JP4905015B2 - Image processing device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus.

  Conventionally, it has been difficult for color-blind people to identify colors because red, green, etc. appear to be other colors and are easily confused by color-blind printout results.

  Therefore, a technique is known in which input color information is converted into a color that can be identified by a color blind person and printed (Patent Document 1).

A technique is also known in which a color name of a color area in an image is displayed at a position above the color area and printed (Patent Document 2).
JP 2004-272516 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-257867

  However, according to the technique of Patent Document 1, although color conversion is performed so that each color can be distinguished for a person with color blindness, what color is the original color before conversion from the converted image? There is a problem that you can not know.

  Further, according to the technique of Patent Document 2, although the color area color is known, a space for displaying the color name above the color area is necessary. There is a problem that it interferes with the image display.

  Therefore, the object of the present invention is to convert the color area so that the color can be discriminated for a color blind person and to know how many colors the original color before conversion is, An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus that prevents the conversion from interfering with the original image display.

  In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus that can be used by a healthy person so that the converted image can be easily restored to the original color area image. It is to be.

In order to achieve the above object, an image processing apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention includes an extraction unit that extracts a chromatic color painting region from a color image, and a color of the painting region in the painting region extracted by the extraction unit. An additional image corresponding to the color image, and an additional means for adding an additional image having a mark for specifying the direction of the hue of the color of the filled area from the center of the hue circle, and the additional image is added by the additional means. And image forming means for forming an image.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention , the additional image is drawn at an angle from the center of the hue circle toward the direction of the hue of the color of the painted area, and each drawing direction is specified. configured so that such a plurality of parallel straight lines with indicia.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention , the plurality of parallel straight lines are respectively drawn at intervals corresponding to the lightness or saturation of the color of the filled region.

Further, the invention of claim 4, in the invention of claim 2, wherein the plurality of parallel straight lines is configured so that the said mark formed at intervals corresponding to the lightness or saturation of the color of the filled area .

The invention of claim 5 is the invention of claim 2, wherein the plurality of parallel straight lines is divided into a plurality of straight lines each having the mark at intervals corresponding to the lightness or saturation of the color of the filled area It is configured to be split and drawn.

The invention of claim 6 is the invention of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the additional image, the filling configured to image der so that drawn in a color different from the color of the region.

The invention of claim 7 is the invention of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the additional image, the fill color image der so that of the color reduction by subtracting the uniform values from each color component of the color of the area Configured.

The invention of claim 8 is the invention of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the additional image is configured image der so that the drawn in white.

According to the first or second aspect of the invention, there is an effect that it is possible to determine the hue of the color of the painted area even for the color blind person.

According to the invention of any one of claims 3 to 5, even for a color blind person, there is an effect that it is possible to determine the hue of the color of the painted area, and further the brightness or saturation .

According to the invention of claim 6 or claim 8, there is an effect that information capable of determining the color of the filled area is added .

According to the invention of claim 7 , there is an effect that the additional image can be added with a hue close to the color of the filled area .

  Embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The image forming apparatus 1 is a so-called multi-function machine, and receives image data from an image reading apparatus 2 that reads an image of a document and an external PC (Personal Computer) 3 via a LAN (Local Area Network) 4. A communication interface (I / F) 5, an image processing apparatus 6 that performs predetermined image processing on image data of a document read by the image reading apparatus 2 and image data received by the communication interface (I / F) 5; The printer engine 7 that forms an image on a printing medium such as paper based on the image data after the image processing, the operation panel 8 on which the user performs various operations, and the entire image forming apparatus 1 are intensively controlled. And a control unit 9 for performing the above operation.

  As a printing method of the printer engine 7, various methods such as an electrophotographic method and an ink jet method can be applied.

  Next, the contents of processing performed by the image processing apparatus 6 will be described.

  2A is an example of an image 11 processed by the image processing apparatus 6.

  This image includes a red color region 12, a green color region 13, and a blue color region 14.

  Here, the red color region 12 and the green color region 13, which are colors that are difficult for a color blind person to determine, are to be processed.

  FIG. 3 shows an example of a hue circle.

  In this hue circle, each color uniquely corresponds to the angle of the hue circle.

  For example, if it is red, it is 90 degrees.

  Here, if only red and green, which are particularly problematic for persons with color blindness, are targeted, the angle of the hue circle can be uniquely associated with each color of red and green.

  Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C, for example, black hatching (FIG. 2B) or white hatching ( Insert FIG. 2 (c)).

