image is forward-converted, and the color recognizability is confirmed again. When a color combination with high discrimination is obtained, the image before the forward conversion at that time is set as a completed version of the visual content.

In the case of modeling a color scheme of an operation panel of an industrial product, etc., when a color image of an original object is forward-converted by the apparatus of this embodiment, there is a color combination that is difficult to recognize. Then, the color of the model of the object is changed so that the visually impaired person can see the color more easily.

These color corrections may be performed by trial and error, but it is preferable to use the above-described color selection display control means 111a. That is, when there is a combination of colors that are difficult to identify, one of the colors is designated as a reference color, and a correction color of a color in an adjacent area is selected from the corresponding subset. If you do this,
It is ensured that the color of the region of interest is changed to a color that is easy for a cataract person to identify with respect to the surrounding colors, and complicated trial and error can be avoided.

Also, preferably, in the color forward conversion, the blur processing means 132 in FIG. 2 is also activated, and a blur effect is given to the image by the parameter value USV. In the case of cataracts, not only is the color discrimination reduced,
Since the discriminating power of the contour is often lowered, the phenomenon can be simulated by using the blur processing means 103.

<Color Inverse Conversion Function (FIG. 18 (b))> On the other hand, in order to first determine an image viewed by a visually impaired person and specify image data corresponding to the image, the inverse conversion means 115 is used.
(FIG. 2). That is, the image processing software main body 1
When the inverse conversion means 115 realized as plug-in software of 00 is activated and a visual content file to be inverse-converted is specified, the MPU is given by the color inverse-conversion rule 116 (Equation 5 to Equation 7 described above). Conversion formula), and reversely converts the color scheme of the visual content.
The image thus obtained (the image after the inverse conversion) has a color scheme that is easily recognized by a visually impaired person.

That is, when the forward transform of an image is written as F (X) and the inverse transform is written as f (X), the forward transform changes the color scheme X1 to F (X1). Therefore, if the desired color scheme to be visually recognized by the visually impaired person is X2, the color scheme is inversely converted to a color scheme f (X2), and if the web content having this color scheme f (X2) is provided, the visually impaired person can When viewed, since F (f (X2)) = X2, the desired color scheme X2 is obtained.

In this case, the inversely transformed image deviates from a color scheme desirable for a healthy person. However, even in the case of visually impaired people, the entire color scheme does not look completely different, and it is difficult to distinguish between colors, and symptoms such as reduced contrast are usually obtained, so it is obtained by the above inverse conversion. Images have only a relatively strong effect on color and contrast for healthy people. Therefore, making the color scheme easy for the visually impaired to see
In return, the visibility of a healthy person is not significantly reduced.

Conversely, even if it is easy to see for a healthy person,
If the color scheme is inappropriate, a visually impaired person has an essential effect that characters and the like cannot be distinguished. Therefore, an image that considers only a healthy person may cause a problem for a visually impaired person, but when the inverse conversion of this embodiment is performed in consideration of a visually impaired person, The image can be used by both the visually impaired and the visually impaired.

In the inverse conversion, the contour emphasizing means 131 shown in FIG.
It is preferable to emphasize the outline with V. By doing so, the blurring effect that occurs when a person with a cataract views this content is compensated, and the content can be viewed with an appropriate edge intensity.

<Monitor Adjustment> In order to properly execute each of the above functions, it is preferable to adjust the display characteristics of the monitor 3 in advance so that the color display of the monitor 3 in FIG. 1 is appropriate.

FIG. 19 shows an example of a pattern image 300 displayed on the monitor 3 during such monitor adjustment. In the pattern image 300, two achromatic regions 301 and 302 having different lightness on the dark side are displayed adjacent to each other, and two achromatic regions 303 and 304 having different lightness on the bright side are adjacent to each other. It is arranged.

As shown in FIG. 20, the monitor 3 is provided with a menu switching button 351 and an up / down button 352. When brightness adjustment is selected by the menu switching button 351, the display of the monitor 3 is displayed by the up / down button 352. Brightness can be adjusted. When contrast adjustment is selected by the menu switching button 351, the display contrast of the monitor 3 can be adjusted by the up / down button 352.

