JP2006155469A - Image processor and image processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To further efficiently aid desired image selection by simplifying the operation of a user, and aiding trail-and-error, and displaying various adjustment values, and applying the choices of much more correction values to a user. <P>SOLUTION: This image processor for executing image correction processing is provided with a correction value automatic updating means for updating a correction value in every fixed time and a control means for controlling the correction value automatic updating means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  A system for use with an image processing apparatus. That is, retouching software or the like.

  When performing color adjustment, there are a method of displaying an image and setting a correction value with a slider bar, and a function of automatically setting and adjusting parameters as an automatic color correction function.

  Although the former method has a degree of freedom, the adjustment must be performed by the user by setting the correction value or dragging the slider bar, and can concentrate on the correction status on the image. There wasn't.

  In addition, since the mouse is operated and previewed, the number of correction values to be previewed is very small and inefficient with respect to the user operation time.

  In addition, the latter method is convincing because it automatically sets the most optimal parameter in the calculation, but the user's preference is various, and correction may be necessary again.

  Conventionally, it has been possible for the user to perform the adjustment again by simultaneously displaying the parameter resulting from the automatic color adjustment (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

As a result, the user can freely change the result of the automatic color correction.
JP 2001-061075 A

  However, since the user has to adjust the slider bar also by the method of Patent Document 1, the problem as described above has occurred.

  As described above, when performing image correction, the number of trial and error is very small with respect to the operation time. In addition, the user has to perform trial and error when performing correction by dragging and operating the mouse.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, simplifies the user operation, assists trial and error, displays various adjustment values, gives the user more choices of correction values, and is more efficient. This is often to assist in selecting a preferred image.

  The present invention is characterized in that an image processing apparatus that performs image correction processing includes correction value automatic update means for updating a correction value at regular intervals, and control means for controlling the correction value automatic update means.

  Further, the present invention provides an image processing apparatus that performs an image correction process, a correction target display unit that displays a correction target, a correction value automatic update unit that updates a correction value every predetermined time, and an update performed by the update unit. And a correction target display means updating means for updating the correction target display means and a control means for controlling the correction value automatic update means.

  The present invention also provides a correction target display means for displaying a correction target, a correction update direction detection means for detecting the direction of increase / decrease of the correction value, and a correction value updated at regular intervals in an image processing apparatus that performs image correction processing. A correction value automatic update means for performing correction, a correction target display means updating means for updating the correction target display means in synchronization with the update by the update means, and a control means for controlling the correction value automatic update means. And

  In addition, the present invention is an image processing method for performing image correction processing, characterized by having a correction value automatic updating step for updating correction values at regular intervals and a control step for controlling the correction value automatic updating step. .

  In addition, the present invention provides an image processing method for performing image correction processing in synchronization with a correction target display step for displaying a correction target, a correction value automatic update step for updating correction values at regular intervals, and an update by the update step. And a correction object display process updating process for updating the correction object display process and a control process for controlling the correction value automatic updating process.

  Further, according to the present invention, in an image processing method for performing image correction processing, a correction target display step for displaying a correction target, a correction update direction detection step for detecting the direction of increase / decrease of the correction value, and the correction value are updated at regular intervals. A correction value automatic update process, a correction target display process update process for updating the correction target display process in synchronization with the update by the update process, and a control process for controlling the correction value automatic update process. And

  According to the present invention, parameter setting for image correction processing can be simplified.

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the image correction system has a brightness adjustment function.

  The overall structure of this system is shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 101 denotes an image input unit, which is a device that reads an image as digital data. This includes a scanner, a PC card, a floppy (registered trademark) disk, an MO, a ZIP drive, and the like.

  Reference numeral 102 denotes a computer in which this application program for performing image correction is stored. This includes a RAM for temporarily storing image data, image information, and other calculation results during operation, and an external storage such as a hard disk. Including equipment.

  Reference numeral 103 denotes a part for inputting a command such as image processing or screen operation. This input form means an input using a keyboard, a mouse (both not shown) or the like.

  Reference numeral 104 denotes a display device that displays image processing results and application screens, and includes a display.

  FIG. 2 shows a screen of the application of the present invention.

  A correction target image display area 201 displays a correction target image. Reference numeral 202 denotes a speed update check for changing the speed of automatic update. Reference numeral 203 denotes a start button for starting automatic update. 204 is a value slider indicating the current value of brightness, 205 is a lower limit slider indicating the lower limit of the automatic update range, 206 is an upper limit slider indicating the upper limit of the automatic update range, and 207 is OK. It is a button, confirms the change of brightness, and ends. Reference numeral 208 denotes a cancel button, which ends without confirming the change in brightness.

