JPH05199408A - Picture processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To print a picture of good color reproducibility by providing a color correcting part between plural picture read means and printers to combine a picture input device and printers independently of the presence/absence of the color correcting function. CONSTITUTION:When one picture read device selecting button of an operation part 1 is depressed, a picture read control part 3 detects it and discriminates whether a selected picture read device 2 has the color correcting function or not. When the device 2 incorporates the color correcting function, the device 2 preserves picture data, which is subjected to color correction and standardization, in a memory 4. When the device 2 does not incorporate the color correcting function, picture data is preserved in the memory 4, and picture data is corrected in a color correction part 7 based on a color correction parameter corresponding to this device 2 from a data base 8 and is preserved in the memory 4 again. Thereafter, picture data from the memory 4 is subjected to color correction by the correction part 7 based on the color correction parameter in the data base and is printed when a printer 5 does not incorporate the color correcting function.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus for creating, editing and printing image data, and more particularly to an image processing apparatus capable of correcting color characteristics of an image reading apparatus and a printing apparatus for printing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional image processing apparatus is equipped with an image reading device such as an image scanner, and has a function of reading an image into image data and editing the image data. The read image data is color-corrected. It had a function to print with good color reproducibility on the original image.

[0003]

However, in recent years, various image input devices such as image scanners and printing devices such as color printers have been put into practical use, and it has become necessary to use them in combination. Further, although an image input device and a printing device having a color correction function have been put into practical use and it is necessary to use them in combination with a device that does not have a conventional color correction function, the conventional image processing device becomes an image input device. Even if the printers provide only a color correction function that is limited to a combination of only one type, or if a plurality of image input devices and printers are provided, sufficient color reproduction is possible when using them in combination. There was a problem such as not being able to do it.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and a plurality of image input devices and a printing device are combined regardless of the presence or absence of a color correction function, and image reading and printing with good color reproducibility with respect to an original image are performed. An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing device capable of performing the above.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises a plurality of image reading means that are selectively used, and a plurality of image printing means that are selectively used to print the image data read by the image reading means. The color correction control unit is provided between the reading unit and the printing unit and corrects the color characteristics of each of the selected units.

[0006]

The selected image reading device reads the image data into the correction controller, and the correction controller corrects the color characteristic of the selected image reading device and the color characteristic of the selected printing device. And operate the printing device.

When the image reading means and the printing means have a color correction function, the reading and printing color correction parameters are given to the respective correction functions, and the color correction standardized data is passed through the reading means. Is read out, and the standardized data is sent to the printing means to print while removing the color characteristics of the printing means.

When the both means do not have the color correction function, the correction control section performs the color correction on the image data including the color characteristics of the selected reading means to create the standardized data, and the printing selected at the time of printing. Sending correction data to the printing means such that the color characteristics of the means are removed.

[0009]

EXAMPLE An example of the present invention will be described below.
In FIG. 1, the image processing apparatus includes an image reading device 2 such as a plurality of image scanners, a plurality of printing devices 5 for printing the image data read by the image reading device 2, and between these two devices 2 and 5. A correction controller C is provided which removes the correction of the unique color characteristic of each of these devices. The correction control unit C controls the selection of the image reading device and the execution of the image reading, the operation unit 1 for instructing the selection of the printing device and the execution of the printing, and the selection of the image reading device 2 by the input from the operation unit 1 to read the image. The image reading control unit 3 for executing the above, the memory 4 for storing the read image data, the print control unit 6 for performing the selection control of the printing device 5 by the input from the operation unit, and the printing are stored in the memory 4. The color correction unit 7 that corrects the color of the image data and the color correction database 8 that stores the color correction parameters are included.

As shown in FIG. 2, the color correction database includes a color correction flag 9 indicating whether the image reading device 2 and the printing device 5 have a color correction function, and the image reading device 2 or the printing device 5. Alternatively, the color correction unit 7
The color correction parameter 10 expresses the relationship between the color of the original used by the printer and the printing ink as a function.

As shown in FIG. 3, the operation section includes a plurality of image reading device selection buttons 11 and a printing device selection button 12.
The image reading device selection button 11
The pressing of is detected by the image reading control unit 3. The press of the printing device selection button 12 is detected by the print control unit 6.