Before the creator creates or modifies the visual contents, the pattern image 300 shown in FIG.
Is activated on the display control means 117 (FIG. 2) for displaying. Then, in the display of the pattern image 300, it is possible to clearly distinguish both the pair 301 and 302 of one color region, and the pair 30 of the other color region.
The brightness and contrast of the monitor 3 are adjusted using the menu switching button 351 and the up / down button 352 so that the visual distinction between the three and the 304 can be clearly distinguished. .

As a result, the difference in brightness between the dark part side and the light part side can be accurately displayed on the monitor 3, so that more appropriate visual contents can be created and corrected.

<Server registration and browsing from network>
The visual content created by the service-side computer 1 of FIG. 1 as described above is incorporated in a web page on the web and registered in the server 11 of FIG. The user-side computer 30 can access the server 11 via the network 10 to display the registered visual contents on the screen and browse them.

This visual content is particularly useful as barrier-free content because it has a color that is easy to see even for cataracts.

Also, once the completed visual content for healthy persons is not forcibly changed, the creator has ample room for color selection, so that too much visual content is emphasized for visibility. It does not kill the aesthetic creativity of. Therefore, the image is natural and easy to see for healthy persons.

Further, by utilizing the color forward conversion function and the inverse conversion function, the visual content can be placed on the network after the color adjustment of the visual content has been sufficiently verified, so that there is little generation error.

<Diagnosis and Authentication> Next, it is determined whether or not an object such as web content is easy to see for a visually impaired person such as a cataract, in other words, whether or not it can be said to be a barrier-free object. A description will now be given of a service that is intensively checked by a specific service center via a network, not by the creator of the visual content. The authentication service for performing such confirmation is created by using the visual impairment function software as in the present embodiment, and authenticates that the object is an object whose function is sufficiently exhibited. Therefore, for an object created using only other software, if it is not an image that is easily viewable by a visually impaired person, authentication is given only when the object is modified by the visually impaired function software.

As a premise of such authentication, (1) the case where the user himself does not have the visual impairment function software, and (2) the case where the user himself has the visual impairment function software, And these will be described in detail below. It should be noted that, as a person who can perform this service, only a qualified person who has been determined by a predetermined institution to be capable of determining whether or not the object is a barrier-free object while using the device of the present invention is limited. You can also.

(1) The user himself / herself does not have the visual impairment function software: In this case, it is assumed that, in a specific procedure, first, the visual content 401 is created by the client computer 30 shown in FIG. . This visual content 401 is created without using the color selection display control means 111a of the present invention and the like, and is hereinafter referred to as "primary content".

On the other hand, a homepage HP for accepting verification of the barrier-free property of the primary content 401 is registered in the server 11 of FIG. The creator (client) of the primary content 401 on the web is the network 1
In addition, the primary content 401 is transferred to the homepage HP on the server 11 via the server 0, and a request for verification is written in the homepage HP.

The service-side computer 1 downloads the primary content 401 from the server 11 in a timely manner, and converts the primary content 401 into an image viewed from a cataract person using the above-described color sequential conversion means 113. The person in charge of verification of the service-side computer 1 visually checks the converted image on a monitor, and determines whether or not a color combination that is difficult to see is used. This determination may be made visually,
A plurality of colors adjacent to each other in the image may be extracted, and whether the plurality of colors are included in each combination registered in the selection rule table 112 (FIG. 2) may be automatically determined.

When it is determined that the content is hard to see for visually impaired persons, one of the following two measures is taken.

The first is to notify a client via the network that the primary content 401 does not satisfy the barrier-free condition. This notification is shown as an electronic mail 403 in FIG.

The second is that the service-side computer 1 creates secondary content for the web in which an inappropriate color combination has been changed to an appropriate color combination, and returns it to the client via the network 10. . Then, the client confirms this secondary content, and if the client accepts the secondary content, the secondary content is used as barrier-free visual content.
01 and ask for verification again.

For the secondary content 402, the service side computer 1 gives the content a digital certificate indicating that it is a barrier-free content. Then, as conceptually shown in FIG. 21, the content 402 with the digital authentication 405 is transferred to the client computer 30 via the network 10. The client registers the authenticated content 402 in an arbitrary server and provides it to general users. Thus, the user of the user computer 20 in FIG. 1 knows that the content 402 with authentication is barrier-free. Similar notification and authentication are possible even when the object is a model such as an industrial product.

