JP2007215001A - Unit, system, and method for processing image - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform the image reproduction processing of RAW data speedily with high image quality. <P>SOLUTION: In the image reproduction processing of RAW data, it is determined whether a worker PC32 can be used. When the worker PC32 cannot be used, the image reproduction processing is executed in a high-speed mode by a main PC31. When the worker PC32 can be used, the RAW data are transferred to the worker PC32 for performing the image reproduction processing in both the high-speed mode and a high-image-quality one, and differential data are transferred to the main PC31, thus performing the extremely time-consuming image reproduction processing of the high-image-quality mode efficiently by using the worker PC32. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing system, and an image processing method, and more particularly to a technique suitable for use in a system for performing distributed processing of digital image data obtained by photographing with a digital camera using a plurality of image processing apparatuses. It is.

  An imaging device such as a digital still camera performs various image processing on RAW (unprocessed) data obtained by converting an electrical signal of a captured image obtained by photoelectrically converting a subject optical image with an image sensor such as CMOS or CCD into digital data. It is comprised so that it may give.

  As an image sensor for generating RAW data, for example, there is an Bayer array image sensor, which performs color interpolation, gamma correction processing, white balance adjustment processing, and the like, and reproduces an image output by the image output device. Hereinafter, these processes are called image reproduction processes. Note that the Bayer array is an array of color information sensed by each element of the imaging apparatus, and includes an array of R, G, and B values shown in FIG. Since each pixel has only one color information, the Bayer array color interpolation interpolates other color information from the color information of surrounding pixels.

  Here, in the digital still camera, the image data of the recorded image to be recorded has a very large amount of information. Therefore, the amount of image data is reduced by an image compression method such as JPEG encoding before recording on a recording medium. Since such image data is compressed, color information is lost, and an expected image may not be obtained when an image is displayed on a display device or output by a printer.

  In contrast, if RAW data is recorded on a recording medium and image reproduction processing is performed by an external device such as a personal computer, there is an advantage that a high-quality image can be obtained without degrading the accuracy of color information. can get.

  Here, when an image reproduction process is performed by an external device, the user sets a gamma value, a white balance value, or the like as a parameter for image adjustment to a predetermined value, and confirms an image to which the parameter is applied. The parameters will be determined.

  In this confirmation work, a large confirmation image is required to confirm the color reproducibility to the details of the image. Then, every time the user changes the parameter, if the image reproduction process is performed on the entire RAW data recorded by the imaging apparatus and the confirmation image is displayed, it takes a very long time.

  Therefore, parameter adjustment and the like are performed by image reproduction processing (high-speed mode) in which false color mitigation processing that is particularly complicated and time-consuming is omitted, and processing is performed up to the display reflecting the processing result in real time. On the other hand, performing image reproduction processing (high image quality mode) including false color mitigation processing on the entire RAW data is performed collectively as post-processing, not in real time.

  Further, when performing image processing on original image data input from a plurality of image input devices connected to a network, image processing depending on the image input device is performed at the time of input of the original image data. The image processing not dependent on is performed when the load on the image processing apparatus is light. In addition, when image processing is performed on input original image data and data to be supplied to a plurality of image output devices connected to a network is generated, processing independent of the image output device is performed. A device has been devised for processing related to an input / output device that is performed when the load on the input / output device is light and image processing dependent on the image output device is performed when an image output is requested (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2002-199115 A

  In any case, in order to perform image reproduction processing on the entire RAW data, there has been a problem that image reproduction processing including false color mitigation processing cannot be performed in real time. Therefore, there is a method of performing image reproduction processing using other resources at the network destination, but even if image reproduction processing is performed at the network destination, very large data must be sent to send the development result There was an inconvenience that secondary problems also occurred.

  In view of the above-described problems, the present invention has an object to enable high-speed and high-quality image processing when RAW data is reproduced.

An image processing apparatus according to the present invention is an image processing apparatus that performs image reproduction processing on RAW data obtained by converting an electrical signal of a captured image obtained by photoelectrically converting a subject optical image by an imaging device into digital data, the RAW data An external image processing apparatus determining means for determining whether an image processing apparatus capable of performing image reproduction processing is connected to the network, and external image processing determined to be usable by the external image processing apparatus determining means RAW data transfer means for transferring RAW data to the apparatus, image reproduction processing means for performing image reproduction processing of the RAW data in a first mode, and differential data for decompressing compressed differential data transferred from the external image processing apparatus The decompression unit, the image reproduction processing data image-reproduced by the image reproduction processing unit, and the difference data decompressed by the difference data decompression unit are integrated. And having an image-integration processing unit for processing.
Another feature of the image processing apparatus of the present invention is an image processing apparatus that performs image reproduction processing of RAW data sent from an image processing apparatus connected via a network, and Image reproduction processing means for performing image reproduction processing on the sent RAW data in the first mode and the second mode, image reproduction processing data obtained by the external image reproduction processing means performing image reproduction processing in the first mode, Difference data calculation means for calculating difference data with image reproduction processing data that has been subjected to image reproduction processing in the second mode, and an image that is connected via the network by compressing the difference data calculated by the difference data calculation means And differential data transfer means for transferring to the processing device.

