JP2015043482A - Image processing apparatus and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing apparatus capable of outputting an image visible to both a person with normal color vision and a color vision defective and an image forming apparatus, without increase in costs.SOLUTION: An image processing apparatus 200 comprises a color correction processing section 205 and a gradation reproduction processing section 207 and outputs a full-color image having undergone image processing. The color correction processing section 205 converts an RGB signal to a CMYK signal in order to perform faithful color reproduction of a signal (RGB signal) inputted from an input gradation correction section 204. The gradation reproduction processing section 207 uses a pattern for gradation reproduction or a pattern for color vision correspondence corresponding to an operation mode to perform gradation reproduction processing (half-tone generation) for reproducing a gradation for each of the adjusted CMYK signals inputted from an output gradation correction section 206.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus that output an image processed so that both a normal color vision person and a color vision abnormality person can see.

  A person with abnormal color vision has a difference in degree, but it is difficult to discern a combination of some hues such as a combination of red and green or a combination of blue and purple, and thus it is difficult to visually recognize a full-color image. When the hue of an image is converted so that a person with abnormal color vision can visually recognize, the person with normal color vision cannot determine the hue of the image before conversion from the image after conversion.

  Therefore, there is an image processing device that performs image processing on an input image so that both a color blind person and a color blind person can be visually recognized (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This image processing apparatus extracts a chromatic color painting region from an input image, and for each of the extracted painting regions, hatching is performed at an angle according to a hue before conversion and at an interval according to saturation before conversion. And an arrow with an interval according to the lightness before conversion is added to the hatching.

JP 2008-77307 A

  However, in the image processing apparatus described in Patent Literature 1, the hue, saturation, and brightness are determined for each of the extracted painted areas, and the angle according to the hue before conversion and the interval according to the saturation before conversion. Are added, and an arrow with an interval corresponding to the brightness before conversion is added to the hatch. For this reason, a dedicated image processing circuit for performing these image processes is required, resulting in an increase in cost.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus that output an image that can be visually recognized by both a color-blind person and a color-blind person without cost.

  The image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a color correction processing unit and a gradation reproduction processing unit, and outputs a full color image using a plurality of color materials having different hues. The color correction processing unit converts the color component signals of the input image into color component signals of a plurality of color materials. The gradation reproduction processing unit is a gradation for reproducing the gradation of an image using a color vision corresponding pattern in which a halftone pattern is different for each of a plurality of color materials with respect to an image after conversion by a color correction processing unit. Perform a reproduction process.

  In this configuration, the color correction processing unit converts the RGB signal of the input image into a CMYK signal. The gradation reproduction processing unit has a color vision corresponding pattern (for example, a halftone pattern different for each hue of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K) for each of the CMYK signals. The tone reproduction process is performed using a pattern having the same layout with different layouts, a pattern with the same shape having different sizes, a pattern with different shapes, and the like. The image processing apparatus performs gradation reproduction processing using a color vision correspondence pattern in which a halftone pattern is different for each hue of the CMYK color material in the gradation reproduction processing unit without providing a new image processing circuit. , CMYK color materials can be visually recognized. As a result, a person with normal color vision can discriminate the hue of the original image from the output image, and a person with abnormal color vision can visually recognize the output image.

  In this configuration, the color vision corresponding pattern is preferably a pattern having a different shape, size, or layout for each of the plurality of color materials. Accordingly, the image processing apparatus can reliably output and output an image for each color material of CMYK.

  The color vision corresponding pattern is preferably a stripe pattern or a dot pattern. Accordingly, the image processing apparatus can output the image for each color material of CMYK more reliably and visually.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention uses, on a sheet, an image output from an image processing apparatus according to an operation mode selected from a plurality of operation modes including a color vision corresponding mode for outputting an image that can be visually recognized by a person with color blindness. An image forming unit to be formed is provided. The gradation reproduction processing unit of the image processing apparatus performs the gradation reproduction process using the color vision correspondence pattern only when the color vision correspondence mode is selected.

  The image forming apparatus generates, on a sheet, an image that has been subjected to gradation reproduction processing for each hue of a plurality of color materials using the color vision correspondence pattern only when the color vision correspondence mode is selected. Thereby, when the color vision support mode is selected, an image that can be visually recognized by both the color vision normal person and the color vision abnormal person can be formed on the paper.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to output an image that can be visually recognized by both a color blind person and a color blind person without cost.

