JPH0818803A - Image processing unit and its method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain optimum image adjustment automatically by providing an image adjustment means for image adjustment corresponding to a type of image data to the processing unit so as to allow the operator to have only to select an image pattern corresponding to a received image. CONSTITUTION:A ROM 11 stores a setting table for image adjustment corresponding to each image pattern. An MPU 10 informs the start of image input for a scanner section 13 and an image pattern set to a RAM 12 is stored as a preceding image pattern and all scan parameters are set to initial values. Whether or not the received image pattern is the same as the stored image pattern is discriminated and when not equal. the scan parameter representing a fine-adjustment key is set to the initial value. The image pattern to be set and the scan parameter corresponding thereto are newly stored in the RAM 12. Then image data are received from the scanner section 13 based on the scan parameter stored in the RAm 12 and then the image input is terminated.

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 and method, for example, an image processing apparatus and method for adjusting the density of a color image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional image processing apparatus such as a color copying machine, it may be necessary to perform color adjustment such as RGB color balance and density adjustment on an input color image. For example, when an image is output, the color tone changes depending on the type of recording medium to be output. For example, when an input image is printed out on an OHP sheet, it is possible to output more beautifully when the image density is made lighter than when output on a normal recording paper. Similarly,
For example, an optimum output image can be obtained by performing a specific image adjustment corresponding to each image such as a landscape, a person, a table, and a graph.

In the conventional image processing apparatus, in order to actually perform the color balance adjustment and the density adjustment as described above, the operator manually performs, for example, the red (R) balance adjustment from the operation panel.

[0004]

However, the adjustment in the above-mentioned conventional image processing apparatus requires the skill of the operator who performs the adjustment. Therefore, it is difficult for an operator who is not skilled in image adjustment to perform image adjustment, and as a result, the image is output without performing the image adjustment, so that there is a drawback that an optimum image output cannot be obtained.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the image processing apparatus is capable of automatically performing the optimum image adjustment according to the designated recording medium or the image type without the operator performing the troublesome image adjustment and outputting the image. And to provide a method.

[0006]

The present invention has the following constitution in order to achieve the above-mentioned object.

That is, in the image processing apparatus for inputting the color image data and adjusting the image, a holding means for holding the reference value of the image adjustment corresponding to the type of the color image data,
It is characterized by further comprising: designating means for designating the type of the color image data, and image adjusting means for performing image adjustment by reading out the adjustment reference value corresponding to the type designated by the designating means from the holding means. .

For example, the holding means holds at least one of the values of color, density and resolution.

Further, it is characterized by further comprising fine adjustment means for changing the value of the adjustment reference.

For example, the image adjusting means sets the current adjustment value when the currently set adjustment value is equal to the adjustment reference value, and sets the mutual average value when the adjustment value is different from the adjustment reference value. Is characterized by.

For example, the holding means can set an invalid value as the adjustment reference value, and the image adjusting means sets a current adjustment value when the adjustment reference value is an invalid value. And

For example, the plurality of adjustment elements are read out when an image is input.

For example, the plurality of adjustment elements are read out when an image is output.

For example, the type of the color image data is O
It is characterized by including an HP image.

For example, the type of the color image data includes a landscape image pattern.

For example, the color image data type includes a person image pattern.

For example, the color image data type is a table
It is characterized by including a graph image pattern.

[0018]

With the above configuration, optimum image adjustment values corresponding to typical image patterns such as OHP, landscape, person, table / graph, etc. are set in advance, and image adjustment can be performed only by selecting an image pattern. It can be done properly.

Further, there is a peculiar effect that image adjustment by multiple selection of image patterns and fine adjustment of adjustment elements after image pattern selection are possible.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

<First Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the internal structure of a laser beam printer (LBP) 100 which is an image processing apparatus according to this embodiment. The LBP 100 is a data source (host computer or the like) not shown. It is configured so that a character pattern and a fixed form (form data) can be registered.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 denotes an LBP main body, which inputs and stores character information (character code) supplied from an externally connected host computer or the like, form information, macro commands, and the like. A corresponding character pattern, form pattern, or the like is created according to the information, and an image is formed on a recording paper, which is a recording medium. Three
Reference numeral 00 is an operation panel on which various switches for operation and LED displays are arranged, and 101 is a printer control unit for controlling the entire LBP 100 and analyzing character information and the like supplied from the host computer. The printer control unit 101 mainly converts character information into a video signal of a corresponding character pattern and outputs it to the laser driver 102.