The image processing method of the present invention is an image processing method for performing image reproduction processing of RAW data obtained by converting an electrical signal of a captured image obtained by photoelectrically converting a subject optical image by an imaging device into digital data, the RAW data An external image processing apparatus determining step for determining whether an image processing apparatus capable of performing image reproduction processing is connected to the network, and external image processing determined to be usable in the external image processing apparatus determining step RAW data transfer step for transferring RAW data to the apparatus, an image reproduction processing step for performing image reproduction processing of the RAW data in a first mode, and differential data for decompressing the compressed differential data transferred from the external image processing device A decompression step, image reproduction processing data image-reproduced in the image reproduction processing step, and difference data decompressed in the difference data decompression step. And having an image-integration processing step of coupling processing.
Another feature of the image processing method of the present invention is an image processing method for image reproduction processing of RAW data sent from an image processing apparatus connected via a network, the image processing method via the network. An image reproduction processing step of performing image reproduction processing on the sent RAW data in a first mode and a second mode; image reproduction processing data obtained by performing image reproduction processing in the first mode in the external image reproduction processing step; A difference data calculation step of calculating difference data with the image reproduction processing data image-reproduced in the second mode, and an image connected via the network by compressing the difference data calculated in the difference data calculation step And a differential data transfer step of transferring to the processing device.

The program of the present invention is a program for causing a computer to execute an image processing method for image reproduction processing of RAW data obtained by converting an electrical signal of a captured image obtained by photoelectrically converting a subject optical image by an imaging device into digital data. The external image processing apparatus determining step for determining whether or not an image processing apparatus capable of performing image reproduction processing on the RAW data is connected to the network and the external image processing apparatus determining step are determined to be usable. A RAW data transfer step of transferring RAW data to the external image processing device, an image reproduction processing step of performing image reproduction processing of the RAW data in a first mode, and compressed differential data transferred from the external image processing device. Differential data decompression step to decompress, image reproduction processing data image reproduced in the image reproduction processing step, and differential data decompression process Characterized in that to execute the image processing method on a computer having an image-integration processing step of integrating processes the uncompressed difference data in.
Another feature of the present invention is a program for causing a computer to execute an image processing method for image reproduction processing of RAW data sent from an image processing apparatus connected via a network, An image reproduction processing step of performing image reproduction processing on the RAW data sent through the first mode and the second mode, and image reproduction processing data obtained by performing image reproduction processing in the first mode in the external image reproduction processing step; A difference data calculation step for calculating difference data with the image reproduction processing data image-reproduced in the second mode, and the difference data calculated in the difference data calculation step is compressed and connected via the network. And causing a computer to execute an image processing method having a difference data transfer step of transferring to the image processing apparatus. .

  According to the present invention, when distributed image reproduction processing is performed on digital image data using a plurality of image processing apparatuses, it is possible to distribute the load of image reproduction processing as compared with the prior art, and The load can also be reduced, and high-speed and efficient image reproduction processing with high image quality can be performed.

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of the first embodiment. In FIG. 1, a reading unit 100 reads an image with an imaging device configured with a known CCD element or the like. The input unit 101 includes a keyboard and a pointing device, and a user can operate the input unit 101 to input data and instruct operation.

  The storage unit 102 stores binary data and metadata, and is configured by a hard disk. The display unit 103 displays binary data stored in the storage unit 102 or displays image data read by the reading unit 100, and can be composed of a CRT or a liquid crystal.

  The CPU 104 is involved in all of the above processing, and the ROM 105 and the RAM 106 provide a memory and a work area necessary for the processing. Further, a control program for realizing the processing procedure of the present embodiment described later with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 2 and 3 is also stored in the ROM 105.

Next, a method for performing image reproduction processing of the entire RAW data in a distributed manner in the image processing apparatus shown in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
Here, an image processing apparatus for which a user designates a parameter or performs a main work is referred to as “main PC”, and an image processing apparatus that executes image reproduction processing at a network destination is referred to as “worker PC”.

First, in step S201, all “worker PCs” to be distributed are registered.
In step S202, the user instructs an image reproduction process for a plurality of RAW data.

  Next, in step S203, it is searched whether there is a PC that can execute the image reproduction process among the registered “worker PCs”. Here, when the load of the worker PC is large and image reproduction processing cannot be performed, or when the network is not connected, the PC becomes impossible.