[0128] Such authentication may be a visible mark, or may be authentication using coded authentication information or digital watermark technology. In the authentication, a predetermined fee can be collected by online payment using a credit card or the like.

(2) When the User Owns the Visually Impaired Function Software: When the user has the visually impaired function software, the primary content 401 is downloaded using the visually impaired function. Will be created. For this reason, the primary content 401 is a content that is easy for the visually impaired to see, but if the primary content 401 is transferred to the service computer 1 in the same manner as described above, authentication can be performed by the person in charge of verification. it can. In this case, the person in charge of verification uses the forward conversion function to perform forward conversion on the primary content 401 and visually confirms the primary content 401. If the coloration is easy to see for visually impaired persons, the primary Digital authentication is given to the content 401 and a reply is sent to the user. In this case, the reply secondary content 402 in FIG. 21 is replaced with the content obtained by authenticating the primary content 401. If there is a part of the primary content 401 in which the color scheme is insufficient, the person in charge of verification corrects the primary content 401 using the visual impairment function software on the service-side computer 1, and performs authentication. Reply as next content 402.

As described above, in order to enable only the user who uses the visual impairment function software to authenticate the primary content 401 itself, the visual impairment function software includes the authentication application homepage HP. The URL is linked so that the user can jump to the URL. In this homepage HP, primary content 4
01's own authentication application form requires user ID information for each package of the visual impairment function software on the user side. Then, when transmitting the primary content to the homepage HP from the visual impairment function software, the digital signal of the ID is transmitted to the form on the homepage HP and automatically input. Then, the authentication of the primary content 401 is accepted only when the ID of the homepage HP is automatically confirmed as a legitimate user of the visual impairment function software by the creator of the homepage HP. Note that the number of times the primary content 401 is authenticated free of charge is limited, and thereafter, only when a fee is paid through online payment, the primary content 40 is restricted.
1 may be accepted.

<Color Chart File> FIG. 22 shows a color chart CL in which color combinations that are visually distinguishable to visually impaired persons are arranged and displayed on a color monitor.
C. As the data for displaying the color chart, a combination of colors corresponding to the table of FIG. 6 is recorded in a digital file, which is recorded as a digital color chart file DCF on a medium MD such as a CD-ROM.
A form is provided. By reading this file DCF with the computer COM, in the example of FIG. 22, for example, a subset of the colors {C2, C4, C8...} For the color C1 is displayed on the screen of the color monitor MT. In the lower row, the respective subsets of the other colors are arrayed and displayed, and the arrangement of the subsets of each of the N colors can be seen by scrolling the screen.

The above-described color chart C is provided as a selection function in the package of the visual impairment function software.
Although the information corresponding to the LC is incorporated, the digital color chart file DCF includes a general-purpose image file that specifies the arrangement of the correspondence relationship between the color areas, for example, a GIF format image file, and such an image. It is provided as an HTML file or the like. Therefore, even if the computer does not have the visually impaired function software installed, if this file DCF is opened with any image processing software, it is possible to determine what combination of colors can be used for one reference color. You can know. Display this color chart on the color monitor,
By pointing an arbitrary color area (for example, the area of the color C2 included in the subset of the reference color C1) included in such a color combination, the color component value of the color area is determined by the image processing software. Can be passed to the drawing means.

[0133] Such a digital color chart file DCF can be fixedly distributed on the media MDA, but can also be distributed via a network.

<Modifications> In forward conversion and inverse conversion, only the partial area designated by the operator may be converted without converting the entire image of the object. In addition, as shown in FIG.
If 1,502 are displayed on the screen of the monitor 3 in parallel, they can be visually compared with each other. in this case,
Preferably, the images 501 and 502 before and after the conversion are linked to each other, and when the color scheme of one image 501 (502) is changed on the screen, the change is reflected almost in real time on the color scheme of the other image 502 (501). As described above, it is preferable to provide a program that implements a dynamic link unit that includes both functions of forward conversion and reverse conversion.

