JP4517795B2 - Image retouching program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for image retouching.

  Due to the improved performance of digital cameras and electronic printers, not only amateurs but also photographic professionals have come to use digital cameras and electronic printers. Generally, both amateurs and professionals use a simple system in which an electronic printer is connected to a personal computer on which a photo retouching program is installed via a dedicated interface cable or a LAN. Using a highly functional photo retouching program, you can apply a wide variety of retouching and color correction to photographic images taken with a digital camera, and freely change the size and resolution of the image. As an electronic printer, an ink jet printer is preferably used, so that it is possible to print out a high-quality full-color photograph that is not inferior to a silver salt photograph.

  The general system described above has a very high performance in terms of beautifully finishing each photo and printing it out. However, in the place of commercial or professional photographic printing such as a photo studio, not only the performance of high-quality printing but also various other performances are required.

  Professionals first and foremost demand the ability to print out in the color they want. One factor that makes this difficult is that the color characteristics of various image processing devices such as digital cameras, computer display monitors and printers differ from device to device. For this reason, the color differs between the original image taken by the camera, the image on the monitor screen, and the printed image. However, conventional systems do not have the ability to automatically adjust color to compensate for differences in color characteristics between devices. Unless the user himself / herself fully understands the color characteristics of each device and manually performs color adjustment on, for example, photo retouching software, the user cannot print out in the color desired by the user.

  Second, performance that can efficiently handle studio work is required. For example, photo retouching is one of the most time consuming tasks in a photo studio, and there is a demand for reducing the time that is spent on it. Conventional photo retouching software has a wide variety of retouching functions that can be used by graphical designers. However, in photo studios, the types of retouch that are frequently used are roughly determined, and it is rather important to be able to perform such a retouch in a short time by routine work. In addition, there are several types of printout sizes that are used in commercial photos. The size of photos can be adjusted to the specified size, or multiple photos of the specified size can be placed on paper. The print layout work to be performed is also required before printing. However, this print layout work is also troublesome in the conventional system. Therefore, there is a demand for making it easy to perform this print layout work by routine work.

  The present invention has been made mainly in view of the second problem described above, and an object of the present invention is to provide photo retouching software that is easy for a person in a photo studio to use.

  The image retouching program (photo retouching software) according to the first aspect of the present invention displays a screen in which a plurality of retouching mode selection buttons respectively corresponding to a plurality of retouching modes relating to the retouching work are arranged in the order of the retouching work flow. And a step of allowing the user to perform a retouching operation related to the retouch mode corresponding to the selected retouch mode selection button when a user selects a retouch mode selection button on the displayed screen. To the computer.

The image retouching program according to the second aspect of the present invention includes a step of displaying an image represented by image data existing in a storage area designated by the user as a thumbnail, and a priority (or importance) of the image displayed as the thumbnail. A step of accepting the setting of the above from the user, and the following (1) to (2)
(1) The priority set for the user is displayed on or near the image for which the priority is set.
(2) Arranging the images displayed as thumbnails based on the priority set by the user,
And causing the computer to perform at least one of the steps.

  An image retouching program according to the third aspect of the present invention includes a step of displaying an image represented by image data existing in a storage area designated by a user as a thumbnail, and one selected by the user from among the images displayed as a thumbnail. Alternatively, the computer is caused to rotate the image in a state where the image is displayed as a thumbnail in response to the user's request.

  An image retouching program according to a fourth aspect of the present invention includes a step of displaying an image represented by image data existing in a storage area designated by a user as a thumbnail in a display area, and the user among the images displayed as a thumbnail And causing the computer to perform a step of displaying the plurality of selected images side by side in a display area different from the certain display area.

  In a preferred embodiment of the image retouching program according to any one of the second to fourth aspects of the present invention, the image retouching program displays a thumbnail image as a thumbnail image separately from the original image data of the image. A step of storing the data as data, and a step of displaying the thumbnail image data by reading the stored thumbnail image data without using the image data itself when displaying the thumbnail image image once again as a thumbnail. To the computer.

  An image retouching program according to the fifth aspect of the present invention includes a step of displaying a certain image and performing a retouching operation on the image, and displaying an image that is a target of the retouching operation in response to a user request. Further, the computer is caused to display a thumbnail image of one or more other images that can be selected as a retouching target.

  An image retouching program according to the sixth aspect of the present invention trims an outer area of a square trim range specified by a user on a displayed image and extracts only an inner area of the square trim range. A computer program for image retouching having a trim function, the step of accepting designation of the aspect ratio of the rectangular trim range from the user, and how the user designates the width of the rectangular trim range Even so, the computer is caused to perform the step of controlling the aspect ratio of the trim range of the square so as to maintain the aspect ratio specified by the user.

  An image retouching program according to a seventh aspect of the present invention trims an outer area of a trim range specified by a user on an image displayed on a display screen, and extracts only an inner area of the trim range. A computer program for image retouching having a function, wherein the computer adjusts the tilt of only the image without moving the designated trim range on the display screen in response to a request from the user. To do.

  An image retouching program according to an eighth aspect of the present invention has a trim function that trims an outer region of a trim range specified by a user on a displayed image and extracts only the inner region of the trim range. A computer program for image retouching, which displays positional indicators to help position the trim range (eg, display grid lines within the trim range, scale (ruler) on the sides of the trim range, Or display near the side or display a center point mark representing the center of the trim range within the trim range).

  The image retouching program according to the ninth aspect of the present invention causes a computer to perform a step of displaying a cursor indicating an area where a brush hits for retouching processing on an image to be retouched.

  An image retouching program according to a tenth aspect of the present invention is a computer program for image retouching having a color tone adjustment function corresponding to each of a plurality of color tone adjustment modes. -When switching the tone adjustment mode, let the computer perform the step of applying the parameter values set for the color / tone adjustment target image to the color / tone adjustment target image in the new color / tone adjustment mode after switching .

  An image retouching program according to an eleventh aspect of the present invention is a computer program for image retouching having a color tone adjustment function, the step of receiving a designation of a color range to be color adjusted from a user, And causing the computer to perform color adjustment only on pixels having colors within the specified color range.

  A preferred embodiment of the image retouching program is included in the step of designating another color range at the outer edge of the color range to be color-adjusted in response to a request from the user, and the designated other color range. Causing the computer to perform color adjustment on the pixels having color so that the color adjustment effect continuously decreases from the color range subject to color adjustment toward the color range not subject to color adjustment.

  An image retouching program according to a twelfth aspect of the present invention is a computer program for image retouching having a color tone adjustment function, and selects a desired parameter from among a plurality of parameters of a color adjustment filter. And a plurality of sheets obtained as a result of applying to a color / tone adjustment target image a color adjustment filter that has changed a certain parameter value of the parameter selected by the user at a certain value interval. And a certain parameter based on each parameter value of each color adjustment filter applied to each of the plurality of application result images. The result of applying the color adjustment filter according to the value To perform the steps on a computer that displays arranged in a central position a.

  A preferred embodiment of the image retouching program includes a step of receiving a selection of a desired application result image from the plurality of application result images arranged and displayed from the user, and the selected application result image. And reordering the plurality of application result images. According to another preferred embodiment, a step of accepting a selection of a parameter different from the selected parameter from the user, and an application result image selected by the user for another parameter selected by the user. Applying a color adjustment filter having a certain parameter value to the application result image at the center position or the application result image selected by the user, and executing the creating step and the displaying step To do.

  An image retouching program according to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention is a computer program for image retouching having a color / tone adjustment function, and includes a first parameter and a second parameter among a plurality of parameters of a color adjustment filter. Receiving a parameter selection from the user, and a color adjustment filter for changing the first certain parameter value of the first parameter selected by the user at a certain value interval. Generating a plurality of first application result images, each of which is a result of application on a trial basis, and changing a second certain parameter value of the second parameter selected by the user at a certain value interval The color adjustment filter was applied to each of the plurality of first application result images created above as a test. And creating a plurality of second application result images, and applying each of the plurality of second application result images created above to each of the plurality of second application result images. Application result image in which the color adjustment filter according to the first certain parameter value and the color adjustment filter according to the second certain parameter value are applied based on the values of the first and second parameters of the filter An image retouching program for causing a computer to perform the step of arranging and displaying the images at the center position.

  In a preferred embodiment of the image retouching program according to the twelfth or thirteenth aspect of the present invention, the computer is caused to accept the designation of the size of the certain value interval from the user. Another preferred embodiment enlarges one or more images of the plurality of application result images arranged and displayed or the plurality of second application result images according to the user's request. Alternatively, it causes the computer to perform a step of displaying in a reduced size.

  The image retouching program according to the fourteenth aspect of the present invention includes a step of starting another image retouching program in response to a request from the user while performing the retouching operation, and an image that is the target of the retouching operation. Passing the data to the other image retouching program and temporarily stopping the retouching operation; and when the other image retouching program ends, the image data that is the target of the retouching operation is transferred to the other image retouching program. Receiving from the image retouching program and resuming the retouching operation.

An image retouching program according to the fifteenth aspect of the present invention includes the following (1) and (2):
(1) A method of saving an image obtained as a result of applying the retouching process executed up to the time of the save request to the original image before the retouching,
(2) The original image before retouching is not changed, and the data related to the retouching processing executed up to the time of the save request is saved together with the original image by any one of the saving methods, and the image to be retouched is saved. Have the computer perform the saving step.

  A preferred embodiment of an image retouching program according to at least one of the first to fifteenth aspects of the present invention includes a step of performing a desired retouching operation on a retouch target image, and automatically on the retouch target image. A step of setting a work color profile representing a work color space for the retouching work, and a step of outputting the retouched target image and the work color profile in association with each other when the retouching work is finished. Let the computer do it.

  The above-described image retouching program can be installed or loaded on a computer through various media such as a disk storage, a semiconductor memory, and a communication network.

  Prior to the description of the embodiment, “color profile” and “color matching” that repeatedly appear in the description will be described.

  Various image processing devices (e.g., cameras, image scanners, display monitors, printers, etc.) each work in their own color space and have their own gamuts, or color ranges that can be generated. For example, all display monitors work in the RGB color space, but the gamut is different for each monitor. Printer gamuts that work in the CMYK color space also vary from printer to printer. Even with the same printer, the gamut varies depending on the type of ink used and the type of print media (printing paper).

  FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the gamut of different devices. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 300 denotes a gamut that can be sensed by human vision, reference numeral 301 denotes a gamut that can be printed out by a printer, and reference numeral 302 denotes a gamut that a display monitor can display. As shown in FIG. 1, the gamut differs depending on the device.

  Output devices such as monitors and printers can display color only within the gamut. Input devices such as cameras and image scanners can only store colors within their gamut. As described above, the fact that the gamut is different for each device means that the color space in which the device works is different for each device. For example, all printers work in the same type of color space called CMYK, but the gamut is different for each individual printer and for each ink or print medium used. Therefore, there are different CMYK color spaces for each printer and for each ink and print medium used.

  The “color profile” is a strict definition of the color space in which each device works using numerical expressions. The color profile describes what kind of color space is unique to the device (for example, RGB, CMYK, LCH, etc.). Further, in the color profile, as the main information, a color space unique to the device (for example, a color space such as RGB, CMYK, and LCH) and a device-independent color space (for example, XYZ, Yxy, Lab, and Luv) are used. Conversion table for conversion to the color space) or vice versa. This conversion table quantitatively defines the device-specific gamut.

International color profile format (International) established by ICC (International Color Consortium) as a standard for color profile format
Color Profile format) is known. The color profile described in the international color profile format is referred to as “ICC profile” in the following description.

  “Color matching” is the color value added to the converted image data so that the colors of both color spaces are approximated when converting the image data of one color space into the image data of another color space. This is also called “color mapping”. If the gamut is different between different color spaces, the colors cannot be perfectly matched. However, when converting the image data of one color space to the image data of the other color space, if the color value of the image data is carefully shifted so as to compensate for the difference between the gamuts of both color spaces, it is possible to Can be approximated well. Such color value shift processing is called color matching (or color mapping).

  Color matching can be performed by using a color profile such as an ICC profile that represents a source (converting source) color space and a target (converting destination) color space. For example, when converting RGB image data output from a digital camera into CMYK image data printed by a printer, color matching is performed using the color profile of the RGB color space of the digital camera as the source and the CMYK color of the printer as the target. This can be done using the color profile of the space. As a result, a color printout that closely approximates the color photographed by the digital camera can be obtained. Alternatively, when RGB image data displayed on the monitor is converted to CMYK image data printed by the printer, color matching is performed using the color profile of the RGB color space of the monitor as the source and the CMYK color space of the printer as the target. This can be done using the color profile. As a result, a color printout that closely approximates the color displayed on the monitor can be obtained.

  Color matching methods can be broadly divided into two methods in terms of how to deal with source colors existing in areas outside the target gamut of the source gamut. The first method substantially discards the source color that is out of the target gamut. The second method uses an interpolation process or the like to shift a source color that is out of the target gamut so as to fall within the target gamut. Each of these two methods has advantages and disadvantages. In particular, when converting a photographic image, the latter color matching method is less likely to give an unnatural feeling to the perception of the person who viewed the converted photographic image. This latter color matching method is called “perceptual color matching”.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 2 shows the overall configuration of this embodiment.

  In FIG. 2, a photo studio system 1 is installed in each photo studio. There is a LAN 4 in the photo studio, and the LAN 4 is connected to the print server machine 2 and one or a plurality of (for example, two) computer machines (hereinafter referred to as “client machines”) 5A and 5B. The client machines 5A and 5B can be connected to the digital camera 6 via, for example, USB. The print server machine 2 is connected with one or a plurality (two in this case) of electronic printers 3A and 3B via, for example, USB. Each of the printers 3A and 3B is an ink jet printer that uses, for example, pigment-based ink, and has a performance of outputting a printed matter with high image quality and extremely high light resistance. The print server machine 2 and the two printers 3A, 3B can be housed in a box-shaped dedicated casing (not shown) and placed in one place in the photo studio.

  The client machines 5A and 5B read one or more photographic images from the digital camera 6 and store them in the disk storage, and edit one or more desired photographic images into print job data of a desired number of pages. Mainly used. The photographic image editing performed here includes a photo retouching operation for applying desired enhancements such as trimming, partial correction, and overall color adjustment to each photographic image, and a desired one or more photographic images on a print media space. For example, print layout editing arranged on (print page). On the other hand, the print server machine 2 has a function of receiving print job data from the client machines 5A and 5B, creating a print image of each page based on the print job data, and transmitting it to the printers 3A and 3B. The print server machine 2 manages information such as the status of the printers 3A and 3B, the execution status and execution history of the print job (hereinafter referred to as “print information”), and notifies the client machines 5A and 5B of the information. Also have.

  Further, there is a center server machine 8 that serves to centrally manage the operating state of the photo studio system 1 of a large number of photo studios separately from the photo studio. The print server machine 2 and the client machines 5A, 5B of each photo studio system 1 can communicate with the center server machine 8 via the Internet 7, respectively. The center server machine 8 collects print information of the photo studio from the print server machine 2 of each photo studio system 1 and stores and manages it in the database of the center server machine 8. When the center server machine 8 is logged in through a WWW browser from each photo studio user, the print information of the photo studio stored in the database of the center server machine 8 can be provided to the WWW browser. When the center server machine 8 receives information from the photo studio that indicates the occurrence of a predetermined event (for example, an error such as a paper jam of a printer) specified in advance by each photo studio user, It can also be sent by e-mail to a mail address previously designated by the user (for example, the mail address of the user's mobile phone). Furthermore, the center server machine 8 calculates the consumption of consumables such as print media and ink in each photo studio based on the print information from each photo studio, and arranges the distribution of the consumables to each photo studio. And billing.

  In addition, as one form of business management of photo studios, an intermediate management organization (hereinafter referred to as “dealer”) is interposed between the center and individual photo studios, and each dealer operates multiple photo studios. There is a form of managing. In such a case, each dealer also has a computer machine (hereinafter referred to as “dealer machine”) 9 in which a WWW browser or the like is installed. When the center server machine 8 logs in from each dealer through a WWW browser, the center server machine 8 can provide the WWW browser with print information of a photo studio under the dealer. The dealer machine 9 can arrange the supply of consumables to each photo studio and charge billing based on the print information of each photo studio instead of the center server machine 8.

  Hereinafter, the configurations and functions of the various machines described above will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 shows the configuration and functions of the client machines 5A and 5B and the print server machine 2 of the photo studio system 1. FIG. 4 shows the configuration and function of the print server machine 2 and the center server machine 8. By connecting FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, it is possible to clearly understand the information exchange relationship between the machines.

  First, the configuration and function of the client machines 5A and 5B will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 3, the client machines 5A and 5B are collectively shown as one block of the client system 5. The number of client machines included in the client system 5 does not have to be two as in this embodiment, and may be one or more. In addition, a plurality of application programs 11 to 17 described below that the client system 5 has may be installed on all of the client machines included in the client system 5 or on only one of them. Alternatively, a certain program may be distributed and installed in the client machine 5A, for example, and another program in the client machine 5B, for example.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the client system 5 includes a plurality of application programs such as a special photo retoucher 11, a layout editor 13, a status monitor 14, a general photo retoucher 15, an image transfer driver 16, and a WWW (World Wide Web) browser 17. Is installed. Further, an e-mail transmission / reception program (not shown) may be installed in the client system 5.

  The special photo retoucher 11 is a photo retouch program specially designed for a photo studio, and is configured so that a predetermined retouch operation normally required by the photo studio can be efficiently performed by routine work.

  When the special photo retoucher 11 starts retouching of each photographic image, the ICC color profile representing the color space in which the retouching operation is performed is automatically (without any omission unless otherwise requested by the user). ) Set. The user can specify what color space ICC color profile is to be set. However, even if the user does not intentionally specify, the special photo retoucher 11 always sets the ICC color profile by the default method. The special photo retoucher 11 attaches the ICC profile to the photo image file when outputting the retouched photo image.

  It should be noted that the color in which the photo image is edited before printing, such as the color space in which the retouching work is performed by the special photo retoucher 11 and the color space in which the print layout editing work is performed by the layout editor 13 described below. The space is hereinafter referred to as the “work color space” of the photographic image. The ICC profile representing the work color space is hereinafter referred to as “work ICC profile”.

  The layout editor 13 is an application program for editing a print layout for a photo studio. The size of each photo image is adjusted to a desired specified size, and one or more photo images are printed on a print page (print media). It is designed so that the print layout editing work of arranging in the space) can be done in a short time by routine work. That is, the layout editor 13 reads a large number of templates each representing various basic print layouts prepared in advance in the print server machine 2 from the print server machine 2 as indicated by arrows 21, The template is displayed on the monitor of the client system 5. The basic print layout that each template represents is a space (print page) in which the specified print media size that can be used by the printer, for example, A4, A3, or B4, is placed in landscape (landscape) or portrait (portrait) Inside, one or a plurality of photo frames having a prescribed photo size such as 8 × 10 inches, 5 × 7 inches, 2.5 × 3.5 inches or 1.75 × 2.5 inches are arranged. In many templates, the photo frame is efficiently arranged so that the total area of the margin outside the photo frame is sufficiently small in order to use print media economically. On the graphical user interface of the layout editor 13, the user drags and drops a desired photo image onto each photo frame in a desired template, so that the layout of the print page is automatically edited. .

  When the layout editor 13 also starts a print layout editing operation for each photographic image, the layout editor 13 sets a work ICC profile of the work color space in which the operation is performed for the photographic image. If a certain ICC profile has been attached to the photographic image in advance, the layout editor 13 uses the attached ICC profile as the work ICC profile as it is. For example, since the ICC profile of the color space worked by the special photo retoucher 11 is already attached to the photographic image that has undergone retouching by the special photo retoucher 11, the layout editor 13 uses the color space worked by the special photo retoucher 11. Work in exactly the same color space. On the other hand, if the ICC profile has not yet been attached to the photographic image, the layout editor 13 automatically assumes the ICC profile that has been attached to the photographic image in advance. The assumed ICC profile is directly used as the work ICC profile. In this case, the user can specify what ICC profile is specifically assumed. However, even if the user does not intentionally specify, the layout editor 13 automatically assumes a specific ICC profile set as a default as the ICC profile attached in advance. The layout editor 13 attaches the work ICC profile automatically set as described above to the photographic image file when outputting the photographic image whose print layout has been edited.

  When the layout editing of all print pages constituting one print job is completed, the layout editor 13 creates the print job data and transfers it to the print server machine 2 as indicated by the arrow 22. The print job data includes data representing the layout of all print pages included in the print job, all photo image files arranged on the print pages, and work attached to the photo image files. ICC profiles and are included.

  The layout editor 13 is prepared as another program independent of the retouching programs such as the special photo retouching 11 and the general photo retoucher 15 described later. The client machines 5A and 5B in which these programs are installed are connected through the LAN 4 and can share resources such as mutual data and programs. Therefore, for example, one user in the studio performs photo retouching of a photographic image captured from the digital camera 6 by using the retouching program 11 or 15 using one client machine 5A. The studio work can be efficiently advanced by a method in which the user performs the print layout editing work of the retouched photographic image by the layout editor 13 using the other client machine 5B. In addition, if there are more than three client machines, studio operations can be carried out efficiently in a more flexible way.

  The status monitor 14 receives an error that has occurred in the printers 3A and 3B and the completion of execution of each print job from the print server machine 2 at a time interval (for example, 10 minutes) set in advance by the user, as indicated by an arrow 23 ( The latest history information regarding (printing completion) is acquired and displayed on the display monitor of the client system 5.

  The general photo retoucher 15 is a conventionally known general photo retouch program, and has various retouch functions that can be satisfied even by graphic designers as well as retouch functions normally required in photo studios. ing. The special photo retoucher 11 described above is made to work more efficiently than the general photo retoucher 15 as long as it is within the normal retouch range of the photo studio. However, when a special retouch that is not supported by the special photo retoucher 11 is desired, the user can use the general photo retoucher 15 instead of the special photo retoucher 11.

  The special photo retoucher 11 described above is made so as to be able to perform a retouch operation in cooperation with the general photo retoucher 15. That is, the special photo retoucher 11 has a button for starting the general photo retoucher 15 on its graphical user interface. Then, the special photo retoucher 11 automatically saves the photo image in the middle of the work with a specific file name when the button is pressed by the user while the photo image is being retouched. The file name is stored, and the general photo retoucher 15 is activated as indicated by an arrow 27 to inform the general photo retoucher 15 of the file name and open the photo file. Then, the special photo retoucher 11 itself becomes inactive. Thereafter, when the general photo retoucher 15 ends, the special photo retoucher 11 automatically returns to active and reopens the photo image file having the stored file name. Therefore, if the photographic image passed from the special photo retoucher 11 to the general photo retoucher 15 as described above is saved with the same file name before the general photo retoucher 15 ends, the special photo retoucher 11 automatically The photo image file is reopened and the subsequent retouching operation is resumed. In this way, the retouching work can be efficiently advanced by combining the special photo retoucher 11 and the general photo retoucher 15. Note that when the photographic image is passed from the special photo retoucher 11 to the general photo retoucher 15, there is no guarantee that the work ICC profile of the photographic image is maintained by the general photo retoucher 15, so the special photo retoucher 11 uses the work ICC profile. Discard. When the photo image file is opened again, the special photo retoucher 11 sets the work ICC profile again.

  The image transfer driver 16 is activated when printing is requested from the general photo retoucher 15, creates print job data of a photographic image opened by the general photo retoucher 15, and displays it as indicated by an arrow 24. Transfer to the print server machine 2.

  The WWW browser 17 is a program for accessing various WWW servers on the LAN 4 and the Internet 7. The use of the WWW browser 17 for the work of the photo studio is as follows. First, the print server machine is connected to a print information server (a kind of WWW server) 37 of the print server machine 2 as indicated by arrows 25 and 26. 2 refers to printer information such as the status of the printers 3A and 3B managed in the printer 2 and the execution history of the print job. Secondly, as shown by an arrow 65 in FIG. 4, it is connected to the WWW server 82 of the center server machine 8 and the printer information of the photo studio managed in the center server machine 8 is referred to. .

  Next, the function and configuration of the print server machine 2 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the print server machine 2 is installed with programs such as a file transfer server 31, a print server 34, printer drivers 35A and 35B, a print information server 37, and a log uploader 38.

  The file transfer server 31 has a large number of templates for editing the print layout, provides the templates to the layout editor 13 of the client system 5, and print job data from the layout editor 13 of the client system 5 or image transfer. Processing for receiving from the driver 16 and transferring to the print server 34, processing for transmitting information such as the error occurrence status of the printers 3A and 3B and the end of print job execution provided from the print server 34 to the status monitor 14 of the client system 5, etc. Is to do.

  The file transfer server 31 has templates of various basic print layouts prepared in advance in a template library folder 32 in the disk storage of the print server machine 2. When the file transfer server 31 requests a specific template from the layout editor 13 of the client system 5, the file transfer server 31 reads the requested template from the template library folder 32 as indicated by an arrow 41, and indicates it with the arrow 21. To the layout editor 13. By using these templates, the print layout can be easily edited by the layout editor 13. A common template that is centrally managed by the print server machine 2 can be used regardless of which client machine 5A, 5B performs print layout editing.

  The file transfer server 31 receives print job data from the layout editor 13 or the image transfer driver 16 of the client system 5 as indicated by an arrow 22 (or 24), and the print job data is indicated by an arrow 42. And stored in the job folder 33 in the disk storage of the print server machine 2. The print job data from the layout editor 13 indicated by the arrow 22 includes the job script of the print job, the layout script of one or more pages included in the print job, and the print job, as shown in the figure. One or a plurality of photographic image files and a work ICC profile of those photographic images. Here, the job script refers to items necessary for managing the print job, such as the time stamp of the print job, the designation of the printer, the designation of the size and type (material) of the print medium, the number of print copies, and the print priority. It is a file describing the degree, user name, etc. The layout script refers to the items necessary to determine the print layout of each print page, such as the template number, the file name of the photo image inserted in each photo frame in each template, and optional print (for example, register marks and files). This file describes settings such as name printing. In order to reduce the amount of print job data, in principle, each photo image file is transmitted only once for each print job data transmission, regardless of how many of the photos are printed. As described above, the work ICC profile attached to each photographic image file represents the work color space in which the photographic image is edited by the client system 5.

  When the file transfer server 31 receives a request for history information from the status monitor 14 of the client system 5 as indicated by an arrow 23, the file transfer server 31 notifies the print server 34 of this request, and as indicated by an arrow 51, In response to the request, the printer server 34 receives the history information about the printer error and the completion of the print job sent from the print server 34 and transfers it to the status monitor 14 of the client system 5 as indicated by the arrow 23.

  The print server 34 performs processing for creating print image data for each page from the print job data, and assigns each print image data to the printers 3A and 3B, and the printer driver of the printer to which the print image data is assigned. Processing for transmitting to 35A or 35B, processing for managing the status of the printers 3A and 3B provided from the printer drivers 35A and 35B, the execution history of the print job, and the like are performed. The printer drivers 35A and 35B correspond to the printers 3A and 3B, respectively, and convert the print image data received from the print server 34 into data in a format that can be processed by the printers 3A and 3B and send the data to the printers 3A and 3B And the process of monitoring the status of the printers 3A and 3B and notifying the status to the print server.

  The print server 34 reads the print job data of each print job from the job folder 33 as indicated by an arrow 43. As described above, the print job data includes a job script for the print job, a print page layout script, a photo image file, and a work ICC profile for the photo image. The print server 34 uses the layout script for each print page included in the print job data and the photographic image file arranged on each print page, so that each print page has a layout as edited by the user. Create print image data.

  In creating print image data for each print page, the print server 34 reads the job script and types of printers and print media (hereinafter referred to as “output printers” and “output media”) used to print the print pages. To figure out. Then, the print server 34 has an ICC profile (hereinafter referred to as “printer ICC profile”) representing a color space (hereinafter referred to as “printer color space”) of printing work performed by the output printer 3A or 3B using the output medium. ) Is read from a predetermined folder 39 in the print server machine 2 as indicated by an arrow 44. In the folder 39, different printer ICC profiles are stored in advance for each type of print media that can be used for each of the printer 3A and the printer 3B. The printer ICC profiles for all printers in all photo studios are stored in the center server machine 8, and the print server machine 2 in each photo studio has the machine number (individual printer) of the printer 3A, 3B in that photo studio. A printer ICC profile of the printers 3A and 3B can be downloaded from the center server machine 8 by designating a unique identification number) to the center server machine 8.

  The print server 34 reads the printer ICC profile corresponding to the output printer and output medium from the folder 39 as described above, and then uses the read printer ICC profile and the work ICC profile of each photo image in each print page. The photographic image data is subjected to a perceptual color matching. As a result, each photographic image data is adjusted so that a color that is as close as possible to the color at the time of editing appears in the printout. Then, the print server 34 creates print image data for each print page using the adjusted photographic image data. Thereafter, as indicated by an arrow 45, the print server 34 sends the created print image data of each print page to the printer driver 35A or 35B corresponding to the output printer. Each of the printer drivers 35A and 35B converts print image data (for example, RGB bitmap image data) received from the print server 34 into print data in a format that can be processed by the printers 3A and 3B (for example, RGB to CMYK). Color conversion, halftoning, band division, addition of necessary control information, etc.), and the created print data is transmitted to the corresponding printers 3A and 3B as indicated by an arrow 61 in FIG. .