The laser driver 102 is the semiconductor laser 10.
3 is a circuit for driving the semiconductor laser 3, and switches the semiconductor laser on and off in accordance with the input video signal. The laser light 104 is swung in the left-right direction by the rotary polygon mirror 105 to scan the electrostatic drum 106. As a result, an electrostatic latent image having a character pattern is formed on the electrostatic drum 106. The latent image is formed on the developing unit 107 around the electrostatic drum 106.
And then transferred to a recording paper. A cut sheet is used for this recording paper, and the LBP10 cassette recording paper is used.
The paper feed roller 10
It is taken into the apparatus by the 9 and the conveyance rollers 110 and 111 and is supplied to the electrostatic drum 106.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of each function of the LBP 100 described above.

In FIG. 2, 10 is an MPU for controlling the entire LBP 100, 11 is a ROM for storing the control program of the MPU 10 and constant data, 12 is a RAM for temporarily storing control variables and the like, which is a working area of the MPU, Reference numeral 13 is a scanner unit for reading a color image and inputting data.
Reference numeral 4 is a printer unit for printing image data, 15 is an LCD unit for displaying the current operation status such as image input operation to the operator,
Reference numeral 16 is an LED section showing the set value of the image input mode, 17 is a key input section with which the operator inputs, and 18 is a storage section for storing image data and the like. LCD15, LED section 16,
The key input unit 17 constitutes the operation panel 300.

Next, FIG. 3 shows the appearance of the operation panel 300.

The operation panel 300 is an LC panel as described above.
D15, LED section 16, key input section 17 and the like. In FIG. 3, a key input unit 17 includes an image pattern key 17a for identifying an image pattern, a fine adjustment key 17b for performing fine adjustment of adjustment elements such as RGB balance when the image is read by the scanner unit 13, and overall density. The start key 17c for starting is roughly classified. The values of the image pattern key 17a and the fine adjustment key 17b are RAM.
The LED section 16 is turned on when the operator presses each of the fine adjustment keys 17b.

In the present embodiment, four types of image patterns “OHP”, “landscape”, “person”, and “table / graph” are used, and “R density” and “G density” as finely adjustable adjustment elements. , "B density" and "overall density" are prepared and described below, but needless to say, the present invention is not limited to this example and may be appropriately set according to the image processing apparatus.

The ROM 11 described above in this embodiment is
A setting value table for performing image adjustment unique to each adjustment element according to each image pattern is held. An example of this table is shown in FIG. In FIG. 4, each numerical value indicates a density value when the maximum density is “10”, and “*” indicates that there is no specific set value.

The image input process in the LBP 100 having the above configuration will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Note that in FIG. 5, description will be given assuming that the above-described adjustment element is a scanner parameter referred to when an image is input in the scanner unit 13.

In step S1 of FIG. 5, the MPU 10
Notifies the scanner unit 12 of the start of image input. Then, in step S2, the MPU 10 clears the set image pattern and the scanner parameter stored in the RAM 12, and stores the set image pattern as the previous image pattern. Then, in step S3, M
The PU 10 sets all scanner parameters in the RAM 12 to initial values. Hereinafter, the initial value will be described as a “5” level. At this time, the LED section 16 is also turned on based on the value of each scanner parameter. Of course, the initial value of each scanner parameter may be appropriately determined according to the characteristics of the image processing apparatus.

Next, in step S4, the MPU 10 monitors the key input section 17 on the operation panel 300, and if any key is input, the process proceeds to step S5 to determine the type of the input key.

If it is determined in step S5 that the input key is the image pattern key 17a, the process proceeds to step S6. In step S6, step S4
It is determined whether the image pattern input in step S2 is the same as the previous image pattern stored in step S2. If they are the same, the process returns to step S4 without performing any processing.

On the other hand, in step S6, step S
When it is determined that the image pattern input in 4 is not equal to the previous image pattern, the process proceeds to step S7, and the value of the scanner parameter indicated by the fine adjustment key 17b is set to the initial value, as in step S3 described above. Then, proceeding to step S8, the MPU 10 obtains the setting value corresponding to the image pattern input at step S4 from the setting value table shown in FIG. 4 and stores it in the RAM 12. Next, in step S9, it is determined whether or not the scanner parameters initialized in step S7 and the scanner parameter setting values obtained in step S8 match. If they match, the process proceeds to step S10, and the scanner parameter initialized in step S7 is set as a new scanner parameter. In the present embodiment, although the setting value “5”, for example, does not exist in the setting value table shown in FIG. 4, the setting value table is not limited to the example of FIG. It is possible to envisage going to.

On the other hand, if they do not match in step S9, the process proceeds to step S11 to set the average value of both as a new scanner parameter. Incidentally, step S1
In 1, the decimal point is rounded up when the average value is larger than the initial value "5", and the decimal point is rounded down when the average value is smaller than "5".

Further, in step S9, even when the set value obtained in step S8 is "*", step S10
Proceed to and set the corresponding initial values for the scanner parameters.

Then, the process proceeds to step S12, where MP
U10 updates all scanner parameters for each item.
Then, in step S13, the LED unit 16 is set and turned on according to the scanner parameter updated in step S12.

As described above, in steps S6 to S13, the set image pattern and the corresponding scanner parameter are newly stored in the RAM 12. Then, the process returns to step S4.

Next, the case where it is determined in step S5 that the input key is the fine adjustment key 17b will be described. In this case, the process proceeds to step S14. In step S14, the MPU 10 obtains the scanner parameter value corresponding to the input fine adjustment key,
At 15, "1" is added to the scanner parameter. For example, when the "R" key is input, the R density value, which was "5" before the input, becomes "6". Here, when the value of the scanner parameter exceeds the maximum value (“10”), the minimum value (“1”) is set. Then, in step S16, the MPU 10 updates the scanner parameter and turns on the LED unit 16 according to the value.

As described above, the scanner parameters stored in the RAM 12 are updated in steps S14 to S16. And the process is step S
Return to 4.

Next, the case where it is determined in step S5 that the input key is the start key 17c will be described. In this case, the process proceeds to step S17.
In step S17, the MPU 10 obtains the scanner parameters stored in the RAM 12, then in step S18, the scanner parameters obtained in step S17 are set in the scanner unit 13, and in step S19, the reading process in the scanner unit 13 is started.

Then, in step S20, MPU1
0 stores the image data input from the scanner unit 12 in the storage unit 18. Then, in step S21, the MPU
The reading process of step S19 and step S2 are performed until the point 10 detects the end of reading one page of image data.
The image data storing process of 0 is repeated. When the end of reading is detected in step S21, the process proceeds to step S22, and the end of the image input process by the scanner unit 13 is notified.

As described above, in steps S17 to S21, the image data is input from the scanner unit 13 based on the scanner parameters stored in the RAM 12, and the image input process ends.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the operator can set the image input set values corresponding to the typical image patterns (OHP, landscape, person, table, graph) in advance. Can select the image pattern and input the image data with the optimum image adjustment.

Further, since fine adjustment can be performed, it is possible to input image data adjusted to meet the operator's request.

<Second Embodiment> In the first embodiment described above, in order to perform the initialization processing of the fine adjustment key, that is, the adjustment element (scanner parameter) is cleared in step S7 shown in FIG. It is not possible to support a plurality of image pattern keys, such as when an image is to be output to “OHP”. In the second embodiment, when a plurality of image patterns are set, it is possible to perform image adjustment by making use of the respective image characteristics.

The image input process in the second embodiment is shown in FIG.
It is shown in the flowchart. In FIG. 6, the above-mentioned first
The same processes as those in FIG. 5 of the embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

If it is determined in step S6 of FIG. 6 that the input image pattern is not equal to the previous image pattern, the process proceeds to step S8. Therefore, the scanner parameters are not cleared.

If it is determined in step S5 that the input key is the fine adjustment key 17b, the process proceeds to step S23, and it is determined whether any image pattern has already been set. If already set, the process proceeds to step S14, but if not already set, no process is performed and the process returns to step S4. Step S2
The determination in 3 may be performed by any method such as referring to the corresponding area of the RAM 12 or providing a flag.

Further, since a plurality of image patterns can be designated in the second embodiment, by setting an average value with the set value on the set value table shown in FIG. Even when both an image pattern whose setting value is set larger than the value “5” and an image pattern whose setting value is set smaller than the value “5” are both designated, appropriate values can be set for both.

By performing the processing as described above, a plurality of image patterns are selected in the second embodiment,
It is possible to perform image adjustment in which the plurality of characteristics are multiplexed.

<Other Embodiments> In the above-described first and second embodiments, the process of adjusting RGB balance and overall density as scanner parameters corresponding to the selected image pattern has been described. The invention is not limited to this example. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, for example, “resolution” may be set as a scanner parameter. For example, when a setting table is prepared as shown in FIG. 7 and processed in the same manner as other scanner parameters, image data is stored in a database or the like.
The image data amount can be effectively set depending on each image pattern.

Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, the fine adjustment key 1
Although the image input adjustment is performed by the scanner unit 13 by using the adjustment element corresponding to 7b as the scanner parameter, it is of course possible to perform the same processing by using the adjustment element as the parameter for the print output by the printer unit 14. It is possible.

The present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of a single device. Further, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to the case where it is achieved by supplying a program to a system or an apparatus.

[0055]

As described above, according to the present invention, even if the operator does not have specialized knowledge of image adjustment such as RGB balance and density, it is possible to select an image pattern corresponding to an input image. Optimal image adjustment is automatically performed,
Therefore, an optimum image can be obtained.

Further, the image patterns can be combined in a multiple manner, so that the image adjustment based on the characteristics of the plurality of image patterns becomes possible.

[0057]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an LBP that is an embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an LBP in this embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an appearance of an operation panel in the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a scanner parameter setting table in the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an image input process in this embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an image input process in the second embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a scanner parameter setting table in another embodiment according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 MPU 11 ROM 12 RAM 13 Scanner Section 14 Printer Section 15 LCD 16 LED Section 17 Key Input Section 18 Storage Section 100 LBP 300 Operation Panel

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification number Office reference number FI Technical indication location H04N 1/60 9365-5H G06F 15/62 320 P 15/66 310 15/68 310 J H04N 1 / 40 D

Claims (20)

[Claims] 1. An image processing apparatus for inputting color image data to perform image adjustment, wherein a holding unit for holding a reference value for image adjustment corresponding to the type of color image data and a type of the color image data are designated. An image processing apparatus comprising: a specifying unit; and an image adjusting unit that reads the adjustment reference value corresponding to the type specified by the specifying unit from the holding unit and performs image adjustment. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the holding unit holds at least one of a color value, a density value, and a resolution value. 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a fine adjustment unit that changes the value of the adjustment reference. 4. The image adjusting means sets the current adjustment value when the currently set adjustment value is equal to the adjustment reference value, and sets the mutual average value when the adjustment value is different from the adjustment reference value. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: 5. The holding means can set an invalid value as the adjustment reference value, and the image adjusting means sets a current adjustment value when the adjustment reference value is an invalid value. Claim 2
The image processing device described. 6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of adjustment elements are read when an image is input. 7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of adjustment elements are read when outputting an image. 8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the type of the color image data includes an OHP image. 9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the type of the color image data includes a landscape image pattern. 10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the color image data type includes a person image pattern. 11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the color image data type includes a table / graph image pattern. 12. An image processing method in an image processing device for inputting color image data to perform image adjustment, comprising an image specified by an operator, which holds a reference value for image adjustment corresponding to a color image data type. An image processing method, wherein the adjustment reference value corresponding to a data type is read out to perform image adjustment. 13. The current adjustment value is set when the currently set adjustment value is equal to the adjustment reference value, and the average value is set when the adjustment value is different from the adjustment reference value. 12. The image processing method according to item 12. 14. The method according to claim 12, wherein an invalid value can be set as the adjustment reference value, and when the adjustment reference value is an invalid value, a current adjustment value is set. Image processing method. 15. The image processing method according to claim 12, wherein the adjustment reference value is read when an image is input. 16. The image processing method according to claim 12, wherein the adjustment reference value is read when outputting an image. 17. The image processing method according to claim 12, wherein the color image data type includes an OHP image. 18. The image processing method according to claim 12, wherein the color image data type includes a landscape image pattern. 19. The image processing method according to claim 12, wherein the color image data type includes a person image pattern. 20. The image processing method according to claim 12, wherein the color image data type includes a table / graph image pattern.