JP2009060566A - Image processing apparatus and image processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing apparatus capable of more readily realizing color editing that matches the intention of a user. <P>SOLUTION: In color editing processing for converting an editing color into another color, it is discriminated whether adjustment instructed from a user for a component of the editing color exceeds an adjustable range determined in accordance with a value of the component of the editing color. When adjustment that exceeds the adjustable range is instructed, values of the other components of the editing color are cooperatively adjusted so that the adjustment instructed from the user is included within the adjustable range. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method, and more particularly to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method for performing color editing for converting a specific color in an image into another color.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image processing apparatus that performs adjustment (color editing) of hue, saturation, and brightness of an image is known. Some of these image processing apparatuses can adjust the hue and saturation for a specific color in the image, not for the entire image.

  In recent years, with the spread of digital cameras and the enhancement of image processing software, color editing of captured images can be performed by general users. However, for example, adjustment of a specific color in an image requires knowledge about the color, and a user interface for performing the adjustment is based on a user who has such knowledge. Therefore, it is not easy for a general user to perform color editing intended by the user.

JP-A-9-270926 (FIG. 4)

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228688 makes it easy to obtain a color editing result that is close to the user's intention by performing color editing using a parameter of a color space that matches a human color sense, such as an HSL color space. Proposed. However, if the user still does not have knowledge about colors, the intended color editing cannot be performed.

  For example, the adjustable range of saturation depends on the luminance, but an instruction for adjustment exceeding the adjustable range can be given on the user interface. When an instruction for adjustment exceeding the adjustable range is given, the image processing apparatus only supports up to the upper limit value or lower limit value of the range, but a general user who has little knowledge about the color cannot understand the reason. Therefore, in the end, when a certain result is obtained, a compromise is made or color editing is given up.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus and an image processing method that can more easily realize color editing suitable for a user's intention.

  The above-described object is an image processing apparatus that performs color editing processing for converting a designated editing color, and accepts, for each component, first input means for accepting designation of the editing color and adjustment of the editing color component. A second input means, a determination means for determining whether or not the adjustment exceeds an adjustable range determined by the values of the first component and the second component of the edit color, the first component and the first component An adjustment means for interlockingly adjusting the other value of the first component and the second component so that the adjustment is included in the adjustable range when the adjustment for one of the two components exceeds the adjustable range; This is achieved by an image processing apparatus having generation means for generating a color conversion table for converting edit colors based on the adjustment received by the second input means and the adjustment by the adjustment means.

  The above-described object is an image processing method for performing color editing processing for converting a designated editing color, a first input step for accepting designation of an editing color through a first input means, and an editing color component The second input step of accepting the adjustment for each component through the second input means, and whether the adjustment exceeds the adjustable range determined by the values of the first component and the second component of the edit color. When the determination step for determining whether the adjustment for one of the first component and the second component exceeds the adjustable range, the first component and the second component are adjusted so that the adjustment is included in the adjustable range. And a generation step of generating a color conversion table for converting the edit color based on the adjustment received by the second input means and the adjustment by the adjustment means. Images characterized by Also be achieved by physical methods.

  With such a configuration, according to the present invention, color editing suited to the user's intention can be realized more easily.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
(First embodiment)
FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of the computer apparatus 100 operable as the image processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  In the figure, a display 101 displays a GUI (Graphical User Interface) of a color editing application program, information on data being processed, various message menus, and the like. The display 101 includes a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube), an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), and the like. A CRTC 102 serving as a display controller performs screen display control on the display 101. A keyboard 103 and a pointing device 104 are input devices for a user to input various instructions and data to the image processing apparatus. The user operates icons, buttons, and the like on the GUI displayed on the display 101 using the keyboard 103 and the pointing device 104. The CPU 105 controls the entire computer device 100.

  A ROM 106 (Read Only Memory) stores programs executed by the CPU 105, parameters, and the like. A RAM (Random Access Memory) 107 is used as a work area when the CPU 105 executes various programs, a temporary save area during error processing, and the like.

  A hard disk drive (HDD) 108 and a removable media drive (RMD) 109 function as external storage devices. The removable media drive is a device that reads / writes or reads a detachable recording medium, and may be a detachable HDD as well as a flexible disk drive, an optical disk drive, a magneto-optical disk drive, and a memory card reader.

  Note that a program that implements various functions of the image processing apparatus described in the present embodiment, including a color editing application program and an error processing program, is stored in one or more of the ROM 106, the HDD 108, and the RMD 109 (recording medium). . The OS, data, library, and the like are stored in the same manner.

  The expansion slot 110 is an expansion card mounting slot compliant with, for example, a PCI (Periferal Component Interconnect) bus standard. For example, various expansion boards such as a video capture board, a sound board, and a GPIB board can be mounted.

  The network interface 111 is an interface for connecting a computer device to a computer network. The bus 112 includes an address bus, a data bus, and a control bus, and connects the above-described units. In addition to the network interface 111, it has a serial interface such as RS-232C, RS-422, USB (Universal Serial Bus), IEEE 1394, and a parallel interface such as IEEE 1284. These interfaces enable connection with external devices such as modems and printers.

  Such a general-purpose computer device can communicate with other devices on a computer network or a public telephone network via the network interface 111 by using an OS, necessary driver software, or the like.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a main user interface screen 10 provided by the image processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
The user interface screen 10 is a basic GUI of the color editing application program, and is displayed on the display 101 when the user activates the color editing application in the computer device 100, for example.

  The user interface screen 10 includes an image file display unit 11 and a color conversion table creation control panel unit 12 (hereinafter simply referred to as a control panel unit 12). The image file display unit 11 is a window that displays an arbitrary image file designated by the user. As will be described later, the color editing designated by the control panel unit 12 is reflected in the image being displayed on the image file display unit 11. As a result, the user can confirm in real time the effect of color editing during the color editing creation specified by the control panel unit 12. That is, the image file display unit 11 functions as an image confirmation screen.

  The control panel unit 12 is a window for designating various parameters that define color editing desired by the user, and a color conversion table for executing color editing based on the parameters designated by the control panel unit 12. Generated. In this embodiment, the parameter that defines color editing is the adjustment amount of the editing color component or the color component value after conversion.

  In this specification, the procedure for operating the buttons and slides constituting the GUI is not explained step by step, but the GUI is operated by the pointing device 104 or the keyboard 103 according to a procedure generally performed in the computer field. And

  For example, the button is pressed by moving a mouse cursor, which is an example of the pointing device 104, onto the button, clicking the mouse, or using the cursor key of the keyboard 103 to select the button, and pressing the return key. It can be realized by operation. Similarly, the movement of the slider can be realized by an operation of dragging the slider knob or an operation of a predetermined key on the keyboard 103.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a specific configuration example of the control panel unit 12.
The combo box 201 is a GUI unit for the user to select a color conversion table that is a base for color editing. In the present embodiment, the image processing apparatus generates a color conversion table for executing desired color editing on an image by editing the color conversion table selected in the combo box 201.

  The dropper button 202 is a button for changing a function of a GUI element for designating a pixel in the screen, such as a mouse cursor, to a color designation function. When the dropper button 202 is pressed, the color of the designated pixel is designated by designating a pixel displayed on the display 101 such as an image being displayed on the image file display unit 11 or the color wheel 203 with a mouse cursor, or You can choose. In this embodiment, the dropper button 202 is a toggle button, and can be returned to the normal function by pressing again.

  The color wheel 203 is an image representing a range of saturation and hue corresponding to specific luminance when a certain color space is represented by a solid including luminance as an axis. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that a cross section (saturation and hue range) corresponding to a luminance of 50% of an HSL color space represented by a biconic model having a height direction as a luminance axis. The color wheel 203 also displays the positions corresponding to the hue component value and the saturation component value of the edit color.

  FIG. 11 shows an HSL color space represented by a biconic model with the height direction as the luminance axis. The HSL color space is a color space represented by three components of hue, hue, saturation, and luminance. The hue represents the hue with an angle in the range of 0 to 360 degrees, and 0 degrees is red. Saturation is represented by the distance in the radial direction from the center of the bottom of the cone, and the greater the distance, the higher the saturation. The center of the bottom is gray with no saturation. As for luminance, 0% luminance is black, 100% is white, and 50% of the luminance is pure color. It is said that the brightness is closer to the brightness when viewed from the human eye than the brightness.

  As can be seen from FIG. 11, the editable region of saturation is the widest at a luminance of 50% that is a pure color, and the editable range becomes narrower as the luminance approaches 100% or 0%, and the saturation of the pure color is maximum. This is a biconical color space in which a cone with the bottom of the circle is bonded to the bottom.

  Therefore, it is necessary to perform color editing by designating coordinates in a three-dimensional color space. However, an input device and GUI for easily editing a three-dimensional coordinate system are not realized in a general personal computer. Absent. For this reason, in a color editing application that assumes a user who has no special knowledge, a GUI in which a three-dimensional color space is simplified and displayed in two dimensions is generally used.

  Also in this embodiment, as a two-dimensional user interface, an image of the HS plane in the pure color (luminance 50%) having the widest saturation area that can be edited is displayed as the color wheel 203, and a guideline for color editing is displayed to the user. Is provided.

  Returning to FIG. 2, the luminance bar 204 is an image showing a luminance range that a pixel can take. The luminance bar 204 displays a position corresponding to the luminance component value of the color to be edited (edited color). The user can image the three-dimensional coordinates in the HSL color space of the editing color based on the position of the point displayed on the color wheel 203 and the position of the point displayed on the luminance bar 204.

  Slider bars 205 to 207 as second input means are provided to receive adjustment amounts of the hue, saturation, and luminance of the edit color from the user, respectively. The numerical values specified by the positions of the slider bars 205 to 207 may be absolute values, but in the present embodiment, the offset values from the editing colors are used so as to facilitate fine adjustment.

For this reason, the center position of the slider bars 205 to 207 is set to 0 (no change), and the left direction is set to a minus offset value and the right direction is set to a plus offset value. In addition, text boxes 208 to 210 arranged to the right of the slider bars 205 to 207 display the offset values designated by the slider bars 205 to 207 as numerical values in conjunction with the operation of the slider bars 205 to 207. To do. Moreover, it is also possible to directly input an offset value in the text boxes 208 to 210, and if the value of the text boxes 208 to 210 is changed, it is also reflected in the positions of the slider bars 205 to 207.
The edit color list box 211 displays a list of edit colors that have been edited in the past so that they can be selected.

Hereinafter, the operation of the image processing apparatus of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
As described above, the color editing process in the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment is realized by the CPU 105 executing the color editing application. Here, it is assumed that the color editing application has already been activated in accordance with a user instruction or the like.

  First, in step S <b> 301, the CPU 105 reads out an image file designated by the user from, for example, the HDD 108 and displays the image file on the image file display unit 11. The designation of the image file may be performed by a method provided by a general OS, such as dragging and dropping an icon of the image file on the image file display unit 11 or via a file open dialog (not shown).

In step S <b> 303, the CPU 105 acquires a color conversion table corresponding to the color conversion pattern selected by the user from the color conversion patterns preset in the combo box 201 from the HDD 108, for example. By changing the acquired color conversion table according to the content of the color editing specified by the user, a color conversion table for realizing the color editing desired by the user is created.
When the color conversion table that is the source of editing is acquired, the CPU 105 applies the acquired color conversion table to the image being displayed on the image file display unit 11 (S305).

  In step S <b> 307, the CPU 105 as the first input unit performs an extraction process for receiving an edit color designation. The user presses the dropper button 202 to designate an edit color and turns it on. In response to this operation, the CPU 105 changes the mouse cursor from, for example, an arrow shape to a dropper shape when the mouse cursor points to the image area of the image file display unit 11 or the color display area of the color wheel 203. Then, the CPU 105 extracts (samples) the color of the pixel corresponding to the position designated using the keyboard 103 or the pointing device 104, and registers it in the work area of the RAM 107 as the edit color. Further, the CPU 105 displays the registered edit color in the edit color list box 211 so that the user can discriminate and select it. In this embodiment, as will be described later, a color patch and a check box are displayed in an edit color list box for each edit color.

  In step S309, the CPU 105 causes the color wheel 203 and the luminance bar 204 to display marks representing coordinates in the color space of the registered editing color. Further, in the current color conversion table, the color area (influenced color area) affected by the editing of the editing color is displayed on the color wheel 203 and the luminance bar 204. If the user changes the color area, the changed color area is set.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a display example of the color conversion table creation control panel unit 12 performed by the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment in the process of S309.
In FIG. 5, 400a and 400b are marks representing the coordinates of the edit color. Reference numerals 401a, 401b, 402a, 402b, 403a, 403b, 404a, and 404b denote color areas (influenced color areas) that are affected by editing the edit color, and control points for the user to adjust the color areas. It is.

  FIG. 5 shows an area having the entire range of saturation and luminance and the predetermined range of hue as the initial influence color area. That is, with respect to saturation and hue, the sector shape indicated by the control points 401a, 401b, 402a, and 402b indicates the influence color region. Regarding luminance, a section between control points 404a and 404b indicates an influence color area. In the example of FIG. 5, the control points 401 a and 401 b are displayed so as to overlap the position of saturation 0. Further, the influence color area of saturation and hue is displayed by connecting the control points 401a-401b-402b-402a-401a with lines to make it easy to grasp the influence color area on the color wheel 203.

  The position of each control point can be changed by the user, and the user can change or specify the influence color area by changing the position of the control point while looking at the color wheel 203 or the luminance bar 204.

  For example, the position of the control point 401 may be changed when the influence range on the low saturation side is to be corrected, and the position of the control point 402 may be changed when the influence range on the high saturation side is to be corrected. Further, when it is desired to correct the influence range of the hue, the position of the control points 403a and / or 403b may be changed. In order to correct the influence range of the luminance, the position of the control points 404a and / or 404b may be changed.

FIG. 6 shows an example of a state where the user has changed the influence color area by operating the control point from the state of FIG.
FIG. 6 shows an example in which the saturation influence range is narrowed from the initial influence color area, the hue influence range is expanded, and the luminance influence range is narrowed. By displaying such an influence color area, it is possible to imagine the position occupied in the HSL color space by the range affected when the edit color is edited.

  In addition, while the control point is being operated, the CPU 105 displays in gray the pixels of the color included in the influence color area in the image of the image file display unit 11. Thereby, the user can confirm which color in the image is affected by the color editing.

  The CPU 105 sets the changed influence color area every time the user operates the control point. Specifically, the CPU 105 stores, for example, information that can specify the affected color area (information that specifies the color coordinate range in the HSL space, information that specifies the area in the color conversion table, etc.) in the work area of the RAM 107. To do.

  In this way, the user operates the control points as necessary to correct the color area affected by the color editing. Then, color editing for the editing color is started. For example, when the CPU 105 detects that the slider bars 205 to 207 are operated or detects any explicit color editing start instruction from the user, the CPU 105 determines that the color editing operation has started and moves the process to S311.

  When the editing color is registered in S307, the hue slider bar 205, the saturation slider bar 206, and the brightness slider bar 207 are all reset to the slider scale center (offset value 0).

When the user wants to correct the hue of the edit color, he / she wants to correct the position of the hue slider bar 205, or to correct the vividness (saturation) of the color, the position of the saturation slider bar 206, or the brightness. In this case, the position of the brightness slider bar 207 is changed. The CPU 105 detects the operation of the slider bars 205 to 207 by the user, and corrects the color conversion table according to the operated slider bar, its operation direction, and operation amount. Then, the CPU 105 applies the corrected color conversion table to the image being displayed on the image file display unit 11. Accordingly, the user can perform color editing while confirming the influence of the operation of the slider bars 205 to 207 on the image.
Details of the color editing process will be described later.

  In step S313, the CPU 105 continues to execute the color editing process in step S311 until an instruction to end color editing for the current editing color is detected from the user. When an instruction to end color editing for the current editing color is detected in S313, the CPU 105 inquires of the user through a dialog box or the like whether to perform color editing for another editing color (S315).

  In response to this inquiry, if there is a response to perform color editing for other editing colors, the process returns to S307. On the other hand, if there is a response not to perform color editing for other editing colors, the CPU 105 stores the edited color conversion table in the work area of the RAM 107. At this time, it is preferable to allow the user to identify the generated color conversion table later, for example, by allowing the user to specify a file name of the color conversion table.

Next, the details of the color editing process in S311 will be described with reference to FIG.
In step S401, the CPU 105 confirms whether the slider bars 205 to 207 are operated (moved). If not operated, the process proceeds to S313 (FIG. 3). On the other hand, when any one of the slider bars 205 to 207 is operated, the CPU 105 determines whether it is the saturation slider bar 206, the luminance slider bar 207, or the hue slider bar 205 (S403).

  The CPU 105 displays a mark 407 indicating the coordinates of the color after editing on the color wheel 203 and the luminance bar 204 as shown in FIG. 7 while each slider bar is operated. In addition, an arrow extending from the color mark 400a before editing to the color mark 407 after editing is displayed together so that the relationship with the original color can be easily grasped.

  Thereby, the user can grasp how much the operation of the slider bars 205 to 207 corresponds to in the color space. In the example of FIG. 7, the saturation slider bar 206 is operated and editing for increasing the saturation is performed. However, when the brightness slider bar 207 is operated, the CPU 105 displays a mark and an arrow indicating the brightness after editing. Display on the luminance bar 204.

  If it is determined in S403 that the operation is the operation of the hue slider bar 205, the CPU 105 shifts the processing to S413. If it is determined that the operation is the operation of the saturation slider bar 206 or the luminance slider bar 207, the CPU 105 shifts the processing to S405.

  In step S <b> 405, the CPU 105 determines whether the adjustment corresponding to the operation of the saturation slider bar 206 or the luminance slider bar 207 by the user exceeds the adjustable range corresponding to the current luminance or saturation.

  This determination can be made based on arbitrary information that can specify the saturation adjustment range corresponding to the luminance. For example, a table in which information representing a saturation adjustable range as the first component and luminance as the second component are associated with each other is stored in the work area of the RAM 107. Then, the saturation or brightness after adjustment is obtained from the amount of operation of the user's slider bar 206 or 207, and for example, it is determined whether or not the saturation after adjustment is within the adjustment range for the current brightness. . Alternatively, without using a table, a function represented by a straight line connecting a saturation upper limit value when the luminance is 50% and a luminance upper limit value (lower limit value) when the saturation is 0%, and the adjusted luminance and saturation are obtained. By comparison, it may be determined whether or not it is within the adjustment range.

  As described above, the saturation adjustment range varies depending on the luminance, and the actual saturation adjustment range of a color whose luminance is not 50% is indicated by the color wheel 203 simulating the adjustment range at the luminance of 50%. It is narrower than the range. However, a user who has little knowledge about color recognizes that the saturation can be further increased because the mark 407 indicating the color after editing is displayed on the inner side of the outer edge of the color wheel 203. Nevertheless, the inability to increase the saturation may confuse the user or give the user the impression that color editing is a difficult process that is difficult to handle.

