JP4697186B2 - Image processing device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to generation of an image file including image processing information of image data and image data, and image processing using the image file.

  In recent years, digital still cameras have become widespread. A digital still camera converts an image into an electrical signal using a semiconductor element that reacts to light, such as an electronic coupling element (CCD), and stores it as digital data in a magnetic disk or a semiconductor memory. Since a digital still camera is usually equipped with a liquid crystal display, a user can check a photographed image on the spot or delete an image that he / she does not like. In addition, an image taken with a digital still camera can be output to an image output device such as a display or printer of a general-purpose personal computer.

  However, in order for a user to perform desired image processing on an image captured with a digital still camera, first, the image file is transferred to a personal computer via a memory card or cable, and an image retouching application or a printer driver is used. Had to be processed. Therefore, it is necessary for the user to sufficiently learn how to use a personal computer and an image retouching application, and performing such a work for each image is a very complicated work.

Although technology that automatically performs image processing based on image analysis has been proposed, image processing that reflects the user's intention is required for processing that requires reference to specific parts, such as exposure correction and background blurring processing. It was difficult to do automatically.
JP 2000-350060 A

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem, and an object thereof is to achieve automation while reflecting the user's intention in image processing performed with reference to a specific part.

In order to solve at least a part of the problems described above, an image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes image data, part information representing a predetermined part in an image represented by the image data, and an image processing mode representing predetermined image processing. The image file input means for inputting an image file, and the predetermined image processing represented by the image processing mode included in the image file based on the part information included in the image file, the image included in the image file Image processing means for performing data processing.
In the image processing apparatus, the predetermined image processing is gradation correction processing, and an area dividing unit that divides the image data into predetermined areas, and a luminance average that calculates a luminance average value of each of the divided areas Using the value calculation means and the luminance average value of the region where the absolute value of the difference between the luminance average value of the region and the luminance average value of the region including the region does not exceed a predetermined threshold among the divided regions And an overall luminance average value calculating means for calculating an average luminance value of the entire image data, wherein the image processing means calculates the gradation based on the calculated average luminance value of the entire image data. Perform correction processing.
Further, the predetermined threshold value may be a threshold value according to a distance from an area including the part.
The overall brightness average value calculating means may calculate the brightness average value of the entire image data by applying a weight according to the distance from the region including the part.
An image file generation device according to another aspect of the present invention is an image file generation device that generates an image file including image data and image processing control data used for image processing of the image data. Image data generating means, part specifying means for specifying a part to be referred for performing predetermined image processing in the generated image data, and image processing control data including part information for specifying the specified part And image file generation means for generating an image file that integrally includes the generated image data.

  The above-described image file generation device generates an image file including image data and image processing control data. Here, the “image processing control data” is data for controlling image processing performed on the image data by the image processing apparatus. By analyzing the image processing control data, the image processing apparatus can automatically set various information used for image processing and perform image processing on the image data. This information may include contrast, brightness, color balance, saturation, sharpness, gamma value, target color space, and the like. In the image file generation device of the present invention, a specific part in the image data can be arbitrarily specified, and the part information can be set in the image processing control data. Therefore, the image processing apparatus can perform image processing with reference to the part specified by the part information. The user can realize the image processing intended by the user, including the image processing that requires the reference of the part, without troublesome work.

  In the above-described image file generation device, the part designating unit may perform the designation in units of areas defined by dividing the image data by a preset pattern.

  By doing so, the user can specify a desired part only by an operation of selecting at least one area from among the previously divided areas, so that the operation burden can be reduced.

  Further, in the above-described image file generation device, the part designating unit may designate coordinates defined in the image data.

  By doing so, the user can specify the part in the image data in detail, and the image processing apparatus can be referred to the correct part and can perform image processing. There may be a plurality of reference sites. In this case, the priority order of the parts to be referred to during image processing may be set together.

  Furthermore, in the above-described image file generation device, the predetermined image processing can be gradation correction processing.

  The gradation correction process includes a color reduction process, an exposure correction process, a brightness correction process, and the like. As a result, the image file generation device can cause the image processing device to perform a process of changing the color tone of the image with reference to the part designated in the image data.

In the above image file generation device,
The predetermined image processing may be blurring processing.

  By doing so, the image file generation device can cause the image processing device to perform processing to enhance the image in the vicinity including the designated portion as compared with other portions.

  Furthermore, the above-described image file generation device may be a digital camera, and the part designating unit may set the focal position of the digital camera as the initial value of the part information.