  Further, the printer drivers 35A and 35B obtain the statuses of the corresponding printers 3A and 3B (for example, operating status, error occurrence status, consumable status, etc.) from the printers 3A and 3B as needed, as indicated by arrows 46. The acquired printer status is sent to the print server 34. The print server 34 grasps the execution state of the print job sent to the printer drivers 35A and 35B based on the printer status from the printer drivers 35A and 35B. Then, the print server 34 writes the grasped information such as the statuses of the printers 3A and 3B and the execution state of the print job in the print information database 36 in the print server machine 2 as indicated by an arrow 47. As a result, the status history of the printers 3A and 3B and the execution history of the print job are accumulated in the print information database 36. Also, registration information of studio users and the like are managed in the print information database 36.

  Further, when the print server 34 receives an information request from the status monitor 14 of the client system 5 as indicated by an arrow 51 through the file transfer server 31, the print server 34 sends a printer 3A, 3B from the print information database 36 as indicated by an arrow 47. The latest information that has not yet been notified to the client system 5 is read out of the error occurrence history and the print job execution completion history and sent to the file transfer server 31 as indicated by an arrow 51. As described above, the latest error occurrence history and print job execution completion history are immediately transferred to the status monitor 14 of the client system 5 and displayed on the display monitor of the client system 5.

  The print information server 37 is a kind of WWW server. When logged in with the user authority registered from the WWW browser 17 of the client system 5 (arrow 26), the print job execution history stored in the print information database 36 is displayed. Web page displaying printer status history, studio user registration information, etc. is created and provided to the WWW browser 17 as indicated by an arrow 25. The print information server 37 also has a print job history search function, receives a search request from the user from the WWW browser 17, searches the print information database 36 for the print job history requested by the user, and performs a search. The result can be returned to the WWW browser 17. Further, the print information server 37 also has a print job control function, and a control request from the user for a print job waiting for printing (for example, deletion, change of job contents such as priority and number of copies to be printed, etc.) ) Is received from the WWW browser 17 and the information of the print job in the print information database 36 is rewritten. Furthermore, the print information server 37 also has a user registration function, and when logging in from the WWW browser 17 with the authority of the photo studio administrator, new user information is registered in the print information database 36. Can do.

  The log uploader 38 periodically (or occasionally from time to time) in accordance with an upload schedule (such as a time interval or time at which uploading should be performed) specified in advance from the center server machine 8, is still from the center server machine. The new print information that has not been sent to the printer 8 is read and uploaded to the center server machine 81 as indicated by an arrow 63 in FIG.

  In addition, the log uploader 38 has an “answering machine mode” for immediately reporting to the user an abnormality of the photo studio system 1 that has occurred while the user is away. When using the “answering machine mode”, the user beforehand specifies the user's desired e-mail address (for example, the user's mobile phone mail address) and the type of abnormality to be reported (for example, various types of printer errors). Register in the log uploader 38. The log uploader 38 notifies the center server machine 8 of the registered e-mail address. When the user goes out of the photo studio, if the log uploader 38 is set to the answering mode, the log uploader 38 immediately sends the occurrence of the abnormality to the center server machine 8 when the specified abnormality occurs. Notice. In response, the center server machine 8 creates an e-mail reporting the occurrence of the abnormality and sends it to the registered e-mail address. Thus, even when the user is out, the user can quickly know the occurrence of an abnormality in his / her studio.

  Next, the configuration and function of the center server machine 8 will be described with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 4, an application program such as an upload server 81, a WWW server 82, and an electronic mailer 83 is installed in the center server machine 8.

  The upload server 81 notifies the upload schedule for each photo studio managed by the center database 84 (such as the time interval or time for uploading) to the log uploader 38 of each studio, as indicated by an arrow 62, and The latest print information of the studio transmitted from the log uploader 38 of each studio according to the upload schedule is received and stored in the center database 84 in the center server 8.

  In addition, when the notification of the occurrence of an abnormality in the answering machine mode described above is received from the log uploader 38 of each studio, the upload server 81 immediately passes the notification of the occurrence of the abnormality to the electronic mailer 83 via the center database 84. In response to this, the electronic mailer 83 immediately creates an electronic mail reporting the occurrence of the abnormality, and transmits it to the electronic mail address 93 desired by the user registered in advance as indicated by an arrow 66. Thus, even when the user is out, the user can quickly know the occurrence of an abnormality in his / her studio.

  The WWW server 82 is a user, a dealer, or an overall system administrator from a WWW browser 92 installed in any computer machine 91 (for example, client machines 5A, 5B, dealer machine 9, other computers, PDAs, mobile phones, etc.). If the user is logged in with the authority such as, the print information and the user information in the range corresponding to the authority of the logged-in person are read from the center database 84, a web page displaying the information is created, and this is indicated by an arrow 65. To the WWW browser 92. Here, the range according to the authority of the logged-in person is, for example, only the user's photo studio and only the user if the user authority, and if the authority is the dealer, If it is the authority of the whole system manager, it is all photo studios and all users.

  The center database 84 includes not only the print information and user information of each studio, but also the amount of consumables used at each studio calculated by the center, the charge from the center, and various news issued by the center. Information is also managed. Such information is also notified to each user and each dealer by the WWW server 82 or the electronic mailer 83.

  Next, operations of the photo studio system 1 and the center server machine 8 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 and FIGS.

  First, the operation of the photo studio system 1 will be described in accordance with the order of work in the photo studio.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a photographic image file (for example, JPEG format or TIFF format) taken by the digital camera 6 is taken into the client system 5 from the digital camera 6 through, for example, USB, and the user in the client system 5 Is stored in the photo folder 12 designated by the above.

  In order to perform the photo retouching operation, the special photo retoucher 11 or the general photo retoucher 15 is activated by the user. Hereinafter, a case where the special photo retoucher 11 is activated will be described.

  The special photo retoucher 11 displays a graphical user interface (hereinafter referred to as “retoucher main window”) 110 as shown in FIG. 5 on the monitor of the client system 5. As shown in FIG. 5, at the top of the retoucher main window 110, from left to right, a “Browse” button 111, a “Trim” button 112, a “Retouch” button 113, a “Color / Tone” button 114, “ The “effect” button 115 and the “export” button 116 are arranged side by side. The order in which these buttons 111 to 116 are arranged from left to right is in accordance with the procedure of retouching work normally performed by the user. The work procedure is roughly as follows.

  That is, first, when the “Browse” button 111 is pressed (for example, left-clicked with the mouse), the “Browse” mode is entered, where the thumbnail images of all the photo image files in the desired photo folder 12 are browsed, A desired photographic image file can be selected from them. Next, pressing the “Trim” button 112 (eg, left-clicking with the mouse) will enter “Trim” mode, where the entire photographic image selected in “Browse” mode is displayed, and from that image. You can trim other unwanted areas, leaving only the areas you want to print. Next, when the “retouch” button 113 is pressed (for example, left-clicked with the mouse), the “retouch” mode is entered. Modifications can be made. Next, pressing the “Color / Tone” button 114 (eg, left-clicking with the mouse) will enter the “Color / Tone” mode, where the entire photographic image is desired using a color adjustment filter. Color adjustments can be made. Next, pressing the “Effect” button 115 (for example, left-clicking with the mouse) will enter the “Effect” mode, where a special effect filter is applied to the entire photographic image using a special effect filter. Can be applied. Various image processes performed on a photographic image in the above-described “trim” to “effect” modes are hereinafter referred to as “enhancement”.

  Finally, pressing the “Export” button 116 (eg, left-clicking with the mouse) enters “Export” mode, where the photo image file can be saved in the desired photo folder 12. There are two user-selectable ways to save, one of which is the photographic image that results from applying all the enhancements made in "Trim" to "Effect" mode to the original photographic image. The other way is to save the file, and the other is to change the original photographic image file and save the file that describes all the enhancement parameters performed in “Trim” to “Effect” mode. How to save.

As described above, the retouching work can be easily performed by the routine work of selecting and working in order from the “browse” mode to the “export” mode. Also, there is less chance of forgetting to enhance. During the operation in each mode, in the retoucher main window 110 shown in FIG. 5, the photographic image to be processed in the step is displayed in the image display box 118, and the step is displayed in the control box 119. Various tools, control buttons, and various indicators showing the processing status are displayed.
In the mode, the special photo retoucher 11 automatically sets the work ICC profile of the photographic image (no omission unless otherwise requested by the user). The work ICC profile settings can be changed by the user. However, unless otherwise specified by the user, the special photo retoucher 11 automatically sets the work ICC profile according to the default setting method. The work ICC profile set in the “browse” mode is applied to the photographic image selected in the “browse” mode when moving from the “browse” mode to the “trim” mode.

  When the user sets the work ICC profile himself or confirms the current setting, the user presses the “preference” button 117 in the retoucher main window 110 in the “browse” mode (for example, left-click with the mouse). ). Then, a “color profile setup” dialog box 130 as shown in FIG. 6 pops up. The example in FIG. 6 shows default profile settings. In the “color profile setup” dialog box 130, the user can select three types of color management policies A to C determined in the “color management policy” column 131. The special photo retoucher 11 sets a work ICC profile having parameters prepared in advance according to the policy selected by the user.

  The above three types of policies A to C are as follows.

  Policy A is to use the ICC profile attached to the photo image file in advance as the work ICC profile. High-end digital cameras such as those used in photo studios (but not popular digital cameras) attach an ICC profile that represents the color space of the digital camera to the photograph image file that is taken. Output files (however, most popular digital cameras do not have an ICC profile attached). Therefore, if the policy A is selected, the color space of the digital camera 6 can be used as it is as a work color space for photo retouching. That is, the policy A is a setting for the case where it is desired to print the original color photographed by the digital camera 6 as faithfully as possible. However, good color approximation between the monitor and the print is not guaranteed. This is also the default setting.

  Policy B is a setting for the case where it is desired to faithfully print the color displayed on the monitor. For example, an ICC profile of a known color space “sRGB” corresponding to a general color space of the monitor is set as the work ICC profile. According to this setting, color matching between the monitor and the printer can be performed relatively appropriately. That is, the color of the printout can be satisfactorily approximated to the color displayed on the monitor.

  Policy C is a standard ICC profile widely used in the industry, for example, the well-known "AdobeRGB" color space ICC profile, which is a wide area standard with a gamut that is close to the printer color space and wider than the monitor color space. Is set as the work ICC profile.

  In addition, if the user selects “Manual” in the “Color Management Policy” column 131 of FIG. 6, a desired ICC profile can be set as a work ICC profile using the columns 132 to 135 below the user. .

  First, in the “working RGB / color space / setting” column 132, a work ICC profile can be specifically specified. Here, when “Do n’t Exchange” is selected, the ICC profile previously attached to the photographic image is set as the work ICC profile as it is. When “sRGB”, “AppleRGB”, and “AdobeRGB” are selected, a known color space ICC profile having that name is set as the work ICC profile.

  In the “No profile embedded file setup” column 133, if the ICC profile has not yet been attached to the photo image file (for example, in the case of a photo image file imported from a popular digital camera, the ICC profile Can often be configured to assume which color space the original ICC profile of the photographic image is from. The default setting is “sRGB”. The user can select and set “sRGB”, “AppleRGB”, “AdobeRGB”, or any ICC profile managed by the color management system in the client system 5 according to his / her preference.

  If the “Ask Profile Wen Opening” checkbox is checked (this is the default setting), the special photo retoucher 111 will open any photo image file (for example, “Browse”). When switching from mode to “trim” mode, the photo image file selected in “browse” mode will be opened). Force pop up a predetermined dialog box for setting. As a result, the user always confirms what kind of work ICC profile is set for a photographic image to which no ICC profile is attached.

  As described above, the special photo retoucher 11 always sets the work ICC profile for the photographic image in the first “browse” mode.

  FIG. 7 shows a flow of setting a work ICC profile by the special photo retoucher 11 described above and a process of color matching between the work color space and the color space of the monitor or printer, which is performed thereafter using the work ICC profile. Is shown.

  In FIG. 7, step 102 shows the setting of the work ICC profile in the “browse” mode described above. Thereafter, when shifting from the “browse” mode to the “trim” mode, the special photo retoucher 11 reads the photo image file selected in the “browse” mode, as shown in step 101, and as shown in step 103. Open the photo image file. When this photographic image file is opened, the photographic image data is converted into image data on the work color space defined in the work ICC profile set in the “browse” mode. At this time, if the ICC profile previously attached to the photo image file (or the ICC profile assumed by the special photo retoucher 11) is set as the work ICC profile as it is, the photo image When the file is opened, no special changes are made to the photo image data. On the other hand, when a work ICC profile is set that is different from the ICC profile that was previously attached to (or assumed to be) the photo image file, the photo image file is opened. The photographic image data is subjected to perceptual color matching based on the attached ICC profile and work ICC profile. By this color matching, the photographic image data is adjusted so that the color closest to the color expressed in the color space defined by the ICC profile is expressed in the work color space.

  The special photo retoucher 11 performs a process for displaying the photographic image on the display monitor. That is, as shown in step 105, the special photo retoucher 11 converts the photographic image data into image data of the monitor color space defined by the ICC profile of the monitor prepared in advance in the client system 5. At the time of this conversion, the special photo retoucher 11 performs, on the photographic image data, a ceptual color matching using the work ICC profile and the monitor ICC profile. As a result, the photographic image data is adjusted so that the color closest to the color in the work color space is also displayed on the monitor. Then, as shown in step 106, the special photo retoucher 11 puts the converted photographic image data of the monitor color space on the monitor (specifically, on the image display box 118 in the window 110 shown in FIG. 5). indicate.

  Thereafter, in the “trim”, “retouch”, “color / tone” and “effect” modes, the special photo retoucher 11 performs various enhancements requested by the user for the photographic image as shown in step 104. Will be given. Each time one enhancement is performed, the special photo retoucher 11 performs the above-described steps 105 and 106 on the enhanced photographic image and displays the enhanced photographic image on the monitor.

  Finally, in the “export” mode, the special photo retoucher 11 saves a photo image file with various enhancements already added to the photo folder 12 designated by the user, as shown in step 107. The work ICC profile of the photographic image is attached to the photographic image file and saved.

  Thereafter, the stored photographic image file and the work ICC profile attached thereto are sent to the print server machine 2 after the print layout editing is completed, as already described with reference to FIG. The print server 34 converts the image data into print image data. At this time, as shown in step 108 of FIG. 7, the print server 34 uses the work ICC profile attached to the photographic image file and the printer ICC profile corresponding to the combination of the output printer and the output medium. Color matching is applied to the photographic image data. As a result, the photographic image data is adjusted and incorporated in the print image data so that a color that is as close as possible to the color in the work color space of the photographic image appears in the printout.

  The following results are obtained by the series of color matching processes as described above.

  When the ICC profile attached to the photographic image by the digital camera 6 is set as it is as the work ICC profile in the “browse” mode, the result is a color that closely approximates the color of the subject photographed by the digital camera 6. A printout will be obtained. Since this is also a basic default setting (setting illustrated in the column 131 or 132 in FIG. 6), the above result is automatically obtained even if the user does not set anything particularly for the ICC profile.

