JP2007072852A - Image processing device, cellular telephone, image processing method and image processing program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technique that generates a superimposed image with noise suppressed by extremely simple processing. <P>SOLUTION: First image data representing a first image, second image data representing a second image, and display specifying image data including at least either a substantially maximum gradation value representing pixels for displaying the first image or a substantially minimum gradation value representing pixels for displaying the second image are captured. An arithmetic operation: (b1 AND b3) OR (b2 AND (NOT b3)), wherein b1 is the first image data, b2 is the second image data and b3 is the display specifying image data, or an equivalent operation, generates the value of the each bit of the each pixel of superimposed image data obtained by superimposing the first image and the second image. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing device, a mobile phone, an image processing method, and an image processing program.

When two images are superimposed, image data indicating the superposition ratio is used. This image data is called an α channel, and is superimposed by linearly combining the gradation values of the first and second images using the α channel as a coefficient. In general, image data has three components (for example, RGB, YCbCr, etc.), and each component expresses gradation, so that each of the three components has multiple gradations (for example, 256). The data format handled by (gradation) is general-purpose. Therefore, a technique is known in which all three components have the same value for the α channel and have a general data format having three multi-tone components in a pseudo manner (see, for example, Patent Document 1). .
JP 2004-222186 A

  As described above, when the α channel having a general-purpose data format is handled, noise is always generated when irreversible compression is performed, so that a gradation value different from that of the α channel before compression is generated. As a result, noise is generated when the image is superimposed based on the compressed α channel. More specifically, when a pixel that displays only the first image in the α channel is expressed by a specific gradation value, the specific gradation is obtained by irreversible compression using the multi-gradation general-purpose data format. The value is a value other than a specific gradation value. As a result, the second image is displayed on the pixel where the first image is to be displayed.

This problem is prominent in low-resource devices such as mobile phones and printing devices. That is, in a relatively resource-rich device such as a personal computer, an image is scanned to determine whether noise is generated in each pixel, and if it is noise, noise removal processing is performed. It is possible. However, if the above-described processing is performed in a device with a small amount of resources, it takes a very long time, and for example, a large stress is given to the user when displaying the combined image. On the other hand, if no countermeasure against the noise is taken, the result of inappropriate image superimposition will be displayed.
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a technique for generating a superimposed image in which noise is not noticeable by a very simple process.

  In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, at least a substantially maximum gradation value indicating a pixel displaying the first image and a substantially minimum gradation value indicating a pixel displaying the second image. The first image data and the second image data are superimposed on the display designation image data including any of them. At this time, the gradation value indicating the pixel displaying the first image is converted into a pixel in the first image, and the approximate value is converted into the approximate value of the pixel in the first image, or the second The gradation value indicating the pixel displaying the image is converted into a pixel in the second image, and the approximate value is converted into an approximate value of the pixel in the second image. As a result, it is possible to generate a superimposed image in which noise is not noticeable even when noise due to lossy compression occurs.

  Specifically, for each pixel and each bit, the first image data is b1, the second image data is b2, and the display designation image data is b3. (B1 AND b3) OR (b2 AND (NOT b3)) Or an equivalent operation is performed. That is, in the present invention, in the display designation image data, for example, the first image is displayed with substantially the maximum gradation value in the gradation value range. Pixels having gradation values other than the maximum gradation value are pixels for displaying the second image. On the other hand, if the display-designated image data is multi-gradation data that has been irreversibly compressed, it was represented by only two gradation values, the substantially maximum gradation value and the other gradation values before compression. Even in the case of data, gradation values (noise) other than two gradation values are included when decompressed after compression.

  Therefore, when display based on display designation image data after compression is performed in accordance with the above rule, the pixel having the substantially maximum gradation value before compression but not the substantially maximum gradation value after compression is changed to the pixel. 2 image is displayed, resulting in a superimposed image with noticeable noise. However, in the present invention, even for a pixel that has lost the substantially maximum gradation value due to compression, the approximate value of the pixel is converted to the approximate color of the first image, and the compression is performed with the approximately minimum gradation value. Since the approximate value of the missing pixel is converted to the approximate color of the second image, the pixel that should be the first image does not become the second image, and noise exists but is extremely inconspicuous. be able to. Of course, the second image is displayed with substantially the minimum gradation value in the gradation value range with the display designation image data, and other gradation values are displayed even when the first image is displayed. By performing the above logical operation or a logical operation equivalent thereto, it is possible to superimpose the noise so that it is inconspicuous although noise exists.