For example, FIG. 8 shows a case where an operation of the saturation slider bar 206 for increasing the saturation is performed for an edit color having a luminance higher than 50% (in this case, bright red).
Here, as indicated by the mark 400b of the brightness bar 204, the brightness of the edit color is at a position higher than 50%. Thus, if the user is knowledgeable about the color, the operation of the saturation slider bar 206 is not reflected because the operation instructs the adjustment beyond the adjustable range as indicated by the mark 407 ′. You might understand that there is. However, the general user will not understand why the intended result is not obtained.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, when an operation of the saturation slider bar 206 that instructs adjustment exceeding the adjustable range is detected, the user has an intention to further increase the saturation. Interpret. Then, the luminance is adjusted so that the saturation adjustment designated by the user is included in the adjustable range. That is, in the example of FIG. 8, the luminance is decreased by d so that the mark 407 'is included in the adjustable saturation range. By automatically adjusting the luminance linked to the saturation, the position of the color mark after editing displayed on the color wheel 203 without the user being aware of the actual adjustable range. Saturation can be adjusted while watching.

Similarly, for the operation of the brightness slider bar 207, when an operation exceeding the adjustable brightness range is performed while maintaining the current saturation, the saturation is linked so that the brightness can be adjusted. Can be adjusted automatically.
Thus, when the adjustment for one of the first component and the second component exceeds the adjustable range, the other of the first component and the second component so that the adjustment is included in the adjustable range. The value of can be adjusted in conjunction.

  Specifically, for example, the edit color whose saturation is the upper limit at a luminance of 50% cannot change the luminance while maintaining the saturation. Therefore, when the luminance slider bar 207 is operated, the luminance adjustment is realized by decreasing the saturation of the edit color in conjunction with the luminance adjustment.

  However, the fact that other parameters automatically change in conjunction with each other does not always reflect the user's intention. For example, you may want to adjust the maximum saturation possible with the current brightness. Therefore, in the present embodiment, it is possible to select whether to enable or disable the interlocking adjustment.

  For example, a predetermined key (for example, a shift key) on the keyboard 103 is assigned to a key for temporarily disabling (or enabling) the linked adjustment. In step S407, if the linked adjustment is enabled by default, the CPU 105 disables the linked adjustment for the operation if there is an input from the shift key in parallel with the operation of the saturation slider bar 206 and the luminance slider bar 207. Recognize that there is.

  If it is determined in S407 that the interlock adjustment is valid, the CPU 105 adjusts the brightness or saturation in response to the user's operation of the saturation slider bar 206 or the brightness slider bar 207 (S409).

  On the other hand, if it is determined in S407 that the interlock adjustment is invalid, the CPU 105 limits the user's operation of the saturation slider bar 206 or the luminance slider bar 207 so as not to exceed the adjustable range (S411). Therefore, the saturation or luminance is set to the upper limit value or the lower limit value of the adjustable range.

  In step S413, the CPU 105 reflects the adjustment content corresponding to the operation of the slider bars 205 to 207 in the color conversion table. The color conversion table may be, for example, a three-dimensional lookup table that takes R, G, and B values of the edit color as input and returns R, G, and B values of the converted color. Since such a three-dimensional lookup table and its editing can be performed using a known technique as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-129226, detailed description thereof is omitted. For example, the source in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-129226 may be the edit color in this specification, and the destination may be the color after conversion. Note that conversion between the HSL color space and the RGB color space may be appropriately performed.

Then, the CPU 105 applies the color conversion table reflecting the adjustment contents to the image displayed on the image file display unit 11 (S415).
Further, the CPU 105 updates the display of the adjusted color mark 407 on the color wheel 203 and the luminance bar 204 (S417), and returns the process to S313.

(Modification of the first embodiment)
In the present embodiment, the processing when the change to saturation (luminance) exceeding the adjustable range with the current luminance (saturation) is designated has been described.
In such a case, if the linked adjustment is valid, the other parameters are linked and changed as described above, but the user has made a specification to return the saturation (luminance) value to the original value. It is not preferable that the luminance (saturation) after the interlock adjustment is maintained.

This point will be described with reference to FIG.
Similar to the example shown in FIG. 8, a case where the operation of the saturation slider bar 206 for increasing the saturation is performed for an edit color having a luminance higher than 50% (in this case, bright red) is shown.

  First, when the saturation slider bar 206 is clicked, the CPU 105 obtains an upper limit value 408 of saturation in the brightness of the edit color indicated by the mark 400 a and stores it in the work area of the RAM 107. Then, when the saturation slider bar 206 is operated while being clicked and a value exceeding the saturation upper limit value 408, for example, a change to the saturation indicated by the mark 407 is designated, as described above, the mark 407 ′ Is reduced by d so that is included in the adjustable saturation range.

  In this case, the brightness is adjusted while maintaining the upper limit that the saturation is always adjustable. That is, as indicated by an arrow 409 in FIG. 13, the luminance is interlocked and adjusted so that the saturation changes along the edge of the color space (or the generatrix in the case of a conical color space). While the saturation slider bar 206 is moving, the effect is applied to the image being displayed on the image file display unit 11 as needed.

  It is assumed that after the saturation indicated by the mark 407 is interlocked and adjusted to the brightness that is the upper limit value of the adjustable range, the user operates the direction to return the saturation slider bar 206. In this case, as indicated by an arrow 410, it is not preferable to change the saturation while maintaining the luminance after the interlock adjustment. Therefore, even when an operation for returning the saturation is performed, the luminance is changed while maintaining the upper limit of the saturation adjustable range (that is, the luminance is changed so that the saturation changes along the arrow 409). )

When the original luminance is restored (that is, when the saturation returns to the upper limit value 408 or less), the luminance adjustment is stopped and the original luminance is maintained.
In this way, the luminance (saturation) is adjusted in conjunction so that the saturation (luminance) maintains the upper limit value of the adjustable range until the user finally determines the changed saturation (luminance). By performing the interlocking adjustment in this way, it is possible to prevent the luminance from being adjusted more than necessary when the saturation is excessively increased during the adjustment.

  Whether or not the user determines the saturation (luminance) after the change can be detected by an arbitrary method. For example, when the saturation slider bar 206 is operated with a mouse, an operation in which the mouse switch is kept pressed (so-called drag operation) is in an undetermined state, and is determined when the mouse switch is turned off. It can be.

  Also, when operating the saturation slider bar 206 with the keyboard, any key is assigned for the decision instruction, and the decision support key is depressed until the decision instruction key is depressed. It can be determined at a point in time.

  FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating color editing processing according to a modification of the first embodiment described here. FIG. 14 shows the operation in the case where the luminance is adjusted in conjunction with the saturation adjustment, and only the portions that are different from those in FIG. 4 are described. Furthermore, it is assumed that the saturation slider bar 206 is operated with a mouse.

In S405 ′, the CPU 105 determines whether or not the adjustment corresponding to the operation of the saturation slider bar 206 by the user exceeds the saturation adjustable range corresponding to the current luminance.
If it is determined in S407 that the interlock adjustment is valid, the CPU 105 adjusts the brightness in conjunction with the user's operation of the saturation slider bar 206 while maintaining the saturation at the adjustable upper limit (S509). ).

  Here, as described above, the luminance is interlocked and adjusted while maintaining the saturation at the adjustable upper limit value regardless of whether the saturation slider bar 206 increases or decreases the saturation. In other words, the luminance is adjusted and adjusted so that the saturation changes along the arrow 409 in FIG.

  In step S511, the CPU 105 determines whether or not the luminance has returned to the initial value (the value before performing the linked adjustment) (that is, in the example of FIG. 13, the luminance has returned to the luminance corresponding to the upper limit value 408). .

  If the brightness has not returned to the initial brightness, the CPU 105 further determines in S513 whether the mouse switch has been turned off (the mouse button has been released), and the mouse switch remains on (the mouse button has not been pressed). If so, the process returns to S413.

  On the other hand, when the mouse switch is turned off, that is, when the mouse button is released, the CPU 105 regards it as a determination instruction by the user and determines the adjustment result at that time (S515).

  In S511, when the brightness returns to the initial value (the value before the interlock adjustment), the brightness interlock adjustment is stopped, and the process returns to S405 '.

By automatically adjusting the luminance linked to the saturation, the position of the color mark after editing displayed on the color wheel 203 without the user being aware of the actual adjustable range. Saturation can be adjusted while watching. When the mouse button is released, the adjustment operation is finalized.
When the saturation slider bar 206 is operated with the keyboard, it is sufficient to determine whether or not the determination instruction key is pressed in S513.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the user changes the edit color to a desired color by operating the slider bars 205 to 207 while confirming the image effect displayed on the image file display unit 11. A color conversion table can be created. At this time, even if the brightness or saturation after adjustment specified by the user exceeds the adjustable range, the saturation or brightness is adjusted in conjunction so that the adjustment specified by the user is performed. Therefore, even a user who does not understand the dependency relationship between the adjustable range of luminance and saturation can easily perform color editing reflecting the intention.

  In the present embodiment, the configuration in which only the image after color editing that reflects the color conversion table is displayed on the image file display unit 11 has been described. However, another image file display unit (window) is provided so that the image before color editing and the image after color editing are displayed on separate image file display units, or a part of the image displayed on the image file display unit 11 Only the color conversion table may be reflected. In the present embodiment, the HSL color space has been described as an example, but the same configuration can be applied to other color spaces. For example, the HSL color space can be represented by a biconic model, whereas the Lab color space can be represented by a sphere model. Also in this Lab color space, the editable regions of the hues a and b are limited according to the value of the luminance L. Therefore, the adjustable range of the hues a and b with respect to the luminance L is set as in the HSL color space. A table to be displayed may be stored in the work area of the RAM 107.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Since the configuration of the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment may be the same as that of the first embodiment, a duplicate description is omitted.

  In the first embodiment, the brightness or saturation adjustable range is not notified to the user so that the user can make an adjustment without being aware of the brightness or saturation adjustable range. On the other hand, the present embodiment is characterized in that the user can easily grasp the adjustable range. Specifically, a display indicating the adjustable range is performed on the color wheel 203 and the luminance bar 204 of the color conversion table creation control panel unit 12.