In the above embodiment, the selection rule is determined based on the mutual discrimination between two colors in the region adjacent to each other. However, as described above, the selection rule is determined in consideration of the correlation between three or more adjacent colors. You may keep it. However, since four colors can cover all situations in differently colored areas, there is little need to consider the correlation of five or more colors except in special situations. However, when many colors are mixed like a natural image, or when it is desired to consider not only the areas adjacent to each other but also the color arrangement of a more distant area, increase the number of colors used as variables in the selection rule. Can also.

The main cause of the discrimination of the color pairs in the case of cataracts is the brightness difference, but in order to define a more precise relationship, the difference in hue can be considered. In this case, the hue element can be included in a table that defines the subset of colors described above, or in an arithmetic expression such as a conversion expression or an inverse conversion expression. In the case where the coloration situation is determined more precisely in consideration of the visual characteristics of the visually impaired, as in the application of the present invention to DTP, it is preferable to include the dependence of such hues and other color factors.

The present invention is applicable not only to the creation of web contents and modeling of industrial products, but also to the image information obtained by reading analog images with a color scanner, the appearance of natural objects, and the language described in each page in DTP. Color scheme for creating and arranging each part in a printed page, color scheme for moving images (particularly, animation and other content that can be specified for each area), image content for digital broadcasting and analog broadcasting (NTSC, PAL, etc.) For example, creation, correction, and verification of images of various objects including image information can be targeted.

For correcting digital images obtained by reading analog images, creating DTP and moving images, the functions of the present invention can be provided as plug-ins of respective image processing software. The basic configuration is the same as in the above embodiment.

In the case of digital broadcasting, STB (Sequence)
t Top Box), by incorporating the converter having the reverse conversion function of the above embodiment in the above-mentioned embodiment, it is possible to convert an image of broadcast content for a healthy person into an image for a visually impaired person and display it on a color monitor in almost real time. Can be.
After performing the inverse conversion in advance on the broadcast station side, it can be broadcast on a specific channel as a broadcast for the visually impaired.

In either case, the program can be stored and stored on a storage medium as a software program and distributed and used.

◎ Visual impairments assumed by the present invention include:
There are not only cataracts but also other visual impairments such as color blindness. In the case of red-green color blindness, use a color selection rule that avoids green when red is selected as the reference color and conversely avoids red when green is selected as the reference color. .

[0142]

As described above, according to the first and second aspects of the present invention, a subset of colors that can be easily identified by a visually impaired person with respect to a designated reference color is displayed. Since it is configured so that the color to be used next can be selected from among them, it is possible to determine the color scheme of the image of the object that is easy for the visually impaired to see, and the creator of the object image and the modifier have a relatively wide range of color selection .

Therefore, it is possible to obtain a barrier-free object with rich color expression.

In particular, according to the second aspect of the present invention, since a color having a large difference in brightness from the reference color is included in the subset, the visibility by a visually impaired person is particularly improved.

According to the third and fourth aspects of the present invention, it is possible to objectively simulate how an image of a created or given object is visually recognized by a visually impaired person. Therefore, these inventions are also useful for obtaining a barrier-free object with rich color expression.

In particular, since the invention of claim 4 also provides a blurring effect, it is possible to more accurately simulate the situation of a visually impaired person, such as a cataract, in which the object appears blurred.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, an image after the inverse conversion is obtained by performing an inverse conversion on an image of an object having a desired color scheme that the visually impaired person wants to see. The image after the inverse conversion is visually recognized with a desirable color scheme when viewed by a visually impaired person. Therefore, it is possible to easily obtain an image for the visually impaired from an image prepared without being conscious of the visually impaired. For this reason, it is useful to obtain a barrier-free object with rich color expression.

In particular, according to the invention of claim 6, the object visibility can be improved not only for a cataract caused by a disease but also for a person having a cataract symptom caused by aging.

In particular, according to the invention of claim 7, since the display characteristics of the color monitor can be adjusted in advance, it is possible to evaluate the color arrangement more accurately.

According to the invention of claim 8, since the visibility of the visual content to the visually impaired person can be improved, various information can be provided to the visually impaired person with visibility close to that of a healthy person.