  In the first image data and the second image data, it is only necessary to indicate images superimposed on each other, and the contents of the images are not particularly limited. For example, a configuration in which one is a photographic image and the other is an image showing a frame of the photographic image can be employed. Also, images with different sizes (number of pixels) may be used. However, in this case, the superposition position is defined by layout data or the like for specifying the position to be superposed.

  The display designation image data includes at least one of a substantially maximum gradation value indicating a pixel for displaying the first image and a substantially minimum gradation value indicating a pixel for displaying the second image. Just go out. As the substantially maximum gradation value, a value close to the maximum gradation value can be adopted, but in order to easily achieve the object according to the present invention by a small number of logical operations, the maximum value of the gradation value range. It is preferable that the gradation value is a gradation value in which all digits are 1 when the gradation value is expressed in binary. As a range of values close to the maximum gradation value, the range of the values is defined so as to be converted to an approximate color (a color that can be recognized as substantially the same color) of the first image as a result of the logical operation. In this range, a predetermined value may be determined in advance. The same applies to the substantially minimum gradation value, and the minimum value of the gradation value range is preferable. However, the range of the value can be defined so as to be converted into the approximate color of the second image as a result of the logical operation. In this range, a predetermined value may be determined in advance.

  The storage means only needs to be able to store these first image data, second image data, and display designation image data, and may be an internal memory built in the image processing apparatus, or via various interfaces. It may be an external memory connected. These data may be downloaded using a communication function, or may be stored in the internal memory or the external memory using another device such as a computer.

  When the first image data is represented as b1, the second image data is represented as b2, and the display designation image data is represented as b3, the superimposed image data generating means (b1 AND b3) OR (b2 AND (NOT b3) ) Or an equivalent operation can be performed, and various configurations can be employed as long as the calculation can be performed. That is, the operation in the present invention is a logical operation that refers to image data, and requires processing for performing logical product, logical sum, negation, negative logical product, negative logical sum, exclusive logical sum, etc. between the two image data. Accordingly, it is only necessary to perform a plurality of operations and perform an operation equivalent to the above logic to superimpose images. For example, a logical operation obtained by converting the above logic according to Domorgan's law can be implemented, and an equivalent operation may be expressed by changing positive logic and negative logic.

  In the present invention, it is extremely important to perform the superimposition by combining logical operations between image data. In other words, as one method for noise reduction, there is a method for determining whether or not it is noise by scanning all pixels in the image data and removing the noise in the case of noise. Therefore, it is difficult to employ it with a device with small resources.

  However, if it is a logical operation between images, the operation result can be obtained immediately based on the gradation value of the pixel. At this time, without substantially analyzing the gradation value in the display designation image data, the pixel having the substantially maximum gradation value can be set as the first image, and the approximate value can be set as the approximate value of the first image. . Therefore, it is possible to simultaneously perform the process of making noise inconspicuous and the superimposition process at a very high speed.

  For example, the color component of the first image data is an 8-bit gradation value, the component of the display designation image data is an 8-bit gradation value, and the gradation value “11111111 (decimal number 255) of the display designation image data. ) "Is a gradation value indicating a pixel displaying the first image, and if the logical product with the color component of the first image data is performed, the output becomes the value as it is of the color component of the first image data. . On the other hand, even if the gradation value “11111111” of the display designation image data slightly changes due to noise and becomes an approximate value “11111101” or the like, the logical product with the color component of the first image data is the first image. It is an approximate color of the color component of the data.

  Note that the pixel that is an approximate value of the substantially maximum gradation value was the approximately maximum gradation value before compression, but it is different from other gradation values after decompression due to irreversible compression. The pixel that is an approximate value of the above-mentioned approximately minimum gradation value was the approximately minimum gradation value before compression, but due to irreversible compression, other pixels after expansion It is a pixel that has become a tone value. In the present application, the conversion is performed without analyzing the gradation value. Accordingly, it is not necessary to determine whether or not the approximation is performed by defining a difference between the substantially maximum gradation value or the substantially minimum gradation value and the other gradation values. Actually, by simply executing a logical operation, the pixel that is the approximate value of the substantially maximum gradation value is the approximate color of the first image and the approximate value of the approximately minimum gradation value. The pixel can be converted to be an approximate color of the second image.

  As described above, if the logical product is used, the pixel having the substantially maximum gradation value is used as the first image without analyzing the gradation value at all, or the approximate value is used as the approximate value of the first image. Can be carried out by a single calculation. Of course, this type of operation is not limited to logical product, and can be implemented by combining logical operations. Even if the logical operation is repeated twice or more, the operation can be completed very easily as compared with the case where the gradation value is analyzed. In many cases, logical operations are installed as standard functions (for example, an OS standard API) in various devices (for example, mobile phones and printing apparatuses). By using this function, superimposed image data in the present invention is used. It is possible to carry out the processing of the generating means.