9A to 9C are diagrams showing display examples of the color conversion table creation control panel unit 12 in the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment.
FIG. 9A shows an adjustment upper limit guide 801 that shows the adjustable range of saturation at the current luminance on the color wheel 203 as a dotted line.

  FIG. 9B shows the area 802 outside the adjustable range of the color wheel 203 displayed in gray instead of showing the range with a dotted line. In this case, the color sample within the adjustable range in the color wheel 203 may display an HS plane corresponding to the brightness of the edited color instead of the pure color HS plane.

  The luminance bar 204 also displays a range that can be adjusted while maintaining the saturation of the current edit color. Although the display method is not particularly limited, a dotted line representing the upper and lower limits can be displayed on the luminance bar 204, or the area outside the adjustable range can be displayed in gray. When gray display is performed with the luminance bar 204, for example, gray display with a constant density is performed so that the difference from the original display becomes clear.

FIG. 9C shows a saturation color gamut guide 803 and a luminance color gamut guide 804 indicating adjustable ranges on the saturation slider bar 206 and the luminance slider bar 207, respectively.
These display methods in FIGS. 9A to 9C can be implemented in combination.

  For example, when the operation of the saturation slider bar 206 and the luminance slider bar 207 is detected in S403 in the flowchart of FIG. 4, the CPU 105 obtains an adjustable range according to the operation amount and detects the operation according to the result. Can be implemented.

  In this embodiment, the adjustable range is explicitly displayed. However, if there is an adjustment instruction that exceeds the adjustable range, linked adjustment is performed in the same manner as in the first embodiment to reflect the user's intention. It operates to obtain the color editing result.

  According to the present embodiment, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, the adjustable range of saturation and luminance is explicitly displayed, so that it is possible to prompt the user to adjust within the adjustable range. For this reason, the user can make an adjustment in consideration of the adjustable range, or can make an adjustment exceeding the adjustable range.

(Third embodiment)
In the second embodiment, the adjustable range is explicitly displayed, but there is no change in the response of the apparatus to the adjustment operation such as the operation of the slider bars 205 to 207. In the present embodiment, the user is more aware of the adjustable range by clearly telling the user that the adjustment range instructed by the adjustment operation has reached the upper limit or lower limit value of the current adjustment range.
Since the configuration of the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment may be the same as that of the first embodiment, redundant description is omitted.

FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically showing the operation of the image processing apparatus of the present embodiment.
FIG. 10 shows slider bars 205 to 207, and the saturation color gamut guide 803 and the luminance color gamut guide 804 described in the second embodiment are displayed on the saturation slider bar 206 and the luminance slider bar 207.

For example, assume that the user tries to move the saturation slider bar 206 to the right beyond the saturation color gamut guide 803 indicating the upper limit of the adjustable range.
When detecting this operation, the CPU 105 forcibly stops the saturation slider bar 206 at a position 901 that is the upper limit of the adjustable range. This operation is the same as that in the first embodiment when the interlock adjustment is invalid (S411).

  Therefore, the user temporarily stops the movement of the saturation slider bar 206 at the upper limit value of the adjustable range, and is once adjusted to the upper limit saturation possible with the current luminance. Thereafter, when the user further operates the saturation slider bar 206 from the position 901 to increase the saturation, the saturation specified by the user is set as in the case where the linked adjustment is enabled in the first embodiment. Adjust the brightness so that it is within the adjustable range.

  That is, when an adjustment instruction exceeding the adjustable range is detected in S405 of FIG. 4, the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment operates in the same manner as when the interlock adjustment is invalid at the first detection (S411). From the second time onward, the operation is the same as when the interlock adjustment is valid. This can be realized by storing the number of detections in S405 for each slider bar.

According to the present embodiment, the user can be more clearly aware of the adjustable range. On the other hand, since an adjustment instruction exceeding the adjustable range is accepted, even when a user with little knowledge about color is used, color editing can be performed in accordance with the intention.
Note that this embodiment can be implemented alone or in combination with the display of the second embodiment.

(Other embodiments)
The above-described embodiment can also be realized in software by a computer of a system or apparatus (or CPU, MPU, etc.).

  Therefore, the computer program itself supplied to the computer in order to implement the above-described embodiment by the computer also realizes the present invention. That is, the computer program itself for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is also one aspect of the present invention.

  The computer program for realizing the above-described embodiment may be in any form as long as it can be read by a computer. For example, it can be composed of object code, a program executed by an interpreter, script data supplied to the OS, but is not limited thereto.

  A computer program for realizing the above-described embodiment is supplied to a computer via a storage medium or wired / wireless communication. Examples of the storage medium for supplying the program include a magnetic storage medium such as a flexible disk, a hard disk, and a magnetic tape, an optical / magneto-optical storage medium such as an MO, CD, and DVD, and a nonvolatile semiconductor memory.

  As a computer program supply method using wired / wireless communication, there is a method of using a server on a computer network. In this case, a data file (program file) that can be a computer program forming the present invention is stored in the server. The program file may be an executable format or a source code.

