JP5531636B2 - Image processing program and image processing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing program and an image processing apparatus.

  There are known methods for removing undesired objects in a digital image as follows. In this method, an image is corrected by removing undesired objects etc. from the digital image by replacing pixels in an area including undesired objects specified by the user with the generated texture (for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-63433

  However, according to the conventional method, whether the correction target area specified by the user is appropriate can be determined only after the processing result is reflected in the image. For this reason, if the user checks the corrected image and determines that the area designation is not appropriate, the user needs to re-designate the area by changing the position and size of the area. there were.

An image processing program according to a first aspect of the present invention sets a setting area in a target image as a plurality of editing target areas in a computer, an area that partially overlaps the setting area and has a size different from the setting area an area setting procedure for setting when the setting area is set to, for each of said plurality of edit target area, and an image processing procedure for executing the image processing to edit the image included in the editing target area, wherein an image subjected to image processing respectively for a plurality of edit target area, characterized in that to execute a display to list a plurality of candidate images.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus comprising an execution means for executing the image processing program according to any one of the first to seventh aspects .

  According to the present invention, it is possible to appropriately set a region to be corrected by a simple operation.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of one Embodiment of a personal computer. It is a figure which shows the specific example in the case of deleting the electric wire A reflected in the image. It is a figure which shows the example of a window display on a screen. 4 is a flowchart showing processing in the personal computer 100. FIG.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of an image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment. As the image processing apparatus, for example, a personal computer (personal computer) 100 is used. The personal computer 100 includes an operation member 101, a connection IF (interface) 102, a control device 103, an HDD (hard disk drive) 104, a monitor. 105.

  The operation member 101 includes various devices operated by the user, such as a keyboard and a mouse. The connection IF 102 is an interface for connecting the personal computer 100 and an external device. In the present embodiment, the personal computer 100 is connected to the digital camera via the connection IF 102, and an image file obtained by photographing is taken from the digital camera. As the connection IF 102, a USB interface for connecting the personal computer 100 and the digital camera by wire, a wireless LAN module for wireless connection, or the like is used.

  The control device 103 includes a CPU, a memory, and other peripheral circuits, and controls the entire personal computer 100. The memory constituting the control device 103 is a volatile memory such as SDRAM, for example. This memory is used as a work memory for the CPU to expand the program when the program is executed, or as a buffer memory for temporarily recording data.

  The HDD 104 is a recording device for recording image file data fetched via the connection IF 102 and data of various programs executed by the control device 103. The program data recorded in the HDD 104 is provided by being recorded on a storage medium such as a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM, and the user installs the program data in the HDD 104 using the storage medium. The control device 103 can execute the program.

  The monitor 105 is a liquid crystal monitor, for example, and displays various display data output from the control device 103.

  In personal computer 100 in the present embodiment, a user can execute an image processing application to display an image of an image file recorded in HDD 104 and edit the image being displayed. For example, as shown in FIG. 2A, when the electric wire A is reflected in the image, the user can restore the image by deleting the electric wire A from the image. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2B, the user designates the region 2a including the electric wire A by using a rectangular tool which is one of editing tools included in the image processing application, As shown in c), the region 2b including the electric wire A is designated by using a repair brush tool which is one of editing tools included in the image processing application.

  The control device 103 identifies an area (2a or 2b) designated by the user as an editing target area, and performs image processing for deleting an unnecessary subject (in this case, the electric wire A) included in the editing target area ( Hereinafter, this is referred to as “image correction processing”. As a specific image correction processing method, for example, a publicly known method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-509985 may be used, and detailed description thereof is omitted. An unnecessary subject included in the editing target area is deleted by replacing a pixel in which an unnecessary subject in the editing target area is reflected with an outside pixel.

  When the restoration brush tool is used as a method for designating the editing target area, the user selects the size of the brush to be used, and then selects the brush whose size is to be erased on the image, that is, the above-described electric wire A. By moving on an unnecessary subject such as, it is possible to designate an area within the range where the brush has moved as an editing target area. Note that a plurality of sizes of brushes are prepared in a stepwise manner, and the user selects an arbitrary brush size from among them.