  Furthermore, a situation in which the pixels that should display the first image designated by the display designation image data form a predetermined first area, and the pixels that should display the second image form a predetermined second area When the present invention is applied, the effect appears remarkably. That is, when the substantially maximum gradation value indicating the pixel on which the first image is to be displayed is discretely arranged in the image, even if noise is generated by the lossy compression, the noise may not be noticeable. possible. However, when the first region is formed by a plurality of substantially maximum gradation values adjacent to each other and the second region is formed by a plurality of substantially minimum gradation values adjacent to each other, Noise generated in the vicinity is conspicuous.

  That is, the first region that should be formed only by the substantially maximum gradation value includes gradation values other than the substantially maximum gradation value, and the second region that should be formed only by the substantially minimum gradation value is substantially omitted. A gradation value other than the minimum gradation value is included. In this case, the noise included in the first area is an approximate value of the substantially maximum gradation value, and the noise included in the second area is an approximate value of the approximately minimum gradation value. Accordingly, discrete noise is included in each region, and the noise becomes conspicuous unless the process by the superimposed image data generation means is performed. Therefore, if processing by the superimposed image data generation means is executed in such a situation, discrete noise in each region can be made inconspicuous, and there is no sense of incongruity when displaying an image based on the superimposed image data. Display can be made.

  By the way, it can also be considered that the above-described image superimposition proceeds according to a predetermined procedure, and the invention exists in the procedure. Therefore, the present invention can also be applied as a method. In addition, when trying to implement the present invention, a predetermined program may be executed. Therefore, the present invention can be implemented as the program. Any storage medium can be used to provide the program. For example, a magnetic recording medium or a magneto-optical recording medium may be used, and any recording medium that will be developed in the future can be considered in the same manner. In addition, even when a part is software and a part is realized by hardware, the idea of the present invention is not completely different, and a part is recorded on a recording medium and is appropriately changed as necessary. It includes a reading form. Furthermore, the duplication stages such as the primary replica and the secondary replica are equivalent without any question.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in the following order.
(1) Configuration of image processing apparatus:
(1-1) Package data configuration:
(2) Image display processing:
(3) Other embodiments:

(1) Configuration of image processing apparatus:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a hardware and software configuration of a mobile phone 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the mobile phone realizes various functions such as a telephone call and data communication, and functions as an image processing apparatus by performing image processing as a part of the functions. The mobile phone 10 includes a removable memory I / F 11a, a display unit 12, an input button 13, a communication unit 14, a CPU 15, a ROM 16, and a RAM 17. The CPU 15 is connected to each unit via a bus, and can execute a predetermined program in cooperation with the ROM 16 and the RAM 17.

  The display unit 12 is a display provided in the mobile phone 10, and can display various images, UIs, and the like under the control of the CPU 15. The input button 13 includes a plurality of push buttons, and the CPU 15 can receive a push operation of the push button and acquire various input information. The communication unit 14 performs wireless communication with a base station (not shown) under the control of the CPU 15 and performs a call and data communication.

  The removable memory 11 can be attached to the removable memory I / F 11a, and the CPU 15 can write data to the removable memory 11 and read data from the removable memory 11. In the present embodiment, the removable memory 11 indicates image data indicating a frame image that is an image to be superimposed, alpha channel data for instructing superimposition of a frame image and a photographic image, and a position when the image is superimposed. Package data 11b including layout data and a photo file 11c indicating a photo image associated with the package data are stored.

  The package data 11b and the photo file 11c only have to be stored in the removable memory 11 before the image is displayed, and this data may be obtained by downloading or from another device (for example, a personal computer). You may get it. In the present embodiment, the removable memory 11 corresponds to storage means in the claims.

(1-1) Package data configuration:
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the package data 11b. As shown in the figure, the package data 11b includes a script file 11b1 describing layout data, a frame thumbnail file 11b2 indicating thumbnail data of a frame image, a frame file 11b3 indicating print data of the frame image, a photographic image, and a frame image. And an α channel file 11b4 describing an α channel indicating the transmittance when the two are superimposed. Also, a photo file 11c indicating photo data thumbnail data and print data is associated with the package data 11b.

  The script file 11b1 may be data including a plurality of parameter data for specifying a layout at the time of printing, and various data formats can be adopted. For example, layout parameters can be described using tags (XML format, XHTML format, etc.), and the above-described layout data, that is, the type of printing paper (size (A4, postcard, L version, etc.)) And quality (glossy paper, plain paper, etc.), character frame position, character frame size, upper limit (number of characters) of characters that can be included in the character frame, character size, character content, etc.