  Hatching is a line-shaped image that constitutes the first symbol. By making the angle of the line the angle of the hue circle of the hue of the color of the color area, the hue is visually Even if it is a color blind person who cannot be discriminated, it can be determined which hue.

  In the example of FIG. 2, legends 15 and 16 for explaining the relationship between the angle of the hatched line and the hue are inserted in the corners of the image.

  By the way, in this case, when black hatching (FIG. 2B) is inserted in the color area, the image becomes dark, and when white hatching (FIG. 2C) is inserted, the image becomes whitish. turn into.

  Therefore, if the hatching color is not black or white, but the density (0 to 255) of each color component of C, M, and Y in the target color region is as shown in FIG. Among the color components of M, Y, and Y, hatching is formed by a color (see FIG. 4B) obtained by subtracting the density value of C having the lowest density in this example from the color components of C, M, and Y. Anyway.

  In this case, as compared with the case where black hatching (FIG. 2B) or white hatching (FIG. 2C) is used, it is somewhat close to the color of the color area before the hatching is inserted. Expect to be in shades.

  As described above, when there are few color areas to be hatched, it can be uniquely associated with the angle of a specific color on the hue circle only by the angle of the hatching line. When there are many color areas, a specific color cannot be expressed only by the angle of the hatched line.

  For example, in the example of FIG. 3, since 90 degrees red and 270 degrees cyan have the same slope, they cannot be distinguished only by the angle of the hatched line.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, in addition to the hatching 21 line as the first symbol, a second symbol that can indicate the direction, in this example, an arrow 22 is inserted into the color area.

  In other words, each color in the hue circle can be uniquely identified by indicating a specific color in the hue circle by the angle of the line of the hatch 21 and the direction of the arrow 22.

  FIG. 6 shows an example in which hatching 21 and arrow 22 are inserted into each color region (FIG. 6A), and a specific color in the hue circle is indicated by the angle of the line of hatching 21 and the direction of arrow 22 ( FIG. 6B).

  If the image data is subjected to the above processing and then printed out, the hue of each color area can be determined by the hatching 21 and the arrow 22.

  However, the hatching 21 and the arrow 22 are not expressed up to saturation and lightness.

  Therefore, the saturation and lightness of the color are expressed by the interval between the hatching 21 and the interval between the arrows 22.

  In FIG. 7, the saturation is expressed by the interval of hatching 21.

  That is, the smaller the saturation, the narrower the interval, and the brighter, the wider the interval.

  Further, in FIG. 8, the brightness is expressed by the interval between the arrows 22.

  In other words, the darker the brightness, the narrower the interval, and the brighter, the wider the interval.

  FIG. 9 is an example (FIG. 9B) in which the hatching 21 and the arrow 22 are inserted into each color region (FIG. 9A), and the saturation or lightness of each color is expressed by the interval between the arrows 22.

  FIG. 10 is an example in which the hatching 21 and the arrow 22 are inserted into each color region (FIG. 10A), and the saturation or lightness of each color is expressed by the interval between the hatching 21 and the hatching 21.

  Note that the saturation may be expressed by the interval of the hatching 21 and the lightness may be expressed by the interval of the arrow 22, or vice versa.

  Further, among the saturation and brightness, it is saturation that is particularly difficult to be understood by a person with color blindness. Therefore, only saturation may be expressed by the interval of hatching 21 or the interval of arrows 22.

  Alternatively, the hatching 21 line serving as the first symbol may be divided into a plurality of lines, and brightness or saturation may be expressed by the interval.

  FIG. 11 shows an example in which saturation is expressed in this way.

  Note that the first symbol and the second symbol can be expressed in various forms.

  For example, the first symbol can be a continuous circle or triangle instead of a line.

  The second symbol can also be expressed not by an arrow but by a beard (a form in which a line serving as the second symbol protrudes only on one side of the hatching 21).

  Also, when expressing lightness and saturation, the method of expressing by changing the thickness of the first symbol, the method of expressing by changing the length of the arrowhead of the arrow, In the case of a shape, it is also possible to express by changing the height of the triangle.

  By performing the processing as described above, a person with color blindness can easily determine the color region and know the hue, saturation, and lightness of the constituent color.

  In addition, since the hatching 21 and the arrow 22 are inserted into each color area, the hatching 21 and the arrow 22 can be prevented from interfering with the original image display.

  Even if the image after the hatching 21 or the arrow 22 is inserted is printed in monochrome, the hue, saturation, and brightness of the original color can be known, so that color toner and color ink can be saved.

  However, printing by performing the above-described processing is convenient for color blind people, but is inconvenient for healthy people because the original color is not expressed.

