JP2002199208A - Image processing apparatus and image processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing apparatus that can effectively use a memory used for image processing so as to increase the image processing speed in cases where the number of pixels of an outputted image is less than number of pixels of a received image and to provide an image processing method. SOLUTION: The image processing apparatus receives an image, detects the number of pixels of the received image, compares the detected number of pixels with the number of pixels of the outputted image, converts the received image into an image whose number of pixels is decreased more than that of the received image when the number of pixels of the received image is more than the number of the outputted image and applies prescribed image processing to the image subjected to the conversion.

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 an image processing apparatus for performing image processing on an input original image and outputting an image obtained as a result of the image processing. And an image processing method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional image processing apparatus, an input image is subjected to correction processing for correcting brightness, saturation, and the like, and after this correction processing, an image is output while changing the number of pixels of the image. .

[0003]

By the way, in the conventional image processing apparatus, the input image is subjected to correction processing for correcting brightness, saturation, and the like, and after this correction processing, the number of pixels of the image is changed. If the number of pixels of the output image is smaller than the number of pixels of the input image, the number of pixels of the difference between the number of pixels of the input image and the number of pixels of the output image is calculated as follows:
The correction process is uselessly performed.

Therefore, there is a problem that processing time is wasted as much as the time of the above-mentioned wasted correction processing, the image processing speed is reduced by that amount, and a large memory capacity is required when performing image processing. .

The present invention provides an image processing apparatus capable of effectively using a memory used for image processing and increasing the image processing speed when the number of pixels of an output image is smaller than the number of pixels of an input image. And an image processing method.

[0006]

According to the present invention, an image is input, the number of pixels of the input image is detected, the detected number of pixels is compared with the number of pixels of an output image, and the output is performed. When the number of pixels of the input image is larger than the number of pixels of the image, the image processing apparatus performs conversion for reducing the number of pixels of the input image, and after performing the conversion, performs predetermined image processing.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an image processing apparatus IP according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The image processing device IP performs a correction process for correcting brightness and saturation on an image input from a digital camera, and calculates the number of pixels of the input image as L
Plate size image (1500 pixels x 1050 pixels)
image having an el number of pixels), A4 size image (35
00 pixels × 2480 pixels), an index print size image (640p
image having the number of pixels of pixel × 480 pixels),
Is a digital printing device that converts the image into an image having any one of the following numbers and outputs the image.

The recording density for recording the output image is 300 dpi.

The image processing device IP includes an image processing unit 107,
It comprises an image input unit 402, an image output unit 403, an image size comparison unit 404, an image scaling unit 405, an image buffer 406, a parameter storage unit 407, and a processing path control unit 408.

The image processing unit 107 includes an image buffer 406
Is subjected to a correction process for correcting the lightness and the saturation of the image stored in the image buffer, and the image subjected to the correction process is stored in the image buffer 406.

An image input unit 402 reads an input image X, an input image Y, an input image Z, and the like from a digital camera (not shown), and stores these read images in an image buffer 4.
06, the number of pixels (image size) of each read image is detected, and the detected number of pixels is stored (held) in the parameter holding unit 407.

The image output unit 403 includes an image buffer 406
Is output to a printer (not shown).

The image size comparison unit 404 compares the number of pixels of the input image stored in the parameter storage unit 407 with the number of pixels of the output image output from the image output unit 403, and compares the result with the parameter storage unit 407. Is to be stored.

It is assumed that the number of pixels of the output image is determined by the number of pixels of a raster image in a printer that records the output image.

The image scaling unit 405 includes an image buffer 406
Is changed (magnified), the changed image is stored in the image buffer 406, and the changed number of pixels is stored in the parameter holding unit 407.

The image buffer 406 stores a predetermined image as described above, and the parameter holding unit 407 stores parameters indicating the number of pixels of the image as described above.

The processing path control unit 408 stores the comparison result of the image size comparison unit 404 and stores the result of the comparison.
, Based on the comparison result stored in the image processing unit, controls which of the correction processing for correcting the brightness and the saturation of the image and the scaling processing of the image is performed first.

Next, the operation of the image processing apparatus IP will be described.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image processing apparatus IP.