  In addition, coordinates are described in the layout data in order to specify the position when the frame image and the photographic image are superimposed. In these coordinates, it is only necessary to specify the pixel at the same position in both image data when both images are superimposed, and the position of the pixel can be specified by various methods. For example, a fixed coordinate system is defined, and in this fixed coordinate system, the position of a pixel at a specific position in the frame image (for example, the pixel at the upper left corner) and the position of a pixel at a specific position in the photographic image (for example, the pixel at the upper left corner) It is possible to adopt a configuration that defines

  The frame thumbnail file 11b2 is thumbnail data of a frame image, and the file format is JPEG format. Therefore, a file that starts with an SOI (Start of Image) marker and ends with an EOI (End of Image) marker includes predetermined markers and data, and describes image data indicating a frame image in this format.

  It is possible to describe data that starts with an SOI (Start of Image) marker and ends with an EOI (End of Image) marker in the application marker portion, and the application marker portion is irreversibly compressed in JPEG format. The image data of the frame image may be included, or the image data of the frame image may be described in a portion indicated by “compressed data” in FIG. 2, and as long as the thumbnail data of the frame image is described. A configuration can be adopted. It is possible to describe the image data of the same size in the application marker part and the compressed data part, and if the data before and after editing the thumbnail data are described separately, the editing undo process can be easily performed. Possible and preferred.

  The frame file 11b3 includes print data for frame images, and the file format is JPEG format. The contents of the images shown in the frame thumbnail file 11b2 and the frame file 11b3 are the same, but the image shown in the frame thumbnail file 11b2 is an image for thumbnail display, and has a lower resolution than the image shown in the frame file 11b3. It is. In the present embodiment, the frame thumbnail file 11b2 and the frame file 11b3 are separate files. Of course, the image data indicated by the frame file 11b3 may be described in the compressed data portion of the frame thumbnail file 11b2.

  Note that a frame image is an image showing a frame, a background, or the like superimposed on a photographic image, and can be defined by a figure of any color and shape. For this reason, in the frame image, the color of each pixel is defined by three multi-tone color components, and FIG. 2 shows an example of the frame corresponding to the frame thumbnail file 11b2. In this example, the display part of the photographic image is shown by a white part in the center, and the hatch part around it is a frame. Since the frame image is an arbitrary color, an arbitrary gradation value is defined for each of the three color components, which is indicated by hatching. In addition, the white portion at the center is an arbitrary gradation value.

  The photo file 11c includes photo image thumbnail data and print data, and the file format is the EXIF format (EXIF is a registered trademark of the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association). In the present embodiment, thumbnail data of a photographic image is described in an application marker portion (APP1 in FIG. 2), and print data is described in a compressed data portion (portion indicated as “compressed data” in FIG. 2). Yes. Both data are compressed in JPEG format.

  Note that a photographic image is an image to be superimposed on a frame image. In this embodiment, the photograph image is a photographed image of a person or a landscape, and the color of each pixel is defined by three multi-tone color components. . Of course, the application object of the present invention is not limited to a photographic image, and can be applied to various images. FIG. 2 shows an example of a photo corresponding to the photo file 11c. In this example, thumbnail data described in APP1 is shown, indicating that a person image is formed by three color components.

In the present embodiment, the photographic image is smaller than the frame image, and the size of the frame image is indicated by a broken line around the thumbnail of the photographic image in FIG. In the layout data, the positional relationship between the frame image is defined by defining the coordinate C ₀ in the frame image shown in the upper left corner of the broken line and the coordinate C ₁ shown in the upper left corner of the photographic image in the same coordinate system. It will be. In the present embodiment, the photographic image corresponds to the first image, and the frame image corresponds to the second image.

  The α channel file 11b4 shows the transmittance when superimposing a frame image while transmitting a photographic image in multiple gradations. In the present invention, the maximum gradation value ("11111111" in FIG. 2) is shown. The pixel to display the photographic image indicates the pixel, and the other gradation values indicate the pixel to display the frame image. Note that the α channel is also compressed in the JPEG format, and the minimum value of the gradation value (“00000000” in FIG. 2) is assigned to the pixels other than the pixel on which the photographic image is to be displayed before compression. That is, the α channel is 256 gradation multi-gradation data.

  In the present embodiment, the α channel file 11b4 is also a JPEG format file. That is, since the α channel indicates the transmittance, one component is essentially sufficient, but the cellular phone 10 has few file formats that can be handled, and three components that are more versatile than handling image data of only one component. Since it is more convenient to handle the JPEG file, the α channel file 11b4 is formed in the JPEG format. Therefore, in this embodiment, the α channel of each pixel is defined for a certain component, and the same value is substituted for the other two components. Of course, since only one component is used as the α channel, arbitrary data can be substituted for the other two components.