  On the other hand, when an ICC profile such as “sRGB” that is very close to the monitor ICC profile is set as the work ICC profile, a color printout that closely approximates the color displayed on the monitor is obtained as a result. Will be. This is also the default setting when there is no ICC profile in advance (the setting illustrated in the column 133 in FIG. 6), so even if the user does not set anything for the ICC profile, the above setting is automatically made. Results are obtained.

  Referring again to the retoucher main window 110 of FIG.

  When the “trim” button 112 is pressed to enter the “trim” mode, the selected photographic image is displayed in the image display box 118. By dragging the cursor on the photographic image in the image display box 118, the user can set a rectangular selection range of dimensions defined by the start point and the end point of the drag on the photographic image, and set the area outside the selection range. You can trim to extract only the inner area of the selection. If you select the desired aspect ratio from the control box, the aspect ratio of the rectangular selection range set by the user is automatically controlled to the selected aspect ratio no matter how the user drags. The The control box 119 also includes buttons for rotating the selection range to the right and to the left by 1 degree. When this button is pressed, the selection range can be rotated to the right and to the left by 1 degree. As a result, trimming can be easily performed.

  Next, when the “retouch” button 113 is pressed to enter the “retouch” mode, the photograph image taken out in the “trim” mode is displayed in the image display box 118. In the control box 119, on the same screen, a selection of several predetermined retouching tools frequently used in a photo studio, a slider bar for adjusting the strength of an enhancement effect, and a size, a blurring degree, a shape, or an angle are different. A list of a plurality of brushes and a plurality of slider bars for adjusting the size, blur level, shape and angle of each brush are displayed. The user selects a desired tool, a desired enhancement effect intensity, and a brush having a desired size, blurring degree, shape and angle on the control box 119, and then the desired location of the photographic image on the image display box 118. You can place the cursor on and place the desired enhancement on that location. At that time, the cursor accurately represents the figure (for example, the outline of the brush) having the same size, shape, and angle as the brush used by the user (that is, the region to be enhanced) on the photographic image in the image display box 118. Therefore, the user can accurately grasp which part of the photographic image is enhanced.

  Next, when the “color / tone” button 114 is pressed to enter the “color / tone” mode, a photographic image enhanced in the “retouch” mode is displayed in the image display box 118. In this mode, color adjustments can be made to the photographic image. This mode is composed of three sub-modes of “easy”, “variation”, and “manual”. The control box 119 can select a desired one from these three modes.

  When the “Easy” sub mode is selected, a plurality of types of color adjustment filter options prepared in advance are displayed in the control box 119. Options include, for example, “standard color correction”, “color correction for portraits”, “monochrome photography”, “make it feel bright”, “make it feel heavy”, “make it feel sharp”, There are "make it soft". By selecting a desired selection branch, a predetermined color adjustment filter corresponding to the selection is applied to the entire area of the photographic image. It is also possible to manually change parameters of each filter.

  When the “Variation” sub-mode is selected, the user can freely set the values of a number of main parameters (for example, brightness, contrast, gray balance, saturation, sharpness, etc.) among the various parameters of the color adjustment filter. A parameter setting table for setting is displayed in the control box 119. In this parameter setting table, a desired one can be selected from the plurality of parameters. In addition, the image display box 118 has a plurality of sheets obtained as a result of applying a plurality of color adjustment filters having different parameter values (for example, three sheets, nine sheets or 25 sheets) to the same photographic image. Photo images (for example, 3, 9, 25, etc.) are displayed side by side on the same screen. The photographic image placed at the center is the test application result of the color adjustment filter according to the parameter value currently set in the control box 119. Then, the value of the parameter selected by the user in the parameter setting table is increased in increments of the predetermined value, conversely with the experimental application result of the color adjustment filter that has been reduced from the currently set parameter value in increments of the predetermined value. The results of trial application of the color adjustment filter are arranged in order on both sides of the central photographic image. Therefore, the user can easily determine which color is most preferable by comparing a plurality of photographic images having different colors. When the user selects a photographic image of the desired color, the selected photographic image is automatically moved to the center of the image display box 118, and the parameter value of the color adjustment filter applied to the selected photographic image. Is set in the control box 119. When a transition is made to another mode or another sub-mode, a color adjustment filter according to the parameter value set in the control box 119 is automatically applied to the photographic image.

  When the “Manual” sub-mode is selected, various tools and indicators for setting the parameters of the color adjustment filter more finely than the “Variation” sub-mode are displayed in the control box 119, and detailed color adjustment is performed using them. Can be done.

  When the color adjustment in the “Color / Tone” mode is completed, the “Effect” button 115 is then pressed to enter the “Effect” mode, where a special effect filter is used for the entire photographic image. Desired special effects can be applied.

  As described above, by performing “trim”, “retouch”, “color / tone”, and “effect” modes in order, all the enhancements normally required in photo studios can be applied to photo images without omission. Can do.

  Incidentally, when the user wants to use the general photo retoucher 15 in the process of the “trim” to “effect” mode, the user can press the “photo application” button 123 in the retoucher main window 110 shown in FIG. That's fine. Then, the special photo retoucher 11 saves the photo image file resulting from the enhancement performed up to that point in the photo folder 12, and uses the path to the saved photo image file as a parameter of the start command. The general photo retoucher 15 is activated, and the special photo retoucher 11 itself becomes inactive. As a result, the general photo retoucher 15 is activated and opens the stored photographic image file, so that the user can perform a subsequent retouch operation using the general photo retoucher 15. When the work in the general photo retoucher 15 is finished, the photo image of the work result is saved in the same photo folder 12 with the same file name and the general photo retoucher 15 is terminated, the special photo retoucher 11 is automatically activated, Set the ICC profile again for the photo image file, and then open the photo image file again. As a result, the user can use the special photo retoucher 11 again to perform the subsequent work.

  Finally, when the user proceeds to the “export” mode and the user requests to save the photo image, the special photo retoucher 11 attaches the work ICC profile set in the “browse” mode to the photo image file and attaches the photo image file. Save to folder 12.

  Thus, the retouching operation of one photographic image using the special photo retoucher 11 is completed. After that, it is possible to continue to retouch another photographic image.

  Refer to FIG. 3 again. When performing print layout editing, the user activates the layout editor 13. The layout editor 13 displays a graphical user interface (hereinafter referred to as “layout editor main window”) 140 as shown in FIG. 8 on the monitor of the client system 5.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the layout editor main window 140 includes a “preference” button 141, a folder list 143, an image list 144, a media / printer selection box 146, a layout selection box 147, a layout display box 148, and an inset. There are a method / page setting box 150, an option selection box 151, a print command box 152, and the like.

  When the “preference” button 141 is pressed (for example, left-clicked with the mouse), a “preference” dialog box 160 as shown in FIG. 9 pops up. In the “no profile embedded file setup” column 162 in this dialog box 160, as in the column 133 of the same name shown in FIG. 6, the ICC profile is not attached yet to the photo image file attached. The ICC profile that will be automatically assumed to have been set is set (the default setting is “sRGB”, which corresponds to the general color space of the monitor).

  In the folder list 143 in the layout editor main window 140, a list of all folders of the client system 5 is displayed. When the user selects a desired folder, thumbnail images 145, 145,... Of all the photo image files stored in the selected folder are displayed in the image list 144.

  In the media / printer selection box 146, the size and type of print media used for printing and the output printer can be designated. In specifying the output printer, one of the plurality of printers 3A and 3B shown in FIG. 4 can be explicitly specified, or automatic selection (that is, the system automatically selects a convenient printer). You can also specify. When the user designates a specific printer as the output printer, the system prints all pages and all copies of the job using only the designated specific printer. On the other hand, when the user designates automatic selection, the system automatically selects a printer for printing each page and each copy unit according to the status of the printers 3A and 3B. Therefore, when automatic selection is designated, one job may be distributed and printed by different printers.

  In the layout selection box 147, a list of various types of layout templates stored in the template library folder 32 of the print server machine 2 shown in FIG. 3 is displayed in a form such as a pull-down menu or a dialog box. A desired one can be selected from these templates. The selected template is acquired by the layout editor 13 through the file transfer server 31 from the template library folder 32 of the print server machine 2 shown in FIG. 3, and the layout in the layout editor main window 140 shown in FIG. It is displayed in the display box 148.

  The layout template 149 displayed in the layout display box 148 has a space of the same size as the size of the print media selected in the media / printer selection box 146, and includes a prescribed size that is normally used for photographic printing. One or a plurality of photo frames A to E are arranged in a predetermined layout.

  When the user drags and drops a desired thumbnail image in the image list 144 to a desired photo frame in the template 149 in the layout display box 148, the layout editor 13 opens a photo image file corresponding to the thumbnail image. The photographic image is displayed in the photographic frame. When the photographic image is inserted into the photographic frame, the layout editor 13 changes the size or direction of the photographic image or trims the portion that protrudes from the photographic frame according to the inset method / page setting box 150 described later. If necessary, adjustments regarding the dimensions and orientation of the photographic image, such as adding a margin to a portion that is less than the size of the photographic frame, are made. When the user drags and drops all the photographic images to be printed on the same print medium to a desired photographic frame in the template 149, the print layout of the print page is completed.

  As described above, when each photographic image is inserted into each photographic frame in the template 149, the layout editor 13 automatically sets a work ICC profile for the photographic image as follows (the user does not make another request). Set as long as there are no leaks. That is, when an ICC profile is attached to the photo image file in advance, the ICC profile is set as the work ICC profile as it is. On the other hand, if the ICC profile is not yet attached to the photo image file, the ICC profile set in the “no profile embedded file setup” column 162 in the dialog box 160 shown in FIG. The ICC profile regarded as having been attached is regarded as being attached to the photo image file in advance, and the work ICC profile is set as it is.

  In the fitting method / page setting box 150, a method for fitting a photographic image into each photo frame in the template 149 can be set. The setting items include settings related to trimming and settings related to rotation when the photo frame and the photo image do not match in aspect ratio. As for cropping, “Auto Trim” (that is, automatically trims the extra sides of the long side of the photo image so that the short side of the photo image matches the same size of the photo frame) To fit in a photo frame without margins) and “fit with in” (that is, without cropping the photo image so that the long dimension of the photo image matches the same size of the photo frame) Any of the following methods can be selected: a method of automatically adding a margin to both sides in the short side direction and placing it in a photo frame. For rotation, “Auto Clockwise” and “Auto Counter Clockwise” (that is, the photo image is automatically 90 degrees so that the long side of the photo image and the long side of the photo frame are in the same direction. Either clockwise or counterclockwise) and “manual” (the user manually rotates 90 degrees in the desired direction) can be selected. Since the layout editor 13 automatically fits the photographic image dropped in each photographic frame into the photographic frame using the setting method set here, the size adjustment of the photographic image is very simple.

  In the inset method / page setting box 150, it is also possible to set the page number of the print job that is currently being edited using the template 149. When editing the print layout of a multi-page print job, add a page in this inset method / page setting box 150 and select a template for each page as described above. Simply drag and drop the desired photo image into the photo frame. Thus, layout editing is very simple.

  In the option selection box 151, options related to “printer option”, “print option”, and “after printing” can be set. As for “printer option”, when distributed printing is performed in which the same job is distributed and printed by a plurality of printers (when automatic selection is specified in the media / printer selection box 146, the system responds to the printer status). Since an output printer is automatically assigned to each page and each copy section of the job, there is a possibility that distributed printing is performed.) Whether the same page is printed by the same printer or whether the same job is It is possible to set whether to print with the same printer (whether to prohibit distributed printing). When printing with the same printer, the print image quality is the same throughout the number of copies.

  Regarding “Printer Options”, if the specified size of print media is not set in the specified printer, whether or not printing can be performed using the same type of print media larger than the specified size Can be set. If “good” is set here, it is further possible to set whether or not to print the print media frame of the designated print media size together. If you print to a large print media and set it to “good”, the system will place each page of the job closer to the edge of the large print media to avoid wasting print media. The print layout on the print medium of each page is automatically controlled so as to be printed. For example, if the specified size of the job is A4, and there is no A4 print media, and the A3 print media is doubled in size, the system will print the A3 print media in the center. Print the job page in an A4 size area on one side divided into two halves.

  In the case of printing on a print medium having a size larger than the specified size as described above, the print server machine 2 selectively sets one of the print methods of “job priority” and “print medium priority”. (This can also be set in the layout editor). When “job priority” is set in the print server machine 2, the system gives priority to ending the print job as soon as possible. Therefore, a certain print job is set to a print medium having a size larger than the specified size. When you have finished printing, even if the large print media has enough space to print other pages (for example, print the last page of the job only in half of the A3 print media) (Even if the remaining half of the area is unprinted and free), the print media is immediately ejected and the print job is immediately completed. On the other hand, when “print medium priority” is set in the print server machine 2, the system gives priority to eliminating the waste of the print medium. Therefore, a print job is set to a print medium having a size larger than the specified size. When you have finished printing, if the large print media has enough space to print other pages (for example, print the last page of the job only in the A4 area, half of the A3 print media) If the other half of the A4 area is unprinted and free), it waits for another print job with a specified size that can be printed in that margin, and prints the page of that other print job. Print on the media margin (for example, after printing the first page of the next print job in the A4 area of the other half of the A3 print media) Eject paper.

  For “Print Option”, the file name of each photo image, the registration mark of each photo image, the outline of each photo image, the studio name, client machine name, job ID, operator name, customer name, in the page You can set whether or not to print supplementary information such as a list of photographic image file names, print date, and free comments (printing such supplementary information by sorting or cutting the printed matter for each customer. Later work becomes easier). As for the customer name to be printed, a list of customer names registered in advance in the system can be popped up, and the customer name can be selected from the list.

  As for “after printing”, whether or not to return a job completion notification from the print server 34 shown in FIG. 3 to the server status monitor 14 after the completion of execution of the print job by the printer, It is possible to set an optional operation after the completion of printing, such as whether to leave the print job data in the print server machine 2 without deleting it until it is deleted or changed. In principle, the print server machine 2 stores the print job data in the disk storage in the print server machine 2 without erasing the print job data even after printing is completed unless a separate erasure command is received from the user or a predetermined erasure condition is satisfied. It comes to save. The print server machine 2 immediately erases the print job data when the print job is completed only when the print job is set to be deleted after the print is completed in the “after printing” setting. To do.

  Regarding the erasure of the print job data described above, the print server machine 2 can set “free space” and “period” as erasure conditions for automatically erasing the stored print job data. It is like that. When the “free space” is set, if the free space of the disk storage in the print server machine 2 decreases below the set value, the print server machine 2 erases the stored print job data in chronological order. Then, the free space of the disk storage is recovered to the set value or more. When “Period” is set, the print server machine 2 stores the print job data only for a period corresponding to the set value (for example, 7 days), but when the stored period reaches the set value. The print job data is automatically deleted.