  If there is a worker PC capable of executing the image reproduction process as a result of the search in step S203, the process proceeds to step S204, and RAW data and parameters necessary for the image reproduction process are transferred to the worker PC. Here, parameters are image processing parameters (gamma correction processing, white balance adjustment processing, color tone processing, cropping, resizing, etc.) required for processing RAW data, and file processing parameters (raw data storage location, image reproduction) Storage location of the image file after processing) and the like.

Next, the distributed processing operation will be described in detail with reference to FIG.
First, in step S301, RAW data and parameters are transferred from the main PC 31 to the worker PC 32.

  Next, in step S302, the worker PC 32 performs image reproduction processing on the transferred RAW data in both the high image quality mode and the high speed mode according to the parameters. In this embodiment, it is assumed that a program for image reproduction processing is prepared in advance in the worker PC 32.

Next, in step S303, the difference data obtained as a result of image reproduction processing in the high-speed mode and the high-quality mode by the worker PC 32 is compressed and transferred to the main PC 31.
Next, in step S304, the main PC 31 performs image reproduction processing in the high-speed mode and displays the result.

  Next, in step S305, the main PC 31 decompresses the differential data file transferred from the worker PC 32, and displays the processing result in the high image quality mode together with the result in the high speed mode calculated in step S304.

  As described above, first, the result of the image reproduction process in the high speed mode can be displayed on the main PC 31, and then the result of the image reproduction process in the high image quality mode can be displayed using the difference data sent from the worker PC 32. In particular, when the processing capability of the worker PC 32 is significantly higher than the processing capability of the main PC 31, the effect of this embodiment can be remarkably obtained.

On the other hand, if the worker PC 32 cannot be used as a result of the search in step S203, the process proceeds to step S205, and the main PC 31 executes image reproduction processing in the high-speed mode.
After the RAW data image reproduction process is completed in step S204 or step S205, the process proceeds to step S206.

  In step S206, it is determined whether the image reproduction process for all the designated images has been completed. If the result of this determination is that image reproduction processing for all images has not been completed, processing returns to step S203 and the above processing is repeated. If the image reproduction process for all images is completed as a result of the determination in step S206, the dispersion process of the image reproduction process is terminated.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment of the present invention, when performing image reproduction processing on RAW data in the main image processing apparatus, it is determined whether the worker PC 32 can be used and used. If not, the main PC 31 executes image reproduction processing in the high speed mode. If the RAW data can be used, the difference data is transferred to the main PC 31 when the RAW data is transferred to the worker PC 32 and the image reproduction process is performed in both the high speed mode and the high image quality mode. By doing so, it is possible to efficiently perform image reproduction processing in the high image quality mode, which has taken a long time until now, using the worker PC 32. Further, when the worker PC 32 cannot be used, the conventional high-speed mode is used, so that an image reproduction processing operation without stress can be performed.

(Second Embodiment)
In the first embodiment described above, the worker PC 32 has been registered in advance in step S201. However, the image processing apparatus connected to the network may be searched and dynamically registered in step S202 and subsequent steps. It doesn't matter.

  In the first embodiment, in step S203, the registered “worker PC” is searched for a PC that can execute the image reproduction process, and only the main PC 31 performs the image reproduction process according to the search result. Whether or not to perform image reproduction processing in a distributed manner on both the main PC 31 and the worker PC 32. Whether there is an executable PC in consideration of the processing capability and network line capacity of the registered PC May be judged.

  In step S302, the image reproduction processing program is transferred to the worker PC 32 in advance, but the image reproduction processing program may be transferred together with the RAW data.

(Other embodiments)
Also, the object of each embodiment is to supply a storage medium (or recording medium) in which a program code of software that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is recorded to a system or apparatus. Needless to say, this can also be achieved by the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus reading and executing the program code stored in the storage medium.

  In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention. Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an operating system (OS) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. Perform some or all of the actual processing. Needless to say, the process includes the case where the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized.

  Further, the program code read from the storage medium is written in a memory provided in a function expansion card inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer. After that, based on the instruction of the program code, the CPU included in the function expansion card or function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by the processing. Needless to say.

  When the present invention is applied to the storage medium, the storage medium stores program codes corresponding to the flowcharts of FIGS. 2 and 3 described above.