  Further, thumbnail data and print data also exist in the α channel. In this embodiment, thumbnail data is described in the application marker portion (APP7 in FIG. 2), and print data is compressed data portion (FIG. 2). In “the portion indicated as“ compressed data ””. Note that the number of pixels of the α channel image is the same as the number of pixels of the frame image. FIG. 2 shows an example of α channel data corresponding to the α channel file 11b4. In this example, thumbnail data described in APP7 is shown, and the white portion corresponds to the gradation value “11111111”, and the black portion corresponds to the gradation value “00000000”.

  In the present embodiment, both the alpha channel thumbnail data and the print data are compressed in the JPEG format. Since the JEPG format is lossy compression, the gradation value “11111111” portion (corresponding to the above-described region 1) and the gradation value “00000000” portion (corresponding to the above-described region 2) are clearly defined before compression. Even if they are separated by different boundaries, noise is included when the compressed data is expanded.

  FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the noise after development. FIG. 4A shows the thumbnail data of the α channel, and this example is an example of the same image as FIG. FIG. 2B shows a part of the thumbnail data after expansion. In this example, a pixel having a gradation value “11111111” exists on the left side from the boundary B before compression, and a pixel having a gradation value “00000000” exists on the right side from the boundary B. On the other hand, when the compressed image is expanded, most of the pixels existing on the left side of the boundary B have the gradation value “11111111” and most of the pixels existing on the right side of the boundary B have the gradation value “00000000”. In the vicinity of B, noise different from these gradation values is generated.

  In FIG. 3B, the noise pixels are indicated by rectangles and distributed in the vicinity of the boundary B as shown in this example. Although these noises are different from the gradation values of the original pixels, they are approximate values. For example, a noise pixel indicated by a black rectangle on the left side of the boundary B is an approximate value of the original gradation value “11111111” such as a gradation value “11111010”. A noise pixel indicated by a white rectangle on the right side of the boundary B is an approximate value of the original gradation value “00000000”, such as the gradation value “00000011”.

  As described above, in the present invention, a gradation value “11111111” indicates a pixel on which a photographic image is to be displayed, and other gradation values indicate pixels on which a frame image is to be displayed. Therefore, when an image is displayed based on this definition, a photographic image is not displayed on a black rectangular pixel on the left side of the boundary B, and a frame image is displayed. This results in obvious noise. Of course, it is possible to define a pixel to display a frame image with a gradation value of “00000000”. In this case, however, white is displayed in the region on the right side of the boundary B where the frame image is to be displayed. A frame image is not displayed on the rectangular pixel, and a photographic image is displayed. Therefore, in the present invention, by performing the processing described later, superimposed image data that can be displayed so that noise exists but noise does not stand out is generated.

  In the present embodiment, the layout data described in the script file 11b1 indicates a layout when printing is performed based on image data for printing. Therefore, it can be said that the plurality of files included in the package data 11b in the present embodiment are files prepared for printing. This printing is executed by mounting the removable memory 11 on a printer (not shown) and processing by the printer based on the package data 11b.

  Therefore, printing is not performed under the control of the mobile phone 10. However, the cellular phone 10 can display the superimposed image on the display unit 12 based on the package data 11b, and can execute a preview for confirming the superimposed image before the printing. . When such a preview is performed, display can be performed based on thumbnail data (generally lower resolution than print data) instead of print data, and the present invention is applied to this preview display. preferable. That is, in the present invention, since noise is not removed but made inconspicuous, it is preferably applied to a preview that is completed by a temporary process, rather than being applied at the time of printing in which image quality is easily questioned.

  The mobile phone 10 shown in FIG. 1 includes a display program 18 for superimposing and displaying a plurality of images on various programs that can be executed by the CPU 15 in order to execute the preview. The display program 18 includes an image processing unit 18a, a script analysis unit 18b, and an input control unit 18c. The image processing unit 18a is a module that performs processing for handling images, and performs processing for displaying images on the display unit 12 and processing for superimposing images based on the package data 11b. The script analysis unit 18b performs a process of analyzing the layout data included in the package data 11b. The input control unit 18 c acquires data indicating the input content based on the operation performed with the input button 13. For example, the designation of the package data 11b is accepted based on the operation of the input button 13.