  At this time, the user selects the brush size that is considered optimal according to the size of the subject to be erased and designates the editing target area, but whether the selected brush size is optimal You can't understand without looking at the results of the image correction process. In other words, if the size of the brush selected by the user because it is optimal is not optimal, unnecessary subjects may not be erased correctly even if the image correction processing is performed on the editing target area. is there. In this case, if the image correction process is performed on the editing target area by the control device 103 and the result is displayed on the monitor 105, the user cannot confirm the result of the image correction process. When the processing result is confirmed on the monitor 105, it is known that the size of the brush selected for the first time is not optimal.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 2 (d), the user leaves an object other than the wire A among the subjects in the image shown in FIG. 2 (a), and obtains an image in which only the wire A is erased. Suppose you want to edit and specify the editing area. However, as a result of the fact that the size of the brush selected by the user to be optimum was not optimum, as shown in FIG. 2 (e), the wire A originally intended to be erased remains in the region 2c. There is a possibility that the flower that was in the will be erased. Or as shown in FIG.2 (f), both the electric wire A and a flower may be erase | eliminated.

  In such a case, the user needs to re-select the brush size and execute the image correction process. Further, when the result of the image correction processing at that time is displayed on the monitor 105, if the user knows that the size of the newly selected brush is not optimal again, the user again Must be reselected, and this must be repeated until the desired result is obtained. In the present embodiment, the control device 103 performs the following process so that the user can select an optimal brush size without performing such a complicated operation.

  Specifically, the control device 103 selects the size of the brush selected by the user and the size of the brush selected by the user at the timing when the editing target area is specified using the brush (there are multiple stages). What level of brush size is selected) and the specified position of the editing target area in the image are specified. Then, the control device 103 automatically selects a plurality of brush sizes including the brush size selected by the user. For example, the control device 103 may determine the size of the brush selected by the user, the size one level higher than the size of the brush selected by the user, and one level lower than the size of the brush selected by the user. The size in three steps is automatically selected.

  Then, the control device 103 extracts a partial area in the image including the editing target area specified by the user, and uses the above three-step size brushes in the extracted partial area. To perform image correction processing. As a result, an image in a partial area obtained by performing image correction processing on the editing target area specified by the brush of the size selected by the user, and a brush that is one step larger than the size selected by the user The image correction processing is performed on the image in the partial area that has been subjected to the image correction processing on the editing target area specified in step 1 and the editing target area specified by a brush that is one step smaller than the size selected by the user. It is possible to obtain an image in a partial area subjected to the above.

  The control device 103 displays the images in the partial areas thus generated on the monitor 105 as candidate images. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the control device 103 displays a candidate image display window 3b different from the window 3a for displaying the image to be edited on the monitor 105, and displays the candidate image display window 3b. The candidate images 3c to 3e are displayed in a list. For example, in FIG. 3, the candidate image 3 c is a candidate image when the editing target area is specified with a small brush in one step, and the candidate image 3 d is an editing target area with a brush having a size selected by the user. The candidate image 3e is a candidate image when the editing target area is specified with a one-step larger brush.

  Each candidate image displayed in the candidate image display window 3b may be displayed at the same display magnification as that of the image to be edited displayed in the window 3a, or the display magnification is enlarged or reduced. Also good. The display magnification of each candidate image may be arbitrarily changed by the user.

  The user can select one candidate image in which only a desired image, that is, a subject that the user wants to delete from the image, is deleted from the candidate image display window 3b. When any candidate image is selected by the user, the control apparatus 103 uses the size used when generating the selected candidate image for the image to be edited displayed in the window 3a. The editing target area is specified using the brush and image correction processing is executed.

  Thus, if the user selects the size of the brush that is considered optimal and designates the editing target region, the user can also confirm candidate images when the editing target region is designated with a brush of another size. Then, the user selects an image in which the subject to be erased is surely erased from the displayed candidate images, and automatically selects the optimal brush size to correct the unnecessary subject. A post-image can be obtained.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing processing in the personal computer 100 in the present embodiment. The processing shown in FIG. 4 is executed by the control device 103 as a program that is activated when an execution of an image processing application is instructed by the user.

  In step S10, the control device 103 determines whether the user has selected the repair brush tool as an image editing tool. If a positive determination is made in step S10, the process proceeds to step S20. In step S20, the control device 103 determines whether or not the user has selected a brush size to be used for designating the edit target area described above. If a positive determination is made in step S20, the process proceeds to step S30.

  In step S <b> 30, the control device 103 determines whether or not the user has designated an edit target area including a subject to be erased using a brush. If a positive determination is made in step S30, the process proceeds to step S40. In step S40, the control device 103 sets the number of candidate images already displayed in the candidate image display window 3b shown in FIG. 3 (hereinafter referred to as “display number”) to 0, and proceeds to step S50. In step S50, the control device 103 determines whether or not the number of candidate images (number of candidates) to be displayed in the candidate image display window 3b is larger than the display number. It is assumed that the number of candidates is set in advance. For example, in the example shown in FIG.

  If a negative determination is made in step S50, the process proceeds to step S100 described later. On the other hand, if a positive determination is made in step S50, the process proceeds to step S60. In step S60, as described above, the control device 103 determines the brush size adjustment value x in order to automatically select a plurality of brush sizes including the brush size selected by the user. . The adjustment value x indicates a change amount (unit: pixel) of the brush size on the basis of the brush size selected by the user.

  For example, as described above, the size of the brush selected by the user, the size one level higher than the size of the brush selected by the user, and one level lower than the size of the brush selected by the user. A case will be described in which a three-stage size is automatically selected. In this case, the adjustment value x for setting the size of the brush selected by the user is zero. In addition, when the brush size increases by one pixel each time the brush size is changed by one step, an adjustment for setting the size one step higher than the size of the brush selected by the user. The value x is +1, and the adjustment value x for setting the size one step lower than the size of the brush selected by the user is -1.

  In step S60, the control apparatus 103 determines any one of the above as the adjustment value x. For example, it is determined to be -1, which is the smallest value. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S70, and the control device 103 extracts a partial area in the image including the editing target area designated by the user as described above, and in the extracted partial area, in step S60. A candidate image is generated by setting an edit target area using a brush having a size based on the determined adjustment value x and performing image correction processing.

  Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S80, and the control device 103 displays the candidate image generated in step S70 in the candidate image display window 3b shown in FIG. 3, and proceeds to step S90. In step S90, the control apparatus 103 adds 1 to the display number set in step S40, and returns to step S50. As a result, until a negative determination is made in step S50 (until the number of displays reaches the number of candidates), the processes in steps S60 to S80 are repeated, and as many candidate image display windows as the number of candidates are set. The candidate image is displayed in 3b.

  Next, processing when a negative determination is made in step S50 will be described. In this case, the process proceeds to step S100, and the control apparatus 103 determines whether or not a desired image is present in the candidate image as a result of the user confirming the candidate image displayed in the candidate image display window 3b. . For example, when a “cancel” button is arranged on the screen shown in FIG. 3 and the user presses the “cancel” button, it is determined that there is no desired image among the candidate images, that is, a negative determination is made. . On the other hand, when the user does not press the “cancel” button, it is determined that there is a desired image in the candidate images, that is, an affirmative determination is made.

  If a negative determination is made in step S100, the process returns to step S40. At this time, the control device 103 sets the previous number of candidates in step S130 in consideration of the fact that the candidate image desired by the user could not be generated even if the candidate images were displayed based on the currently set number of candidates. Increase than when processing. As a result, even if the candidate image desired by the user cannot be generated in the previous process, a larger number of candidate images are displayed in the next process, so that it is highly possible that the candidate image desired by the user can be generated.

  On the other hand, if a positive determination is made in step S100, the process proceeds to step S110. In step S110, the control apparatus 103 determines whether any one of the candidate images displayed in the candidate image display window 3b has been selected by the user. If a positive determination is made in step S110, the process proceeds to step S120.

  In step S120, the control device 103 uses the brush of the size used when generating the candidate image selected by the user for the image to be edited displayed in the window 3a to edit the region to be edited. Is specified and image correction processing is executed. Thereafter, the process ends.

According to the present embodiment described above, the following operational effects can be obtained.
(1) The control device 103 automatically selects a plurality of levels of brush sizes including the size of the brush selected by the user, and sets the editing target area. Then, a partial area in the image including the editing target area specified by the user is extracted, each editing target area is set in the extracted partial area, image correction processing is performed, and the processing result is obtained. A plurality of candidate images are displayed on the monitor 105. This allows the user to check multiple candidate images simply by selecting the optimal brush size and setting the area containing the subject to be erased. The optimal brush size can be selected without reselecting.

(2) When any of the candidate images is selected by the user, the control device 103 generates the selected candidate image for the image to be edited displayed in the window 3a. The region to be edited is specified using the brush of the size used, and the image correction process is executed. Thus, the user can obtain an image in which an unnecessary subject is deleted with a simple operation.

(3) The control device 103 displays a candidate image display window 3b different from the window 3a for displaying the image to be edited, and displays a list of candidate images 3c to 3e in the candidate image display window 3b. I made it. Thus, the user can confirm the candidate image and select a desired candidate image.

(4) The control device 103 displays each candidate image displayed in the candidate image display window 3b at the same display magnification as the image to be edited displayed in the window 3a, or enlarges or reduces the display magnification. To be displayed. As a result, the candidate image can be displayed at the optimum display magnification.

(5) When there is no user-desired candidate image, the control device 103 increases the number of candidates and repeats the process. As a result, even if there is no user-desired candidate image among the candidate images displayed with the current number of candidates, the number of candidate images to be displayed is further increased to be used in the displayed candidate images. It is possible to increase the possibility that the user's desired image is included.

-Modification-
The image processing apparatus according to the above-described embodiment can be modified as follows.
(1) In the above-described embodiment, the user has described an example in which the editing target area is specified using a rectangular tool or a repair brush tool which is one of editing tools included in the image processing application. However, the user may designate the editing target area by other methods. For example, it may be specified by drawing a region to be edited on an image freehand using a drawing tool. Alternatively, when the user uses the mouse to click on a point on the subject to be erased in the image, the control device 103 displays a pixel that is continuous with the pixel at the clicked position and has a similar color. An existing area may be automatically recognized, and a recognized area or an area including the recognized area and its surrounding pixels may be set as an editing target area.

(2) In the above-described embodiment, the control device 103 automatically selects a plurality of levels of brush sizes including the size of the brush selected by the user, and selects a plurality of edit target areas having different sizes. An example of setting and generating a candidate image for each editing target area has been described. However, when the editing target area is specified by the user, the control device 103 does not change the size of the editing target area, and sets the position of the editing target area in the image little by little. Then, a candidate image may be generated for each editing target area. For example, the control device 103 sets the position of the editing target area set by the user as the reference position, and sets the editing target area moved up by one pixel from the reference position and the editing target area moved down by one pixel. Thus, a candidate image may be generated for each editing target area.

(3) When the editing target area is designated by the user in step S30 in FIG. 4, the control apparatus 103 may proceed to step S40 after a waiting time of, for example, about 2 seconds has elapsed. . This allows the user to change the brush size during the waiting time.

(4) In the above-described embodiment, the control device 103 selects the size of the brush selected by the user, the size one step higher than the size of the brush selected by the user, and the size selected by the user. A case has been described in which a three-stage size is automatically selected, one size below the size of the brush. However, the amount of change in the brush size may be two or more instead of one. Further, the size of the brush to be automatically selected is not limited to three, and may be four or more.

(5) In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the personal computer 100 is used as the image processing apparatus has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention can be applied to other devices such as a camera.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the configurations in the above-described embodiments as long as the characteristic functions of the present invention are not impaired. Moreover, it is good also as a structure which combined the above-mentioned embodiment and a some modification.

100 PC, 101 operation member, 102 connection IF, 103 control device, 104 HDD, 105 monitor

Claims (8)

On the computer,
As a plurality of edit target area, set the setting area in the target image, the set region and partially overlapping, area setting procedure for setting when the setting region an area having a size different from the setting area is set When,
An image processing procedure for executing image processing for editing an image included in the edit target area for each of the plurality of edit target areas;
An image processing program for executing a display procedure for displaying, as a plurality of candidate images, a list of images obtained by performing image processing on each of the plurality of editing target areas. In the image processing program according to claim 1,
Wherein the image processing step, if any of the plurality of candidate images in which the display procedure is listed is selected, the said edit target area size set to generate a candidate image selected set target picture image, the image processing program and executes the image processing on the editing target region set in the target images. The image processing program according to claim 1 or 2,
In the display procedure, the candidate image is displayed in a list in a window different from the target image. In the image processing program as described in any one of Claims 1-3,
In the display procedure, the display magnification of the candidate image is displayed in the same or reduced size as that of the target image. The image processing program according to claim 2,
The area setting step sets the edit target area for the number that is set in advance, when said display procedure is not any selected of a plurality of candidate images displayed list, increasing the number of the edit target area An image processing program characterized in that In the image processing program according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The region setting step, by enlarge or reduce the size of the set area which has been set by a predetermined number of pixels, the image processing program and sets the edit region before Kifuku number . In the image processing program according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
  The image processing program executes an image process for erasing an unnecessary subject included in the edit target area. The image processing apparatus characterized by comprising execution means for executing an image processing program according to any one of claims 1-7.

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