JP2009071782A - Image processor, image processing method and program thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress a storage capacity to be used and to more surely correct image data. <P>SOLUTION: When image data instructed to be printed is input, a viewer 20 acquires display screen data from a VRAM 32 storing the display screen data which include a display image associated with image data to be used for printing and are displayed in a LCD panel 28, extracts the display image included in the acquired display screen data, generates APF (Auto Photo Fine) information for adjusting image quality of the image data associated with the display image by using the extracted display image, and corrects the image data by using the generated APF information. Thus, the display image whose data amount is smaller than the image data is used to generate APF information. In addition, the display screen data are acquired, the display image included in the display screen data is extracted to generate APF information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and a program thereof.

Conventionally, when a thumbnail image is attached to image data, the image processing apparatus analyzes the thumbnail image to acquire feature information of the image data, and corrects the image data based on the acquired feature information. Therefore, there has been proposed a method of correcting image data while suppressing a memory capacity to be used rather than analyzing the image data itself (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-218048

  By the way, in the image processing apparatus as described in Patent Document 1, an application that executes image processing and a print driver that executes processing related to printing are separately provided, and image data and printing conditions are transmitted from the application to the print driver. May be output. In such a case, the available memory capacity may be limited on the print driver side, and all of the acquired image data is retained and the image data is analyzed to obtain feature information, or the acquired image data It is difficult to determine the feature information of the image data by analyzing the reduced image and reducing the image data while retaining all of the image data, and executing the process of correcting the image data using the feature information There was something I couldn't do.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and provides an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and a program thereof capable of suppressing the storage capacity to be used and executing the correction processing of image data more reliably. The purpose is to do.

  The present invention adopts the following means in order to achieve the above-mentioned object.

The image processing method of the present invention includes:
An image processing method for processing image data used for printing by using an image processing apparatus having a display means for displaying an image,
(A) acquiring the display screen data from a screen storage unit that stores display screen data that includes a display image associated with the image data used for printing and is displayed on the display unit;
(B) extracting the display image included in the display screen data acquired in step (a);
(C) using the display image extracted in step (b) to generate image quality adjustment information for adjusting the image quality of the image data associated with the display image;
Is included.

  In this image processing method, a display image associated with image data used for printing is included, the display screen data is acquired from a screen storage unit that stores display screen data to be displayed, and is included in the acquired display screen data. A display image is extracted, and image quality adjustment information for adjusting the image quality of image data associated with the display image is generated using the extracted display image. Thereafter, for example, image data correction processing is executed using the generated image quality adjustment information. As described above, the image quality adjustment information is generated using a display image having a data amount smaller than that of the image data. Therefore, the image quality adjustment information can be generated while suppressing the storage capacity to be used. Further, for example, even when the image display process and the print process are not performed in an integrated manner, the display screen data is acquired from the screen storage means, and the display image included in the display screen data is extracted. Image data correction processing can be executed reliably.

  In the image processing method of the present invention, in the step (b), an area where the image is different from the previously acquired display screen data and the currently acquired display screen data is detected as an area of the display image. An image in the area may be extracted as the display image. In this way, it is possible to extract the display image more reliably even if the area including the display image of the display screen data is not set in advance.

The image processing method of the present invention includes:
(D) further including a step of acquiring image data corresponding to a display image included in the display screen data selected based on a user input, and in the step (c), the image is displayed in the step (d). When data is acquired, image quality adjustment information corresponding to the acquired image data is generated using a display image corresponding to the image data extracted from the display screen data displayed on the display means at the time of acquisition It is good. In this way, it is easy to extract the image selected by the user even when the image display process and the print process are not performed in an integrated manner. At this time, in the step (c), when the image data is acquired in the step (d), a user included in the display screen data using at least a part of the acquired image data and the extracted display image. The selected display image may be specified based on the input, and image quality adjustment information corresponding to the acquired image data may be generated using the specified display image. In this way, even if the image display process and the print process are not performed in an integrated manner, it is easy to specify which image included in the display screen is instructed to be printed, and as a result, the image data is more reliably detected. The correction process can be executed.

The image processing method of the present invention includes:
(E) performing a correction process on the corresponding image data using the image quality adjustment information generated in step (c);
(F) The method may further include a step of outputting the corrected data generated by performing the correction process in the step (e). In this way, post-correction data obtained by performing correction processing on image data can be used. Here, “corrected data” may be output as display data or may be output as data for storage. At this time, in the step (e), the image data is subjected to correction processing using the image quality adjustment information, and print data used by a printing apparatus that prints an image based on the image data on a print medium is converted into the corrected data. It is good also as what produces | generates as. In this way, even when the printing apparatus does not have a function for performing correction processing on image data using image quality adjustment information, the printing apparatus can execute printing processing using print data that has been subjected to correction processing. .

Alternatively, the image processing method of the present invention includes:
(G) including outputting the image quality adjustment information generated in step (c) and the image data corresponding to the image quality adjustment information to a printing apparatus that prints an image based on the image data on a print medium. Also good. By doing this, it is possible to execute correction processing on the image data on the printing apparatus side using the image quality adjustment information and the image data.

  The program of the present invention is for causing one or more computers to realize each step of any one of the above-described image processing methods. This program may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium (for example, hard disk, ROM, FD, CD, DVD, etc.), or from a computer via a transmission medium (communication network such as the Internet or LAN). It may be distributed to another computer, or may be exchanged in any other form. If this program is executed by a single computer or if each step is shared and executed by a plurality of computers, each step of the above-described image processing method is executed, so that the same effect as this method can be obtained. .

The image processing apparatus of the present invention
An image processing apparatus for processing image data used for printing,
Display means for displaying an image;
Screen acquisition means for acquiring the display screen data from a screen storage means for storing display screen data to be displayed on the display means including a display image associated with the image data used for the printing;
Image extracting means for extracting the display image included in the acquired display screen data;
Adjustment information generating means for generating image quality adjustment information for adjusting the image quality of image data associated with the display image using the extracted display image;
It is equipped with.

  This image processing apparatus includes a display image associated with image data used for printing, acquires the display screen data from a screen storage unit that stores the display screen data to be displayed, and includes the display screen data. A display image is extracted, and image quality adjustment information for adjusting the image quality of image data associated with the display image is generated using the extracted display image. Thereafter, for example, image data correction processing is executed using the generated image quality adjustment information. As described above, the image quality adjustment information is generated using a display image having a data amount smaller than that of the image data. Therefore, the image quality adjustment information can be generated while suppressing the storage capacity to be used. Further, for example, even when the image display process and the print process are not performed in an integrated manner, the display screen data is acquired from the screen storage means, and the display image included in the display screen data is extracted. Image data correction processing can be executed reliably.