(2) Image display processing:
In the above configuration, the display program 18 generates superimposed image data with reference to the package data 11b, and displays an image based on the superimposed image data on the mobile phone 10. The superimposed image data creation process and image display process will be described in detail below. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a superimposed image data creation process and an image display process. The user of the mobile phone 10 can start the display program 18 by operating the input button 13 of the mobile phone 10. After the display program 18 is started, the user first operates the input button 13. Package data 11b is selected (step S100).

  That is, the image processing unit 18a can access the removable memory 11, acquire a plurality of package data 11b stored in the removable memory 11, and control the display of the display unit 12 to select one of them. Provide options. When the user designates the desired package data 11b with the input button 13, and the input control unit 18c acquires the contents of the instruction, the selection of the package data 11b is confirmed.

  The image included in the selected package data 11b and the photo file 11c associated with the selected package data 11b is an image to be displayed, and the image processing unit 18a selects the selected package data 11b and the photo file. Referring to 11c, the thumbnail data of the frame image, the thumbnail data of the photographic image, and the thumbnail data of the α channel are acquired (step S110). That is, referring to the frame thumbnail file 11b2 included in the package data 11b, the thumbnail data of the frame image is acquired, and the compressed data of the three components is expanded and held in the RAM 17.

Further, referring to the photo file 11c, the thumbnail data of the photo image is acquired from the application marker portion, and the compressed data of the three components is expanded and held in the RAM 17. Further, by referring to the α channel file 11b4 included in the package data 11b, the α channel thumbnail data is acquired from the application marker portion, and the three-component compressed data is expanded and held in the RAM 17. Here, the thumbnail data of the photographic image is represented as (I ₁ ), the thumbnail data of the frame image is represented as (I ₂ ), and the thumbnail data of the α channel is represented as (α). Of course, in the α channel, since one specific component is significant, it is sufficient to store data of only one specific component in the RAM 17.

  Next, the script analysis unit 18b acquires the script file 11b1 and analyzes the coordinates of the frame image and the photographic image (step S120). As a result, since the relative positional relationship between the thumbnail of the frame image and the thumbnail of the photographic image can be grasped, the overlapping position of the image is specified by specifying the pixels at the same position in the mutual data (step S130). In the present embodiment, the alpha channel thumbnail and the frame image thumbnail are the same size, and therefore, the process of specifying the overlapping position of the two is not performed. The coordinates of the channel are described in the script file 11b1, and the superposition position is specified.

As described above, after acquiring each image data and specifying pixels at the same position in each image data, a logical operation based on these image data is performed to generate superimposed image data. For this purpose, first, the image processing unit 18a performs an AND operation based on the thumbnail data (α) of the α channel and the thumbnail data (I ₁ ) of the photographic image (step S140). In the present embodiment, the image data obtained by this logical operation is referred to as _third image data (I ₃ ).

Next, the image processing unit 18a performs a negative operation on the α-channel thumbnail data (referred to as “not α”), and performs an AND operation based on the calculation result (not α) and the thumbnail data (I ₂ ) of the photographic image. (Step S150). In the present embodiment, the image data obtained by this logical operation is referred to as _fourth image data (I ₄ ). Then, superimposed image data is generated by performing a logical sum operation based on the third image data (I ₃ ) and the fourth image data (I ₄ ) (step S160). The above logical operation is performed for each pixel for each color component of the thumbnail data of the photographic image and the thumbnail data of the frame image.

  FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the above processing. This figure shows a state in which the thumbnail data of the photographic image and the thumbnail data of the frame image are superimposed on the thumbnail data of the channel α shown in FIG. In this example, black indicates a gradation value “00000000”, white indicates a gradation value “11111111”, and a hatch indicates an area having an arbitrary gradation value. The noise indicated by a dot is a gradation value other than “00000000” or “11111111”, but is an approximate value thereof. Also, noise that has become inconspicuous due to logic operations is not shown.

As shown in the uppermost part of FIG. 5, the thumbnail data of the α channel is composed of only a region 1 having a gradation value “11111111” and a region 2 having a gradation value “00000000” before compression. However, since the α-channel file 11b4 is configured by JPEG compression, noise is formed at the boundary between the region 1 and the region 2 in this development result. In FIG. 5, the thumbnail data (α) of the expanded α channel is shown in the second row from the top, and noise (white spots and black spots) is generated near the boundary as shown in FIG. In step S140, a logical product operation of the thumbnail data (α) of the α channel and the thumbnail data (I ₁ ) of the photographic image is performed, and the logical operation is performed on the right side of the fifth row from the top in FIG. The result (third image data (I ₃ )) is shown.