In the image processing device IP, the image input unit 4
02 reads the input image, stores the read image in the image buffer 406, and stores the number of pixels of the read image in the parameter holding unit 407 (S201).

Subsequently, the image size comparison unit 404 compares the number of pixels of the input image stored in the parameter storage unit 407 in step S201 with the number of pixels of the output image, and compares the comparison result with the parameter storage unit 407. (S202).

As a result of the comparison, when the number of pixels of the input image is not less than the number of pixels of the output image (when the number of pixels of the input image is larger than the number of pixels of the output image), the processing path control is performed. The unit 408 includes an image scaling unit 405
To perform a pixel number conversion process.

That is, the image scaling unit 405 performs conversion so as to reduce the number of pixels of the input image so that the number of pixels of the input image is equal to the number of pixels of the output image. , And the number of pixels of the converted image is stored in the parameter holding unit 407 (S203).

Subsequently, the image processing unit 107 proceeds to step S
At 203, the image stored in the image buffer 406 is subjected to a correction process for correcting brightness and saturation, and the image subjected to this correction process is stored in the image buffer 406 (S204).

Next, in step S203, the image size comparison unit 404 compares the number of pixels of the input image stored in the parameter holding unit 407 with the number of pixels of the output image (S205).

In step S203, the number of pixels of the input image is equal to the number of pixels of the output image.
Since the image scaling unit 405 converts the number of pixels of the input image, the comparison result shows that the number of pixels of the input image is the same as the number of pixels of the output image.

Therefore, in step S205,
After comparing the number of pixels, the image output unit 403 determines in step S
The image stored in the image buffer 406 at 204 is output to the printer via the image output unit 403 (S20).
7).

In step S202, step S2
As a result of comparing the number of pixels of the input image stored in the parameter holding unit 407 with the number of pixels of the output image, when the number of pixels of the input image is equal to or less than the number of pixels of the output image,
The image processing unit 107 performs a correction process for correcting brightness and saturation on the image stored in the image buffer 406 in step S201, and stores the corrected image in the image buffer 406 (S204).

Subsequently, in step S201, the image size comparison unit 404 compares the number of pixels of the input image stored in the parameter holding unit 407 with the number of pixels of the output image (S205).

Then, as a result of the above comparison, step S
In 201, when the number of pixels of the input image stored in the parameter holding unit 407 is different from the number of pixels of the output image, the processing path control unit 408 causes the image scaling unit 405 to perform a pixel number conversion process.

That is, the image scaling unit 405 increases the number of pixels of the input image so that the number of pixels of the image stored in the image buffer 406 in step S204 becomes the same as the number of pixels of the output image. Is performed, and the converted image is stored in the image buffer 406 (S2).
06).

Subsequently, the image output unit 403 determines in step S
The image stored in the image buffer 406 at 206 is output to the printer via the image output unit 403 (S
207).

If the number of pixels of the input image is the same as the number of pixels of the output image in step S205, the image output unit 403 determines in step S204 that the image buffer 4
The image stored in 06 is output to the printer via the image output unit 403 (S207).

Next, the input image X (2048 × 1536p)
image having the number of pixels of pixel), input image Y (160
The flow of processing when image processing is performed on an input image Z (an image having a pixel number of 1024 × 768 pixels) and an input image Z (an image having a pixel number of 1024 × 768 pixels) and an input image Z (image having a pixel number of 1024 pixels) will be described for each pixel number of the output image.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the flow of processing when the input images X, Y, and Z are output in L-size and output.

The input image X and the input image Y have a larger number of pixels than the L-size output image (image having the number of pixels of 1500 × 1050 pixels) P109. By reducing the size to match the size of the L plate (S203), images X 'and Y' are obtained. The images X ′ and Y ′ are subjected to image processing such as correction processing (S204) and output.

The input image Z is an L-size output image P1.
Since the number of pixels is smaller than 09, image processing such as correction processing is performed on the image Z (S204). Then, the number of pixels of the image subjected to the correction processing is increased so as to match the size of the L plate (S206) and output.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a flow of processing when input images X, Y, and Z are output in A4 size and output.

Each of the input image X, the input image Y, and the input image Z is an A4 size output image (3500 × 24
Since the number of pixels is smaller than that of P201 (image having 80 pixels), images X, Y, and Z are subjected to image processing such as correction processing (S204), and the number of pixels of the image subjected to the correction processing is represented by A4. It is increased to match the size (S206) and output.

<Case of Output with Index Print Size> FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the flow of processing when the input images X, Y, and Z are output with the index print size.

Each of the input images X, Y, and Z has an index print size (640 pixels × 480).
(Image having pixel number of pixels) Since the number of pixels is larger than that of P304, the number of pixels of each image is reduced to match the index print size (S203), thereby obtaining images X ', Y', Z '. The images X ′, Y, and Z ′ are subjected to image processing such as correction processing (S204) and output.

According to the image processing apparatus IP, the number of pixels of the input image is compared with the number of pixels of the output image before performing image processing. If the number of pixels of the input image is larger than the number of pixels of the output image, Perform a conversion to reduce the number of pixels of the input image, perform image processing such as correction processing on the converted image, and output the image.
If the number of pixels of the input image is smaller than the number of pixels of the output image, the image is subjected to image processing such as correction processing, and then converted to increase the number of pixels of the image subjected to this correction processing, and output. Image processing can be avoided for an image composed of a larger number of pixels than is necessary for image processing, the image processing speed is improved, and the amount of memory required for performing the image processing is reduced. And image processing can be performed efficiently.

In the image processing apparatus IP, an image is input from a digital camera. However, the same applies to the case where an image is input from a scanner, a storage medium storing images, or the like instead of the digital camera. It is.

The storage medium may be a floppy (registered trademark) disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, or the like.

In the image processing apparatus IP, the number of pixels of an output image output from the image output unit 403 is determined by the number of pixels of a raster image in a printer that records the output image. Instead of being determined by the number of pixels, it may be determined by the number of pixels of a display image on a display that displays the output image. In this case, the image output unit 403 includes an LCD
Etc. are connected.

Further, instead of determining the number of pixels of the raster image, the number of pixels of the output image may be determined by the number of pixels desired by a device (an image display device other than a printer and a display) to which the image is output. Good. In this case, it is assumed that the number of pixels desired by the device is determined by a standard unique to the device.

In the image processing apparatus IP, as the image processing performed by the image processing unit 107, processing for correcting the lightness and the saturation of the image is employed. However, the processing for correcting either the lightness or the saturation is performed. May be adopted.

Further, the image processing performed by the image processing unit 107 includes a process for adjusting the color balance, a process for adjusting the sharpness of the image, a process for adjusting the color shift of the image, a process for removing noise in the image, and a process for the image. A process of performing color space conversion, a process of rotating and moving an image, and an affine transformation of an image to an image (affine transformation)
For example, any one of a process of deforming the image, a process of recognizing a predetermined object existing in the image, and a process of decomposing the spatial frequency of the image may be adopted. Further, a combination of the above processes may be employed.

[0050]

According to the present invention, when the number of pixels of the output image is smaller than the number of pixels of the input image, the memory used for the image processing is effectively used and the image processing speed is increased. It has the effect of being able to.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processing apparatus IP according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the image processing apparatus IP.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a flow of processing when input images X, Y, and Z are output in an L-size.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a flow of processing when the input images X, Y, and Z are output in A4 size.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a flow of processing when input images X, Y, and Z are output in a size of an index print size.

[Explanation of symbols]

 IP: Image processing device, 107: Image processing unit, 402: Image input unit, 403: Image output unit, 404: Image size comparison unit, 405: Image scaling unit, P109: L-size output image, P201: A4 Output image of size, P304: Output image of index print size.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5B057 CA01 CA08 CA12 CA16 CB01 CB08 CB12 CB16 CD01 CD06 CE02 CE03 CE11 CE16 CE20 CG05 5C076 AA21 AA22 AA23 AA24 AA26 AA32 AA40 BA03 BA06 CB02 5C077 LL02 PP19 PP20 PP20 PP35 PP37 PP39 PP49 PP61 TT02 TT06 TT09 TT10 5C079 HB06 LA14 LA15 LA23 LA24 LA36 LA37 LB01 MA02 MA17 NA01 NA11 PA03 PA05

