JPH0998299A - Image processing device and method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To maximize the effect of preset color processing by specifying the system of color processing. SOLUTION: In the case of conducting the CMS(color management system), a processing parameter in an input section 104 and an output section 110 is set to a reference value when a profile is generated. An input image is obtained through input processing based on a reference value set by the input section 104. The input image data are given to a data conversion section 106, in which data conversion processing 1 converting the data into data independently of a device based on input device profile data 101 and the resulting data are given to a data conversion section 112, in which data conversion processing 2 converting the data into output data suitable for each output device based on output device profile data 107. In the case of using a CMS software to match colors of input and output images with each other, a reference parameter 108 added to the input section profile data in advance is used.

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 performing color processing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, due to the spread of networks and the expansion of demand for color products, color reproduction varies depending on the color development mechanism of each input / output device and the color material used, and the color matching function varies depending on the model. It has been pointed out that there is a problem. A technology attracting attention for overcoming these problems is a color management system (CMS). Currently, in order to solve this problem, by connecting to a computer and performing data conversion using profile data created for each input / output device using software (CMS software), the colors of the input and output images are matched. The process of causing is performed.

Even if the same signal is input, the same color is not always output depending on the device. Therefore, in this profile data, the input / output set to the standard state in order to suppress the characteristics of each device. Information about the characteristics of input / output signals in the device is stored. The input / output characteristics of the signal of the device are clarified by the profile data of each device, and the correction can be performed using this data to match the colors regardless of the device.

Data conversion will be described with reference to FIG. In this figure, 101 stores device characteristic data regarding an input device, and 107 stores device characteristic data regarding an output device.

The color signal obtained from the input device is input to the input device profile data 101 in the data conversion unit 106.
Is converted using. The converted data is a color signal that does not depend on each device. Still another data conversion unit 112 uses the output device profile data 107 to convert it into a color signal suitable for each output device, and outputs using this color signal.

[0006]

Input / output devices such as monitors, printers and scanners, which are most frequently used at present, have a function of changing colors and brightness according to user's preference. Monitors generally have knobs to adjust brightness and contrast,
The user can adjust the brightness of the monitor by freely moving the knob to take eyestrain and obtain a preferable image. For monitors that are capable of advanced correction, it is possible to create a gamma table and change the color temperature of the monitor.

The same applies to printers, and some printers have a correction function for adjusting a color output balance or creating an LUT to obtain a desired color.

When the user-adjustable input / output device is used in this manner, the user-adjusted state causes the input / output device state when the profile data is created and the actual input / output device state. However, the colors cannot be accurately matched.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is to make it possible to maximize the effect of preset color processing.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a setting means for manually setting a first color processing parameter and a first color processing using the first color processing parameter. And a second color processing means for performing the second color processing that is set in correspondence with the first color processing parameter that is the reference value.
Storage means for storing the color processing parameters of the first color processing, and
When the second color processing means is made to function, the first color processing parameter is set to the reference value.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1) Embodiment 1 is an example in which the present invention is applied to an image processing apparatus having an input unit, an output unit and a CMS processing unit.

The CMS processing section is based on an input / output profile showing different input / output characteristics for each input / output device.
Data conversion is performed so that color reproduction is the same regardless of device.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an image processing apparatus according to the first embodiment.

The input section and output section profile data stores information about the characteristics of the input / output signals in each input / output device set to the standard state.

Further, a parameter related to the reference state of the input unit 104 when the input unit profile is created is added to the input unit profile data as the reference parameter 102. Similarly, the output device profile data contains the reference parameter 1 when the output device profile is created.
08 is added. In the case of a monitor used as an input / output device, for example, parameters related to image adjustment such as gamma characteristics, contrast, brightness, white color temperature of the monitor are stored in the reference parameters.

In the case of a printer as an example of this profile data creating method, first, the apparatus is set to a reference state, a reference sample in which a certain input signal is known is output, and the color characteristics of the output sample are measured. To do. The relationship between the input and output signals is stored as profile data.

The input section profile data 101 stores device characteristic data regarding the input section 104, and the output section profile data 107 stores device characteristic data regarding the output section 110.

Further, the user adjustment parameter storage unit 103
109 is in the input / output unit, and the user input / output parameter adjustment unit 105 corresponding to the above-mentioned reference parameters
A parameter relating to image adjustment including a value freely set by using a knob, a menu bar or the like in 111 is stored.