  In this calculation, the gradation value in the thumbnail data of the photographic image is output as it is for the pixel of the α channel gradation value “11111111”, and the thumbnail data of the photographic image is output for the pixel of the α channel gradation value “00000000”. Irrespective of the gradation value “00000000” is output. On the other hand, the output for noise other than the α channel tone values “11111111” and “00000000” is different from the tone value and tone value “00000000” in the thumbnail data of the photographic image.

  However, the noise is an approximate value of the gradation value of the α channel before compression as described above. Therefore, when the above logical operation is performed on the approximate value, the output value is the gradation value in the thumbnail data of the photographic image or the approximate value of the gradation value “00000000”. For example, assuming that the α channel corresponding to the pixel of the gradation value “00011111” (decimal number 31) of the photographic image is “11111010” due to noise, the output value is “00011010” (decimal number). 26), an approximate value of the gradation value of the photographic image can be output.

Since the logical operation is performed on all three color components in the image data, and approximate values are output in all three color components, the color of this pixel becomes the approximate color of the original photographic image. Therefore, if an image is displayed based on this image, noise is not noticeable. Note that, in the third image data (I ₃ ), even when noise exists in a region (region 2) around the photographic image, the noise is converted into an approximate color that does not stand out in the same manner.

In step S150, a logical product operation is performed on the result (notα) obtained by performing a negative operation on the thumbnail data of the α channel and the thumbnail data (I ₂ ) of the frame image. The logical operation result (fourth image data (I ₄ )) is shown on the left side of the row.

  In this calculation, the gradation value in the thumbnail data of the frame image is output as it is for the pixel whose gradation value of (notα) is “11111111”, and the frame image for the pixel whose gradation value of (notα) is “00000000”. The gradation value “00000000” is output regardless of the thumbnail data. On the other hand, when the tone value of (not α) is noise other than “11111111” and “00000000”, the corresponding output has a tone value different from the tone value and tone value “00000000” in the thumbnail data of the frame image. Become.

  However, the noise is an approximate value of the gradation value when a negative operation is performed on the α channel before compression. Therefore, when the above logical operation is performed on this approximate value, the output value is the gradation value in the thumbnail data of the frame image or the approximate value of the gradation value “00000000”. Therefore, the color of the pixel after the logical operation is an approximate color of the original frame image or an approximate color of a color whose gradation value is “00000000”. Therefore, if an image is displayed based on this image, noise is not noticeable.

In step S160, the third image data (I ₃ ) and the fourth image data (I ₄ ) generated as described above are combined by logical sum to obtain superimposed image data. Even in the image displayed on the basis, the noise is not noticeable. Therefore, the image processing unit 18a controls the display unit 12 based on the superimposed image data and displays the superimposed image (step S170). As a result, the user of the mobile phone 10 can perform a preview in a state where noise is not noticeable. In the present embodiment, the processing in steps S140 to S160 corresponds to the processing in the superimposed image data generation unit.

(3) Other embodiments:
The above embodiment is an example for realizing the image processing apparatus, the mobile phone, the image processing method, and the image processing program according to the present invention, and other configurations can of course be employed. In the above example, the image data of the photographic image to be superimposed on the frame image is included in the package data 11b in advance, but an image taken with the mobile phone 10 may be used as this photographic image. For this purpose, in the mobile phone 10, in addition to the components shown in FIG. 1, a photography unit (a module that includes an optical system, a sensor, an A / D conversion circuit, and the like and converts a photographed image into image data) is configured. Further, the CPU 15 is configured so that a shooting program can be executed, and image data obtained by shooting with this shooting program is a photo file 11c associated with the package data 11b.

  By performing the above-described processing for this configuration, an image with less noise can be presented on the display unit 12. Further, in this configuration, it is also possible to perform display according to the present invention when an image output from the photography unit is displayed in real time, and to display an image with less noise in real time.

Furthermore, since the combination of logical operations can be converted into another logical operation combination according to Domorgan's law, of course, the combination of logical operations is not limited to the above example, and various combinations can be adopted. That is, when the logical operations of steps S140 to S160 are indicated using the above (α), (I ₁ ), (I ₂ ), “((α) AND (I ₁ )) OR ((notα) AND (I ₂₎₎ and a. Therefore, the logical operation equivalent logical operations, for example, (not ((notα) OR (not (I 1)))) OR (not ((α) OR (not (I 2)) )) Etc., the same calculation can be performed.