1 is a block diagram illustrating functions and configurations of an image forming apparatus including an image processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is an example of the execution result of the pattern for color vision correspondence memorize | stored in the image processing apparatus. 2 is an example of an original document of an image to be processed by the image processing apparatus. It is an example of the image separated into CMYK signals by the image processing apparatus. It is an example of the image which the image processing apparatus performed gradation reproduction processing for every CMYK signal using the pattern for color vision. It is an example of the image which synthesize | combined the CMYK signal after the same image processing apparatus performed the gradation reproduction process using the pattern for color vision. It is an example of the execution result of the pattern for color vision correspondence memorize | stored in the image processing apparatus. It is an example of the image which the image processing apparatus performed gradation reproduction processing for every CMYK signal using the pattern for color vision. It is an example of the image which synthesize | combined the CMYK signal after the same image processing apparatus performed the gradation reproduction process using the pattern for color vision. It is another example of the execution result of the pattern for a color vision memorize | stored in an image processing apparatus. It is a block diagram which shows the function and structure of an image forming apparatus provided with the image processing apparatus which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention.

  An image forming apparatus including an image processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 10 includes an image input device 100, an image processing device 200, an image output device 300, an operation unit 400, and a control unit 500, and forms an image on a sheet.

  The operation unit 400 receives an instruction to start an image forming process, an instruction to set an operation mode including a color vision compatible mode, and the like. The color vision compatible mode is a mode in which an image that can be identified by a color vision abnormal person is formed on a sheet.

  The image input apparatus 100 is a scanner that reads an image from a document. The image input device 100 outputs a full color image read from the document to the image processing device 200.

  The image processing apparatus 200 performs image processing for reproducing an image on a full-color image input from the image input apparatus 100 in consideration of the input characteristics of the image input apparatus 100 and the output characteristics of the image output apparatus 300. Then, a full color image after image processing is output to the image output device 300. The image output apparatus 300 converts the image input from the image processing apparatus 200 into toners of hues of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K) (corresponding to the color material of the present invention). And an image forming unit (not shown) for forming on the paper, and the paper on which the image is formed is discharged.

  The image processing apparatus 200 includes a storage unit 201, an A / D conversion unit 202, a shading correction unit 203, an input tone correction unit 204, a color correction processing unit 205, an output tone correction unit 206, and a tone reproduction processing unit 207. Prepare. Each of these functional units is controlled by the control unit 500.

  The storage unit 201 stores a gradation reproduction pattern for suitably reproducing the gradation of an input image and a color vision correspondence pattern in which a halftone pattern is different for each hue.

  The gradation reproduction pattern includes an edge enhancement pattern that clearly reproduces an image, a smoothing pattern that smoothes a change in light and shade of an image, and the like.

  Further, the color vision corresponding pattern is a stripe pattern having the same shape and different layout for each hue. The C color vision correspondence pattern is an inclined line pattern, and the M color vision correspondence pattern is a vertical line pattern. The Y color vision correspondence pattern and the K color vision correspondence pattern are horizontal line patterns having different line (colored portion) layouts.

  Specifically, when tone reproduction processing is performed on each image having different densities (FIG. 2A) using a color vision correspondence pattern for each hue, an image of the C color component (FIG. B)), M color component image (FIG. 2C), Y color component image (FIG. 2D), and K color component image (FIG. 2E).

  The A / D conversion unit 202 converts an image input from the image input device 100 from an analog signal to a digital signal.

  The shading correction unit 203 removes luminance unevenness due to the characteristics of the optical system and the imaging system in the image input apparatus 100 from the digital signal input from the A / D conversion unit 202 and corrects the image to have a uniform brightness. To do. The shading correction unit 203 outputs the corrected digital signal to the input tone correction unit 204.

  The input tone correction unit 204 adjusts the color balance of the signal input from the shading correction unit 203 and simultaneously performs image quality adjustment processing such as background density removal and contrast, and the processed signal is sent to the color correction processing unit 205. Output.

  The color correction processing unit 205 converts the RGB signal into a CMYK signal in order to faithfully reproduce the color of the signal (RGB signal) input from the input tone correction unit 204. Specifically, the color correction processing unit 205 removes color turbidity based on the spectral characteristics of the CMY color material including unnecessary absorption components, and converts the color turbidity into a CMY signal. Then, the color correction processing unit 205 generates a K signal from the CMY signal, and generates a new CMY signal obtained by subtracting the K signal obtained by the black generation process from the original CMY signal. The color correction processing unit 205 outputs the converted CMYK signal to the output tone correction unit 206.