  In the print command box 152, it is possible to request the execution of printing by specifying the number of print copies and the print priority for the print job to be worked. When printing is requested, the layout editor 13 creates print job data for the print job that has been edited and sends it to the file transfer server 31 of the print server machine 2 shown in FIG. As described above, the print job data includes the job script, the layout script of all the print pages included in the job, all of the print pages placed in the photo frame of the layout template, and their photos. Contains the work ICC profile set for the image. Note that the photographic image file included in the print job data is not an original photographic image file but a photographic image file that has undergone adjustments regarding dimensions and orientation when it is inserted into the photographic frame of the layout template.

  This completes the print layout editing work for one print job. Thereafter, the print layout editing work for another print job can be started.

  Reference is again made to FIGS. 3 and 4.

  In the print server machine 2, the print job data sent from the layout editor 13 of the client system 5 is received by the file transfer server 31 and stored in the job folder 33, and the print job data in the job folder 33 is stored in the print server 34 reads. The print server 34 creates print image data for all print pages constituting the print job based on the print job data. At that time, the print server 34 performs the perceptual color matching using the work ICC profile of each photographic image and the printer ICC profile corresponding to the combination of the output printer and the output medium, so that the work of the photographic image is performed. The photographic image data in the print image data is adjusted so that a color that is as close as possible to the color in the color space is reproduced in the printout. Then, the print server 34 sends the created print image data of each print page to the printer driver 35A or 35B of the output printer. Thereby, printing is performed by the printer.

  Regarding the selection of the output printer, the print server 34 sets the setting in the media / printer selection box 146 of the layout editor main window 140 shown in FIG. 8 and the “printer option” in the option selection box 151. Based on the settings (these settings are described in the job script), control is performed as follows. That is, when a specific printer is designated in the media / printer selection box 146, the print server 34 sets only the designated printer as an output printer. On the other hand, if “automatic selection” is set for the printer designation in the media / printer selection box 146, the print server 34 freely selects an output printer according to the status of the printer from time to time. Even when distributed printing is performed, if the same page or the same job is set to be printed by the same printer in the above-described “printer option” of the option selection box 151, the print server 34 will The same printer is selected as an output printer through the total number of copies for the same page or the same job.

  As described above, the print server 34 grasps the execution state of each print job and the statuses of the printers 3A and 3B and records them in the print information database 36. In the print information database 36, information on the user of the studio is also recorded.

  The status monitor 14 of the client system 5 completes the execution of each print job to the print server machine 2 at a time interval (for example, 10 minutes) set in advance by the user, and detects errors occurring in the printers 3A and 3B. Request information. In response to this request, the print server 34 in the print server machine 2 reads from the print information database 36 the new print job execution completion and printer error history information not yet sent to the client system 5, and the file transfer server 31. To the status monitor 14 of the client system 5, and the status monitor 14 displays the information on the monitor of the client system 5.

  The WWW browser 17 of the client system 5 can refer to the print job execution history in the print information database 36, the statuses of the printers 3A and 3B, and user information at any time. The manager of the studio can also register a new user in the print information database 36 using the WWW browser 17.

  Further, if the log uploader 38 of the print server machine 2 is set to the “answer machine mode”, even if the user goes out, an abnormality such as an error of the printers 3A and 3B occurs. In real time, an e-mail to that effect is sent to the user's mail address 93. Various information managed in the center database 84 of the center server machine 8 can also be referred to by the WWW browser 17 of the client system 5 at any time.

  FIG. 10 shows a functional configuration of the center server machine 8 and the print server machine 2 for updating the printer ICC profile.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the center server machine 8 has a printer ICC profile database 330 that stores printer ICC profiles of all printers installed in all photo studios. In each printer, a plurality of printer ICC profiles respectively corresponding to a plurality of types of usable print media are stored. The printer ICC profile of each printer is associated with the machine number of each printer. When the studio system 1 of each studio is installed, the print server machine 2 performs an ICC profile download process 333. The ICC profile download process 333 transmits the machine numbers of the printers 3A and 3B of the studio to the center server machine 8, downloads the printer ICC profiles of the printers 3A and 3B from the center server machine 8, and stores them in a predetermined folder 39. The downloaded printer ICC profile is stored. Thereafter, when a print image is created, the printer ICC profile stored in the folder 39 is used for color matching.

  In order to examine the change with time of the printers 3A and 3B, the user can execute a test pattern printing process 334 installed in the print server machine 2 at any time or periodically. The test pattern printing process 334 downloads image data of a predetermined test pattern from the center server machine 8. An ICC profile representing the color space of the test pattern image data is also attached to the downloaded test pattern image data. The test pattern printing process 334 reads the printer ICC profile corresponding to the combination of the printer 3A or 3B to be investigated and the print medium from the folder 39, and uses the printer ICC profile and the ICC profile of the test pattern image data as a conceptual pattern. Color matching is performed to adjust the test pattern image data, and the test pattern is printed on the printer 3A or 3B to be investigated using the adjusted test pattern image data.

  The resulting test pattern printout 336 is sent from the studio to the center, for example, by mail. At the center, the test pattern printout 336 is measured, and a new printer ICC profile representing the current color space of the printer 3A or 3B to be investigated is created based on the color measurement result. The ICC profile is input to the center server machine 8. In the center server machine 8, the printer ICC profile of the investigation target printer 3A or 3B in the printer ICC profile database 330 is updated to the new printer ICC profile. Thereafter, the print server machine 2 downloads a new printer ICC profile of the survey target printer 3A or 3B from the center server machine 8, and downloads the printer ICC profile of the survey target printer 3A or 3B in the folder 39. Update to a new printer ICC profile. Thereafter, the printer server machine 2 can use the new printer ICC profile.

  As a method for sending the test pattern printout 336 to the center, the following electronic method may be used.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 10, the user of the photo studio places a test pattern printout 336 and a test pattern master sheet 337 prepared in advance on the document table of the image scanner 338, and the test pattern. The printout 336 and the master sheet 337 are read by the image scanner 338 by one image scanning operation. Here, the test pattern master sheet 337 is a sheet on which a test pattern is printed in a correct color, and is distributed in advance to each photo studio. The read image data of the printout 336 and the master sheet 337 output from the image scanner 338 is taken into the print server machine 2 and uploaded to the center server machine 8 by the read image data upload process 335. In the center server machine 8, the ICC profile update processing 332 detects a color difference between the printout 336 of the test pattern and the master sheet 337 from the uploaded read image data, and investigates based on the detection result. A new printer ICC profile representing the current color space of the target printer 3A or 3B is created, and the corresponding printer ICC profile in the printer ICC profile database 330 is updated.

  The above is the description of the entire embodiment. Next, focusing on the special photo retoucher 11 installed in the client system 5 in the above embodiment, its function will be described in detail. In the following description, the “browse”, “trim”, “retouch”, and “color / tone” modes among the above six modes of the special photo retoucher will be described. In each of these modes, the user can make various edits, but representative ones will be described mainly.

  First, the “browse” mode will be described.

  FIG. 11 shows the image display box 118 of the retoucher main window 110 in the “browse” mode, and FIG. 12 shows the control box 119 in the “browse” mode.

  When the activation of the special photo retoucher 11 is instructed by the user, the special photo retoucher 11 is activated, and the image display box 118 of the retoucher main window 110 (see FIG. 5) has a screen and control as shown in FIG. A box 119 displays a screen as shown in FIG. Specifically, the special photo retoucher 11 expands the thumbnail view 1000 and the thumbnail toolbar 1001 in the image display box 118 as shown in FIG. 11, and displays the information in the control box 119 as shown in FIG. The view 1002, “rotate” buttons 1003A and 1003B, “rating” buttons 1004A to 1004E, “select” buttons 1005A to 1005E, and “deselect” buttons 1006A to 1006E are expanded.

  The thumbnail view 1000 is an area for displaying photographic images as thumbnails. The special photo retoucher 11 does not display anything in the thumbnail view 1000 if it is activated for the first time, and if it is activated for the second time or later, it reads the thumbnail file created as described later, The thumbnail image displayed at the end of the special photo retoucher 11 (that is, when the previous “Kit” button 124 is clicked) is displayed in the thumbnail view 1000 as shown in FIG. The folder to be selected is selected from a user in a predetermined manner, for example, on an image input selection view (not shown) that is displayed when an “open / close” toggle button (not shown) on the retoucher main window 110 is clicked. Can be accepted). When the user selects a thumbnail image on the thumbnail view 1000 (for example, when one click with the mouse or the mouse cursor is moved to the thumbnail image), the special photo retoucher 11 is selected as shown in FIG. A rotation / rating window 1009 pops up in the vicinity of the selected thumbnail image, and as shown in FIG. 12, an enlarged image of the selected thumbnail image and information about the image (for example, file name, file creation date, file update) Date) is displayed on the information view 1002. In the thumbnail view 1000, a plurality of thumbnail images can be selected by a predetermined method (for example, by clicking a thumbnail image while pressing the “Ctrl” button on the keyboard). is there.

  Any one of four face marks for making it easy to determine the necessity / unnecessity of an image on the rotation / rating window 1009 that pops up (in other words, setting importance (also referred to as priority) to the image). When the user selects the face mark, the special photo retoucher 11 sets the selected face mark to the currently selected image (even if the set face mark is displayed together with the thumbnail image in the thumbnail view 1000). good). When one of the two arrow marks is selected on the rotation / rating window 1009, the special photo retoucher displays the currently selected thumbnail image on the spot as the selected arrow. It is rotated at a predetermined rotation angle (for example, 90 degrees) in the direction indicated by the mark arrow (clockwise or counterclockwise).

  By the way, when the special photo retoucher 11 reads a photo image file from the folder selected by the user and creates a thumbnail image to be displayed in the thumbnail view 1000, the special photo retoucher 11 creates and creates a thumbnail file including the thumbnail image. The thumbnail file is saved in a folder (hereinafter referred to as “thumbnail folder”) different from the folder (hereinafter referred to as original folder) in which the original image file is stored. Thereafter, when the same original folder is selected, the thumbnail file corresponding to the selected original folder is read from the thumbnail folder, not from the selected original folder, and the read thumbnail file in the thumbnail file is read. The thumbnail image is displayed (the thumbnail image displayed here is the same as the thumbnail image of the photographic image if the original photographic image has not been edited). This eliminates the need to create a thumbnail image each time a photo image is displayed as a thumbnail, so that the second and subsequent thumbnail display of photo images in the same original folder can be performed at a higher speed than when a thumbnail image is created. Is possible. Note that the created thumbnail file is not only a thumbnail image but also a specific type of information, for example, the source ICC profile and work ICC profile of the thumbnail image (the thumbnail image is color-converted based on these ICC profiles and displayed. And enhancement result information (for example, trim information, rotation information, retouch mask layer, APF parameters, etc.) applied to the photographic image of the thumbnail image.

  Refer to FIG. 11 again.

  The thumbnail toolbar 1001 is a user interface that allows the special photo retoucher 11 to accept a request for switching the mode displayed in the image display box 118 from the user. The thumbnail toolbar 1001 includes a “mode” selection area 1001A, a “size” selection area 1001B, an “info” selection area 1001C, and a “sort-by” selection area 1001D.

  On the “mode” selection area 1001A, the user can select a thumbnail display mode from a plurality of thumbnail display modes. Specifically, when the user selects the “browse” mode, the special photo retoucher 11 expands the thumbnail view 1000 substantially entirely in the image display box 118 as shown in FIG. Draw (default is this setting). On the other hand, when the user selects the “compare” mode, the special photo retoucher 11 develops a thumbnail view (hereinafter referred to as a “compare view”) 1008 different from the thumbnail view 1000 as shown in FIG. 13 (using the compare view 1008). All editing processes will be described later).

  On the “size” selection area 1001B, the user can select a desired image size from a plurality of image sizes of thumbnail images to be displayed. Specifically, when the user selects the “small” size, the special photo retoucher 11 displays the thumbnail image in a small size (for example, 80 × 80 pixels). On the other hand, when the user selects the “medium” size, the special photo retoucher 11 displays the thumbnail image in a medium size (for example, 160 × 160 pixels) (this size by default). On the other hand, when the user selects the “large” size, the special photo retoucher 11 displays the thumbnail image in a large size (for example, 320 × 320 pixels).

  In the “info” selection area 1001C, the user can select the type of image information displayed together with the thumbnail image in the thumbnail view 1000 from among a plurality of types (eg, file name, file creation date, file modification date, no display). You can choose. As a specific example, as shown in FIG. 11, when the user selects “file name”, the special photo retoucher 11 displays the file name under each thumbnail image to be drawn in the thumbnail view 1000 (the default is Set to “filename”).

  In the “sort-by” selection area 1001D, the user arranges thumbnail images to be displayed in the thumbnail view 1000 based on what type of image information (for example, file name, file creation date, file change). Day, importance). As a specific example, as shown in FIG. 11, when the user selects “file name”, the special photo retoucher 11 arranges thumbnail images based on the file name (the default is set to “file name”). ), When “importance” is selected, the thumbnail images are arranged based on the importance set in the thumbnail image (for example, in descending order of importance).

  In the information view 1002 shown in FIG. 12, as described above, an enlarged image of the thumbnail image selected on the thumbnail view 1000 and image information of the image (for example, file name, file creation date, file update date, image Size). Further, a “check ICC profile” button 1007 is also displayed. When this “check ICC profile” button 1007 is clicked, the special photo retoucher 11 displays the contents of the ICC profile set in the currently selected thumbnail image.

  “Rotate” buttons 1003A and 1003B are for rotating one or more thumbnail images currently selected in the thumbnail view 1000 clockwise or counterclockwise at a predetermined rotation angle (for example, 90 degrees) on the spot. It is a button.

  Of the “rating” buttons 1004A to 1004E, the buttons 1004A to 1004D are buttons for setting the user-desired importance to one or more thumbnail images currently selected in the thumbnail view 1000. The button 1004E If the importance level is set for the selected thumbnail image, the button is used to cancel it (that is, no importance level is set).

  Among the “Select” buttons 1005A to 1005E, the buttons 1005A to 1005D are face marks (corresponding to them) displayed on the buttons 1005A to 1005D from one or a plurality of thumbnail images currently selected in the thumbnail view 1000. This is a button for selecting all thumbnail images for which the importance is set at once. The button 1005E is a button for selecting all thumbnail images displayed in the thumbnail view 1000 at a time.

  Among the “deselect” buttons 1006A to 1006E, the buttons 1006A to 1006D are face marks displayed on the buttons 1006A to 1006D (from the one or more thumbnail images currently selected in the thumbnail view 1000). This is a button for deselecting all thumbnail images for which the corresponding importance level is set at once. A button 1006E is a button for deselecting all thumbnail images displayed in the thumbnail view 1000 at a time.