According to the ninth to twelfth aspects of the present invention, each of the color schemes is determined in consideration of the visually impaired by targeting the model image of the industrial product, the DTP image, the moving image, and the content of the digital broadcast. Can contribute to

According to the thirteenth aspect, each of the above functions can be realized by being installed in a computer. For this reason, it is useful to obtain a barrier-free object with rich color expression.

According to the fourteenth aspect of the present invention, the normal image processing function is provided in the main body of the image processing software, and the plug-in software is provided as an additional function. .

According to the fifteenth aspect of the present invention, since the diagnosis of the color arrangement of the object in consideration of the visually impaired can be performed via the network, the diagnosis can be performed quickly, and the color expression is rich and the object is barrier-free. It is useful for obtaining the object and can contribute to the spread of barrier-free objects.

According to the sixteenth aspect of the present invention, an image having insufficient visibility by a visually impaired person is processed and returned as an image having high visibility by a visually impaired person, so that it is particularly useful for disseminating barrier-free objects. It is.

According to the seventeenth aspect of the invention, in particular, authentication is given to an object having high visibility by a visually impaired person.
A third party can easily understand that the object is barrier-free, and it is also useful for popularizing barrier-free objects.

According to the eighteenth aspect of the present invention, the visibility of an object can be improved not only for a cataract caused by disease but also for a person having a cataract symptom caused by aging.

According to the nineteenth aspect of the present invention, the digital color chart allows the user to know the color arrangement that is easily recognized by visually impaired persons, and the information is digitized. The component values of each color can be objectively known. Therefore, by using this to create or correct an image of the object, the visibility of the object can be improved. Therefore, it is useful for obtaining a barrier-free object with rich color expression.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a network system N including a computer 1 functioning as an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of W.

FIG. 2 is a functional diagram illustrating an image processing function of the service-side computer 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a process for collecting basic data using a cataract simulated experience filter.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a process for collecting basic data using a cataract simulated experience filter.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a situation in which a subset of a color set including N colors distributed in an RGB color circle (constant saturation) is obtained.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the contents of a table that embodies color combination rules.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a process for collecting basic data using a cataract simulated experience filter.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example of a process for collecting basic data using a cataract simulated experience filter.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a table that embodies color forward conversion rules and inverse conversion rules.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a correspondence between a color recognized by a healthy person and a color recognized by a visually impaired person.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a color selection process for a reference color.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image creation process corresponding to the process of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of a state transition of a color palette in a color selection process.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram of a state transition of a color palette in a color selection process.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram of a state transition of a color palette in a color selection process.

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating a color selection process in a color palette in which a relatively small number of colors are arranged.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a color selection process in a T color palette in which a relatively small number of colors are arranged.

FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram of color forward conversion and inverse conversion.

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating an example of a pattern image displayed on a monitor at the time of monitor adjustment.

FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram of a menu switching button and an up-down button on a monitor.

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing a flow of image diagnosis and authentication.

FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a color chart in which color combinations that are visually distinguishable to visually impaired persons are arranged and displayed on a color monitor.

FIG. 23 is a diagram illustrating an example of parallel arrangement of images before and after conversion in consideration of visibility due to visual impairment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 service side computer 20 user side computer 30 client side computer 10 network CP color palette 300 pattern image 201 color set area 202 color selectable range (color subset)

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H04N 1/60 H04N 1/40 D 5E501 1/46 1/46 Z (72) Inventor Yamaguchi ▲ Taka ▼ 100 Aburayacho, Sanyagiba-dori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto Lautrec Chukyo 802 Acta Planning Network Inc. F-term (reference) 5B057 BA25 CA01 CB01 CE03 CE04 CE17 5B069 AA01 BA01 BA04 BB16 HA15 HA16 JA01 JA02 LA03 5C077 MM27 MP08 PP31 P08 PQ22 SS05 SS06 5C079 HA19 LA02 LA31 MA01 MA17 MA19 NA06 5C082 AA01 AA04 BA02 BA12 BA34 BB51 CA12 CB03 DA87 MM10 5E501 AA02 AC34 BA03 BA05 BA11 CA02 CB02 CB09 EA05 EA10 EB05 EB18 FA14 FB28 FB42

