JPH11346303A - Image processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily obtain an image, without using a special filter, equivalent to an image whose image tone is changed by intention through the use of the special filter. SOLUTION: All highlight points are extracted from an image (refer to figure (A)) to which addition of striation is instructed and an area on which many highlight points are concentrated (an area where many highlight points are in existence adjacent to each other or closely to each other) is extracted as a bright area (an example of extraction of a bright area is shown in mark '.'in figure (B)). Then a parameter to specify the striation added to each bright area is decided based on a characteristic amount such as lightness, size and color of the right area and striation data representing striation added to each bright area are generated. The generated striation data are synthesized with image data and the resulting image data are used to record an image on a recording material so as to obtain an image with an image tone equal to that of an image photographed by using a special filter such as a cross filter.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing method, and more particularly to an image processing method for intentionally changing the tone of an image represented by image data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image recorded on a photographic film by exposure is read by a film reading device provided with a reading sensor such as a CCD sensor, and image processing such as various corrections is performed on image data obtained by reading. Do
2. Description of the Related Art An image processing system that records an image on a recording material based on image data after image processing is known. This image processing system has a feature that the image quality of a recorded image can be freely controlled by image processing on image data, as compared with a conventional photographic processing system that records a film image on photographic paper by surface exposure. .

[0003]

By the way, when an image is exposed and recorded on a photographic film by a camera, the filter mounted and used on the camera includes, for example, a color temperature conversion filter, a color correction filter, an ND filter, and a polarization filter. Various filters such as are known. In addition to the above filters, a special filter for intentionally changing the image tone (for example, when photographing a shining water surface or a night scene, focusing on a high luminance area in the image) A cross filter or the like in which one or more striations appear radially on an image is also provided.

However, a special filter such as a cross filter is used for intentionally changing the image tone as described above, and is not always used at the time of photographing. The camera is attached to the camera only by the photographer, and after the shooting of the scene is completed, it is removed from the camera and stored. Therefore, in order to obtain an image with a changed image tone, there is a problem that handling of the special filter is complicated, including the need to pay attention to storage of the special filter when not in use.

[0005] In addition, most of relatively inexpensive cameras such as a film with a lens and a compact camera, and digital cameras that have been rapidly spread in recent years, cannot be equipped with a filter. When photographing is performed by using a special filter such as a cross filter, it is not possible to obtain an image whose image tone is intentionally changed.

Further, even when a camera to which a special filter can be attached is used, an image with a changed tone can be obtained by using the special filter at the time of photographing, but for example, photographing is performed without using the special filter. Look at the finished image,
It was not possible to change the picture tone after shooting.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above facts, and it is possible to easily obtain an image equivalent to an image whose image tone is intentionally changed using a special filter without using a special filter. It is an object of the present invention to obtain an image processing method capable of performing the following.

[0008]

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing method comprising: extracting a glittering region in an image based on image data; And streak data representing a streak extending from the brilliant region is combined with the image data.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a bright region in an image is extracted based on image data. Note that the image data may be image data obtained by reading a film image recorded on a photographic film by exposure with a normal camera or an image recorded on another recording medium such as plain paper. However, the image data may be image data stored in an information storage medium by a digital camera, and may be data representing density or data representing luminance.
Further, the extraction of the brilliant region in the image is performed, for example, by extracting the highlight points in the image based on the image data and extracting the highlight regions in the image as described in claim 2. Can be performed by extracting

According to the first aspect of the present invention, streak data representing a streak extending from the glitter area is combined with image data based on the extracted glitter area. As the streak data, for example, as described in claim 6, first streak data representing a plurality of streaks radially extending from the bright region can be used. Also, as described in claim 6,
Second streak data representing a streak extending from the bright region and including a polygonal high-brightness region may be used.

According to the above, the image represented by the image data is an image in which the streaks extend from the brilliant region, so that the image tone of the image represented by the image data is the same as the image photographed by using the cross filter or the like. Can be changed.
As described above, using a cross filter or the like to shoot an image with a unique image tone that could not be obtained unless a conventional filter such as a cross filter or the like that is complicated to handle was used for shooting. So you can get
According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to easily obtain an image equivalent to an image whose image tone is intentionally changed using a special filter such as a cross filter without using a special filter such as a cross filter. it can.