  The output tone correction unit 206 adjusts the intermediate density tone of the CMYK signal input from the color correction processing unit 205. For example, the output tone correction unit 206 can emphasize tone reproducibility by performing, for example, a low contrast process. The output tone correction unit 206 outputs the adjusted CMYK signal to the tone reproduction processing unit 207.

  The gradation reproduction processing unit 207 acquires a gradation reproduction pattern or a color vision correspondence pattern from the storage unit 201 according to the operation mode. The gradation reproduction processing unit 207 uses the acquired gradation reproduction pattern or color vision correspondence pattern to reproduce the gradation for each of the adjusted CMYK signals input from the output gradation correction unit 206. Tone reproduction processing (halftone generation). The gradation reproduction processing unit 207 outputs the processed CMYK signal to the image output apparatus 300.

  Specifically, the gradation reproduction processing unit 207 performs gradation reproduction processing using a gradation reproduction pattern when an operation mode other than the color vision compatible mode is selected. For example, a smoothing pattern is used for a photographic region included in an image, and an edge enhancement pattern is used for a graphic or character region included in the image.

  Also, the gradation reproduction processing unit 207 performs gradation reproduction processing using the color vision correspondence pattern when the color vision correspondence mode is selected. As an example, the gradation reproduction processing unit 207 separates the image illustrated in FIG. 3 into images of color components for each hue of CMYK. As shown in FIG. 4, the separated image includes a C color component image (FIG. 4A), an M color component image (FIG. 4B), and a Y color component image (FIG. 4). (C)), an image of the K color component (FIG. 4D).

  The gradation reproduction processing unit 207 detects the gray value of each pixel included in the image for each hue and divides the image for each hue into a plurality of regions. For each divided region, the gradation reproduction processing unit 207 compares the gray value of the pixel detected from the image for each hue with the threshold value included in the color vision correspondence pattern according to the hue of the image, and binarizes it. To do. An image for each hue after binarization includes an image of a C color component (FIG. 5A), an image of an M color component (FIG. 5B), and an image of a Y color component (FIG. 5C )) And K color component images (FIG. 5D). The image for each hue after binarization is formed on the sheet by using the toner of the hue of the image by the image output device 300 (FIG. 6).

  As described above, when the color vision support mode is selected, the image processing apparatus 200 uses the color vision support patterns having the same halftone pattern shape and different layout for each hue in the gradation reproduction processing unit 207. The tone reproduction process is performed. As a result, the image processing apparatus 200 can output an image so that the toner of each hue does not overlap with the amount of toner for each hue corresponding to the ratio of the hue included in each region of the image.

  As a result, the person with color blindness can visually recognize the output image because the output image is formed with CMYK hues that are easy to recognize. In addition, since a person with normal color vision can know the ratio of each hue of CMYK forming each area of the output image, it can determine the hue of the original image from the output image.

  The image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment is different from the image forming apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment in the color vision correspondence pattern for each hue stored in the image processing apparatus 200. Only the differences will be described below.

  The color vision correspondence patterns stored in the storage unit 201 are patterns having different shapes, sizes, or layouts for each hue. Specifically, the C color vision correspondence pattern is a striped pattern, and the M color vision correspondence pattern, the Y color vision correspondence pattern, and the K color vision correspondence pattern have dot-like layouts different from each other. It is a pattern.

  Specifically, when tone reproduction processing is performed on each image having different densities (FIG. 7A) using a color vision correspondence pattern for each hue, an image of the C color component (FIG. B)), M color component image (FIG. 7C), Y color component image (FIG. 2D), and K color component image (FIG. 7E).

  The tone reproduction processing unit 207 performs tone reproduction processing on the image shown in FIG. 3 as an example using the color vision correspondence pattern when the color vision correspondence mode is selected. The image for each hue after gradation reproduction processing includes an image of a C color component (FIG. 8A), an image of an M color component (FIG. 8B), and an image of a Y color component (FIG. C)) and K color component images (FIG. 8D). The image for each hue after binarization is formed on the sheet by using the toner of the hue of the image by the image output device 300 (FIG. 9).