  The special photo retoucher 11 selects from among the thumbnail images displayed in the thumbnail view 1000 according to the button selected by the user among these buttons 1003A and 1003B, 1004A to 1004E, 1005A to 10005E, or 1006A to 1006E. A user-desired thumbnail image can be selected (or released), the thumbnail image can be rotated, and the importance level can be set for the thumbnail image. Although not shown in particular, the special photo retoucher 11 has a user interface (button, combo box, etc.) for accepting from the user an instruction to display the rotation angle desired by the user or the user-desired thumbnail image upside down or left and right. A special photo retoucher is displayed so that a user-desired thumbnail image can be rotated at a user-desired rotation angle, or can be vertically or horizontally reversed based on the content input via the user interface. 11 can also be designed.

  By using the special photo retoucher 11, the user selects the “compare” mode on the area 1001A of the thumbnail toolbar 1001 to display two desired thumbnail images displayed in the thumbnail view 1000 on the same screen. You can see the comparison above.

  That is, when the user selects the “compare” mode, the special photo retoucher 11 moves the display range of the thumbnail view 1000 to the lower half area of the image display box 118 as shown in FIG. A compare view 1008 is displayed in the upper half area. Nothing is displayed in the compare view 1008 immediately after display, and when a thumbnail image is selected in the thumbnail view 1000, the special photo retoucher 11 sets the selected thumbnail image to a predetermined size larger than that (hereinafter referred to as a compare image). Image size) and displayed in the right half area of the compare view 1008 (hereinafter, the image displayed in the compare view 1008 is referred to as a “compare target image”). Thereafter, when another thumbnail image is selected in the thumbnail view 1000, the special photo retoucher 11 displays the selected other thumbnail image in the left half area of the compare view 1008 with the image size for comparison being displayed. The comparison target image displayed in the left half area is moved to the right half area and displayed. After that, the special photo retoucher 11 normally (e.g., unless using the lock function described later), the first-in first-out format (of course, limited to the first-in first-out format every time a thumbnail image is selected in the thumbnail view 1000). Therefore, the latest selected image is displayed in the left half area with the image size for comparison, and accordingly, the comparison target image displayed in the left half area is moved to the right half area and displayed. When the thumbnail image is displayed as a comparison target image on the compare view 1008, the special photo retoucher 11 displays the thumbnail image in the specific type of information (for example, the thumbnail image in which the thumbnail image is recorded (for example, , Based on the source ICC profile, work ICC profile, retouch mask layer, APF parameters).

  The special photo retoucher 11 displays information about the image (for example, a file name) and a “lock” button (a button on which a lock picture is displayed) near the lower side of the image to be compared (and the importance level of the image). (If the above face mark is set, it is also displayed). The “lock” button is a button for locking and releasing the comparison target image so that the display position of the comparison target image does not move in the first-in first-out format (in FIG. 13, two comparison target images are displayed). Is displayed, but both are not locked (unlocked)). If the special photo retoucher 11 is clicked when the “lock” button of an image displayed in the compare view 1008, for example, the image displayed in the left half area is unlocked, the special photo retoucher 11 The lock is set to the locked state (at this time, the lock picture displayed on the “lock” button is switched to the locked lock picture). The special photo retoucher 11 fixes the comparison target image so that the display position of the comparison target image in the left half area is not moved to the right half area until the “lock” button is clicked again. Only, the latest selected image in the thumbnail view 1000 is displayed. When the “lock” button (that is, the “lock” button in the locked state) is clicked again, the special photo retoucher 11 releases the locked state and uses the first-in first-out format described above. The image selected in the thumbnail view 1000 is displayed in the compare view 1008.

  In the present embodiment, the number of comparison target images that can be displayed in the compare view 1008 is two. Of course, the special photo retoucher 11 is designed so that two or more comparison target images can be compared side by side. Is also possible.

  This completes the description of the “browse” mode. When shifting from the “browse” mode to the “trim” mode, the special photo retoucher 11 reads the photo image file selected in the “browse” mode and opens the photo image file as described above. When opening this photographic image file, the special photo retoucher 11 converts the photographic image data into image data on the work color space defined in the work ICC profile set in the “browse” mode. At this time, when the ICC profile (or the assumed ICC profile) attached in advance to the photographic image file is set as the work ICC profile as it is, the special photo retoucher 11 has the photographic image. When opening a file, do not make any special changes to the photo image data. On the other hand, if a work ICC profile that is different from the ICC profile attached to the photo image file in advance (or assumed) is set, the special photo retoucher 11 displays the photo image file. When the file is opened, the photographic image data is subjected to perceptual color matching based on the attached ICC profile and work ICC profile. Then, by this color matching, the photographic image data is adjusted so that the color closest to the color expressed in the color space defined by the ICC profile is expressed in the work color space ( Thereafter, this processing is performed on the photographic image after the enhancement every time one enhancement is performed in the “trim”, “retouch”, “color / tone” and “effect” modes).

  In many cases, after the “browse” mode, the mode shifts according to the order of arrangement of the buttons 111 to 116 on the retoucher main window 110 from the left to the right (that is, the retouching procedure normally performed by the user). However, the special photo retoucher 11 applies to the image to be edited in the mode before the transition when the mode is shifted in this order (that is, when the mode is shifted to the downstream side of the current mode). The edited result is reflected (that is, immediately after the mode is changed, an image reflecting the edited result applied in the mode before the change is displayed on the image to be edited). For example, when the special photo retoucher 11 shifts to the “trim” mode in the “browse” mode in a state where the selected image is rotated 90 degrees clockwise in response to a user's request, the image is displayed. Is rotated 90 degrees clockwise and displayed as an image to be edited.

  On the other hand, when the mode is shifted in the reverse order of the arrangement order of the buttons 111 to 116 from the left to the right (that is, when the mode is shifted to the upstream mode from the current mode), the special photo retoucher 11 Then, the editing result applied to the image to be edited in the mode before the transfer is reset (that is, the editing result is not reflected) and the transfer is performed. However, when returning to the previous mode before the transition again, an image reflecting the editing result applied in that mode is displayed.

  The special photo retoucher 11 stores the editing results (set parameter values) in each mode even when the mode is switched to another mode. The editing result in each mode is a predetermined time, for example, either (1) when the selection is canceled in the “browse” mode (editing screen switching), or (2) when the special photo retoucher 11 ends. Next, the saved editing result in each mode is deleted (specifically, a dialog box asking the user whether or not to delete at any of the above (1) and (2) is displayed. When it is input that it can be displayed and erased, the editing result in each mode is deleted, and when it is input that it is saved without erasing, the editing result in each mode is saved.) . Further, when the special photo retoucher 11 saves the edited result, if the thumbnail image of the image before editing of the image subjected to the edited result is included in the previously created thumbnail file, the edited result is used. Update the thumbnail file.

  Next, the “trim” mode will be described.

  FIG. 14 shows the image display box and the control box in the “trim” mode.

  When entering the “trim” mode, the special photo retoucher 11 expands the trim view 1009 and the trim toolbar 1011 in the image display box 118, and various buttons 1012 </ b> A to 1014 </ b> B 1016 and a trim described below in the control box 119. A radio button or the like for designating the aspect ratio of the designation frame 1010 (hereinafter referred to as trim aspect ratio) is displayed. Then, the special photo retoucher 11 displays the photographic image selected in the “browse” mode on the trim view 1009 of the image display box 118 (if the rotation is set in the “browse” mode, it reflects it). indicate).

  The special photo retoucher 11 sets a square trim designation frame 1010 so as to overlap the periphery of the trim view 1009 by default (immediately after the transition to the “trim” mode). The user designates a range in which a photograph image is to be taken out by dragging the mouse cursor on the trim designation frame 1010, or places the cursor within the designated range (for example, the cursor is a picture of a human hand). You can move the specified range by dragging (when switching to). The special photo retoucher 11 trims the outer area of the trim designation frame 1010 designated by the user and takes out only the inner area of the trim designation frame 1010.

  In this series of processing, the special photo retoucher 11 sets the outer region of the trim specification frame 1010 to the color set by the trim toolbar 1011 (for example, a user-desired color having a transmittance of 50%, or an achromatic color). Etc.).

  Further, when the “Show Grid” check box on the trim toolbar 1011 is selected, the special photo retoucher 11 displays a grid line in the trim designation frame 1010 as shown in FIG. This facilitates adjustment of the position and size of the trim designation frame 1010. Note that the positional index for assisting the positioning of the trim designation frame 1010 is not limited to the grid line, and is another index such as a scale or a center point representing the center of the area surrounded by the trim designation frame 1010. Also good. Further, “positioning” here means not the positioning of a certain point on the trim specification frame 1010 but the positioning of the entire trim specification frame 1010. Therefore, the size and inclination of the trim specification frame 1010 are determined by the grid lines. It will also help.

  The special photo retoucher 11 further rotates the image displayed in the trim view 1009 counterclockwise or clockwise 90 degrees each time the rotation button 1012A or 1012B on the control box 119 is clicked (note that At this time, the trim designation frame 1010 is also rotated together with the image). In addition, the special photo retoucher 11 is in a state where the trim designation frame 1010 displayed on the front surface is currently set every time the image tilt adjustment button 1013A, 1013B, 1014A, or 1014B is clicked (that is, the current display). Position, size, and angle), and only the image displayed on the back is rotated counterclockwise or clockwise by 1 degree or 0.1 degree unit (conversely, the image is fixed and the trim designation frame 1010 May be rotated only). At this time, the special photo retoucher 11 reduces the trim specifying frame 1010 so that the trim specifying frame 1010 does not protrude from the image if the trim specifying frame 1010 protrudes from the image. The special photo retoucher 11 displays in the image tilt display column 1015 how many times the displayed image has been rotated clockwise (in other words, the current image tilt).

  Furthermore, if the trim aspect ratio is designated by the user in advance in the control box 119, the special photo retoucher 11 sets the aspect ratio of the trim designation frame 1010 to be set regardless of how the user performs the above dragging. Controls to the specified aspect ratio. Here, when the image displayed in the trim view 1009 is vertically long (or when it is displayed horizontally by rotation), the special photo retoucher 11 uses the “Portrait” radio button on the control box 119. The trim designation frame 1010 is set to have a vertically long rectangle. On the other hand, when the image displayed in the trim view 1009 is horizontally long (or when it is displayed vertically due to rotation), the special photo retoucher 11 marks the “landscape” radio button on the control box 119. The trim designating frame 1010 is set to have a horizontally long rectangle. After this setting, the user can freely determine whether to set the trim designating frame 1010 to be vertically long or horizontally long.

  The trim aspect ratio can be designated by any one of (A) manual designation, (B) direct designation, and (C) selection designation.

  When performing manual designation in (A), the user marks the “Manual” radio button 1017 on the control box 119. After that, the user can freely change the trim aspect ratio of the trim specification frame 1010 by dragging the trim specification frame 1010 with a mouse (that is, the trim specification frame 1010 can be changed to a portrait or landscape shape). it can).

  When direct designation in (B) is performed, the user marks the radio button 1018 at the bottom of the control box 119. Thereafter, the user inputs the value of one term of the desired trim aspect ratio in the input field 1020A in the row of the radio button and the value of the other term in the input field 1020B. As a result, the special photo retoucher 11 then inputs the trim aspect ratio of the trim designation frame 1010 into the input fields 1020A and 1020B regardless of how the trim designation frame 1010 is changed by the user by dragging the mouse. Control to maintain trim aspect ratio. Specifically, for example, when the trim aspect ratio is “3: 4” and the shape of the trim designation frame 1010 is set to portrait (portrait), the special photo retoucher 11 always has the trim designation frame 1010. When the shape of the trim specification frame 1010 is set to be horizontally long (landscape), the trim specification frame is controlled so as to maintain the rectangular shape of “vertical length: horizontal length = 4: 3”. The square shape of 1010 is controlled so as to maintain “vertical length: horizontal length = 3: 4”.

  When selecting and specifying (C), the user marks a radio button corresponding to a desired trim aspect ratio among the plurality of radio buttons 1019. As a result, even if the user subsequently changes the size of the trim designation frame 1010 by mouse dragging, the special photo retoucher 11 depends on whether the shape of the trim designation frame 1010 is set to portrait or landscape. Thus, the trim aspect ratio of the trim designation frame 1010 is controlled to be kept at the trim aspect ratio selected by the user.

  When the user designates the trim aspect ratio by the method (B) or (C), the aspect ratio of the image area removed by the trim can always be set to a desired aspect ratio.

  The trim aspect ratio options may be prepared in advance by default or may be prepared by the user himself. The user clicks a “setting” button 1016 when he / she prepares a trim aspect ratio option. Then, the special photo retoucher 11 displays a “custom trim setting” dialog box 1021 shown in FIG. In this dialog box 1021, the user can input a desired trim aspect ratio and an identification name thereof (for example, “normal photo”, “panorama size”, etc.) (if the “default” button is clicked, (You can restore the trim aspect ratio that was prepared by default). Thereafter, when the “OK” button is clicked, the special photo retoucher 11 displays the trim aspect ratio and the identification name input in the dialog box 1021 in the control box 119.

  This completes the description of the “trim” mode. It should be noted that the special photo retoucher 11 can select a thumbnail image browsed in the “browse” mode even during editing in the “trim” mode (or during editing in another mode) in response to a user request. Can see. Specifically, when the above-described “open / close” toggle button (not shown) is clicked during the “trim” mode, the special photo retoucher 11 displays “ The “slide table” window 1022 is displayed, and the thumbnail images displayed in the thumbnail view in the “browse” mode are displayed in a list on the window 1022 (note that the images displayed here are all the images displayed in the “browse” mode). It does not need to be a thumbnail image, for example, any type of image, such as an image that has a relatively high importance level, or an image that has been requested to be reserved in response to a request from the user. Is possible).

  Next, the “retouch” mode will be described.

  FIG. 17 shows the image display box 118 in the “retouch” mode, and FIG. 18 shows the control box 119 in the same mode.

  When the “retouch” mode is entered, the special photo retoucher 11 expands the retouch view 1025 and the retouch toolbar 1026 in the image display box 118 as shown in FIG. 17, and the control box 119 as shown in FIG. A selection of several predefined retouching tools frequently used in photo studios, a slider bar to adjust the intensity of the enhancement effect, a list of brushes of different sizes, blurs, shapes or angles, and individual Displays multiple slider bars for adjusting the brush size, blur level, shape, and angle.

  First, the special photo retoucher 11 displays the entire range of the photographic image area (hereinafter referred to as “extraction area image”) extracted in the “trim” mode on the retouch view 1025 of the image display box 118. Here, when the user operates the combo box 1027 or the buttons 1027A, 1027B, the special photo retoucher 11 enlarges or reduces the extraction area image displayed on the retouch view 1025 according to the operation. The special photo retoucher 11 displays the retouch view 1025 in response to the button 1029 being clicked and the mouse dragged on the retouch view 1025 or when the slider bars 1030A and 1030B are operated. Scroll the extraction area image. Furthermore, when the button 1030 is clicked, the special photo retoucher 11 accepts designation of a display range of an image to be displayed in a variation view (details will be described later) in a later “color / tone” mode from the user ( Specifically, an image scroll view (not shown) is expanded to display the entire range of the extraction area image, and the range to be displayed in the variation view on that view is specified by the user with the mouse). Is displayed in the variation view.

  Further, the special photo retoucher 11 changes the display form of the extraction area image in the retouch view 1025 according to the user's request. More specifically, when the “Preview” radio button is selected on the retouch toolbar 1026, the special photo retoucher 11 displays the currently edited extraction area image on the retouch view 1025. On the other hand, when the “original” radio button is selected, the special photo retoucher 11 displays the original image of the extraction area image (an image that has not been subjected to any editing processing, hereinafter, the original image) in the retouch view 1025. To do. On the other hand, when the “compare A” radio button is selected, the special photo retoucher 11 divides the retouch view 1025 into two parts, the original image in one area, the extraction area image in the other area, and each of them. It is displayed in an independent state (that is, for example, even if one original image is scrolled in response to a user request, the other extraction area image is not scrolled). On the other hand, when the “Compare B” radio button is selected, the special photo retoucher 11 divides the retouch view 1025 into two, the original image in one area, the extraction area image in the other area, Displayed in an interlocked state (that is, for example, when one original image is scrolled according to a user's request, at the same time, the other extraction area image is scrolled by the same direction and the same distance as the scroll).

  As described above, the special photo retoucher 11 can control the image displayed on the retouch view 1025. The special photo retoucher 11 performs enhancement processing using a brush having a user-desired size, degree of blurring, shape, or angle on an image displayed on the retouch view 1025 (excluding the original image) according to the user's request. Can be applied. The special photo retoucher 11 displays a tool for the user to select or create a desired brush on the control box 119 as shown in FIG.

  Specifically, the special photo retoucher 11 includes a “tool” column 1034, an “effect” column 1035, and a “brush” column 1036 in the control box 119, and some predetermined retouches in the “tool” column 1034. Displays multiple radio buttons for selecting tools. In the “Tool” column 1034, the special photo retoucher 11 selects (1) a predetermined range for the range designated on the retouch view 1025 by the user or the brush selected by the user according to the selected radio button. Increase the brightness by a value, (2) decrease the brightness by a predetermined value, (3) increase the saturation by a predetermined value, (4) decrease the saturation by a predetermined value, (5) a predetermined algorithm (eg, Gaussian blur algorithm) ), (6) Sharpen, (7) Smooth, (8) Eliminate noise and false colors (for example, pixels that have a different color from the original color in a certain area) The color is changed to the original color).

  When the “clone” radio button is clicked in the “tool” column 1034, the special photo retoucher 11 performs a process of copying a user-desired range on the retouch view 1025 to a user arbitrary position ( When a certain pixel is designated by the user, the color of the pixel can be collected). In addition, when the “paint” radio button is selected, the special photo retoucher 11 has the user select a desired color from a plurality of colors, and the user selects or newly creates the selected color. Apply to the brush. Then, when the user drags the mouse on the image thereafter, the special photo retoucher 11 performs enhancement processing using the brush.

  The special photo retoucher 11 displays a slider bar 1037 and buttons 1038A and 1038B in the “effect” column 1035. In response to a user operation on the slider bar 1037 and the buttons 1038A and 1038B, the special photo retoucher 11 applies the degree of application effect of the enhancement processing using the brush selected or newly created by the user (enhancement effect rate, another way of saying). If so, the application mixture ratio of the enhancement part and the extraction area image) is set. The special photo retoucher 11 enhances the range of the image on the retouch view 1025 to which the user has applied a brush according to the set degree.

  The special photo retoucher 11 displays a palette 1031 composed of a predetermined number, for example, 6 × 6 sub-palettes, in the “brush” column 1036 in the control box 119. Each sub-pallet belonging to the upper three stages of this palette 1031 is a sub-pallet for a fixed brush (non-erasable brush), and each sub-pallet belonging to the lower three stages is created by the user as described later. This is a sub palette for brushes. The special photo retoucher 11 displays the brush shape and radius stored in each sub-palette (each brush has a different size, degree of blurring, shape, or angle (they may be the same)). When the user-desired sub-palette is selected on the palette 1031 and the brush is already in the sub-palette, the special photo retoucher 11 displays the brush in the “current brush” display column 1032 and enhances the brush using the brush. A brush preview cursor (for example, a closed curve figure accurately showing the outline of the brush as shown in FIG. 17) 1033 is displayed on the image of the retouch view 1025 in an actual size (enhanced). Since the range is determined by the pixel value, if the image displayed in the retouch view 1025 is enlarged or reduced, the size of the brush preview cursor is changed accordingly). Thereby, the user can grasp | ascertain which part (range) of an image can be enhanced before actually performing an enhancement process.

  The special photo retoucher 11 displays a plurality of slider bars and buttons for adjusting the brushes displayed in the “current brush” display field 1032 in the “brush” field 1036. The special photo retoucher 11 changes the size, blurring degree, shape, or angle of the brush displayed in the “current brush” display field 1032 according to the slider bar or button operated by the user. In response to this, the special photo retoucher 11 changes the size, shape, or angle of the brush preview cursor 1033.

  In this way, the special photo retoucher 11 adjusts the size, the degree of blurring, the shape, or the angle of the brush on the palette 1031 according to the request from the user (when the “save” button 1039 is pressed). Save to the sub-palette specified by the user. The brushes saved here are saved until the user selects and presses the “Delay” button 1040.

  This completes the description of the “retouch” mode. Next, the “color / tone” mode will be described.

  When the special photo retoucher 11 enters the “color / tone” mode, the photographic image enhanced in the “retouch” mode is displayed in the image display box 118. As described above, this mode includes three sub-modes of “easy”, “variation”, and “manual”. Hereinafter, each sub mode will be described in detail.

  First, the “easy” sub-mode will be described.

  FIG. 19 shows the image display box 118 in the “easy” sub mode, and FIG. 20 shows the control box 119 in the sub mode.

  When the “Easy” tag on the control box 119 is clicked, the special photo retoucher 11 enters the “Easy” submode and displays the “Easy” control screen 1050 on the front.

  The “Easy” control screen 1050 displays a plurality of radio buttons respectively corresponding to a plurality of types of color adjustment filters prepared in advance. The special photo retoucher 11 displays a photographic image (an extraction area image or an original image, hereinafter referred to as a color / tone edit target image) displaying a color adjustment filter corresponding to the selected radio button in the easy view 2000 of FIG. Applies to the whole area. Specifically, for example, the special photo retoucher 11 performs “standard color correction”, “color correction for portraits”, “monochrome photography”, “make it bright”, according to the selected radio button. The color tone editing target image is subjected to processing such as “make it feel heavy”, “make it feel sharp”, or “make it feel soft”. Thus, a desired type of color / tone adjustment can be performed with one click.

  In this “easy” sub-mode, the parameters of the color adjustment filter can be manually changed for each selectable color adjustment filter. For example, to change the parameter of the “heavy” color adjustment filter, the user clicks the “setting” button 1051 corresponding to the filter “heavy”. Then, as shown in FIG. 21, the special photo retoucher 11 displays a parameter change dialog box 1052 on the forefront. On this dialog box 1052, the user can enhance the effect of the “heavy” color adjustment filter (for example, color or monochrome, color tone, brightness, color balance, saturation, sharpness) Adjust). The special photo retoucher 11 reflects the result adjusted in the dialog box 1052 in the “heavy” color adjustment filter.

  In the “easy” submode, the user can create and increase the types of color adjustment filters that can be selected. Specifically, for example, by loading the color adjustment filter created and saved in the “manual” submode, the selectable color adjustment filters can be increased (the names of the increased color adjustment filters are (Displayed in “User-defined settings” column 1055). The parameter of the added color adjustment filter can be changed by clicking the “setting” button displayed on the “easy” control screen 1050 in the above-described parameter changing dialog box displayed on the foreground.

  This completes the description of the “easy” submode. Next, the “variation” submode will be described.

  FIG. 22 shows the image display box 118 in the “variation” sub-mode, and FIG. 23 shows the control box 119 in the sub-mode.

  When the “variation” tag on the control box 119 is clicked, the special photo retoucher 11 enters the “variation” sub-mode and displays the “variation” control screen 1060 on the front.

  When the “variation” sub-mode is entered, the special photo retoucher 11 displays a plurality of images (for example, 9 images) having different parameter values for the same photographic image in the variation view 1065 of the image display box 118 as shown in FIG. Alternatively, a plurality of (for example, 9 or 25) photographic images obtained by applying the color adjustment filters on a trial basis are displayed side by side in the vertical and horizontal directions. The centrally located photographic image is the result of a trial application (thumbnail image) of the color adjustment filter according to the parameter value currently set in the control box 119 (if it is immediately after shifting to the “variation” submode. , The result of applying the enhancement process so far). Then, the result of the trial application of the color adjustment filter that has been reduced from the currently set parameter value (that is, the parameter value of the color adjustment filter applied to the photographic image placed at the center) in increments of a predetermined value and On the contrary, the results of the trial application of the color adjustment filter, which was increased in increments of a predetermined value, are sequentially arranged on both sides of the central photographic image. Under each of these experimental application results, an increase amount of the parameter value based on the parameter value applied to the central photographic image is displayed (specifically, “1 index” described later). When the radio button is selected, one increment is displayed in a predetermined color for one photographic image, and when the “2 index” radio button is selected, two increments are displayed for one photographic image. Each amount is displayed in a different color).

  The special photo retoucher 11 moves the selected photo image to the center of the variation view 1065 when a user desired photo image is selected from the plurality of photo images (result of experimental application). Along with this, the display location of other photographic images is also moved, and a plurality of photographic images are displayed as described above (ie, the display on the variation view 1065 is updated) with the selected photographic image as the center. The parameter value of the color adjustment filter applied to the selected photographic image is set in the control box 119. Further, when the special photo retoucher 11 shifts to another mode or another sub mode, the photographic image for displaying the color adjustment filter according to the parameter value set in the control box 119 in the mode or sub mode after the shift. Applies to

  The special photo retoucher 11 enlarges or reduces the photographic image selected by the user among the plurality of photographic images displayed in the variation view 1065 according to the user operation performed on the color / tone toolbar 1066. Or scrolling only the central photographic image described above, or setting an image area to be displayed as a photographic image in the variation view 1065.

  The display form in the variation view 1065 can be changed based on the content input by the user on the “variation” control screen 1062 shown in FIG. 23 (every new content is input, the variation view 1065 The display mode is updated).

  That is, the special photo retoucher 11 selects a parameter from among a plurality of parameters displayed in a “control index” column 1062 to be described later according to the radio button selected in the “control” column 1061 on the “variation” control screen 1062. Determine selectable parameters. Specifically, when the “single” radio button is selected, the special photo retoucher 11 has basic parameters (for example, only brightness, contrast, gray balance, saturation, and sharpness) among the plurality of parameters. On the other hand, when the “Full” radio button is selected, all parameters except for gray balance are set to be selectable. If you select the “Full” radio button, you can make finer settings for basic parameters (for example, in terms of brightness, you can make fine adjustments such as filtering for highlight zones and filtering for dark zones). .

  Further, the special photo retoucher 11 determines the number of parameter types that are affected by one trial application (hereinafter referred to as “filtering”) according to the radio button selected on the “control index” field 1062. To decide.

  More specifically, for example, when the “1 index” radio button is selected, the number of parameter types affected by one filtering is limited to one. More specifically, the “X” column Only the radio buttons belonging to 1070 are activated, and the radio buttons belonging to the “Y” column 1071 are deactivated. When a certain radio button among the radio buttons belonging to the “X” column 1070 is selected, the special photo retoucher 11 filters the result of filtering the parameter corresponding to the radio button as described above according to a predetermined rule, for example, 24, a plurality of test application results are displayed side by side according to the rule selected by the user among the rules (A) to (D) shown in FIG.

  On the other hand, when the “2 index” radio button is selected, the number of parameter types affected by one filtering is two. More specifically, the radio buttons belonging to the “X” column 1070 are also Radio buttons belonging to the “Y” column 1071 are also activated. When a certain radio button is selected in each of the “X” column 1070 and the “Y” column 1071, the special photo retoucher 11 sets the two parameters corresponding to the two selected radio buttons in different colors at predetermined values. Using the adjustment filter, filtering is performed as described above to obtain a plurality of test application results. Then, the special photo retoucher 11 determines a predetermined rule such as a diagram according to whether the two parameters are selected in the “X” column 1070 or the “Y” column 1071. Are displayed side by side according to the rules shown in FIG. As a result, a plurality of photographic images (experimental application results) are displayed as shown in FIG. 26, for example.

  In the “control index” column 1062, the special photo retoucher 11 displays the values of the parameters applied to the central photographic image in a plurality of edit boxes 1080A, 1080B,... Respectively corresponding to the plurality of parameters. . When the special photo retoucher 11 shifts from another mode or another submode to the “variation” submode, the special photo retoucher 11 displays the parameters set in the photographic image so far in the edit boxes 1080A, 1080B,. . Further, the special photo retoucher 11 updates the central photographic image using the input parameter value when the user directly inputs a parameter value into the edit boxes 1080A, 1080B,. A plurality of photographic images displayed in the view 1065 are updated.

  Further, the special photo retoucher 11 applies the unit interval of the parameters of the plurality of color adjustment filters in accordance with the radio button selected in the “Step” field 1063 (that is, how many parameter values are engraved each time). To decide. For example, when the “rough” radio button is selected, the value of the color adjustment filter parameter is increased or decreased by a large interval (for example, 8 units). When the “medium” radio button is selected, the intermediate interval (for example, 4 units), and when the “Acarat” radio button is selected, it is increased or decreased by a small interval (for example, 2 units).

  The special photo retoucher 11 determines the number of photographic images to be displayed in the variation view 1065 according to the radio button selected in the “sample” column 1064. For example, when the “3 × 3” radio button is selected, as shown in FIG. 22, a total of nine photographic images are displayed in the vertical direction and three in the horizontal direction, and the “5 × 5” radio is displayed. When the button is selected, a total of 25 photographic images are displayed in the vertical direction, 5 in the horizontal direction, and 5 in the horizontal direction (in this embodiment, the same number is displayed in the vertical and horizontal directions as described above. Of course, it doesn't have to be the same number).

  Further, when the button 1090 is clicked, the special photo retoucher 11 saves the display screen in the variation view 1065 as a single image as a file in a predetermined format (for example, TIFF format). Images recorded in this file can be printed. As a result, it is possible to confirm the result of actual printing for each of the plurality of photographic images displayed in the variation view 1065, and it is possible to perform more strict enhancement setting according to the result. When the display screen in the variation view 1065 is stored as one image, predetermined information (for example, the value of each parameter of the photographic image located at the center) is added to the image, and the image is printed. In this case, the added predetermined information can be printed.

  This completes the description of the “variation” submode. Finally, the “manual” submode will be described.

  FIG. 27 shows the image display box 118 in the “manual” sub mode, and FIG. 28 shows the control box 119 in the sub mode.

  As shown in FIG. 28, when the “manual” tag on the control box 119 is clicked, the special photo retoucher 11 enters the “manual” submode. Upon entering the “variation” sub-mode, the special photo retoucher 11 displays a photographic image (original image or other mode or other sub-mode so far) in the manual view 1101 of the image display box 118 as shown in FIG. , And an “manual” control screen 1100 is displayed on the front of the control box 119 as shown in FIG.

  The special photo retoucher 11 displays various tools and indicators for setting the parameters of the color adjustment filter more finely than in the “variation” submode on the “manual” control screen 1100.

  The special photo retoucher 11 has basic parameters among the parameters displayed in the columns 1112 and 1113 depending on whether the radio button selected in the “control” column 1111 of the screen 1100 is “simple” or “full”. Determine whether only the parameters are adjustable or all parameters are adjustable. Selecting “Full” allows finer settings for basic parameters (for example, brightness, contrast, gray balance, etc.) (for example, for lightness, highlight zone filtering and dark zone Fine adjustments such as filtering are possible).

  Further, when the “save” button on this screen 1100 is clicked, the special photo retoucher 11 uses the parameter currently applied to the image displayed in the manual view 1101 and its value (or a color having that value). Save the adjustment filter. When saving the parameter and its value, the special photo retoucher 11 displays a dialog box (not shown) in the foreground, and accepts the input of the parameter to be saved and the identification name of the value on the dialog box. In response to a user request, the input identification name is stored in association with the parameter to be stored and its value.

  In addition, when the “load” button is clicked on this screen 1100, the special photo retoucher 11 loads the parameters and values when the “save” button is clicked and saves them, and displays a list with identification names. A dialog box (not shown) is displayed, and the value of the parameter associated with the identification name selected by the user on the dialog box is applied to the photographic image displayed in the manual view 1101.

  Further, the special photo retoucher 11 corresponds to a plurality of parameter adjustment slider bars (not provided with reference numbers) and parameter adjustment buttons (buttons on which “+” or “−” symbols are displayed) displayed in the columns 1112 and 1113. The value of the parameter reflected in the currently displayed photographic image is updated according to the user operation. Also, the special photo retoucher 11 sets the value of each parameter reflected in the currently displayed photographic image to each edit box (button displaying “+” symbol and “−” symbol corresponding to each parameter). In the column between the button and Further, when a parameter value is directly input to the edit box, the special photo retoucher 11 applies the parameter value to the currently displayed photographic image.

  When the “show tone curve” check box 1116 on this screen 1100 is clicked, the special photo retoucher 11 displays the tone curve view 1117 displaying the tone curve in the foreground, as shown in FIG. . When the mouse cursor is moved to a specific location on the tone curve view 1117 and dragged, the special photo retoucher 11 changes the tone curve in accordance with the drag and currently displays parameters based on the tone curve. Applies to photographic images.

  Further, the special photo retoucher 11 removes noise and false colors according to the button selected by the user from among the plurality of buttons displayed in the “noise reduction” column 1118 of the screen 1100 (for example, a certain area). The color of a pixel to which a color different from the original color is attached is changed to the original color).

  In addition, the special photo retoucher 11 specifies a specific photo image currently displayed in accordance with a button selected by the user from among a plurality of buttons displayed in the “select color control” column 1119 of the screen 1100. A color component is corrected (in this correction, for example, a memory color correction function (multitone curve correction function) of APF is used). Specifically, the special photo retoucher 11 corresponds to a button selected from the values of a plurality of specific parameters prepared in advance (for example, skin color (red) component, green component, sky (blue) component). The value of the specific parameter or the value of the specific parameter manually set by the user is applied to the currently displayed photographic image. Thereby, it is possible to perform editing such as correcting only the skin color brightly (strongly reddish).

  Further, the special photo retoucher 11 displays “custom” when the “on” radio button is selected on the “select color change” column 1120 of the screen 1100 (“off” is selected by default). When the button 1121 is switched from the inactive state to the active state and the “custom” button 1121 is clicked, a “color change” dialog box 1122 is displayed in the foreground as shown in FIG.

  In this dialog box 1122, the special photo retoucher 11 enhances the “selective color” column 1123 with respect to the dropper buttons 1126A to 1126C and the color range to be adjusted for color and tone, specifically, hue, saturation, and brightness. Control axes 1127A to 1127C for controlling the application range and the enhancement effect rate are displayed. In addition, the special photo retoucher 11 has slider bars 1128A to 1128C and buttons 1129A to 1131B for adjusting the hue, saturation, and brightness of recently selected pixels on the current image in the “shift amount” column 1124, respectively. , And edit boxes 1132A to 1132C.

  When the dropper button 1126A in the “Selective Color” column 1123 is clicked, the special photo retoucher 11 has a mouse cursor when the mouse is clicked on the currently displayed photo image (hereinafter referred to as “current image”). The color (hereinafter referred to as memory color) of the pixel in which the pixel is located (that is, the pixel selected by the user) is collected and held. Then, the special photo retoucher 11 displays the hue, saturation, and brightness values of the collected memory colors in the edit boxes 1132A to 1132C. The special photo retoucher 11 performs this series of operations every time the mouse is clicked on the current image. That is, only one memory color can be held.

  On the other hand, when the dropper button 1126B is clicked, the special photo retoucher 11 collects and holds a plurality of memory colors in response to a mouse click on the current image. At this time, the special photo retoucher 11 selects the highest value and the lowest value from the memory colors collected so far for each of hue, saturation, and lightness, and controls the selected highest value and lowest value. Set on shafts 1127A-1127C. In response to this, the special photo retoucher 11 expands or narrows the enhancement application ranges 1140A to 1140C of hue, saturation, and lightness.

  When the eyedropper button 1126C is selected, the special photo retoucher 11 determines that the hue, saturation, and brightness of the memory color of the pixel selected by the user on the current image are the current enhancement application ranges 1140A. The current enhancement application range 1140A to 1140C is narrowed so as not to enter ˜1140C.

  The axial direction component of the control shafts 1127A to 1127C means a hue, saturation, or brightness value, and the vertical direction component in the axial direction means an enhancement effect rate (degree of enhancement application effect). On the control shafts 1127A to 1127C, tracks 1300A to 1300C indicating the enhancement application range and the enhancement effect rate are shown.

  Each of the enhancement application ranges 1140A to 1140C represented by the trajectories 1300A to 1300C has a main application range 1301A to 1301C in which the enhancement effect rate is 100% at the center, and the enhancement effect rate is 100% on both sides thereof. There are sub-applicable ranges 1302A to 1302C that are less than. The trajectories 1300A to 1300C in the sub application ranges 1302A to 1302C have an inclination that linearly decreases from the end points of the main application ranges 1301A to 1301C toward the end points of the enhancement application ranges 1140A to 1140C (that is, the sub application ranges 1302A to 1302C). The enhancement effect rate at the point of time decreases continuously from 100% to 0% at a constant rate from the end point of the main application range 1301A to 1301C to the end point of the enhancement application range 1140A to 1140C. As a result, in the enhancement application ranges 1140A to 1140C, the enhancement effect is continuously applied from 100% to 0%, so that a high-quality image in which the portion where the enhancement is applied and the portion where the enhancement is not performed is not known. Is obtained.

  The special photo retoucher 11 has an enhancement application range 1140A to 1140C and a main application range 1301A among them according to a mouse drag starting from a specific position on the control axes 1127A to 1127C or a specific position on the trajectories 1300A to 1300C. ˜1301C and sub application ranges 1302A to 1302C are changed.

  Further, the special photo retoucher 11 responds when the slider bars 1128A to 1128C or the buttons 1129A to 1131B on the “shift / amount” column 1124 are operated, or when numerical values are input to the edit boxes 1132A to 1132C. Changing the hue, saturation, or brightness of the recently selected pixel on the current image.

  As described above, the current image can be enhanced based on the hue, saturation, and brightness.

  Refer to FIG. 28 again.

  The special photo retoucher 11 depends on whether the selected radio button is “full image” or “preview area” among the two radio buttons displayed in the “histogram” column 1500 of the “manual” control screen 1100. Thus, it is determined whether the range of the current image to be displayed in the histogram is the entire range of the current image itself or limited to the range currently displayed in the manual view 1101 (see FIG. 27). The special photo retoucher 11 displays a histogram on the histogram view 1501 for the determined range of the current image of the current image.

  In addition, the special photo retoucher 11 performs a histogram regarding gray, red, green, or blue for the range of the current image determined in accordance with the check box selected from the four check boxes displayed in the “histogram” column 1500. Is displayed. When a plurality of check boxes are selected, the special photo retoucher 11 equally divides the display area of the histogram in the histogram view 1501 into horizontally long bands according to the selected number, and each band area obtained thereby Display a histogram.

  Further, the special photo retoucher 11 responds to a specific region (for example, RGB =) on the current image in accordance with the user's mouse drag to the saturation range adjustment slider 2111 and the saturation preview tools 2100A and 2100B displayed in the “Histogram” column 1500. 0, 0, 0, or 255, 255, 255) is highlighted (for example, shaded display) or the saturation range is set. When the saturation range is set, when the “saturation indicator” button 2200 (active only when the “gray” check box is selected) is clicked, the special photo retoucher 11 In the current image, an area composed of a collection of pixels having a saturation outside the set saturation range blinks with, for example, a complementary color of the color of the pixel (for example, when the saturation range is set to 0 to 250) , Blinking an area consisting of a collection of pixels with saturation of 251 to 255).

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this is an illustration for description of this invention, and is not the meaning which limits the scope of the present invention only to this embodiment. Therefore, the present invention can be implemented in various other forms without departing from the gist thereof.

  In the above-described embodiments, the function of editing a photograph to create a print job and the function of sending a print job to a printer and managing print information are shared by separate computer machines, a client machine and a print server machine. The configuration of the machine sharing the functions in this way is an example, and the present invention can be implemented by another machine configuration. For example, a single computer machine can perform all of the above functions. The printer can share a part of the above functions. Alternatively, the above functions can be subdivided and shared by more computer machines.

  In FIG. 30, the enhancement application ranges 1140A to 1140C do not necessarily have to be configured by the main application ranges 1301A to 1301C and the sub application ranges 1302A to 1302C. In other words, the trajectories 1300A to 1300C do not necessarily have to be straight lines, and the special photo retoucher 11 can be redesigned so that the user can freely change by dragging the mouse.

The figure which illustrated typically the gamut of a printer and a monitor. The block diagram which shows the whole structure of one Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration, function, and operation of client machines 5A, 5B and print server machine 2 of photo studio system 1. The block diagram which showed the structure of 8 of the print server machine 2 and the center server machine, a function, and operation | movement. The figure which shows the retoucher main window 110 of the special photo retoucher 11. FIG. The figure which shows the "color profile setup" dialog box 130 of the special photo retoucher 11. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of setting a work ICC profile by the special photo retoucher 11 and a color matching process using the work ICC profile. The figure which shows the layout editor main window 140 of the layout editor 13. FIG. The figure which shows the "preference" dialog box 160 of the layout editor 13. FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing functional configurations of a center server machine 8 and a print server machine 2 for updating a printer ICC profile. The figure which shows the image display box 118 of the retoucher main window 110 in "browsing" mode. The figure which shows the control box 119 in "browsing" mode. The figure which shows the image display box 118 in a "browsing" mode when the "compare" mode is selected in "browsing" mode. The figure which shows the image display box and control box in "trim" mode. The figure which shows the "custom trim setting" dialog box 1021 displayed in "trim" mode. FIG. 10 shows a “slide table” window 1022. The figure which shows the image display box 118 in "retouch" mode. The figure which shows the control box 119 in "retouch" mode. The figure which shows the image display box 118 in the "easy" submode of "color tone" mode. The figure which shows the control box 119 in the "easy" submode of "color tone" mode. The figure which shows the dialog box 1052 for parameter change in "easy" submode. The figure which shows the image display box 118 in the "variation" submode of "color tone" mode. The figure which shows the control box 119 in the "variation" submode of a "color tone" mode. The figure which shows the example of a rule of the arrangement | sequence of the test application result of several sheets in "1 index". The figure which shows the example of a rule of how to arrange the test application result of several sheets in "2 indexes". FIG. 26 is a diagram showing a screen when a plurality of test application results are arranged according to the rule example shown in FIG. 25. The figure which shows the image display box 118 in the "manual" submode of "color tone" mode. The figure which shows the control box 119 in the "manual" submode of "color tone" mode. The figure which shows the tone curve view 1117 displayed on the forefront of the control box 119. FIG. The figure which shows the "color change" dialog box 1122 displayed on the forefront of the control box 119. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1 Photo studio system 2 Print server machine 3 Printer 4 LAN
5 Client System 5A, 5B Client Machine 6 Digital Camera 7 Internet 8 Center Server Machine 9 Dealer Machine 11 Special Photo Retoucher 12 Photo Folder 13 Layout Editor 14 Status Monitor 15 General Photo Retoucher 16 Image Transfer Driver 17 WWW Browser 31 File Transfer Server 32 Template Library folder 33 Job folder 34 Print server 35 Printer driver 36 Print information database 37 Print information server 38 Log uploader 39 Folder for printer ICC profile 81 Upload server 82 WWW server 83 E-mailer 84 Center database 92 WWW browser 93 User mail address 110 Retoucher・ Main window 13 "Color profile settings" dialog box 140 Layout editor main window 160 "Preferences" dialog box 170 Printer status window 300 Example of gamut perceived by human eyes 301 Example of printer gamut 302 Display monitor gamut Example 330 Printer ICC Profile Database 331 Test Pattern Image Data 332 ICC Profile Update Process 333 ICC Profile Download Process 334 Test Pattern Print Process 335 Read Image Upload Process 336 Test Pattern Printout 337 Test Pattern Master Sheet 338 Image Scanner

Claims (2)

In a computer program for image retouching,
Displaying the image represented by the image data existing in the storage area of the disk storage designated by the user on the display monitor as a thumbnail;
Receiving from the user a priority setting for images displayed as thumbnails on the display monitor ;
Next (1)-(2)
(1) The priority set for the user is displayed on the image set with the priority.
(2) Arranging images displayed on the display monitor as thumbnails based on the priority set by the user;
Performing at least one of the following :
Of the thumbnails displayed on the display monitor, select all thumbnails corresponding to the priority designated to be selected by the user, or select displayed on the display monitor. An image retouching program for causing a computer to perform a step of canceling a selection state of all thumbnails corresponding to a priority designated to be in a non-selection state by the user among the thumbnails in a state . Storing the thumbnail-displayed image in the disk storage as thumbnail image data separately from the original image data of the image;
When thumbnails of image data once displayed as thumbnails are displayed again as thumbnails, the stored thumbnail image data is read from the disk storage without using the image data itself, and the images are displayed as thumbnails on the display monitor. DOO further claim 1, wherein the image retouching program for causing a computer.

Images