Further, in the present invention, if striations are added to all glitter areas extracted from an image, an unnatural image may be obtained. For example, if a luminous body that emits uniform light from a relatively large area such as a fluorescent lamp is present as a subject in an image, the luminous body is extracted as a luminous region, so that striations are formed on the luminous body. If added, an unnatural image will result. Therefore, the invention according to claim 3 is the invention according to claim 1, wherein a glitter area is added from the extracted glitter area based on the shape of the extracted glitter area based on the stripe data. Is selected.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the glitter area to which the streak is added is selected based on the shape of the glitter area. For example, the streak is added only to the circular or nearly circular glitter area. When a striation is added, such as a fluorescent lamp, a glitter region corresponding to an unnatural illuminant or the like can be excluded from the glitter region to which the striation is added. Therefore, striations can be added to the image represented by the image data so that unnaturalness is not felt.

In the image processing method according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a position where a glitter area in the image is to be generated is set, and the image data is changed and generated so that a glitter area is generated at the set position. Based on the brilliant region, striation data representing a striation extending from the brilliant region is combined with the image data.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a position at which a glitter area in the image is to be generated is set, and the image data is changed so that the glitter area is generated at the set position. Thereby, even if the position in the image set as the position where the glittering region should be generated is a position where highlight points are not concentrated or a position where no highlight point exists,
A glitter area is generated at the position, and a glitter area can be generated at an arbitrary position in the image by setting a position where the glitter area is to be generated.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, streak data representing a streak extending from the glitter area is combined with image data based on the generated glitter area. As the striation data, for example, the first striation data or the second striation data described in claim 6 can be used. According to the above, the image represented by the image data is an image in which the streaks extend from the brilliant region.
Using a cross filter or the like, it is possible to change the image tone to the same as the image captured.

Therefore, according to the invention of claim 4, according to claim 1,
Similarly to the invention of the first aspect, an image equivalent to an image whose image tone is intentionally changed using a special filter such as a cross filter can be easily obtained without using a special filter such as a cross filter.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the brightness, size, shape, and color of the glittering area generated at the set position may be fixedly determined in advance. As described above, at least one of the brightness, size, shape, and color of the glitter area is set as a parameter that defines the glitter area to be generated, and the image data of the image data is generated such that a glitter area according to the set parameters is generated. It is preferable to make changes. This makes it possible to arbitrarily change the brightness, size, shape, and color of the glittering area generated in the image.

The striation data to be synthesized with the image data may be generated based on the extracted or generated luminous region when synthesizing the image data, for example. Data may be generated in advance, and when combining with image data, striation data to be synthesized may be selected from the plurality of types of striation data based on the extracted or generated glitter area. .

The length, thickness, color, and the like of striations appearing on a photographed image by photographing using a special filter such as a cross filter are determined by a light source (light corresponding to a bright region on the image). It changes according to the feature value of the source of the streak. For this reason,
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the first or fourth aspect, the brightness, size,
And a parameter defining a striation to be synthesized based on at least one characteristic amount of color and color, and striation data is generated or selected based on the determined parameter.

In the invention of claim 7, the parameters defining the striations include, for example, the length, thickness, and color of the striations. For example, as the brightness (brightness) of the brilliant region becomes brighter ( Alternatively, as the size of the glittering area increases), the length of the streak can be increased or the thickness of the streak can be increased. Further, for example, the color of the striations can be determined so that the color of the striations matches the color of the glittering region.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the parameters defining the striations are determined based on at least one of the brightness, size, and color of the glittering area as described above, and based on the determined parameters. Striation data is generated or selected, so that the striations represented by the striation data can be approximated to the striations that appear on the captured image when photographing is performed using a special filter such as a cross filter. it can. Therefore,
By synthesizing the striation data with the image data, it is possible to prevent the striation added in the image from giving a sense of incongruity when viewing the image.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the first or the fourth aspect of the present invention, a parameter defining a striation to be synthesized is set, and striation data is generated or selected based on the set parameter. It is characterized by: In the invention of claim 8, since the striation data is generated or selected based on the set parameters, it is possible to arbitrarily set the length, thickness, color, etc. of the striation to be combined.

Also, since there are various types of special filters such as a cross filter, there are various types of striations added to a photographed image by a black filter, for example, the shape of striations appearing in a photographed image. Also, there is a type in which the thickness gradually decreases as the distance from the high-luminance region increases, and a type in which the thickness changes periodically. In addition, there is a type in which the hue changes periodically.