  As described above, when the color vision support mode is selected, the image processing apparatus 200 causes the tone reproduction processing unit 207 to generate color vision support patterns having different halftone pattern shapes, sizes, or layouts for each hue. The gradation reproduction process is performed by using this. As a result, the image processing apparatus 200 can output an image so that the toner of each hue does not overlap with the amount of toner for each hue corresponding to the ratio of the hue included in each region of the image.

  As a result, the person with color blindness can visually recognize the output image because the output image is formed with CMYK hues that are easy to recognize. In addition, since a person with normal color vision can know the ratio of each hue of CMYK forming each area of the output image, it can determine the hue of the original image from the output image.

  It should be noted that the color vision correspondence pattern for each hue only needs to have a different halftone pattern for each hue, and it is more preferable that the shape, size, or layout is further different for each hue. For this reason, not only the above, but also dot-like patterns having different layouts as shown in FIGS. 10 (A) to 10 (D), and stripes having different layouts as shown in FIGS. 10 (E) to 10 (F). It may be a pattern.

  The image forming apparatus 10A according to the third embodiment of the present invention is different from the image forming apparatuses according to the first and second embodiments in that the image forming apparatus 10A is connected to the image input apparatus 100A. Only the differences will be described below with reference to the drawings. As illustrated in FIG. 11, the image forming apparatus 10A includes at least an image processing apparatus 200, an image output apparatus 300, an operation unit 400, and a control unit 500, and is connected to the image input apparatus 100A.

  The image input device 100 </ b> A is a digital camera that has an image sensor and photographs a subject. The image input device 100A outputs an image captured by the image sensor to the image processing device 200. Note that the image input device 100A may output the captured image to the image processing device 200 via a recording medium such as a USB or an SD card.

  Examples of the recording medium include a tape system such as a magnetic tape and a cassette tape, a magnetic disk such as a floppy (registered trademark) disk / hard disk, and an optical disk such as a CD-ROM / MO / MD / DVD / CD-R. A disk system including a card system such as an IC card / optical card other than an SD card, or a semiconductor memory system such as a mask ROM / EPROM / EEPROM / flash ROM can be used.

  Furthermore, the image forming apparatus 10 may be configured to be connectable to a communication network, and the program code may be supplied via the communication network. The communication network is not particularly limited. For example, the Internet, intranet, extranet, LAN, ISDN, VAN, CATV communication network, virtual private network, telephone line network, mobile communication network, satellite communication A net or the like is available. Also, the transmission medium constituting the communication network is not particularly limited. For example, even in the case of wired such as IEEE 1394, power line carrier, cable TV line, telephone line, ADSL line, etc., infrared rays such as IrDA and remote control, Bluetooth (registered trademark) ), 802.11 wireless, HDR, mobile phone network, satellite line, terrestrial digital network, Long Term Evolution (LTE, Long Term Evolution) and the like.

  The present invention can also be realized in the form of a computer data signal embedded in a carrier wave in which the program code is embodied by electronic transmission.

  As described above, not only the image read from the original by the scanner but also the image taken by the digital camera is output because the color-blind person is formed with CMYK hues that are easy to recognize. You can see the image. In addition, since a person with normal color vision can know the ratio of each hue of CMYK forming each area of the output image, it can determine the hue of the original image from the output image.

  The above description of the embodiment is to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is shown not by the above embodiments but by the claims. Furthermore, the scope of the present invention is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the scope of the claims.

200: Image processing apparatus 201 ... Storage unit 205 ... Color correction processing unit 207 ... Tone reproduction processing unit

Claims (4)

An image processing apparatus that outputs a full-color image using a plurality of color materials having different hues,
A color correction processing unit that converts a color component signal of the input image into a color component signal of the plurality of color materials;
A gradation reproduction process for reproducing the gradation of the image is performed on the image after the conversion by the color correction processing unit using a color vision corresponding pattern having a different halftone pattern for each of the plurality of color materials. An image processing apparatus comprising: a gradation reproduction processing unit.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the color vision correspondence pattern is a pattern having a different shape, size, or layout for each of the plurality of color materials.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the color vision correspondence pattern is a stripe pattern or a dot pattern. Output from the image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, according to an operation mode selected from a plurality of operation modes including a color vision corresponding mode for outputting an image that is visually recognizable to a person with abnormal color vision. An image forming unit that forms an image to be printed on paper,
The image forming apparatus, wherein the gradation reproduction processing unit of the image processing apparatus performs the gradation reproduction processing using the color vision correspondence pattern only when the color vision correspondence mode is selected.