It is a block diagram which shows 1st Embodiment and shows the structure of a data processor. It is a flowchart which shows 1st Embodiment and shows the procedure which performs a distributed process. It is a flowchart which shows 1st Embodiment and demonstrates the process sequence in the case of performing distributed processing with main PC and worker PC. It is a figure which shows a Bayer arrangement | sequence.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Reading part 101 Input part 102 Accumulation part 103 Display part 104 CPU
105 ROM
106 RAM

Claims (12)

An image processing device that performs image reproduction processing of RAW data obtained by converting an electrical signal of a captured image obtained by photoelectrically converting a subject optical image by an imaging device into digital data,
An external image processing device determination means for determining whether an image processing device capable of performing image reproduction processing of the RAW data is connected to a network;
RAW data transfer means for transferring RAW data to an external image processing apparatus determined to be usable by the external image processing apparatus determination means;
Image reproduction processing means for performing image reproduction processing of the RAW data in a first mode;
Differential data decompression means for decompressing the compressed differential data transferred from the external image processing device;
An image processing apparatus, comprising: image integration processing means for integrating the image reproduction processing data image-reproduced by the image reproduction processing means and the difference data decompressed by the difference data decompression means.   2. The external image processing apparatus determination unit determines whether or not the external image processing apparatus can be used as an image reproduction processing apparatus according to a processing capability, a load status, and a network line status of the external image processing apparatus. Image processing apparatus. An image processing apparatus that performs image reproduction processing on RAW data sent from an image processing apparatus connected via a network,
Image reproduction processing means for performing image reproduction processing on the RAW data sent via the network in the first mode and the second mode;
Difference data calculation means for calculating difference data between the image reproduction processing data obtained by the external image reproduction processing means in the first mode and the image reproduction processing data obtained by the image reproduction processing in the second mode;
An image processing apparatus comprising: difference data transfer means for compressing difference data calculated by the difference data calculation means and transferring the compressed data to an image processing apparatus connected via the network.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first mode is obtained by omitting false color mitigation processing from the second mode.   An image processing system comprising: the image processing apparatus according to claim 1; and the image processing apparatus according to claim 3. An image processing method for image reproduction processing of RAW data obtained by converting an electrical signal of a captured image obtained by photoelectrically converting a subject optical image by an imaging device into digital data,
An external image processing device determination step for determining whether an image processing device capable of performing image reproduction processing of the RAW data is connected to a network;
RAW data transfer step of transferring RAW data to the external image processing device determined to be usable in the external image processing device determination step;
An image reproduction processing step of performing image reproduction processing of the RAW data in a first mode;
A differential data decompression step for decompressing the compressed differential data transferred from the external image processing device;
An image processing method comprising: an image integration processing step of integrating the image reproduction processing data subjected to the image reproduction processing in the image reproduction processing step and the difference data decompressed in the difference data decompression step.   The external image processing apparatus determination step determines whether or not the external image processing apparatus can be used as an image reproduction processing apparatus according to a processing capability, a load status, and a network line status of the external image processing apparatus. Image processing method. An image processing method for image reproduction processing of RAW data sent from an image processing apparatus connected via a network,
An image reproduction processing step of performing image reproduction processing of the RAW data sent via the network in the first mode and the second mode;
A difference data calculating step of calculating difference data between the image reproduction processing data image-reproduced in the first mode and the image reproduction processing data image-reproduced in the second mode in the external image reproduction processing step;
A difference data transfer step of compressing the difference data calculated in the difference data calculation step and transferring the compressed difference data to an image processing apparatus connected via the network.   The image processing method according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the first mode is obtained by omitting a false color mitigation process from the second mode. A program for causing a computer to execute an image processing method for image reproduction processing of RAW data obtained by converting an electrical signal of a captured image obtained by photoelectrically converting a subject optical image by an imaging device into digital data,
An external image processing device determination step for determining whether an image processing device capable of performing image reproduction processing of the RAW data is connected to a network;
RAW data transfer step of transferring RAW data to the external image processing device determined to be usable in the external image processing device determination step;
An image reproduction processing step of performing image reproduction processing of the RAW data in a first mode;
A differential data decompression step for decompressing the compressed differential data transferred from the external image processing device;
Causing a computer to execute an image processing method including image reproduction processing data subjected to image reproduction processing in the image reproduction processing step and an image integration processing step of integrating the difference data decompressed in the difference data decompression step. A featured program. A program for causing a computer to execute an image processing method for image reproduction processing of RAW data sent from an image processing apparatus connected via a network,
An image reproduction processing step of performing image reproduction processing of the RAW data sent via the network in the first mode and the second mode;
A difference data calculating step of calculating difference data between the image reproduction processing data image-reproduced in the first mode and the image reproduction processing data image-reproduced in the second mode in the external image reproduction processing step;
A program causing a computer to execute an image processing method including a difference data transfer step of compressing difference data calculated in the difference data calculation step and transferring the compressed difference data to an image processing apparatus connected via the network. .   A computer-readable recording medium on which the program according to claim 10 or 11 is recorded.

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