  In this image processing apparatus, the image extracting means detects an area where the image is different from the previously acquired display screen data and the currently acquired display screen data as an area of the display image, and is in the area of the detected display image. An image may be extracted as the display image. In addition, the image processing apparatus includes an image data acquisition unit that acquires image data corresponding to a display image included in the display screen data selected based on a user input, and the adjustment information generation unit receives the image data. The image quality adjustment information corresponding to the acquired image data may be generated using a display image corresponding to the image data extracted from the display screen data displayed on the display means at the time of acquisition. At this time, when the image data acquisition unit acquires the image data, the adjustment information generation unit uses a user included in the display screen data using at least a part of the acquired image data and the extracted display image. The selected display image may be specified based on the input, and image quality adjustment information corresponding to the acquired image data may be generated using the specified display image. Further, image quality adjustment execution means for performing correction processing on the image data using the output image quality adjustment information; information output means for outputting corrected data generated by the image quality adjustment execution means performing correction processing; It is good also as a thing provided. At this time, the image quality adjustment execution means performs correction processing on the image data using the image quality adjustment information, and print data used by a printing apparatus that prints an image based on the image data on a print medium is used as the corrected data. It is good also as what produces | generates as. Alternatively, an information output unit that outputs the generated image quality adjustment information and image data corresponding to the image quality adjustment information to a printing apparatus that prints an image based on the image data on a print medium may be provided.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an outline of the configuration of a viewer 20 as an image processing apparatus and a printer 40 as a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. It is. The viewer 20 of the present embodiment is configured as a so-called multimedia storage viewer, and the entire apparatus as a microprocessor centered on a CPU 22 having a flash ROM 23 storing various processing programs and a main RAM 24 temporarily storing data. A controller 21 for controlling the data, an HDD 25 for storing data in the hard disk, a USB controller 26 for inputting / outputting data to / from an external device connected to the USB port 26a, and a memory card 12 mounted in the slot 27a. A memory card controller 27 that inputs and outputs data, an LCD controller 30 that controls the LCD panel 28 to display images and moving images based on image data and moving image data stored in the VRAM 32, and a cursor Up down left right An operation unit 34 for inputting a user instruction and the like determination key 34b is pressed in determining the cursor key 34a or selection that is pressed when moving, and a. The controller 21, HDD 25, USB controller 26, memory card controller 27, LCD controller 30, and operation unit 34 are electrically connected via a bus 29 so that various control signals and data can be exchanged. The memory card 12 is a nonvolatile memory in which data can be written and erased, and stores a plurality of image files photographed by a photographing device such as a digital camera. This image file stores image data compressed in a predetermined format (for example, JPEG format), a thumbnail image that is a reduced image of this image data, and additional information (such as shooting date and time and shooting mode) of this image data. Yes.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the controller 21 has a USB driver module 36 that transmits and receives information to and from an external device connected to the USB port 26a, such as a printer 40, and a stored image. And a print driver module 60 that is installed separately from the display application module 50 and performs data processing relating to printing of image data stored in the HDD 25 or the memory card 12. The USB driver module 36 includes a data transmission unit 37 that outputs received data to an external device via the USB port 26a. The display application module 50 decompresses the original image data compressed and stored in the GUI (Graphical User Interface) input unit 51 for inputting a command or the like from the operation unit 34 and the memory card 12 or the like, and develops the image data. An image development unit 52 and a display screen generation unit that generates display screen data 32a to be displayed on the LCD panel 28 by incorporating a thumbnail image (display image) attached to the image data into the background image data 23a stored in the flash ROM 23. 54, an image holding unit 56 for storing and managing the generated display screen data 32a in a predetermined area of the VRAM 32, a GUI display unit 58 for displaying and outputting the display screen data 32a stored in the image holding unit 56 to the LCD panel 28, It has. The GUI input unit 51 inputs a command from the user such as a selection command for an image displayed on the LCD panel 28 or a print command for printing the selected image as an input from the user via the operation unit 34. A process for sending the processed information to the image development unit 52 is performed. The image development unit 52 accesses the memory card 12 or the like based on a command from the GUI input unit 51 and expands (decompresses) the selected and compressed image data, and displays the developed image data as a display screen generation unit 54. And processing to send to the print driver module 60. The image holding unit 56 performs processing for holding the display screen data 32 a generated by the display screen generating unit 54 in a predetermined area of the main RAM 24. Note that the main RAM 24 and VRAM 32 are set to delete old image data when there is no free space in a predetermined storage area. The GUI display unit 58 performs a process of outputting the display screen data 32a to the LCD panel 28. When an image is displayed on a display device (for example, a television) having a display size different from that of the LCD panel 28, the GUI display unit 58 resizes the display screen data 32a in accordance with the size of the output display device. Processing is also performed.

  The print driver module 60 periodically obtains the display screen data 32a, detects a background image area and a display image area as a print target, and obtains a display image in the detected display image area, and a display An APF information generation unit 62 that generates the APF (Auto Photo Fine) information 24b by analyzing the contents of the display image information 24a managed by the image analysis acquisition unit 61, and the APF information that stores and manages the generated APF information 24b. The management unit 63, the print target image specifying unit 64 that specifies which display image the image data developed and acquired by the image development unit 52 is included in the display screen data 32a, and the image acquired by the print target image specification unit 64 The image quality of the data can be adjusted using the APF information 24b corresponding to the image data and can be printed by the printer 40. A print data expansion unit 66 that generates print data. The display image analysis acquisition unit 61 stores and manages information related to the background area and display image area of the display screen data 32 a and the display image in the display image area as display image information 24 a in a predetermined area of the main RAM 24. The APF information generation unit 62 analyzes the display image acquired by the display image analysis acquisition unit 61 to generate APF information 24b, and performs processing to send the generated APF information 24b to the APF information management unit 63. The APF information 24b analyzes the content of image data (or thumbnail images) that corrects a color cast state such as a hue on the blue side by photographing under a fluorescent lamp, a state photographed with backlight, and the like. The parameters obtained in the above are included. Since the APF information 24b includes a plurality of parameters, the APF information generation unit 62 performs processing for converting the display image into image data for sampling expressed in a color space suitable for each parameter, and the like. The parameters of the APF information 24b are obtained by analyzing the contents of the sampled image data, and the APF information 24b including the obtained parameters is generated. The APF information generation unit 62 can also generate the APF information 24b reflecting the content of the additional information of the image data. For example, the APF information generation unit 62 generates the APF information 24b by reflecting the contents of brightness designation and saturation designation included in the user-specified correction information added to the image data, reflecting the shooting mode, and the like. To do. The APF information management unit 63 has a function of managing the APF information 24b including a plurality of parameters used for image quality adjustment of the image data generated by the APF information generation unit 62 in association with the display image. The print data development unit 66 reflects the APF information 24 b in the image data developed by the image development unit 52, develops the corrected image data into print data that can be printed by the printer 40, and sends the print data to the data transmission unit 37. I do.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 40 includes a controller 41 that controls the entire apparatus as a microprocessor centered on a CPU 42 that includes a ROM 43 that stores various processing programs and a RAM 44 that temporarily stores data. A printing mechanism 45 that prints an image on paper S, a USB controller 46 that can input and output information between an external device connected to the USB port 46a, a display unit 48a that can display information to the user, and a user And an operation panel 48 having an operation unit 48b or the like capable of inputting the above instruction. The controller 21, the printing mechanism 45, the USB controller 46, and the operation panel 48 are electrically connected by a bus (not shown). Although not shown, the printing mechanism 45 is an ink jet mechanism that applies pressure to each color ink and discharges the pressurized ink onto the recording paper S to execute a printing process. The mechanism for applying pressure to the ink may be due to deformation of the piezoelectric element or due to generation of bubbles due to the heat of the heater.

  Next, the operation of the viewer 20 of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described. Here, a case will be mainly described where a plurality of image files stored in the memory card 12 are displayed on the LCD panel 28, and one of the displayed images is selected by the user to issue a print command. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a display output processing routine executed by the CPU 22 of the viewer 20, and FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of an area detection / print data output processing routine executed by the CPU 22 of the viewer 20. is there. The display output processing routine is executed after the memory card 12 is inserted into the slot 27a. The CPU 22 performs processing of this routine by using each function of the display application module 50 such as the GUI input unit 51, the image development unit 52, the display screen generation unit 54, the image holding unit 56, and the GUI display unit 58 described above. When this routine is started, first, the CPU 22 reads the thumbnail image added to the image data stored in the memory card 12, and also reads the background image data 23a stored in the flash ROM 23 (step S100). Here, the thumbnail images are read in the order of the image data stored in the memory card 12.

  Next, the CPU 22 embeds a thumbnail image in the read background image data 23a, generates an image display screen 80, and stores the generated image display screen 80 as display screen data 32a in a predetermined area of the VRAM 32 (step S110). Here, the display screen generation unit 54 executes the generation process of the image display screen 80 and the storage process of the image display screen 80 generated by the image holding unit 56. 5A and 5B are explanatory diagrams of the image display screen 80 displayed on the LCD panel 28. FIG. 5A is a screen including the images 80a to 80f, and FIG. 5B is a screen including the images 80g to 80l. It is explanatory drawing. Here, the image display screen 80 displays six thumbnail images and a cursor 81 as shown in FIG. Next, the CPU 22 displays and outputs the generated image display screen 80 on the LCD panel 28 (step S120). Here, the GUI display unit 58 and the LCD controller 30 execute this processing.

  Next, the CPU 22 determines whether or not a display switching instruction is input by pressing the cursor key 34a by the user (step S130), and when the display switching instruction is input, the processing after step S100 is performed. Execute. That is, as shown in FIG. 5B, an image display screen 80 including the next thumbnail image is generated and displayed on the LCD panel 28. At this time, the display screen data 32a stored in the VRAM 32 is also updated. On the other hand, when the display switching instruction is not input, the CPU 22 determines whether or not the print instruction is input by pressing a print instruction button (not shown) (step S140), and when the print instruction is not input. Then, the processing after step S130 is executed. On the other hand, when a print instruction is input, it is determined whether an output wait command is input from the print driver module 60 that is the output destination (step S150). The “output waiting command” is a command output from the print driver module 60 when there is no room in the print buffer of the printer 40 or when there is no room in processing on the print driver module 60 side. It will be described later.

  Subsequently, the CPU 22 waits as it is when the output wait command is input, and when the output wait command is not input, the CPU 22 develops the image data instructed to be printed by the user and outputs it to the print driver module 60 ( Step S160). Here, the image development unit 52 executes output of image data to the print driver module 60. Subsequently, the CPU 22 determines whether or not the output of the image data has been completed (step S170). When the output of the image data has not been completed, the CPU 22 executes the processes after step S150. That is, the process of outputting the image data to the print driver module 60 when there is no output waiting command is repeated. On the other hand, when the output of the image data is completed, the CPU 22 determines whether or not a processing end instruction is input by pressing a power key (not shown) or the memory card 12 is removed, and the processing end instruction is input. If not, the process from step S100 is repeated, and when a process end instruction is input, this routine ends. As described above, when the image contained in the memory card 12 mounted on the viewer 20 is displayed and the user gives a print instruction, the image data is transferred to the print driver module 60.

  Next, processing for creating print data by applying APF to image data for which printing has been instructed will be described. The area detection / print data output processing routine shown in FIG. 4 is repeatedly executed by the CPU 22 after the power of the viewer 20 is turned on and the print driver module 60 is initialized. The CPU 22 uses the functions of the print driver module 60 such as the display image analysis acquisition unit 61, the APF information generation unit 62, the APF information management unit 63, the print target image specification unit 64, and the print data development unit 66 described above. Performs routine processing. When this routine is started, the CPU 22 first acquires the display screen data 32a stored in the VRAM 32 (step S200). Here, it is determined that the display screen data 32a is stored in a predetermined area of the VRAM 32, and the print driver module 60 reads out the predetermined area to acquire the display screen data 32a. The acquisition unit 61 is assumed to be periodically executed.

  When the display screen data 32a is acquired, the CPU 22 determines whether or not there is display screen data 32a acquired last time (step S210). When there is no previous display screen data 32a, this routine is ended as it is, and when there is previous display screen data 32a, the CPU 22 takes an image difference between the previous display screen data 32a and the currently acquired display screen data 32a. Then, the background area 90 and the display image area 92 are detected (step S220). FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of detection of the background area 90 and the display image area 92 and extraction of the image 80a. As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the detection of the background area 90 and the display image area 92 takes the difference between the previous display screen data 32a and the current display screen data 32a and changes from the previous time. An image area that has not been detected is detected as a background area 90, and an image area that has changed since the previous time is detected as a display image area 92 (FIG. 6). Next, the CPU 22 stores information (for example, information such as coordinates) of the detected background area 90 and display image area 92 in a predetermined area of the main RAM 24 (step S230), and whether or not image data instructed to be printed has been input. Is determined (step S240). When the image data instructed to be printed is not input, the CPU 22 ends this routine as it is.

  On the other hand, when the image data instructed to be printed is input, the CPU 22 acquires the display screen data 32a currently stored in the VRAM 32 and extracts the display image based on the information of the background area 90 and the display image area 92. (Step S250). Here, it is assumed that the display image analysis acquisition unit 61 extracts six display images included in the image display screen 80 (see an image 80a in FIG. 6). Subsequently, when inputting a predetermined amount of predetermined image data, the CPU 22 outputs an output waiting command to the display application module 50 (step S260). In this way, with the input of the image data suspended, the CPU 22 executes the resizing process on the input image data for which printing has been instructed (step S270), and matching between the resized image data and the extracted display image is performed. Is executed to specify a display image corresponding to the image data instructed to be printed (step S280). FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram of matching between input image data and an extracted display image. Here, the image data is resized so as to be the size of the display image area. Further, the print target image specifying unit 64 executes a process of matching the input image data with the extracted display image to specify the display image.

  Here, the reason for specifying the display image corresponding to the image data instructed to be printed will be described. When the print driver module 60 is installed after the display application module 50 or the vendors of the print driver module 60 and the display application module 50 are different, one or more modules control the image display process and the print process. May not be executed. In such a case, the print driver module 60 side cannot specify the original image data instructed to be printed, and may not be able to acquire the thumbnail image from the original image data. In addition, since the amount of memory is limited in devices such as the viewer 20 and the printer 40, the entire decompressed image data is stored in the memory, and the stored image is analyzed to generate the APF information 24b. It may be difficult to generate the APF information 24b by generating a thumbnail image of the image data and analyzing the generated thumbnail image while holding the entire decompressed image data in the memory. Here, when a display image included in the image display screen 80 with a small image size is acquired from the VRAM 32 and image data is input upon receiving a print instruction, a display image with a small image size is used by using a part of the input image data. Is specified on the print driver module 60 side. Then, the APF information 24b is generated by analyzing the display image having a small image size.

  After step S280, the CPU 22 determines whether or not a display image corresponding to partly input image data has been specified (step S290). If the display image has not been specified, matching is performed with another display image. When the process is continued and identified, the APF information 24b is generated using the identified display image (step S300). Here, it is assumed that the APF information generation unit 62 performs processing for generating the APF information 24b. Subsequently, the CPU 22 outputs an output waiting cancel command to the display application module 50 (step S310), restarts input of image data, and executes correction processing on the image data instructed to be printed using the APF information 24b. Then, a process of generating print data that can be printed by the printer 40 is executed (step S320). Here, it is assumed that the print data development unit 66 generates print data using the APF information 24b.

  Subsequently, the CPU 22 executes output processing for outputting the print data to the USB driver module 36 (step S330), determines whether the print data output processing is completed (step S340), and print data output processing. Is not completed, the processing from step S320 is executed, and when the print data output processing is completed, this routine is terminated. The USB driver module 36 to which the print data is input is configured to transmit and output the print data to the printer 40 using the data transmission unit 37. Here, in consideration of the amount of memory, each part of the image data is converted into print data while being corrected using the APF information 24b, and each part is transmitted to the printer 40 and output. The printer 40 that has received this print data executes print processing. In the printing process, the CPU 42 drives the drive motor of the printing mechanism 45 to rotate the paper feed roller, the conveyance roller, etc., and conveys the recording paper S to the printable area on the platen, and drives the carriage motor to move the carriage to the carriage. A process of discharging ink as a colorant onto the recording paper S based on print data while moving in the moving direction is performed. In this way, for example, print processing is performed on image data such as a color cast photograph or a backlight photograph so that a clearer image is obtained using the APF information 24b.

  Here, the correspondence between the components of the present embodiment and the components of the present invention will be clarified. The LCD panel 28 of this embodiment corresponds to the display unit of the present invention, the display image analysis acquisition unit 61 corresponds to the screen acquisition unit and the image extraction unit, the APF information generation unit 62 corresponds to the adjustment information generation unit, and printing The target image specifying unit 64 corresponds to the image data acquisition unit, the print data development unit 66 corresponds to the image quality adjustment execution unit and the information output unit, and the APF information 24b corresponds to the image quality adjustment information. In the present embodiment, an example of the image processing method of the present invention is also clarified by describing the operation of the viewer 20.

  According to the viewer 20 of the present embodiment described in detail above, the display screen data 32a is displayed from the VRAM 32 that stores the display image data 32a that is displayed on the LCD panel 28 and includes the display image associated with the image data used for printing. Is extracted, a display image included in the acquired display screen data 32a is extracted, APF information 24b for adjusting the image quality of the image data associated with the display image is generated using the extracted display image, and generated The image data correction process is executed using the APF information 24b. In this way, since the APF information 24b is generated using a display image having a data amount smaller than that of the image data, the APF information 24b can be generated while suppressing the storage capacity to be used. Further, for example, even when the image display process and the print process are not performed in an integrated manner, the display screen data 32a is acquired from the VRAM 32, and the display image included in the display screen data 32a is extracted. The correction process using the APF information 24b of the image data can be surely executed. Further, the display screen data 32a obtained in the previous time and the display screen data 32a acquired this time are detected as a display image area, and an image in the detected display image area is extracted as a display image. Even if the area including the display image of the data 32a is not set in advance, the display image can be extracted more reliably. Further, when the image data instructed to be printed is acquired, the APF corresponding to the image data acquired using the display image corresponding to the image data extracted from the display screen data 32a displayed on the LCD panel 28 at the time of acquisition. Since the information 24b is generated, it is easy to extract the display image selected by the user even when the image display process and the print process are not performed in an integrated manner. Furthermore, the display image included in the display screen data 32a is specified using at least a part of the acquired image data and the extracted display image, and the APF information 24b corresponding to the image data is obtained using the specified display image. Therefore, even if the image display process and the print process are not executed in an integrated manner, it is easy to specify which image included in the display screen has been instructed to print, and as a result, the image data can be more reliably detected. The correction process can be executed. Then, using the generated APF information 24b, the corresponding image data is corrected, and the printer 40 generates print data to be used for printing. Therefore, the printer 40 performs correction processing on the image data using the APF information 24b. Even if there is no function to be performed, the printer 40 can print the print data that has been reliably subjected to the correction process.

  It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that the present invention can be implemented in various modes as long as it belongs to the technical scope of the present invention.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the print data is generated by correcting the image data using the APF information 24b. However, the print data can be generated using the image data and the APF information 24b on the printer 40 side. In some cases, the image data and the APF information 24b may be transmitted and output to the printer 40. In this way, the correction process can be executed on the image data on the printer 40 side using the APF information 24b and the image data. Alternatively, the print data is generated by correcting the image data using the APF information 24b. However, the corrected image data corrected using the APF information 24b may be stored in the image data or displayed. Also good.

  In the above-described embodiment, an area where the image is different between the previous display screen data 32a and the current display screen data 32a is detected as the display image area. However, the display image area is predetermined, and the predetermined area is determined in advance. An image of the selected area may be extracted as a display image. It should be noted that an area where the image is different between the previous and current display screen data 32a after a predetermined period is detected as the display image area, and the display image area detected once is thereafter Alternatively, it may be used as a predetermined area.

  In the above-described embodiment, the display image is extracted from the display screen data 32a displayed on the LCD panel 28 when the image data instructed to be printed is input. However, regardless of the input of the image data instructed to be printed. Instead, the display image may be extracted from the display screen data 32a. Further, although the display image is extracted after inputting the image data instructed to print and the APF information 24b is generated, the display image is extracted and the APF information 24b is input before the image data instructed to be printed is input. And the display image and the APF information 24b are associated with each other, and when the image data instructed to be printed is input, the APF information 24b corresponding to the display image may be used. In this way, the APF information 24b is prepared in preparation for the image data print instruction, so that the print processing time can be further shortened.

  In the embodiment described above, the display image included in the display screen data 32a is specified using a part of the input image data. For example, the display screen data 32a includes only one display image. In some cases, this process may be omitted.

  In the above-described embodiment, the viewer 20 as the image processing apparatus of the present invention has been described. However, as long as the display image is selected from the display screen and subjected to print processing, the present invention can be used without any particular limitation. Electronic devices as image processing devices, such as digital cameras, digital videos, mobile phones, televisions, personal computers, portable game machines, home game machines, recording devices (video decks and HDD decks), PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), etc. It is good. Further, although the present invention has been described in the form of the viewer 20, it may be an aspect of an image processing method or a program aspect of this method.