  By doing so, the focus position of the camera can be set as the designated position even if the user does not designate a particular part, and the user's operation can be reduced. Further, the initial value can be changed by a user operation, and can be moved to a position different from the focal position.

Note that the above-described image file generation apparatus can be applied to various apparatuses that can generate image data, and can be applied to, for example, a digital still camera, a digital video camera, a scanner, and the like.

Next, an image processing apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention is provided.
An image processing apparatus that performs image processing on an image file,
Means for inputting an image file including image data and part information indicating a specific part of the image data;
First acquisition means for acquiring image data from the image file;
Second acquisition means for acquiring site information from the image file;
The gist of the present invention is to provide image processing means for performing predetermined image processing with reference to a specific part in the image data based on the acquired part information.

  The above-described image processing apparatus can acquire image data and part information from an input image file, and can perform image processing based on the acquired part information. That is, since predetermined image processing can be performed automatically, the user can obtain an image that has undergone desired image processing without any operation, and the burden of operation can be reduced.

Next, an image file editing apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention is provided.
An input unit for inputting an image file including image data and part information indicating a specific part of the image data;
A part information input unit for inputting new part information;
The gist of the present invention is to provide an image file editing apparatus including update means for updating the part information to the new part information.

  This makes it possible to edit and update only the part information even after the image file is generated.

The invention may also be configured as an invention of a method of generating the image file. In this case, the present invention can be realized in various modes such as a computer program, a recording medium on which the program is recorded, and an electric signal that can be transmitted through a network that embodies the program. In addition, in these aspects, it cannot be overemphasized that the various additional elements shown previously are applicable.

  The image processing in the present invention can be realized by an image processing apparatus or a program. In this case, the entire program for driving the image processing apparatus may be configured, or may be configured as a program for a part of functions configuring other programs.

  Of course, the above-mentioned program may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. Various media such as flexible disks, CD-ROMs, magneto-optical disks, IC cards, ROM cartridges, computer internal storage devices (semiconductor storage devices such as RAM and ROM) and external storage devices (magnetic disk devices) as recording media Can be used.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on examples in the following order.
A. Image processing system configuration:
B. Image file generator:
C. Image file structure:
D. Image processing control data generation processing:
(D1) Setting of image processing mode (D2) Setting of part information Image file generation processing:
F. Image processing by image processing device:
(F1) Tone correction (F2) Blur processing Image file editing device:

A. Image processing system configuration:
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of an image processing system according to the present exemplary embodiment. The image processing system 10 of this embodiment includes a digital still camera 11 as an image file generation device, a memory card MC as a medium for storing image files, a personal computer 12 as an image processing device, and an image output device. And a color printer CP.

  The digital still camera 11 can set an image processing mode desired by the user, specific part information in the image data, and the like in the image processing control data PIM. The image processing mode means an image processing method such as gradation correction and blurring processing. The part information is information indicating a specific part in image data that is referred to when an image processing procedure such as the personal computer 12 performs image processing. The digital still camera 11 generates an image file that integrally includes image data obtained by capturing an image and image processing control data PIM. The generated image file GF is stored in the memory card MC.

  The personal computer 12 has an image processing function. The personal computer 12 inputs the image file GF from the digital still camera via the memory card MC or via a cable (not shown), and analyzes the image processing control data PIM included in the image file GF. Since the image processing control data PIM includes the part information, the image processing desired by the user is performed with reference to this part information. The image data that has been subjected to image processing is transferred to the color printer CP and printed.

  As described above, in the image processing system 10 of this embodiment, the image processing in the personal computer 12 can be controlled from the digital still camera 11 side, and the image processing desired by the user can be automatically performed. Details of the digital still camera 11, the image file GF, and the personal computer 12 will be described later. Although the personal computer 12 has an image processing function here, the color printer CP may of course have an image processing function.

  The image processing system 10 can take various aspects. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing variations of the image processing system 10. The image processing system 10 can include a display DP and a server SV with a built-in image processing function in addition to the digital still camera 11, the personal computer 12, and the color printer CP shown in FIG. These are connected via a cable CV or wireless communication, directly or via a network NE, and exchange data. It is also possible to connect a scanner or a digital video camera as the image file generation device.

B. Image file generator:
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the digital still camera. The digital still camera 11 is a camera that acquires an image by imaging light information on a digital device (CCD or photomultiplier tube). The digital still camera 11 includes an optical circuit 111 including a CCD for collecting optical information, an image acquisition circuit 112 for controlling the optical circuit 111 to acquire an image, and a processing for processing the acquired digital image. An image processing circuit 113 and a control unit 114 that controls each circuit are provided. The control unit 114 is configured as a microcomputer including a CPU, RAM, and ROM therein. The digital still camera 11 also includes a selection / decision button 116 for performing various settings of the image processing mode and part information, and a liquid crystal display 117 for previewing the captured image and displaying various setting screens. .

  FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing functional blocks of the digital still camera 11. The digital still camera 11 includes an image data generating unit 11a that generates image data, a part specifying unit 11b that specifies a specific part in the image data, an image processing control data generating unit 11c that generates image processing control data, An image file generation unit 11d that generates an image file including image data and image processing control data, and an image file output unit 11e that outputs the generated image file are provided.

  Various types of information set by the user using the selection / decision button 116 are set in the image processing control data by the image processing control data generation unit 11c, and are stored together with the image data in the memory card MC as an image file. The The image processing control data includes the gamma value of the digital still camera 11, the target color space, the exposure time set at the time of shooting, the white balance, the aperture, the shutter, in addition to the image processing mode and the part information described above. Information such as speed, lens focal length, etc. may also be included. Such information is appropriately referred to when image processing is performed in the image processing apparatus.

  As described above, the digital still camera 11 stores the acquired image as digital data in a memory card MC as a storage device. As a storage format of image data in the digital still camera 11, a JPEG format is common, but other storage formats such as a TIFF format, a GIF format, and a BMP format can be used.

C. Image file structure:
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram conceptually showing an example of the configuration of the image file GF. The image file GF has a file structure according to Exif, which is an image file format standard for digital still cameras. Exif file specifications are defined by the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA).

  The image file GF includes an image data storage area 101 for storing image data, and an attached information storage area 102 for storing various attached information related to the stored image data. In the image data storage area 101, image data is stored in JPEG format. In the attached information storage area, attached information is stored in the TIFF format. The attached information storage area 102 includes a MakerNote data storage area 103. The MakerNote data storage area 103 is an undefined area that is open to the manufacturer of the digital still camera 11. The image processing control data PIM in this embodiment is stored in the MakerNote data storage area 103. As is well known to those skilled in the art, a tag is used to specify each data in an Exif format file, and MakerNote is used as a tag name for data stored in the MakerNote data storage area 103. Is assigned and is called a MakerNote tag.

  FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a detailed hierarchical structure of the image file GF. FIG. 6A shows the data structure of the MakerNote data storage area 103. FIG. 6B shows a PrintMatching data storage area 104 defined in the MakerNote data storage area 103. PrintMatching data corresponds to the image processing control data PIM.

  The MakerNote data storage area 103 of the image file GF also has a configuration capable of identifying the data stored by the tag, and a PrintMatching tag is assigned to the image processing control data PIM. Each tag in the MakerNote data storage area 103 is designated by a pointer with an offset value from the top address of the MakerNote data storage area 103. In the MakerNote data storage area 103, information on the maker name (6 bytes), the reserved area (2 bytes), the number of local tag entries (2 bytes), and each local tag offset (12 bytes) is stored at the top address. ing. After the manufacturer name, a 00x0 end code indicating a character end string is attached.

  The PrintMatching data storage area 104 stores a PrintMatching identifier indicating that a PrintMatching parameter is stored, a parameter specification number indicating the number of specified parameters, and a value specifying a parameter number assigned in advance for each parameter. Information of the parameter setting value in which the parameter number to be set, the parameter setting value of the designated parameter number is stored, and the like are stored. The parameter number is, for example, information stored in a 2-byte area, and the parameter setting value is information stored in a 4-byte area. On the image processing apparatus side, the image processing control data PIM (each parameter value) can be acquired using the PrintMatching tag as an index.

  FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram conceptually illustrating an example of PrintMatching data. As illustrated, the MakerNote data storage area 103 stores image processing control data PIM such as a gamma value, color space, contrast, brightness, color balance, saturation, and part information described later.

  In the present embodiment, the image file GF has been described as an Exif format file, but the present invention is not limited to this. It is only necessary to adopt a structure in which image data and image processing control data are integrally provided.

D. Image processing control data generation processing:
(D1) Setting of Image Processing Mode Prior to generation of the image file GF described above, image processing control data PIM is input to the digital still camera 11. Various parameters such as a gamma value, target color space, exposure time, white balance, aperture, shutter speed, image processing mode, and part information can be set in the image processing control data PIM. Among them, FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a graphical user interface (GUI) for setting the image processing mode. This figure shows a screen displayed on the liquid crystal display 117 provided in the digital still camera, and the selection / determination button 116 can be used for the operation. First, as shown in the upper part of FIG. 8, after selecting the “image processing mode” and pressing the “OK” button, various image processing modes can be selected as shown in the lower part of FIG. 8. This figure illustrates the case where “tone correction” is selected. Further, by pressing the “OK” button, the selected image processing mode is set in the image processing control data PIM. The set image processing control data PIM is stored in the RAM or ROM in the control unit 114 in a volatile or non-volatile manner. Here, when “gradation correction” or “blurring process” is selected, the process proceeds to designation of a part to be referred to in each process. The ROM may be various rewritable ROMs such as PROM, EPROM, and EEPROM.

(D2) Setting of Part Information Next, a method for setting part information that is a part of the image processing control data PIM will be described. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a GUI for designating a specific part in an image. The user first designates the first coordinate P1 in the liquid crystal display 117 by using the selection / determination button 116. Subsequently, by designating the second coordinate P2, the part A that is a rectangular area can be designated. Next, by pressing the “OK” button, P1 (x, y) and P2 (xx, yy) indicating the coordinates of the designated part A are set in the image processing control data PIM as part information, and the control unit The data is stored in the RAM or ROM in 114. If the “cancel” button is selected instead of the “decision” button, the part can be designated again and again.

  The method for setting the part information is not limited to the method described above, and can be set by other methods. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of a GUI for designating a part in an image. In FIG. 10, the area in the liquid crystal display 117 is divided into nine areas a1 to a9 according to a preset pattern. The user uses the selection / decision button 116 to select at least one of the areas. In the present embodiment, the area a5 is selected. After selecting an area, by pressing the “OK” button, coordinates corresponding to the area are set as part information in the image processing control data PIM. In place of the coordinates, a number uniquely assigned to the area may be used. The image processing control data PIM in which the part information is set is stored in the RAM or ROM in the control unit 114.

  The part information may be not only information as a region but also information as coordinates of one point. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram illustrating another example of a GUI for designating a part in an image. The user operates the cross cursor 120 or the like in the liquid crystal display 117 using the selection / determination button 116 to designate coordinates P3 (x, y). The designated coordinates are set in the image processing control data PIM as part information, and the image processing control data PIM in which the part information is set is stored in the RAM or ROM in the control unit 114.

  It is very troublesome for the user to specify the coordinates as described above every time when setting the part information. For this reason, it is preferable that the initial value of the designated coordinates is the focal position of the digital still camera. This initial value can be changed by a user's operation, and coordinates other than the focal position can be used as the initial value.

F. Image file generation processing:
Next, image file generation processing will be described. FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the flow of image file generation processing in the digital still camera 11. The CPU in the control unit 114 controls the optical circuit 111 and the image acquisition circuit 112 in response to a shooting request from the user, for example, a depression of the shutter button, and generates image data GD (step S100). The CPU temporarily stores the generated image data GD in the RAM in the control unit 114. Next, an image is displayed on the liquid crystal display 117 based on the image data GD stored in the RAM. The user selects an image processing mode by the various methods described above (step S110), and designates a part by referring to the image displayed in the liquid crystal display 117 (step S120). The CPU generates image processing control data PIM based on the selected image processing mode and the designated part information (step S130). At this time, other parameters set automatically or manually may be included in the image processing control data PIM. The CPU stores the generated image processing control data PIM in the RAM. Finally, the CPU integrally couples the image data GD stored in the RAM and the image processing control data PIM to generate one image file GF (step S140), and ends the image file generation process.

  The image file GF is generated by the above steps, and finally the generated image file GF is stored in the memory card MC. In this embodiment, the image processing control data PIM including the image processing mode and the part information is generated after the image data GD is generated. However, the image data GD is generated after the image processing control data PIM is generated. It doesn't matter. In this case, an image may not be displayed on the liquid crystal display 117.

F. Image processing by image processing device:
Next, details of image processing performed in the personal computer 12 will be described. FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the flow of image processing in the personal computer 12 as the image processing apparatus. The personal computer 12 inputs the image file GF from the digital still camera 11 via the memory card MC and the cable CV (step S200). Subsequently, image data GD and image processing control data PIM are extracted from the input image file GF (steps S210 and S220). Next, the personal computer 12 analyzes the extracted image processing control data PIM (step S230), performs various image processing to be described later on the image data GD based on the analyzed image processing control data PIM (step S240), and performs image processing. The process ends.

(F1) Gradation Correction Although various modes can be considered for the image processing in step S240 in FIG. 13, here, the gradation correction processing will be particularly described. FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the flow of gradation correction processing in the personal computer 12 as the image processing apparatus. The personal computer 12 divides the image data GD into preset areas, and obtains an average luminance value Yave of the image in each area (step S300). Usually, since the image data GD is recorded in the JPEG format using the YCbCr color space, the luminance average value Yave is obtained by adding the Y value of each pixel in the area and dividing by the total number of pixels in the area. Can be obtained. Thereafter, the luminance average value of the region (designated region SA) including the part designated by the part information is determined as the luminance reference value Ystd (step S310). In this embodiment, a5 in FIG. 10 is designated area SA.

  In order to perform more effective gradation correction when the personal computer 12 performs gradation correction on the image data GD, an area having a luminance average value Yave that is far from the previously determined luminance reference value Ystd is referred to below. It is necessary to omit from the calculation. Therefore, a threshold corresponding to the distance from the designated area SA to each area is set (step S320). FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating the distance L from the center point of the designated area SA to the center point of another area. FIG. 17 is a graph showing the threshold Th corresponding to the distance L. As shown in the figure, the threshold value Th is set so that an area farther from the designated area SA is more easily excluded as an unnecessary area. FIG. 16 is a table showing the luminance average value Yave in each region and the absolute value Dif of the difference between the luminance average value Yave and the luminance reference value Ystd. The personal computer 12 calculates the absolute value Dif of the difference between the luminance average value Yave and the luminance reference value Ystd for each region (step S330). The absolute value Dif is compared with the threshold value Th at the distance (step S340). If the absolute value Dif exceeds the threshold value, the area is regarded as an unnecessary area FA and the area is excluded from the subsequent calculations (step S350). . In the case of the present embodiment, it can be seen from FIG. 17 that the areas a3, a6, and a9 are excluded.

Next, the luminance average value Yave ′ of the entire image data GD weighted by the distance between the area other than the unnecessary area FA (effective area HA) and the designated area SA is obtained (step S360). FIG. 18 is a graph showing the relationship of the weight W with respect to the distance from the designated area SA to the effective area HA. The weight W of each area for the designated area a5 is as shown in the figure.
a5: (a2, a8): a4: (a1, a7) = 4: 3: 2: 1
Then, Yave ′ can be obtained by the following equation.
ΣYave = a5 * 4 + (a2 + a8) * 3 + a4 * 2 + (a1 + a7) * 1
Yave '= ΣYave / (1 * 4 + 2 * 3 + 1 * 2 + 2 * 1)
Note that the threshold Th and the weight W are arbitrary values.

Finally, gradation correction is performed on the entire image data GD using the weighted luminance average value Yave ′ (step S370). If the average luminance value of the entire image data including the unnecessary area FA is Yall and the luminance of each pixel of the image data GD is Yg, the new luminance Yg ′ of each pixel can be obtained by the following equation.
Yg '= Yg * Yave' / Yall
This calculation is performed for all pixels to generate new image data, and the personal computer 12 ends the gradation correction.

この行列演算を画像データＧＤ内の全ての画素について行い（ステップＳ４２０）、新たな画像データを生成し、パーソナルコンピュータ１２は、ぼかし処理を終了する。 (F2) Blur Processing Next, the blur processing, which is another aspect of the image processing in step S240 in FIG. 13, will be described. FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing the flow of blurring processing in the personal computer 12 as the image processing apparatus. In the present embodiment, the designated part is a single point coordinate (designated coordinate SZ). First, the personal computer 12 measures the distance L between the pixel to be blurred and the designated coordinate SZ (step S400). Next, a matrix component value x corresponding to the distance L is obtained by a function as shown in the graph of FIG. 20 (step S410). Subsequently, the following matrix calculation is performed on nine points around the pixel BP to be subjected to blurring processing to obtain a new pixel value BP ′.

This matrix calculation is performed for all the pixels in the image data GD (step S420), new image data is generated, and the personal computer 12 ends the blurring process.

  As described above, according to the personal computer 12 according to the present embodiment, desired image processing can be performed on the image data GD of the image file GF generated by the digital still camera 11 described above.

G. Image file editing device:
Finally, the image file editing apparatus will be described. The image file editing device is a device capable of correcting and resetting the image processing control data PIM later on the image file in which the image processing control data PIM has already been set. In this embodiment, editing of part information will be described in the image processing control data PIM. FIG. 21 is a flowchart showing a flow of editing processing of the image processing control data PIM in the image file editing apparatus. First, the image processing control apparatus inputs the image file GF via the memory card MC or the cable CV (step S500). Next, the image file GF is analyzed, and the image data GD and the image processing control data PIM are extracted (steps S510 and S520). Further, part information is extracted from the image processing control data PIM (step S530), and the part (designated part) designated by the image file generation device is presented to the user of the image file editing device (step S540). When the user wants to change the designated part that is presented, the user designates a new part (step S550). If no change is made, the process is terminated. The image file editing apparatus sets the newly designated part as part information in the image processing control data (step S560). Finally, the previously extracted image data and new image processing control data are integrally combined to obtain a new image file (step S570). The image processing control apparatus outputs a new image file via the memory card MC or the cable CV (step S580), and completes the image file editing process.

  The specific mode of the image file editing device may be any device that can edit an image file, and various types such as a digital still camera, a personal computer, and a printer can be considered. In this case, it is preferable that the user has a display device such as a liquid crystal display or a display and an input device such as a mouse or a keyboard in order to designate a new part.

  As described above, according to the image file editing apparatus according to the present embodiment, the image processing control data PIM of the image file GF generated by the digital still camera 11 described above can be edited and reset.

  As described above, the image file generating device, the image processing device, and the image file editing device according to the present invention have been described based on the embodiments. There is no limitation to the present invention. In the present embodiment, only the case where one part is specified when setting the part information has been described, but a plurality of parts may be specified. In addition, functions realized by software may be realized by hardware, and vice versa. In addition, the present invention can be changed and improved without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and it is needless to say that the present invention includes equivalents thereof.

It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of schematic structure of the image processing system in a present Example. It is explanatory drawing which shows the variation of an image processing system. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of a digital still camera. It is explanatory drawing which shows the functional block of a digital still camera. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of a structure of an image file notionally. It is explanatory drawing which shows the detailed hierarchical structure of an image file. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of PrintMatching data notionally. It is explanatory drawing which shows the graphical user interface (GUI) for setting an image processing mode. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of GUI for designating a specific site | part within an image. It is explanatory drawing which shows another example of GUI for designating a site | part in an image. It is explanatory drawing which shows another example of GUI for designating a site | part in an image. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the production | generation process of the image file in a digital still camera. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the image processing in the personal computer as an image processing apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the gradation correction process in the personal computer as an image processing apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which shows the distance L from a designated area | region to another area | region. It is a table | surface which shows the absolute value of the difference of the brightness | luminance average value in each area | region, and a brightness | luminance average value and a brightness | luminance reference value. It is a graph which shows the threshold value corresponding to distance. It is a graph which shows the relationship of weighting with respect to the distance from a designated area | region to an effective area | region. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the blurring process in the personal computer as an image processing apparatus. It is a graph which shows the matrix component value x according to distance. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the edit process of the image processing control data in an image file editing apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Image processing system 11 ... Digital still camera 11a ... Image data generation part 11b ... Site designation | designated part 11c ... Image processing control data generation part 11d ... Image file generation part 11e ... Image file output part 12 ... Personal computer 100 ... Image file 101 Image data storage area 102 Attached information storage area 111 Optical circuit 112 Image acquisition circuit 114 Control unit 116 Selection / determination button 117 Liquid crystal display 120 Crosshair cursor

Claims (3)

Image file input means for inputting image data, part information representing a predetermined part in the image represented by the image data, and an image file including an image processing mode representing predetermined image processing;
Image processing means for performing the predetermined image processing represented by the image processing mode included in the image file on the image data included in the image file based on the part information included in the image file;
Area dividing means for dividing the image data into predetermined areas;
A luminance average value calculating means for calculating a luminance average value of each of the divided areas;
Among the divided areas, the image data is obtained by using the brightness average value of the area where the absolute value of the difference between the brightness average value of the area and the brightness average value of the area including the portion does not exceed a predetermined threshold value. An overall brightness average value calculating means for calculating an overall brightness average value;
Have
The predetermined image processing is gradation correction processing;
The image processing device, wherein the image processing unit performs the gradation correction processing based on the calculated average brightness value of the entire image data. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined threshold is a threshold corresponding to a distance from an area including the part. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
The overall luminance average value calculation means calculates an average luminance value of the entire image data by applying a weight according to a distance from an area including the part.

Images