JPH0944132A - Image output device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily perform the color conversion of image data according to a request. SOLUTION: A CPU 02 processes image data based on the input operation of a console 01 and outputs the result of the processing to a printer 03. For the image data processing of the CPU 02, in a memory 05, image data 052 storing data including plural image objects and storage data on a selection color number, etc., one provided, and color change processing is performed for the image data of a plurality of image objects by an image data generation means 051 based on specified colors.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention belongs to the technical field of an image output apparatus capable of producing and outputting color image data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an image data creating apparatus, as shown in the explanatory view of FIG. 9, it is possible to specify the color of each image object forming the entire image data by RGB values or the like. there were. In FIG.
The image data 09 is the image data displayed on the display 10, and the image object 12 is the image object forming the image data. The display 10 has a color specifying panel 1 for specifying a color for the image object 12.
1 is displayed, and the user uses this to specify the color of the image object.

The color of each image object in the image data is as shown in the color designation panel 11 shown in FIG.
It is specified by RGB (red, green, blue) three primary colors. In FIG. 9, a circular object is selected from the image objects in the image data 09. That is, a display indicating that the object is selected is displayed around the circle. The state in which the color is designated by the color designation panel 11 is illustrated.

When a color image is output, even an image object having the same RGB value is actually output on a screen or paper by a device (display or printer of various systems) that outputs the image object. Problems such as different colors arise. This is because the range of colors (color space) that can be output differs for each device, and the output characteristics (γ value) for signals such as RGB differ. In order to solve this problem, the image object is subjected to color conversion processing (color matching) so as to obtain an appropriate color when output by the device, according to the output device, and then the actual output device. To output from.

There are several methods for color conversion processing, which are used depending on the type of image requiring color processing or the method of using the image. The type of image referred to here is a distinction between a natural image scanned from a photograph or the like, an image created by CG, an image created by a paint tool, etc., and optimal color processing is required for each type. .

As an example of the color processing method, for example,
(1) A method of preserving saturation during color conversion, (2) Only colors that cannot be represented by the device to be output are approximated to the closest color, and the representable color remains unchanged (no color conversion (2) Outputting method, (3) Saving image gradation, and the like.

One kind of processing may be applied to the entire image data. In that case, no matter what kind of image objects are mixed in the image data,
One type of color transformation is applied to all image objects. In some cases, the optimum processing method can be specified for each image object that constitutes the image data. For this purpose, it is necessary to record what kind of color processing method is suitable for each image.

As a means for performing such "color matching", for example, Apple Inc. in the US provides a color matching mechanism called ColorSyne and software for color conversion processing. According to this, by specifying the file that describes the characteristics of each device, the color processing method, etc., it is possible to output after the data has been processed so that the color will be the best when output by the output device. Is.

[0009]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, it was possible to specify a color for each image object forming image data, but when a certain image object is changed to a certain color, it is interlocked with it. It was not possible to automatically change the color of other objects to the desired color.

For example, the image object B is colored orange when the image object A is red, and the image object B is colored blue when the image object A is blue. Incidentally, by changing the color of the image object A (or B), the color of the image object related thereto cannot be automatically changed.

Due to this problem, when it is desired to compare some image data in which the color combinations of the image objects are different from each other, it is necessary to create a number of image data having different color combinations even in the same image. There wasn't. Also, every time the color of a certain image object is changed, the color of another image object has to be changed manually, which causes a problem that the work is complicated.

Further, although it is possible to specify the optimum color processing method for each image object forming the image data for processing, by changing the processing method of one image object, another image object related to it can be obtained. It was not possible to automatically change the color processing method of. For example, when the image object A is designated as the color processing method 1, the image objects of the same type (for example, A
(B is also data scanned from a photo original) B is set to the color processing method 1, and if the color processing method of the image object A is the color processing method 2, the color processing method of the image object B related thereto is also processed. It was not possible to automatically perform Method 2, etc. Due to this problem, when creating image data with uniform color processing, you have to manually change the color processing method of another image object every time you change the color processing method of one image object. In addition to being complicated, it is easy to make mistakes such as failing to change the color processing method only for certain image objects.

The present invention has been made to solve the above conventional problems, and an object thereof is to provide an image output device capable of easily performing color conversion processing of image data having a plurality of objects in response to a request. To do.

[0014]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is an image output device capable of designating and outputting a color for each object in image data. A plurality of image data creating means, a color designating means for designating a specific color combination among a plurality of color information of each object at the time of image output, and an object for each object at the time of image output. And an image output unit that outputs using a color designated by the color designation unit.