  Therefore, when an image printed in monochrome by performing the above-described processing is read again by the image reading device 2, as shown in FIG. 12, the hatching 21 and the first symbol which are the first symbols in the image are displayed. 2 is analyzed (FIG. 12A), and the area including the hatching 21 and the arrow 22 is converted again into an image of the color area before the above-described processing is performed. (FIG. 12B).

  Specifically, the area where the hatching 21 and the arrow 22 included in the image exist is specified, and the angle and interval of the line of each hatching 21 and the interval when the line is divided are determined. By judging the direction and interval, the hue, saturation, and lightness of the color of the original color area can be estimated and converted to a color area having the hue, saturation, and lightness.

  Here, the hue is estimated by the angle of the line of the hatching 21 and the direction of the arrow 22, and the saturation and lightness are estimated by the interval of the hatching 21 and the interval of the arrow 22.

  Next, specific processing executed by the image processing device 6 for realizing the above-described processing will be described.

  Hereinafter, the process of converting the color area into the hatching 21 and the arrow 22 will be referred to as a conversion process, and the process of returning the hatching 21 and the arrow 22 into the color area will be referred to as an inverse conversion process.

  First, the conversion process will be described.

  FIG. 13 is a functional block diagram when the image processing apparatus 6 performs conversion processing.

  In the following example, the hue is expressed by the angle of the line of the hatch 21 and the direction of the arrow 22, the saturation is expressed by the interval of the line of the hatch 21, and the lightness is expressed by the interval of the arrow 22.

  In FIG. 13, the user can select whether or not to perform the conversion process by a predetermined operation on the operation panel 8.

  When the user selects to perform the conversion process, the conversion enable / disable control unit 31 sends the processing target image data transmitted from the image reading device 2 or the communication I / F 5 to the area determination unit 32.

  The area determination unit 32 determines which range of the image each color area is in the image.

  As a means for determining the color area, a known technique such as a method using a K-average algorithm or MAP estimation can be used (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-263647).

  The hue conversion table 33 stores the type of each hue in the hue circle as exemplified in FIG. 3 and the angle of each hue in the hue circle (for example, 90 degrees in the case of red in the example of FIG. 3). It is a data table.

  The hue determination unit 34 determines the hue of the color of each color area, and determines an angle corresponding to the hue with reference to the hue conversion table 33.

  The lightness conversion table 35 is a data table as in the example of FIG. 8, and stores each value of lightness and the interval between the arrows 22 in association with each other.

  The lightness determination unit 36 determines the lightness of each color region, and refers to the lightness conversion table 35 to determine the interval between the arrows 22 corresponding to the lightness.

  The saturation conversion table 37 is a data table as in the example of FIG. 7, and stores each value of saturation and the interval of the hatching 21 in association with each other.

  The saturation determination unit 38 determines the saturation of each color region, and refers to the saturation conversion table 37 to determine the interval of the hatching 21 corresponding to the saturation.

  The image generation unit 39 determines the angle of the line of the hatching 21, the interval, the direction of the arrow 22, and the interval for each color region based on the determination of the hue determination unit 34, the lightness determination unit 36, and the saturation determination unit 38. Line angles, spacing hatches 21, orientations, and spacing arrows 22 are inserted into each color region.

  The image data after inserting the hatching 21 and the arrow 22 is output to the printer engine 7.

  FIG. 14 is a flowchart for explaining the conversion process performed by the image processing apparatus 6.

  First, when the user selects to perform conversion processing by a predetermined operation on the operation panel 8 (YES in step 101), the area determination unit 32 determines each color area in the image (YES in step 102). The hue determination unit 34 determines the hue of the color for the color area. If the color of the color area is a chromatic color (YES in step 103), the angle corresponding to the hue is set to the hue. Judgment is made with reference to the conversion table 33 (hue conversion) (step 104).

  Next, the lightness determination unit 36 determines the lightness of each color area, and determines the interval between the arrows 22 corresponding to the lightness with reference to the lightness conversion table 35 (lightness conversion) (step 105).

  Next, the saturation determination unit 38 determines the saturation of each color region, and determines the interval of the hatching 21 corresponding to the saturation with reference to the saturation conversion table 37 (saturation conversion). (Step 106).

  The above processing is performed for all color regions.

  Then, the image generation unit 39 inserts the angle 21, interval hatching 21, direction, and interval arrow 22 determined by the determinations in steps 104 to 106 into the color area (step 107).

  Next, the inverse conversion process will be described.

  FIG. 15 is a functional block diagram when the image processing apparatus 6 performs an inverse conversion process.

  In the following example, the hue is expressed by the angle of the line of the hatching 21 and the direction of the arrow 22, the saturation is expressed by the interval of the hatching 21, and the brightness is expressed by the interval of the arrow 22.

  In FIG. 15, by a predetermined operation on the operation panel 8, the user can select whether or not to perform the reverse conversion process by the reverse conversion availability selection unit 40.

  When the user selects to perform the conversion process, the hatching area determination unit 41 determines an area including the hatching 21 and the arrow 22 in the image of the image data transmitted from the image reading device 2. .

  For example, in the case of bitmap data format, the hatching 21 and the arrow 22 are recognized by a well-known technique such as determining that the number of pixels of the same color within a certain range is linear when the number is continuous. (See JP 2004-178513, JP 8-249468, JP 7-226839, JP 11-161787, etc.).

  Then, the hue determination unit 42 determines the angle of the hatching 21 line and the direction of the arrow 22, and determines the hue corresponding to the angle and direction with reference to the hue conversion table 33.

  The lightness determination unit 43 determines the interval between the arrows 22 and refers to the lightness conversion table 35 to determine the lightness corresponding to the interval.

  Further, the saturation determination unit 44 determines the interval of the hatching 21 and refers to the saturation conversion table 37 to determine the saturation corresponding to the interval.

  The image generation unit 45 determines the angle, interval, and arrow 22 of the line of the hatching 21 for the area including the hatching 21 and the arrow 22 based on the determination of the hue determination unit 42, the lightness determination unit 43, and the saturation determination unit 44. Convert to color area of hue, saturation, and lightness according to direction and interval.

  The converted image data is output to the printer engine 7.

  FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating the inverse conversion process performed by the image processing apparatus 6.

  First, when the user selects to perform an inverse conversion process by a predetermined operation on the operation panel 8 (YES in step 201), the hatched area determination unit 41 causes the image of the image data transmitted from the image reading apparatus 2 to be displayed. Among them, the area including the hatching 21 and the arrow 22 is determined (step 202).

  Next, the hue determination unit 42 determines the angle of the line of the hatching 21 and the direction of the arrow 22 and determines the hue corresponding to the direction and direction with reference to the hue conversion table 33 (inverse hue conversion). (Step 203).

  Then, the lightness determination unit 43 determines the interval between the arrows 22 and refers to the lightness conversion table 35 to determine the lightness corresponding to the interval (lightness reverse conversion) (step 204).

  Further, the saturation determination unit 44 determines the interval of the hatching 21 and refers to the saturation conversion table 37 to determine the saturation corresponding to the interval (saturation reverse conversion) (step 205).

  Then, the image generation unit 45 determines the angle and interval of the hatching 21 line for the area including the hatching 21 and the arrow 22 based on the determination of the hue determination unit 42, the lightness determination unit 43, and the saturation determination unit 44. , Conversion to a color area of hue, saturation, and lightness according to the direction and interval of the arrow 22 (a well-known technique is used as a specific means for conversion to a color area (for example, JP-A-8-287172) (See publications etc.)) (step 206).

  The converted image data is output to the printer engine 7.

  By performing such processing, the image converted into the hatching 21 and the arrow 22 can be easily converted back to the original color image, and the convenience of a healthy person can be achieved.

  Next, another embodiment of the image processing apparatus of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 17 is a block diagram of electrical connection of an image processing apparatus according to another embodiment.

  This image processing apparatus is a personal computer, and a CPU 51 that performs various calculations and centrally controls each unit and a memory 52 including various ROMs and RAMs are connected by a bus 53.

  The bus 53 reads a magnetic storage device (HDD) 54, a display device 55 such as an LCD, an input device 56 such as a mouse and a keyboard, and a storage medium 57 such as a CD and DVD through a predetermined interface as appropriate. A reading device 58, a communication interface (I / F) 59 that communicates with the Internet 62, an image reading device 60 that reads an image of a document, and an image forming device 61 that forms an image on a sheet are connected.

  As the reading device 58, an optical disk device, a magneto-optical disk device, a flexible disk device, or the like is used according to the type of the storage medium 57.

  As the printing method of the image forming apparatus 61, various methods such as an electrophotographic method and an ink jet method are used.

  In this image processing apparatus, application software 63 for executing the image processing program of the present invention read from the storage medium 57 or downloaded from the Internet 62 is set up in the magnetic storage device 54.

  The application software 63 operates on a predetermined OS, and performs the above-described conversion processing and reverse conversion processing on the image data read by the image reading device 60 by the processing based on the application software 63 to perform the image forming device 61. Can be output.

  Since the details of the processing contents are as described above, detailed description thereof is omitted.

  As for the conversion processing, the converted image data obtained by converting the color image may not be a color image with hatching but may be monochrome image data with hatching.

  As described with reference to FIG. 2, when the hue of the color area is expressed in a form in which no arrow is given to the straight line forming the hatching, the color area expressed as the angle of the straight line forming the hatching There may be a case where the hue ring angle of the color of the color does not necessarily match.

  In that case, the hue is determined by correspondence with the legend inserted in the corner of the drawing.

  For example, when the color area in the color image to be converted is two colors of red and green, the red color area is represented by vertical line hatching, and the green color area is represented by horizontal line hatching, Legends corresponding to the respective legends are inserted into the corners of the converted image, and the color regions are identified.

  Thus, even when the angle of the straight line forming the hatching and the angle of the hue circle of the color of the expressed color region do not coincide with each other, the saturation and lightness of the color of the expressed color region are shown in FIG. As described with reference to FIG. 8, it is expressed by a linear interval, or as described with reference to FIG. 8, it is expressed by adding a mark such as an arrow on the straight line, or see FIG. As described above, it may be configured to be expressed by the interval of the divided lines.

  It should be noted that the hatching 21, the arrow 22 and the like inserted in the image to be converted are drawn in a color different from the color area to be expressed, or drawn in white as described with reference to FIG. Or it can be made to draw with the hue close | similar to the color of the color area | region expressed as demonstrated with reference to FIG.

  The present invention can be used in an image processing apparatus.

  According to the present invention, a color blind person can also discriminate the color region and know the hue, saturation, and brightness of the color to be configured.

  Then, the original color image can be obtained by inverse conversion from the converted image data.

1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Explanatory drawing of the process which inserts the hatching which shows a hue in a color area. Explanatory drawing which shows an example of a hue ring. Explanatory drawing explaining an example of selection of the color used for hatching. Explanatory drawing which shows an example of hatching 21 or the arrow 22. FIG. Explanatory drawing which shows the example of the image which inserted the hatching in the color area | region. Explanatory drawing of the example which expresses saturation with the space | interval of hatching 21. FIG. Explanatory drawing of the example which expresses the brightness by the space | interval of the arrow 22. FIG. Explanatory drawing of the example which expresses saturation or the brightness by the space | interval of the arrow 22. FIG. Explanatory drawing of the example which expresses saturation or the brightness with the space | interval of hatching 21. FIG. Explanatory drawing of the example which expresses saturation with the space | interval of the divided | segmented hatching. Explanatory drawing of the example which converts hatching and the arrow into a color area | region by reverse conversion. FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of conversion processing in the image processing apparatus 6. The flowchart of a conversion process. FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of inverse conversion processing in the image processing apparatus 6. The flowchart of an inverse conversion process. The block diagram explaining other embodiment of an image processing device.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 2 Image reading apparatus 3 PC
4 LAN
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 5 Communication interface 6 Image processing apparatus 7 Printer engine 8 Operation panel 9 Control part 11 Image 12, 13, 14 Color area 15, 16 Legend 21 Hatching 22 Arrow

Claims (8)

Extracting means for extracting the paint Ri crush area chromatic from the color image,
An additional image corresponding to the color of the filled area, which is extracted by the extracting unit, is added with a mark for specifying the hue direction of the color of the filled area from the center of the hue circle Additional means to
An image processing apparatus comprising: an image forming unit that forms an image to which the additional image is added by the adding unit. 2. The image according to claim 1, wherein the additional image is composed of a plurality of parallel straight lines that are drawn at an angle from a center of a hue circle toward a hue direction of a color of the painted area, each having a mark for specifying a drawing direction. Processing equipment. The plurality of parallel straight lines are
The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image processing apparatus is drawn at intervals corresponding to lightness or saturation of the color of the filled area. The plurality of parallel straight lines are
The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the mark is formed at an interval corresponding to lightness or saturation of a color of the filled area. The plurality of parallel straight lines are
The filled area image processing apparatus of the plurality of the split in straight lines with claim 2, wherein the drawn with each of the indicia in brightness or intervals corresponding to the saturation of the color. The additional image is
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing apparatus is an image drawn in a color different from a color of the filled area . The additional image is
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing apparatus is an image of a color obtained by subtracting a uniform value from each color component of the color of the filled area . The additional image is
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing apparatus is a white image.

Images