When the input section or the output section is normally used alone without using the CMS software, an image is input / output using the parameters stored in the user adjustment parameter storage section.

However, when the CMS software is used, data conversion is performed using the input / output section profile data.
When inputting / outputting an image, it is necessary to make it the standard state when each profile data was created.

That is, it is necessary to set the parameters of the input / output unit in correspondence with the input / output profile data.

Therefore, it is necessary for the CMS software use setting unit 124 to determine which of the user adjustment parameter 103 and the reference parameter 102 used when the input profile is created is used according to the image input / output environment.

The flow of processing according to the first embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG.

First, the CMS process setting unit 124 of the operation unit 125 sets whether or not to perform the CMS process (S10).

When performing CMS processing, the input unit 104
Also, the processing parameters in the output unit 110 are set to the reference values when the profile is created (S2).
0).

Input processing is performed with the reference value set in the input unit 104 to obtain input image data (S30).

As described above, even if the user adjustment parameters are used, if the colors of the input and output images are matched by using the CMS software, the user adjustment parameters 10
Instead of 3, the reference parameter 102 added in advance to the input device profile data is used. At this time, the user adjustment parameter may be rewritten to control the input unit, or the input unit may be directly controlled using the reference parameter regardless of the user adjustment parameter. In this way, the input image data is obtained from the input device set in the reference state.

This input image data is transferred to the data conversion unit 10
6, device-independent data (device index) based on the input device profile data 101.
The data conversion process 1 for converting into the event signal is performed (S40).

Then, the data conversion unit 112 performs a data conversion process 2 for converting the output image data suitable for each output device based on the output unit profile data 107 (S50).

That is, in the data conversion processing 1, the input image data dependent on the input section is converted into device-independent data by using the input section profile data, and in the data conversion processing 2, the device-independent data is output. It is converted into output image data depending on the output section using the section profile data.

Similar to the input section, even if the user adjustment parameter is normally used, if the colors of the input and output images are made to match by using the CMS software, the user adjustment parameter 109 is set in place of S20. The output device 110 set in the reference state by using the reference parameter 108 previously added to the input section profile data.
More output image data is obtained.

On the other hand, when it is set in S10 that the CMS processing is not performed, the parameters of the input section and the output section are arbitrarily set according to the user's application, and the input parameter adjusting section 105 and the output parameter adjusting section of the operating section 25 are set. 111
Is used to manually set (S70).

If the parameters of the input section and the output section are set in advance according to the user's application, the parameters may be used.

Input processing is performed by the input section and output processing is performed by the output section according to the set parameters (S80 and S9).
0).

Each part of the image processing apparatus is a CPU bus 1
It is controlled by the CPU 121 connected via 20.

The CPU 121 controls each of the above-mentioned units based on the settings of the operation unit 125, using the RAM 123 as a work memory based on a program stored in the ROM 122.

According to the first embodiment, when the CMS processing is performed, the input / output processing is performed in the input / output unit with the parameter suitable for the input / output profile used in the CMS processing performed in the data conversion unit 106 and the data conversion unit 112. So
The effect of CMS treatment can be maximized.

That is, the colors can be matched regardless of the input / output device.

On the other hand, when the CMS process is not performed, any process can be performed based on the user's intention.

(Modification 1) As a modification, an example in which the present invention is applied to an image processing system as shown in FIG. 3 is shown.

The image processing system includes an input device 20 corresponding to the input unit 104 and the output unit 105 in the first embodiment.
4 and the output device 205, and a computer 200 that performs CMS processing.

An example in which the user adjustment parameter is not in the input / output device but in the memory of the controlling computer will be described below with reference to FIG.

The same parts as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals.

Similar to the first embodiment, when an image is input, it is determined whether the user adjustment parameter 103 is used or the reference parameter 102 used when each profile is created is set according to the input / output environment of the image. To be done. The user adjustment parameter and the reference parameter are stored in the memory of the computer that controls them. CM
When the colors of the input and output images are matched using the S software, the parameter selection unit 301 selects the reference parameter 102 added to the input device profile data, and the input device control unit 30 is based on the selected parameter.
At 2, the input device is set to the standard state. On the other hand, in other cases where the CMS software is not used, the user adjustment parameter 103 adjusted by the user is selected, and the input device 204 is controlled using the user adjustment parameter. Then, image data is obtained from such an input device.