Alternatively, an image output device capable of designating and outputting a color for each object in the image data, and designating a plurality of color processing methods for each object in the image data. Image data creating means, a color processing designating means for designating a specific color processing combination among a plurality of color processing methods designated for each object, and a color processing designating means for designating each object at the time of image output. And an image data output unit that outputs color image data by performing color processing using a combination of color processings specified by.

[0016]

With the above configuration, it is possible to have a plurality of color combinations for a plurality of image data, select it at the time of output, or wait a plurality of color processing method combinations for a plurality of image data. It is possible to select it on output.

[0017]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention is an invention implemented as an image output device for creating and outputting color image data, and a color processing method of image data is different from the conventional method, and the details thereof will be described with reference to embodiments. To do.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the system configuration of the first embodiment.

On the computer bus 04, console 01, CP
U02, printer 03, and memory 05 are connected.

As shown in the explanatory view of FIG. 2, the console 01 is a device for inputting characters and the like to a computer (for example, a keyboard 07) and a pointing device for designating a position on the display (for example, a mouse 08). )
And a device that can display the response from the computer (eg CRT
06) and the like.

The memory 05 is a memory (mainly RAM) necessary for calculation, a memory for storing ROM, files, etc. (mainly a secondary storage device such as a hard disk). No particular distinction is made here.

In the memory 05 of FIG. 1, there is an image data creating means 051 for creating image data. This is, for example, image data 0 in FIG. 9 for explaining the conventional example.
9 and the image object 12 are created.
The image data is stored in the memory 05 shown in FIG.
Will be saved as Image object is image data 05
The image data 052 is a part of the image data, and the image data 052 is data including a plurality of image objects.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of image data. Here, the image data 44 is composed of three image objects, that is, an image object 1 of 32, an image object 2 of 32, and an image object 3 of 33. Each image object has necessary information such as the type and size of a figure as well as information about color, such as RGB.
It is held as a value.

Each image object created by the image data creating means 051 in the memory 05 of FIG. 1 can store a plurality of color information. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing how each image object stores color information.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which each of the three image objects shown in FIG. 3 stores two pieces of color information. Information other than the color information is not shown here. I am doing it. In FIG. 4, what is connected by a line represents an inclusion relation.

The image data 41 is the image object 1 (4
2), the image object 2 (45) and the image object 3 (48), the image object 1 (42) includes the color information 1-1 (43) as the first color information and the color information as the second color information. Information 1-2 (44) is included. Like the image object 1, the image objects 2 and 3 also include two pieces of color information.

The color information shown in FIG. 4 is finally stored in the image object, that is, in the image data 052 in the memory 05 in FIG. As described here, the image data creating means (see FIG.
No. 051) has a function of adding a plurality of color information to one image object as described above, in addition to the function of the conventional drawing program. This can be easily realized by providing a procedure for specifying a plurality of colors and providing a data structure therefor, instead of specifying only one color of the image object as in the conventional case.

Next, the case of outputting the image data thus created will be described. The image output means 054 in the memory 05 of FIG. 1 outputs image data. Here, "output" means outputting an image to the screen of the printer 03 or the console 01 in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart for explaining the image output means.

In step S51, the user is made to select a color number and this is stored in the selected color number 053 in FIG. In order to allow the user to select the color number, a panel or the like for inputting the color number may be displayed on the console screen. Next, in step S52, color information in the order designated by the color number is obtained from the plurality of color information held by each image object. For example, if the color number designated by the user is 1, RGB values are extracted from the color information 1 and stored in the selected color information 055 of FIG. Next, in step S53, the image object is output according to the selected color information 055. Image on printer 03 or CRT
Since a method for outputting a desired color to No. 02 is an existing technique, description thereof will be omitted here. Step S54
Then, it is checked whether or not color information selection / output processing has been performed for all image objects in the image data. If there is an image object that has not been processed, the process returns to step S52 and the same process is performed. If it is ended, the processing of the image output means 054 is ended.

As described above, all the image objects in the image data are output by the color information selected according to the selected color number 053 selected by the user.

For example, in FIG. 4, the color information 1-1 (43) of the image object 1 (42) is red (R, G, B =
255, 0, 0), color information 1-2 (44) is white (R,
G, B = 0,0,0), and the image object 2 (4
The color information 2-1 (46) of 5) is white (R, B, G = 25).
5, 255, 255), the color information 2-2 (47) is red (R, G, B = 255, 0, 0), and the color information 3-1 (49) of the image object 3 (48) is white. (R, G,
B = 255, 255, 255), color information 3-2 (50)
Is red (R, G, B = 255, 0, 0) and the user selects color number 1 (when the selected color number 053 in FIG. 1 is 1), the image object 1 (31 ) Is red, the others are white, and if the user selects color number 2 (when the selection color number 053 in FIG. 1 is 2), only the image object 1 (31) in FIG. 3 is white and the others are red. Become.