Claims (38)

[Claims] An image input means for inputting an image; an input image pixel number detecting means for detecting the number of pixels of the image input by the image input means; a pixel number detected by the input image pixel number detecting means; Pixel number comparing means for comparing the number of pixels of the image to be output; and as a result of comparison by the pixel number comparing means, if the number of pixels of the input image is larger than the number of pixels of the output image, Image processing means for performing conversion for reducing the number of pixels of the image, and performing predetermined image processing on the image after the conversion. 2. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image input means is means for inputting an image from a digital camera. 3. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image input means is means for inputting an image from a scanner. 4. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image input means is means for inputting an image from a storage medium. 5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the number of pixels of the output image is determined by the number of pixels of a raster image in a printer that records the output image. 6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the number of pixels of the output image is determined by the number of pixels of a display image on a display that displays the output image. 7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the number of pixels of the output image is determined by the number of pixels desired by an apparatus to which the output image is output. 8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined image processing is processing for adjusting a color balance of an image. 9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined image processing is processing for adjusting brightness of an image. 10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined image processing is processing for adjusting the saturation of an image. 11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined image processing is processing for adjusting the sharpness of an image. 12. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined image processing is processing for adjusting a color shift of an image. 13. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined image processing is processing for removing noise from an image. 14. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined image processing is processing for performing color space conversion on an image. 15. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined image processing is processing for rotating and moving an image. 16. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined image processing is processing for deforming an image. 17. The image processing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the processing of deforming the image is an affine transformation processing. 18. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined image processing is processing for recognizing a predetermined object existing in an image. 19. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined image processing is processing for decomposing a spatial frequency of an image. 20. An image inputting step of inputting an image; an input image pixel number detecting step of detecting the number of pixels of the image input in the image input step; a pixel number detecting in the input image pixel number detecting step; A pixel number comparison step of comparing the number of pixels of the image to be output; and a result of the comparison in the pixel number comparison step,
If the number of pixels of the input image is larger than the number of pixels of the image to be output, conversion is performed to reduce the number of pixels of the input image. And an image processing method. 21. The image processing method according to claim 20, wherein the image inputting step is a step of inputting an image from a digital camera. 22. The image processing method according to claim 20, wherein the image inputting step is a step of inputting an image from a scanner. 23. The image processing method according to claim 20, wherein the image inputting step is a step of inputting an image from a storage medium. 24. The image processing method according to claim 20, wherein the number of pixels of the output image is determined by the number of pixels of a raster image in a printer that records the output image. 25. The image processing method according to claim 20, wherein the number of pixels of the output image is determined by the number of pixels of a display image on a display for displaying the output image. 26. The image processing method according to claim 20, wherein the number of pixels of the output image is determined by the number of pixels desired by a device to which the output image is output. 27. The image processing method according to claim 20, wherein the predetermined image processing is processing for adjusting a color balance of an image. 28. The image processing method according to claim 20, wherein the predetermined image processing is processing for adjusting brightness of an image. 29. The image processing method according to claim 20, wherein the predetermined image processing is processing for adjusting the saturation of an image. 30. The image processing method according to claim 20, wherein the predetermined image processing is processing for adjusting the sharpness of an image. 31. The image processing method according to claim 20, wherein the predetermined image processing is processing for adjusting a color shift of an image. 32. The image processing method according to claim 20, wherein the predetermined image processing is processing for removing noise from an image. 33. The image processing method according to claim 20, wherein the predetermined image processing is processing for performing color space conversion on an image. 34. The image processing method according to claim 20, wherein the predetermined image processing is processing for rotating and moving an image. 35. The image processing method according to claim 20, wherein the predetermined image processing is processing for deforming an image. 36. The image processing method according to claim 35, wherein the processing of deforming the image is an affine transformation processing. 37. The image processing method according to claim 20, wherein the predetermined image processing is processing for recognizing a predetermined object existing in an image. 38. The image processing method according to claim 20, wherein the predetermined image processing is processing for decomposing a spatial frequency of an image.