  FIG. 3 is a flow at the time of correction, and FIG. 4 is a detailed flow of S301 in FIG. FIG. 5 is a detailed flow of S305.

  Hereinafter, the operation flow of this application will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The pixel value is rgb of 8 bits for each color.

  When the application is activated, the application screen of FIG. 2 is activated with the correction target image displayed on 201. In this state, the automatic correction update mode can be started by dragging the slider bar 204 to adjust the brightness or selecting the 203 start button.

  The flow of the automatic correction update mode is shown in FIGS.

  First, when the start button is selected, the process proceeds to S301, and the correction direction is determined. A detailed flow of determining the correction direction is shown in FIG.

In S401, a histogram of the image to be corrected is obtained. A histogram is obtained by converting an rgb value into a gray value. In S402, the center of gravity of this histogram is obtained.
Center of gravity = (Σ (pixel level I histogram value) × I) / (total number of pixels) (0 <I <255)
If the pixel value level at the center of gravity of S403 is 128 or less, correction is started in the minus direction (S404), and if it is more than that, correction is started in the plus direction (S405).

  Next, returning to FIG. 3, it is checked whether or not the reverse rotation flag is set in S02. The reverse flag is set by double clicking the mouse.

  If the reverse flag is set, the flag is initialized, (S303) the increase / decrease direction is reversed, and the lower limit slider (205) or the upper limit slider (206) is set to the current value.

  The selection of the upper / lower limit slider sets the upper or lower limit slider in the direction in which the value slider is moving.

  For example, when the value slider is moving in the right direction, double-clicking moves the upper limit slider to the current value.

  In S305, the end condition of the operation of the value slider is checked. Details of this check are shown in FIG.

  In S501, it is determined whether the center of gravity of the histogram is equal to the current value.

  In S502, since the start button 203 is a stop button after selection, it is determined whether or not this button has been pressed.

  In S503, it is determined whether or not the current value slider 204 is at the upper limit or the lower limit.

  The above determination is made. If the end condition is satisfied, the process ends. If not, the process proceeds to S306.

  In S306, the update speed is set. If the check is checked quickly at 202, the waiting time for updating is changed from 0.3 sec to 0.1 sec, for example.

  In S307, it waits for the time update set in S306. In step S308, the value is increased or decreased. In step S309, the value slider and the correction target image display screen 201 are updated.

  This is repeated until the end condition is satisfied.

  When the most preferable image is displayed during the preview, the stop button 203 is selected, the automatic correction update mode is interrupted, the OK button 207 is selected, the correction is confirmed, and the process is terminated.

  When the correction in the automatic correction update mode is desired again, the start button 203 is selected again and the correction is continued.

  In this example, the brightness adjustment function was implemented. However, when the correction function is a filter function such as sharpness or soft focus, the judgment part of the slider movement direction is deleted and the correction is performed. It can be configured to move from the value 0 to the maximum value.

  Further, in this embodiment, the speed adjustment is made in two stages by the check box, but this may be made into a multi-stage by using a slider bar.

  In this embodiment, only the corrected image is displayed, but this may be displayed side by side with the original image and the corrected image.

  In this embodiment, buttons are assigned to start and stop operations. However, this may be assigned to a right click of the mouse, a right double click, or a keyboard operation.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the correction direction is determined from the image information to be corrected, and based on this, the correction value field is increased / decreased in a fixed time, and the corrected image is updated. Thus, even if the user does not set the correction value by dragging the slider, the correction value is updated at regular intervals and previewed, so that redundant operations such as the user dragging the slider bar can be omitted. In addition, a large number of correction values can be previewed.

  Further, by limiting the movement range of the correction value slider, it is possible to avoid previewing the correction value for a portion that is clearly inappropriate as the correction value.

  Also, by selecting the stop button, the user can end the correction whenever he finds a suitable value.

  Further, by performing a reverse operation by double-clicking, a correction preview with an unnecessary correction value can be avoided.

  Further, by adjusting the speed with the speed adjustment check box, it is possible to save time required for the correction preview with an unnecessary correction value.

  Further, the image can be corrected in a more preferable direction by using the histogram of the image for detection of the correction direction.

(Second embodiment)
In the second embodiment of the present invention, the correction pitch is increased in proportion to the moving range of the value slider, so that the correction value is first narrowly selected and then gradually narrowed down. did.

  The movement range and the pitch of the correction value correspond to each other as shown in FIG.