2 is a configuration diagram showing an outline of configurations of a viewer 20 and a printer 40. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a controller 21. FIG. It is a flowchart which shows an example of a display output process routine. 10 is a flowchart of a region detection / print data output processing routine. It is explanatory drawing of the image display screen 80 displayed on the LCD panel. It is explanatory drawing of the detection of the background area | region 90 and the display image area | region 92. FIG. It is a conceptual diagram of matching with the input image data and the extracted display image.

Explanation of symbols

  12 memory card, 20 viewer, 21 controller, 22 CPU, 23 flash ROM, 23a background image data, 24 main RAM, 24a display image information, 24b APF information, 25 HDD, 26 USB controller, 26a USB port, 27 memory card controller 27a slot, 28 LCD panel, 29 bus, 30 LCD controller, 32 VRAM, 32a display screen data, 34 operation unit, 34a cursor key, 34b determination key, 36 USB driver module, 37 data transmission unit, 40 printer, 41 controller 42 CPU, 43 ROM, 44 RAM, 45 printing mechanism, 46 USB controller, 46a USB port, 48 operation panel, 48a display unit, 48b operation unit, 5 0 display application module, 51 GUI input unit, 52 image development unit, 54 display screen generation unit, 56 image holding unit, 58 GUI display unit, 60 print driver module, 61 display image analysis acquisition unit, 62 APF information generation unit, 63 APF information management unit, 64 print target image specifying unit, 66 print data development unit, 80 image display screen, 80a to 80l image, 81 cursor, 90 background region, 92 display image region, S recording paper.

Claims (9)

An image processing method for processing image data used for printing by using an image processing apparatus having a display means for displaying an image,
(A) acquiring the display screen data from a screen storage unit that stores display screen data that includes a display image associated with the image data used for printing and is displayed on the display unit;
(B) extracting the display image included in the display screen data acquired in step (a);
(C) using the display image extracted in step (b) to generate image quality adjustment information for adjusting the image quality of the image data associated with the display image;
An image processing method including:   In the step (b), an area where an image is different from the previously acquired display screen data and the currently acquired display screen data is detected as an area of the display image, and an image in the detected display image area is displayed as the display image. The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein: The image processing method according to claim 1 or 2,
(D) further including obtaining image data corresponding to a display image included in the display screen data selected based on a user input;
In the step (c), when the image data is acquired in the step (d), a display image corresponding to the image data extracted from the display screen data displayed on the display means at the time of acquisition is used. An image processing method for generating image quality adjustment information corresponding to the acquired image data.   In the step (c), when the image data is acquired in the step (d), at least a part of the acquired image data and the extracted display image are used for user input included in the display screen data. 4. The image processing method according to claim 3, wherein a display image selected based on the specified display image is specified, and image quality adjustment information corresponding to the acquired image data is generated using the specified display image. The image processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
(E) performing a correction process on the corresponding image data using the image quality adjustment information generated in step (c);
(F) An image processing method further comprising: outputting corrected data generated by performing the correction process in the step (e).   In the step (e), the image data is subjected to correction processing using the image quality adjustment information, and print data used by a printing apparatus that prints an image based on the image data on a print medium is generated as the corrected data. The image processing method according to claim 5. An image processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
(G) Image processing including outputting the image quality adjustment information generated in the step (c) and image data corresponding to the image quality adjustment information to a printing apparatus that prints an image based on the image data on a print medium. Method.   The program for making one or more computers perform each step of the image processing method of any one of Claims 1-7. An image processing apparatus for processing image data used for printing,
Display means for displaying an image;
Screen acquisition means for acquiring the display screen data from a screen storage means for storing display screen data to be displayed on the display means including a display image associated with the image data used for the printing;
Image extracting means for extracting the display image included in the acquired display screen data;
Adjustment information generating means for generating image quality adjustment information for adjusting the image quality of image data associated with the display image using the extracted display image;
An image processing apparatus.

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