Next, the actual processing means will be described with reference to FIG. First, when one of the image reading device selection buttons 11 of the operation unit 1 is pressed (step S13), the image reading control unit 3 detects which image reading measure is selected. The image reading control unit 3 refers to the color correction flag 9 indicating the presence or absence of the color correction function of the selected image reading device 23 (step S14), and determines whether the image reading device 2 has the color correction function. (Step S15) If the image reading device 2 has a built-in color correction function, the reading color correction parameter 10 corresponding to the selected image reading device 2 is transferred to the image reading device 2 (step S16). . The operation unit 1
Then gives an image reading instruction to the selected image reading device 2, color-corrected and saves so-called standardized image data from which the color characteristics at the time of reading of the selected device are removed in the memory 4 ( Step S17).
Further, in step S15, as a result of the reference of the color correction flag 9, when the selected image reading device 2 does not have the color correction function, the image reading control unit 3 reads the image in the selected image reading device 2. An instruction is given (step S18), and as a result, the image data including the color characteristics of the device which has not been subjected to color correction is stored in the memory 4 (step S19). Then database 8
The color correction parameter 10 corresponding to the image reading device 2 selected from the
Is transferred to the image reading control unit 3, and a color correction instruction is given to the color correction unit 7 (step S20). As a result, the color correction unit 7 reads the image data from the memory 4 and, after applying the color correction based on the color transfer parameter 10 for removing the color characteristic of the selected image reading apparatus 2 transferred in advance. , The standardized image data is stored again in the memory 4 (step S18). As a result, even if the image reading device 2 does not have a color correction function, the standard image data that has been color-corrected and the color characteristics of the image reading device 2 are removed is stored in the memory 4.

Next, the printing procedure will be described with reference to FIG. First, when the button 12 indicating the selection of the printing device 5 is pressed from the operation unit 1 (step S30), which button 1
The print control unit 6 detects whether 2 has been pressed. As a result, the print control unit 6 refers to the color correction flag 9 in the color correction database 8 indicating the presence or absence of the color correction function of the selected printing device 5 (step S31), and the printing device 5 has the color correction function. It is determined whether or not (step S32), and if the printing device 5 has a color correction function, the color correction parameter 10 for printing is transferred to the printing device 5 (step S32).
33) After that, an instruction to execute printing is given to the printing apparatus 5, standardized image data is transferred from the memory 4, and printing is executed while color correction is performed by the printing apparatus (step S3).
4). As a result, the image data stored in the memory 4 is printed in a state in which the color characteristics of the printing device 5 are removed by performing the color correction inside the printing device 5. If the printing device 5 does not have a color correction function in step S32, the print control unit 6 causes the color correction unit 7 to send the color correction database 8
Transfer the color correction parameter 10 for printing read from
A color correction instruction is given to the color correction unit 7 (step S3).
5). As a result, the color correction unit 7 reads the image data from the memory 4 and transfers it in advance to select the selected printing device 5.
After the color correction is performed based on the color correction parameter 10 for removing the characteristic of 1, the image data is stored in the memory 4 again. After that, a print execution instruction is given to the printing device 5, image data is transferred from the memory 4, and printing is executed (step S34). As a result, even if the printing apparatus 5 does not have a color correction function, a printing result obtained by performing color correction and removing the color characteristics of the printing apparatus 5 can be obtained.

In this embodiment, the characteristics of the image reading device 2 and the printing device 5 are color-corrected separately, but which image reading device 2 read the image data is stored in the memory 4 and printed. A method of correcting the color characteristics of the image reading device 2 and the color characteristics of the printing device 5 at once may be used. Further, it may have a configuration in which a communication device for transferring image data from the outside is added. Further, a method of realizing an image reading control unit, a print control unit, and a color correction unit by software in a general-purpose computer including a CPU may be used.

[0015]

As is clear from the above description,
According to the image processing apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to obtain a print result with good color reproducibility with respect to the original image by combining a plurality of image input apparatuses and a printing apparatus with or without a color correction function.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an image processing apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a color correction daders.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of an operation unit.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing control at the time of reading an image.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing control at the time of printing.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Operation part 2 ... Image reading device 3 ... Image reading control part 4 ... Memory 5 ... Printing device 6 ... Printing control part 7 ... Color correction part 8 ... Color correction database 9 ... Color correction flag 10 ... Color correction parameter 11 ... Image Reading device selection button 12… Printing device selection button

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of image reading means that are selectively used, a plurality of image printing means that are selectively used to print the image data read by the image reading means, and between these reading means and printing means. Is provided in
An image processing apparatus comprising: a color correction control unit that corrects the color characteristics of each of the selected units.