Claims (19)

[Claims] 1. An image processing apparatus for supporting creation of an image of an object in consideration of visual impairment, comprising: a color combination rule that is easily distinguishable from each other under a specific type of visual impairment in a predetermined color set. A color combination rule holding unit for holding a subset of colors that are easily distinguishable from a designated reference color by referring to the color combination rule, and A color selection display control unit for displaying a color on a color monitor; and a unit for specifying a color selected from the subset by the operator so that the color can be used as a drawing color. An image processing device that can perform processing in consideration. 2. The visually impaired person according to claim 1, wherein the subset is constituted by a plurality of colors having a lightness difference greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value with respect to the reference color. Image processing device capable of processing in consideration of 3. An image processing apparatus capable of converting an image of an object in consideration of a visual impairment, wherein a relationship between each color is recognized as a color under a specific type of visual impairment. Conversion rule holding means for holding the specified conversion rule, and display control means for converting each color of the image of the object according to the conversion rule, and displaying the image on a color monitor using the converted color. An image processing apparatus capable of performing processing considering a visually impaired person, wherein it is possible to confirm in what color state the object is visually recognized under the visual impairment. 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising: a blur processing unit that, upon the conversion, blurs the image of the object and displays the blur on the color monitor.
An image processing apparatus capable of performing processing in consideration of a visually impaired person, further comprising: 5. An image processing apparatus capable of performing image conversion of an object in consideration of a visual impairment, wherein an inverse of the conversion of how each color is viewed under a specific type of visual impairment. A visually impaired person, comprising: an inverse conversion rule holding unit that holds a rule corresponding to the conversion as an inverse conversion rule; and an inverse conversion unit that inversely converts an image of the object based on the inverse conversion rule. Image processing device capable of processing in consideration of 6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a cataract is targeted as the specific type of visual impairment. Possible image processing device. 7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: a pattern image display control unit that displays a pattern image on the color monitor; and an operation unit that is operated while visually recognizing the pattern image. Display characteristic adjusting means for adjusting display characteristics of the color monitor in response to the input of the color monitor.
An image processing device capable of processing considering the visually impaired. 8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the object is visual content to be provided on a network, wherein the object is for a visually impaired person. An image processing device capable of processing. 9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the object is a color model of an industrial product, wherein the processing is performed in consideration of a visually impaired person. Possible image processing device. 10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the object is a printed matter according to DTP, wherein the image processing is capable of considering a visually impaired person. apparatus. 11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the object is a moving image, wherein the object can be processed in consideration of a visually impaired person. 12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the object is a content included in a broadcast, and the processing can be performed in consideration of a visually impaired person. Image processing device. 13. A storage medium storing a program for causing the computer to operate as the device according to claim 1 by being installed in the computer. 14. The storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the program is configured as plug-in software for predetermined image processing software. 15. A method for diagnosing a color scheme of an object via a network, comprising: a conversion rule that defines a relationship regarding how each color is viewed under a specific type of visual impairment. Holding, capturing an image of the object via a network, converting each color of the image of the object according to the conversion rule, and displaying the image of the object on a color monitor using the converted color. A step of determining from the display state of the color monitor whether the object is easily recognizable under the specific type of visual impairment to obtain a determination result, and a provider of an image of the object. A notification step of notifying the determination result, characterized in that it comprises a visually impaired person Image diagnostic method of the object. 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising: if the determination result includes a conclusion that the object is difficult to view under the particular type of visual impairment, the image of the object is converted to the specific type of visual impairment. Processing the image into an image that is easily visible under visual impairment, and returning the processed image to a provider of the image of the object. 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising: providing predetermined authentication information to the object when the determination result includes a conclusion that the object is easily viewable under the specific type of visual impairment. Providing a method of diagnosing an object in consideration of a visually impaired person. 18. The method according to claim 15, wherein a cataract is targeted as the specific type of visual impairment. Diagnostic imaging method. 19. A color chart file containing digital information of a color array, which is read by a computer to determine a combination of colors that can be easily distinguished from each other under a specific type of visual impairment. A digital color chart file characterized by being displayed as an array on a color monitor.