Then, the program file is supplied by downloading to a client computer that has accessed the server. In this case, the program file can be divided into a plurality of segment files, and the segment files can be distributed and arranged on different servers.
That is, a server apparatus that provides a client computer with a program file for realizing the above-described embodiment is also one aspect of the present invention.

  In addition, a storage medium in which the computer program for realizing the above-described embodiment is encrypted and distributed is distributed, and key information for decrypting is supplied to a user who satisfies a predetermined condition, and the user's computer Installation may be allowed. The key information can be supplied by being downloaded from a homepage via the Internet, for example.

Further, the computer program for realizing the above-described embodiment may use an OS function already running on the computer.
Further, a part of the computer program for realizing the above-described embodiment may be configured by firmware such as an expansion board attached to the computer, or may be executed by a CPU provided in the expansion board. Good.

It is a figure which shows the structural example of the main user interface screens which the image processing apparatus which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention provides. It is a figure which shows the specific structural example of the control panel part shown in FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the image processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a flowchart illustrating details of color editing processing performed in S311 of FIG. 3 in the image processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a display example of a color conversion table creation control panel unit which is performed by the image processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention in the process of S309 of FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state in which an influence color region is changed by a user operating a control point from the state of FIG. 5 in the image processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure explaining the relationship between operation of a slider bar and the display of a color wheel and a brightness | luminance bar in the image processing apparatus which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the relationship between operation which raises saturation, and an adjustable range about the edit color whose brightness | luminance is higher than 50%. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of the color conversion table creation control panel part in the image processing apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows typically operation | movement of the image processing apparatus which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the HSL color space represented with the biconic model which makes a height direction a luminance axis. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a computer apparatus 100 that can operate as an image processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the interlocking adjustment in the color edit process which concerns on the modification of the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the detail of the color edit process which concerns on the modification of the 1st Embodiment of this invention.

Claims (12)

An image processing apparatus for performing color editing processing for converting a specified editing color,
First input means for receiving designation of the edit color;
Second input means for accepting adjustment of the editing color component for each component;
Discrimination means for discriminating whether or not the adjustment exceeds an adjustable range determined by values of the first component and the second component of the edit color;
If the adjustment for one of the first component and the second component exceeds the adjustable range, the first component and the second component are adjusted so that the adjustment is included in the adjustable range. Adjustment means for interlocking adjustment of the other value;
An image processing apparatus comprising: a generation unit configured to generate a color conversion table for converting the edit color based on the adjustment received by the second input unit and the adjustment by the adjustment unit.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the editing color components are hue, saturation, and luminance, the first component is saturation, and the second component is luminance.   Display means for displaying the value of the edit color component at a corresponding position in an image indicating a saturation and hue range corresponding to a predetermined luminance in a predetermined color space and an image indicating the luminance range, respectively. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:   The display means displays on the image showing the range of saturation and hue corresponding to the predetermined luminance of the predetermined color space, the adjustment range of saturation corresponding to the luminance value of the edit color. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the image processing apparatus performs the processing.   5. The image according to claim 3, wherein the display means displays on the image representing the luminance range the luminance adjustable range corresponding to the saturation value of the edit color. Processing equipment. The adjusting means determines whether the interlock adjustment is effective, and
When the adjustment for one of the first component and the second component exceeds the adjustable range, the interlock adjustment is performed if the interlock adjustment is valid, and the interlock adjustment is not effective, The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an adjustment for one of the first component and the second component is limited to an upper limit value or a lower limit value of the adjustable range. .   The image processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the adjustment unit determines that the interlocking adjustment is not effective for an adjustment received by the second input unit in parallel with a predetermined input.   When the adjustment means receives an adjustment exceeding the adjustable range again for the component whose adjustment is limited to the upper limit value or the lower limit value, it determines that the interlock adjustment is effective. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, wherein   The adjusting means interlocks and adjusts the other value of the first component and the second component so that one value of the first component and the second component maintains the upper limit value of the adjustable range. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing apparatus is an image processing apparatus.   The adjustment to one of the first component and the second component returns to a value that does not exceed the adjustable range corresponding to the other value of the first component and the second component before performing the interlock adjustment. 9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein when the adjustment is made, the adjustment unit stops the linked adjustment of the other value of the first component and the second component. An image processing method for performing a color editing process for converting a specified editing color,
A first input step of accepting designation of the edit color through first input means;
A second input step of accepting adjustment of the component of the edit color for each component through a second input means;
A determination step of determining whether or not the adjustment exceeds an adjustable range determined by values of the first component and the second component of the edit color;
If the adjustment for one of the first component and the second component exceeds the adjustable range, the first component and the second component are adjusted so that the adjustment is included in the adjustable range. An adjustment process for interlocking adjustment of the other value;
An image processing method comprising: a generation step of generating a color conversion table for converting the edit color based on the adjustment received by the second input means and the adjustment by the adjustment step.   A program for causing a computer to function as the image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10.