  The wider the moving range, the rougher the pitch, and the narrower the moving range, the narrower the pitch. In the correction operation, after selecting the start button 203, double-clicking the mouse is repeated to narrow the correction range so that detailed correction values are gradually set.

  Thereby, the correction value can be selected efficiently.

  In this embodiment, the pitch is changed according to the moving range, but the time until the screen is updated may be changed according to the moving range.

  As described above, according to the second embodiment of the present invention, when correction is performed, if the movement range is wide, the correction pitch is rough or the update speed is high, and if the movement range is narrow, the correction pitch is corrected. If the correction value movement range is wide by finely adjusting or slowing down the update speed, determine the rough correction value movement range, preview the correction value in detail, and select the most preferable correction value. You can narrow down.

1 is a block diagram of a system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The application screen of 1st Example of this invention. The correction process flow of 1st Example of this invention. The detailed flow of correction direction initial value determination of 1st Example of this invention. The detailed flow of the end process of the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the relationship between the value slider movement range and the correction pitch according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (26)

  An image processing apparatus for performing image correction processing, comprising: an automatic correction value updating means for updating a correction value at regular intervals; and a control means for controlling the automatic correction value updating means.   In an image processing apparatus that performs image correction processing, a correction target display unit that displays a correction target, a correction value automatic update unit that updates a correction value at regular intervals, and the correction target display in synchronization with the update by the update unit An image processing apparatus comprising: a correction object display means updating means for updating the means; and a control means for controlling the correction value automatic updating means.   In an image processing apparatus that performs image correction processing, a correction target display unit that displays a correction target, a correction update direction detection unit that detects the direction of increase / decrease of the correction value, and a correction value automatic update unit that updates the correction value at regular intervals An image processing apparatus comprising: a correction target display unit updating unit that updates the correction target display unit in synchronization with the update by the update unit; and a control unit that controls the correction value automatic update unit.   4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the correction value update by the correction value automatic updating means increases or decreases the correction value.   4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit limits a movement range of the correction value.   4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit interrupts the update operation under a predetermined condition.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the update operation is interrupted when an interrupt command is sent according to the predetermined condition.   5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the increase / decrease in the correction value by the correction value updating means is reversed when the control means sends a reverse rotation command.   5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an update speed or an interval between values to be updated by the correction updating unit changes when the control unit receives a shift command. Processing equipment.   4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the correction update direction detection unit uses image information.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the image information uses a histogram of a specific area of the image.   6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the pitch of the correction value or the update speed is changed depending on the movement range.   13. The image processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein when the movement range is wide, the correction pitch is rough or the update speed is high, and when the movement range is narrow, the correction pitch is fine or the update speed is slow. Image processing apparatus.   An image processing method for performing image correction processing, comprising: an automatic update process for updating correction values at regular intervals; and a control process for controlling the automatic update process for correction values.   In an image processing method for performing image correction processing, a correction target display step for displaying a correction target, a correction value automatic update step for updating correction values at regular intervals, and the correction target display in synchronization with the update by the update step An image processing method comprising: a correction target display process updating process for updating a process; and a control process for controlling the correction value automatic updating process.   In an image processing method for performing image correction processing, a correction target display step for displaying a correction target, a correction update direction detection step for detecting the direction of increase / decrease of the correction value, and a correction value automatic update step for updating the correction value at regular intervals And a correction target display step update step for updating the correction target display step in synchronization with the update by the update step, and a control step for controlling the correction value automatic update step.   17. The image processing method according to claim 14, wherein updating of the correction value by the correction value automatic updating step increases or decreases the correction value.   17. The image processing method according to claim 14, wherein the control step limits a movement range of the correction value.   17. The image processing method according to claim 14, wherein the control step interrupts the update operation under a predetermined condition.   20. The image processing method according to claim 19, wherein the update operation is interrupted when an interrupt command is sent as the predetermined condition.   18. The image processing method according to claim 17, wherein increase / decrease of the correction value by the correction value update step is reversed when the reverse rotation command is sent in the control step.   The image processing method according to any one of claims 14 to 17, wherein an update speed or an interval of values to be updated by the correction update process changes when the control process receives a shift command. Processing method.   The image processing method according to claim 16, wherein the correction update direction detection step uses image information.   22. The image processing method according to claim 21, wherein the image information uses a histogram of a specific area of the image.   19. The image processing method according to claim 18, wherein the correction value pitch or the update speed is changed depending on the movement range.   26. The image processing method according to claim 25, wherein when the movement range is wide, the correction pitch is rough or the update speed is high, and when the movement range is narrow, the correction pitch is fine or the update speed is slow. Image processing method.

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