Also in the data conversion, the same conversion as in the first embodiment is performed. Further, the control of the output device is exactly the same as that of the input device, and either the user adjustment parameter 109 or the reference parameter 108 is selected according to the input / output environment of the image, and the output device 210 controlled using this parameter. Get the output image.

Further, in the image processing system shown in FIG.
Although the reference parameter is added to the input / output device profile data, as shown in FIG. 5, it is separated from the input / output device profile data and stored in the parameter storage unit 401/402 of each input / output device. Both the reference parameters 102 and 108 may be stored. Both may be arbitrarily selected according to the input / output environment, and the image may be obtained by the input / output device controlled by the selected data.

Although the data storage location is limited in the above-mentioned embodiment, the storage location of the user adjustment parameter and the reference parameter is described in this embodiment even if the data storage location is not the same as in the embodiment. The present invention can be sufficiently applied to a place other than the above.

That is, the user adjustment parameter may be stored in the main body of the input / output device.

(Second Embodiment) The above-mentioned first embodiment is a CM.
When the S processing mode was set, the user could not set user processing parameters.

Therefore, for example, when it is desired to finely adjust the image output by the CMS processing, it is necessary to set the normal mode in which the CMS processing is not performed and set the parameters from the beginning.

In the second embodiment, an example in which the CMS processing result can be finely adjusted will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 6, the same processing steps as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

In FIG. 6, the processing of S110 to S160 is added to the processing of the first embodiment for performing the above-mentioned fine adjustment.

When the CMS processing mode is set in S20, the CMS processing (S10 to S50) is performed as in the first embodiment.
The CMS-processed image data is stored in the RAM 123.

Then, the output section 110 outputs the image using the reference parameters.

It is visually confirmed whether the output image is satisfactory (S120).

If the output image is satisfied, the process is terminated.

On the other hand, if the output image is not satisfactory, the output parameter adjusting unit 111 is used to set the parameters of the output unit for fine adjustment (S130).

The image data stored in the RAM 123 subjected to the CMS processing is read out and the image is output using the set parameters (S140).

The steps S120 to S140 are repeated until a satisfactory output image is produced.

In each of the above embodiments, the user adjustment parameter and the reference parameter are selected by selecting the reference parameter when the color of the image is controlled by the CMS software and using the user adjustment parameter in other cases. However, the parameters may be automatically selected according to the case, or may be arbitrarily selected according to the user's desire.

Further, although the case where the number of reference parameters at the time of profile creation is limited to one is shown as the reference parameter, there are some reference parameters corresponding to the values of the user adjustment, and these are newly added as interpolation data. Alternatively, a reference parameter for control may be created.

In this embodiment, the input / output device has been described.
Various combinations such as scanner and monitor, monitor and printer are possible as a combination of input and output devices.

[0065]

According to the present invention, it is possible to maximize the effect of preset color processing.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image processing apparatus according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of image processing according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of an image processing system according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of an image processing system according to a modified example of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of an image processing system according to a modified example of the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of image processing according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an image processing apparatus according to a conventional example.

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A setting means for manually setting a first color processing parameter, a first color processing means for performing a first color processing using the first color processing parameter, and a reference value. A storage unit for storing a second color processing parameter set corresponding to the first color processing parameter; and a second color processing different from the first color processing using the second color processing parameter. An image processing apparatus, comprising: a second color processing unit that performs the operation, wherein when the second color processing unit is to function, the first color processing parameter is set to the reference value. 2. The second color processing means performs the second color processing to reproduce a faithful image based on the characteristics of the input section or the output section using the second parameter. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing apparatus is an image processing apparatus. 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reference value is reset by calibration in an input unit or an output unit. 4. When the output image obtained by the second color processing is unsatisfactory, the resetting means resets the first color processing parameter corresponding to the output means. The first color processing means performs the first color processing on the image data that has been subjected to the color processing described in (1) based on the reset first color processing parameter. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first color processing based on the first color processing parameter set by the resetting unit is repeatedly performed until it is satisfied. 5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit stores the second color processing parameter and the reference value in association with each other. 6. A setting step of manually setting a first color processing parameter, a first color processing step of performing a first color processing by using the first color processing parameter, and a reference value A storage step of storing a second color processing parameter set corresponding to the first color processing parameter; and a second color processing step of performing a second color processing using the second color processing parameter. The image processing method, wherein the first color processing parameter is set to the reference value when the second color processing step is to function.