As described above, by determining the color combination in advance and storing it in the image object,
By selecting a color number at the time of output, it is possible to change the color with that combination and output.

Further, although the color information is described as two in this embodiment, it is also possible to configure it as two or more.

(Second Embodiment) A second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the system configuration of this embodiment. The configuration other than the contents of the memory 05 is the same as that of the embodiment shown in FIG. In this embodiment, the memory 0
5 stores a plurality of color processing means for performing color processing. These perform color processing having their respective characteristics, and as described in the section of the prior art, this corresponds to color matching processing that preserves saturation and gradation. In FIG. 6, two color processing means are prepared.

In the second embodiment, the image data creating means 2 (511), the data structure of the image data 2 (512) created thereby, and the image output means 2 (059).
Etc. are different from the first embodiment. Therefore, that point will be described.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the structure of image data in the second embodiment.

This embodiment differs from the first embodiment shown in FIG. 4 in that color processing information is held instead of color information. Each image object has two pieces of color processing information, that is, the image object 1 (72) in the image data 2 (71) has the color processing means 1-1 (75) and the color processing means 1-2 (74). keeping. Similarly, the image object 2 (75) and the image object 3 (78) each hold two pieces of color processing information.

Image data creating means 2 (511 in FIG. 6)
Has a function of adding a plurality of color processing information to one image object as described above, in addition to the function of the conventional drawing program. This can be easily realized by providing a procedure for specifying a plurality of color processing methods for an image object as in the conventional case and providing a data structure for that purpose.

FIG. 8 shows the output means 2 in the second embodiment.
It is a flowchart explaining (059 of FIG. 6).

First, in step S81, the user is prompted to select a color processing number. This can be done by displaying a panel for selecting a color processing number on the screen and selecting it. The selected color processing number is stored in the selected color processing number 056 in FIG. Next, in step S82, step S8
According to the selected color processing number 056 obtained in step 1, the color processing information is obtained from the data of the image object, and this is used in FIG.
The color processing means number 510 is stored. This is, for example,
It is used as information for switching color processing given to the color management mechanism. Next, step S
At 83, the color processing means number 510 obtained at step S82.
The color processing is performed by using the existing color management mechanism or the like, and is output to the output device. Since the processing of this part is already existing, its explanation is omitted.

In step S84, it is checked whether or not color processing information selection / output processing has been performed for all image objects in the image data. If there is an image object that has not been processed, step S82.
Return to and perform the same processing. If it is ended, the processing of the image output means 2 (059) is ended.

As described above, all the image objects in the image data are processed by the processing method selected according to the selected color processing number 056 selected by the user and then output.

Further, in this embodiment, the description has been given assuming that there are two types of color processing, but it is also possible to configure with two or more types.

[0047]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to have a plurality of color combinations for a plurality of image data, and it is possible to select that at the time of output. Alternatively, it is possible to have a plurality of combinations of color processing methods for a plurality of image data, and it is possible to select the combination at the time of output, which facilitates color conversion processing of image data having a plurality of objects in response to a request. The effect is that you can

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a console according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of image data according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a structure of image data according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of output means in the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of a second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a structure of image data according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the output means 2 in the second embodiment.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional image data creation device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 01 console 02 CPU 03 printer 04 computer path 05 memory 06 CRT 07 keyboard 08 pointing device such as maun 051 image data creation means 052 image data 054 image output means 055 selected color information 0513 color designation means

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Agency reference number FI Technical display location H04N 1/46 H04N 1/46 Z

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An image output device capable of designating and outputting a color for each object in image data, wherein a plurality of color information can be designated for each object in image data. Image data creating means, a color designating means for designating a specific color combination among a plurality of color information held by each object at the time of image output, and a color designated by the color designating means for each object at the time of image output. And an image output unit that outputs using the image output device. 2. An image output device capable of designating and outputting a color for each object in image data, wherein a plurality of color processing methods can be designated for each object in image data. Of the possible image data creation methods and the multiple color processing methods specified for each object,
An image for outputting color image data by performing color processing on each object by using a combination of color processing designated by the color processing designating means when outputting an image, and a color processing designating means for designating a specific color processing combination. Data output means,
An image output device comprising: