JP2007036592A - Image processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing apparatus capable of generating image data wherein a color image and a black/white image are intermingled from raw image data associated with the color image with a simple method. <P>SOLUTION: The image processing apparatus applies desired correction to the raw image data associated with the color image to generate output image data and includes a hue designation means for providing an operation environment wherein an operator can designate a desired hue, and obtains the output image data wherein the color image and the black/white image are intermingled by applying black/white image data conversion processing to pixels whose hues are dissident with the hue designated by the operator among pixels configuring the raw image data. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, and more particularly to an image processing apparatus that performs special image processing on original image data relating to a color image and generates output image data.

  In recent years, in DPE stores, image data (original image data) read from photographic film and various media brought in by customers is subjected to digital image processing such as color density correction and contrast correction to make it look better. A service that generates good (clean) image data, outputs a photographic print based on the image data, and provides it to the user is widely used.

  In addition, there are an increasing number of customers who wish to output interesting photo prints or the like by applying special processing to the original image data.

  One example of such special processing is generation of image data in which a color image and a monochrome image are mixed. For example, by converting a portion other than a specific target object (a part of the subject) into a black and white image, only the target object is highlighted, and interesting image data is obtained.

  However, in the conventional technique, when converting a black and white image, first, it is necessary to designate a specific area (area to be converted into a black and white image, specifically, a portion other than a specific object). For this reason, it takes a lot of labor, and there is a situation that the service provided at a DPE store is not practical because of poor productivity.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and can perform predetermined image processing on a part other than a specific object by a simple method, and generate image data that clearly emphasizes the object. An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus capable of performing the above.

  An image processing apparatus according to the present invention is an image processing apparatus that generates desired image data by performing desired correction on original image data relating to a color image, and has an operation environment in which an operator can specify a desired hue. Generates image data for output by applying a process related to a predetermined color conversion to the hue designation means to be provided and pixels having a hue that does not match the hue designated by the operator among the pixels constituting the original image data Image data generating means for performing the processing.

  According to the image processing apparatus having the above-described configuration, for the original image data, it is possible to perform processing related to predetermined color conversion only on the pixel portion related to a hue other than the hue desired by a user such as a customer. When the user designates the hue of a specific object (a part of the subject), a process related to a predetermined color conversion is performed on image data related to a part other than the hue, that is, a part (area) other than the specific object. In addition, the image data that represents only the specific target object (that is, emphasized) is not limited to the image data or the object, but for example, a plurality of portions (regions) related to the specified hue are characteristically displayed. The obtained image data can be easily obtained.

  The operating environment provided by the designating means is preferably embodied by a GUI (Graphical User Interface) that is easy to operate and has excellent maintainability including improvements.

  The hue (generally indicated by 0 to 360 (degrees) according to a so-called hue circle) can also be specified by a range (for example, specified in the range of 50 to 60 (degrees)). In this case, only the image data relating to a portion (area) other than the designated hue range is subjected to processing related to predetermined color conversion.

  Further, it is preferable that the predetermined process is a conversion process into black-and-white image data or sepia image data because it can be differentiated from the designated hue (range) by an easy process.

  As described above, according to the image processing apparatus of the present invention, by specifying a desired hue (range), image data relating to a portion (area) other than the specified hue (range) with respect to the original image data. Since the processing related to the predetermined color conversion can be performed, the specific object can be clearly emphasized, or interesting image data in which the specific color is emphasized can be easily obtained.

  Hereinafter, an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is an external view of a photographic processing apparatus provided with an image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of the photographic processing apparatus. This photographic processing apparatus reads image data from a photographic film F or a recording medium M, performs digital image processing such as color density correction and contrast correction on the image data, and generates image data for output. 1 and a printing apparatus 2 that prints an image on the photosensitive material PA based on the image data output from the image processing apparatus 1.

  The image processing apparatus 1 includes a film scanner 3 that reads an image from a photographic film F, a media drive 4a that can read and write image data from and to a recording medium M such as a memory card and a CD-R, and a large number of images read from the recording medium M. Large-capacity hard disk 4b capable of recording the image data (image file) and the like, a main control device 5 for controlling the entire photographic processing device including the control of the image processing device 1, and operations related to the control of the main control device 5 A monitor 6 for displaying a screen and the like and an input device 7 (keyboard 7a and mouse 7b) for receiving an operation command from the operator are provided. Note that the monitor 6 may be configured by a touch panel method, and an operation command may be received using an operator's finger, a dedicated input pen, or the like.

  The main control device 5 includes a CPU 8 that is a main body of the control and calculation, a ROM 9a that stores an image processing program, a RAM 9b that is used as a work area for processing, and various external devices (film scanner 3, media drive 4a). The hard disk 4b, the monitor 6 and the input device 7) are provided with an I / O processing unit 10 for performing I / O processing.

  The printing apparatus 2 includes an exposure processing unit 11 that performs exposure processing on the photosensitive material PA based on image data that has been subjected to image processing by the image processing device 1, and a development processing unit 12 that performs development processing on the exposed photosensitive material PA. The drying processing unit 13 performs drying processing on the developed photosensitive material PA, and the sorting processing unit 14 performs sorting processing on the photosensitive material PA that has been dried and turned into a photograph.

  The exposure processing unit 11 pulls out the photosensitive material PA from the pair of magazines 15 a and 15 b and conveys it to the downstream side by the conveying roller pair 16. Then, the photosensitive material PA is exposed by a PLZT type exposure device 17 constituted by a light source 17a composed of a halogen lamp or the like and an optical shutter 17c connected to the light source 17a via an optical fiber bundle 17b. The exposure device 17 is not limited to the PLZT method, and may be a laser method, a CRT method, or the like.

  The development processing unit 12 performs processing such as development, bleaching, fixing, and stabilization on the photosensitive material PA.

  The drying processing unit 13 performs a process of blowing hot air from the hot air device 18 to the photosensitive material PA sent from the development processing unit 12 to dry the phenomenon liquid adhering to the photosensitive material PA.

  The sorting processing unit 14 sorts the photosensitive material PA that has been subjected to the exposure processing, development processing, and drying processing according to size, and the small-sized photosensitive material PA sorted by the size sorting unit 19 for each order. And an order sorting unit 20 for sorting.

  The size sorting unit 19 discharges the photosensitive material PA having a large size to the tray 21 and conveys the photosensitive material PA having a small size to the conveyor 22. The order sorting unit 20 distributes the photosensitive material PA conveyed by the conveyor 22 to each tray 23 for each order.

  The above configuration is generally provided in a small photographic processing device called a “minilab” installed in a print service store such as a DPE store. The image processing apparatus 1 can generate interesting image data by easily performing special processing, which will be described later, on image data (original image data) read from a photographic film F or recording medium M brought in by a customer. It has excellent characteristics that have never been seen before. Hereinafter, this feature will be described in detail. It should be noted that provision of GUI (graphical user interface) and internal processing relating to the following image processing are actually realized by starting the image processing program stored in the ROM 9a by the CPU 8 of the main control device 5. However, for the sake of convenience, the main processing unit will be described as the main controller 5. The GUI is provided via the monitor 6.

  The original image data read from the photographic film F or the recording medium M brought in by the customer is displayed in the original image display area 32 of the color conversion data creation screen 31 shown in FIG. Not displayed in the format called from the menu screen.) At that time, the main control device 5 converts the original image data in the RGB format into data in the YCbCr format (data composed of lightness (Y) and saturation (C) components) using a predetermined conversion table or the like, This is stored in the RAM 9b. Further, the hue (hue data) for each pixel constituting the original image data is obtained from the converted Cb and Cr using a predetermined calculation formula or the like, and is stored in the RAM 9b. The processing function unit related to the color conversion data creation screen 31 of the main control device 5 constitutes a hue designation unit and an image data generation unit.

  In the hue designation bar 34, the types of each hue are displayed according to a so-called hue circle (0 to 359 degrees) to such an extent that it can be generally discriminated. The sliders 35 and 36 can be slid left and right in the hue designation bar 34 by using the mouse 7b, etc., and the lower limit of the hue can be designated by the slider 35, and the upper limit of the hue can be designated by the slider 36. It has become. Therefore, the operator can easily designate a desired hue range while checking various hues displayed on the hue designation bar 34.

  The operator can convert the original image data into image data in which a color image and a monochrome image are mixed by operating through the color conversion data creation screen 31. Specifically, when the hue range is designated by the hue designation bar 34 described above and the “OK” button 38 is pressed, the designated hue range among the pixels constituting the original image data is determined by internal processing. Pixels related to hues that do not match are extracted, and only the extracted pixels are converted into a black and white image, thereby obtaining image data in which only a portion (area) other than the designated hue range is a black and white image. The converted image data is displayed in the post-conversion display area 33.

  Here, extraction of pixels that do not match the designated hue range is performed using the hue data relating to the original image acquired previously. In addition, the conversion to the black and white image requires only a process of setting the saturation components (Cb and Cr) of the YCbCr data related to the previously acquired original image to 0 and converting the data to RGB data again, and complicated processing is required. There is no.

  The operation through the color conversion data creation screen 31 will be described with a specific example. For example, the operator has a hue corresponding to the color (for example, blue) of the body of the car that is a part of the subject in the original image. When the range is designated using the hue designation bar 34 and the “OK” button 38 is pressed, the color (blue) of the car body remains unchanged, and the other part (that is, the area other than the car body) becomes a black and white image. The converted image data is generated, and the result is displayed in the display area 33 after conversion. Here, when the “close” button 39 is pressed, an operation screen (not shown) relating to output is displayed (or the screen returns to the original screen from which the color conversion data creation screen 31 is called), and the converted image data is photographed. It can be printed and output, or recorded on a recording medium M for output (that is, provided to a customer).

  Note that when the “revert” button 37 on the color conversion data creation screen 31 is pressed, the conversion can be invalidated (the converted data once generated is deleted), and the state before the conversion can be restored.

  As described above, when the color conversion data creation screen 31 is used, it is possible to easily obtain interesting image data in which only a specific object is emphasized. In addition, since it is not necessary to specify the region of the object to be emphasized, for example, even when there are a plurality of objects of the same color in the original image data (for example, when shooting a flower garden etc.), all such objects are easily applied. Image data in which an object (for example, a petal) is emphasized can be obtained.

  As described above, according to the image processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment of the present invention, a portion other than the hue desired by the customer (in other words, the object) is converted into a black and white image with respect to the original image data by a simple technique. Therefore, it is easy to obtain image data that clearly emphasizes the portion related to the hue (object). Therefore, in a DPE store or the like in which the photo processing apparatus of this embodiment is installed, it is possible to expand services without reducing productivity.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, A various change is possible in the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention.

  For example, in the color conversion data creation screen 31 of the above embodiment, output image data is generated by changing a portion (area) of the original image data other than the specified hue (range) to a monochrome image. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the specification may be such that image data for output is generated by changing to a sepia image.

1 is an external view of a photographic processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic block diagram of the photographic processing apparatus which concerns on the same embodiment. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a color conversion data creation screen 31 displayed on a monitor in the embodiment. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image processing apparatus, 2 ... Printing apparatus, 3 ... Film scanner, 4a ... Media drive, 4b ... Hard disk, 5 ... Main controller, 6 ... Monitor, 7 ... Input device, 8 ... CPU, 9a ... ROM, 9b ... RAM, 10 ... I / O processing unit, 11 ... exposure processing unit, 12 ... development processing unit, 13 ... drying processing unit, 14 ... sorting processing unit, 15a, 15b ... magazine, 16 ... conveying roller pair, 17 ... exposure 17a ... light source bundle, 17c ... optical shutter, 18 ... hot air device, 19 ... size sorting unit, 20 ... order sorting unit, 21 ... tray, 22 ... conveyor, 23 ... dish, 31 ... color conversion Data creation screen, 32 ... Original image display area, 33 ... Display area after conversion, 34 ... Hue designation bar, 35, 36 ... Slider, 37 ... Undo button, 38 ... OK button, 39 ... Close That button

Claims (3)

An image processing device that performs desired correction on original image data relating to a color image and generates image data for output,
A hue designation means for providing an operating environment in which an operator can designate a desired hue;
Image data generating means for generating image data for output by performing a process related to a predetermined color conversion on a pixel of a hue that does not match the hue specified by the operator among the pixels constituting the original image data;
An image processing apparatus comprising:   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the process related to the predetermined color conversion is a conversion process to black and white image data.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the process related to the predetermined color conversion is a conversion process to sepia image data.

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