Furthermore, the definition of the α channel for displaying an image while making noise inconspicuous is not limited to the above example, and various configurations can be adopted. For example, in contrast to the above-described embodiment, a pixel that should display a photographic image is indicated by the minimum gradation value (“00000000”), and the other gradation values indicate a pixel that should display a frame image. May be defined. In this case, a negative operation is performed on the α-channel thumbnail data in step S140, and a logical product operation of the result and the thumbnail data (I ₁ ) of the photographic image is performed. In step S150, the AND operation of the thumbnail data of the α channel and the thumbnail data (I ₂ ) of the frame image is performed. The other steps in FIG. 4 are the same as in the above embodiment. As a result, the preview can be performed in a state where noise is not noticeable.

  That is, in the present invention, by combining logical operations, the pixel having the substantially maximum gradation value is set as the first image, and the pixel having the approximate value of the substantially maximum gradation value is set as the approximate color of the first image. It is only necessary to perform conversion to make the pixel having the minimum gradation value the second image and conversion to make the pixel having the approximate minimum gradation value the approximate color of the second image. Here, it is important to perform a logical operation. In other words, if it is a logical operation, it is possible to immediately obtain the result without performing the process of determining the gradation value of two image data for each pixel. The result can be obtained very quickly and easily. Therefore, noise cannot be removed in the conversion by the logical operation, but an image having a necessary and sufficient image quality can be displayed at high speed in preview or the like.

  The file format shown in FIG. 2 is an example. For example, the application marker to be used is not limited to the above-described one, and the compression format is not limited to the JPEG format, and noise due to lossy compression may occur. If it is a format, it will become the object which reduces noise by this invention. Further, the package data 11b may be a form including a plurality of files, data in which a plurality of files are associated with each other, or a plurality of files generated in one file.

It is a schematic block diagram which shows the structure of a mobile telephone. It is a figure which shows an example of package data. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the noise after expansion | deployment. It is a flowchart which shows the production | generation of superimposition image data, and the process of an image display. It is a figure which shows the example of a logical operation.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Mobile phone, 11 ... Removable memory, 11a ... Removable memory I / F, 11b ... Package data, 11b1 ... Script file, 11b2 ... Frame thumbnail file, 11b3 ... Frame file, 11b4 ... Alpha channel file, 11c ... Photo file, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 12 ... Display part, 13 ... Input button, 14 ... Communication part, 15 ... CPU, 16 ... ROM, 17 ... RAM, 18 ... Display program, 18a ... Image processing part, 18b ... Script analysis part, 18c ... Input control part

Claims (5)

First image data indicating a first image, second image data indicating a second image, at least a substantially maximum gradation value indicating a pixel displaying the first image, and the second image Storage means for storing display designation image data including any of the substantially minimum gradation values indicating pixels to be displayed;
For each bit of each pixel, when the first image data is represented as b1, the second image data is represented as b2, and the display designation image data is represented as b3,
(B1 AND b3) OR (b2 AND (NOT b3))
Or superimposed image data generation means for generating a value of the bit of the pixel of the superimposed image data obtained by superimposing the first image and the second image by an operation that becomes or an equivalent operation. An image processing apparatus.   The display-designated image data is irreversible with respect to data belonging to either the first region where all pixels have the substantially maximum gradation value or the second region with the substantially minimum gradation value. Due to the lossy compression, the first area includes a gradation value other than the substantially maximum gradation value, and the second area other than the approximately minimum gradation value is generated by performing compression. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing apparatus is data including a plurality of gradation values.   A mobile phone comprising the image processing apparatus according to claim 1. An image processing method for superimposing a plurality of images,
First image data indicating a first image, second image data indicating a second image, at least a substantially maximum gradation value indicating a pixel displaying the first image, and the second image Obtaining display designation image data including any of the substantially minimum gradation values indicating pixels to be displayed;
For each bit of each pixel, when the first image data is represented as b1, the second image data is represented as b2, and the display designation image data is represented as b3,
(B1 AND b3) OR (b2 AND (NOT b3))
The superimposed image data for generating the value of the bit of the pixel of the superimposed image data obtained by superimposing the first image and the second image is calculated by a calculation that becomes or a calculation equivalent thereto. Image processing method. An image processing program for superimposing a plurality of images,
First image data indicating a first image, second image data indicating a second image, and at least a substantially maximum floor indicating pixels displaying the first image, stored in a predetermined storage medium An image data acquisition function for acquiring display designation image data including any of a tone value and a substantially minimum gradation value indicating a pixel for displaying the second image;
For each bit of each pixel, when the first image data is represented as b1, the second image data is represented as b2, and the display designation image data is represented as b3,
(B1 AND b3) OR (b2 AND (NOT b3))
Or a computer that realizes a superimposed image data generation function for generating a value of the bit of the pixel of the superimposed image data obtained by superimposing the first image and the second image by an operation that becomes An image processing program characterized by that.

Images