Therefore, as described in claim 9,
It is preferable that the striation data is generated such that at least one of the thickness and the color of the striation changes depending on the distance from the glittering region. According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, at least one of the thickness and the color of the striation is changed depending on the distance from the glittering region. Different striations can be reproduced.

In the present invention, the image data obtained by synthesizing the striation data can be used, for example, for recording an image on a recording material or can be stored in an information storage medium.
In this case, as described in claim 10, before recording an image on a recording material or storing on an information storage medium, image data (image data before combining streak data) or striation data Is displayed on the display means. When the image represented by the image data obtained by synthesizing the striation data is displayed on the display means, the striation is added before recording the image on the recording material or storing the image on the information storage medium. This is preferable because the image can be confirmed visually in advance.

According to the tenth aspect of the present invention, in accordance with an instruction input based on an image displayed on the display means, a glitter area to which a streak is added is selected or generated by the streak data, and the streak data is converted. Generated, selected or modified and combined with image data. Note that the instruction input based on the image displayed on the display means may be an instruction to add a streak to all glittering regions existing in a specific range in the image, or may be an instruction existing in the specific range. The instruction may be an instruction to add a streak to only one of the glitter areas, or an instruction to not add a streak to all the glitter areas existing within a specific range. Further, the instruction may be an instruction to generate a glitter area at a specific position in the image and add a streak.

By generating, selecting, or modifying the streak data in accordance with the above instruction, streaks can be added to any of the extracted glitter regions, and any stripe can be added while checking the image to be processed. It is possible to add a streak by generating a glittering region at the position, and obtain an image in which a streak is added to a desired glittering region.

When image data obtained by synthesizing striation data is used for recording an image on a recording material, a density range of the image represented by the image data is converted according to a range reproduced as an image on the recording material. Tone conversion needs to be performed, but the value of data in a high-luminance region (a region where the density is the lowest or a value close to the lowest) in the image may be saturated with the gradation conversion. In this case, the image represented by the image data after the gradation conversion is an image in which the high-luminance area is white, so that the information such as the tint of the glittering area is lost, and the image data after the gradation conversion contains striation data. Are combined, the striations represented by the combined striation data may look unnatural in contrast to the image represented by the image data after gradation conversion.

Therefore, in the invention according to claim 11, in the invention according to claim 1 or 4, after striation data is synthesized with image data, the image data obtained by synthesizing striation data is applied to a recording material. It is characterized in that gradation conversion for use in image recording is performed. In the invention of claim 11,
Since the gradation conversion is performed after the striation data is combined with the image data, the gradation conversion is also performed simultaneously on the striation data combined with the image data under the same gradation conversion condition. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the striations represented by the striation data from looking unnatural.

Further, as described in claim 7, when determining the parameter defining the striation based on the characteristic amount such as the color of the glittering area, if the image data is not gradation-converted, the brightness is determined. Since the feature amount such as the color of the region is included as information, the feature amount of the glitter region can be accurately extracted by extracting the feature amount of the glitter region using the image data before gradation conversion. it can.

[0032]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. Hereinafter, a digital laboratory system to which the present invention can be applied will be described first.

(Schematic Configuration of Entire System) FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a digital lab system 10 according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 shows an external appearance of the digital lab system 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the lab system 10 includes a line CCD scanner 14, an image processing unit 1
6, a laser printer unit 18 and a processor unit 20. The line CCD scanner 14 and the image processing unit 16 are integrated as an input unit 26 shown in FIG. Part 20
Are integrated as an output unit 28 shown in FIG.

The line CCD scanner 14 is for reading a film image recorded on a photographic film such as a negative film or a reversal film. For example, a 135 size photographic film, a 110 size photographic film, and a transparent magnetic film are used. Photographic film (2
40 size photographic film: so-called APS film), 1
Film images of photographic films of sizes 20 and 220 (Broni size) can be read. The line CCD scanner 14 reads the film image to be read with a three-line color CCD,
G and B image data are output.

The image processing unit 16 receives image data (scan data) output from the line CCD scanner 14 and obtains image data obtained by photographing with a digital camera and a document other than a film image (for example, a reflection document). ) Is input from outside (e.g., via a storage medium such as a memory card). Input from another information processing device via a communication line, etc.).

The image processing section 16 performs image processing such as various corrections on the input image data, and outputs the image data to the laser printer section 18 as recording image data. Also,
The image processing unit 16 outputs image data on which image processing has been performed to an external device as an image file (for example, outputs the image data to a storage medium such as a memory card, or transmits the image data to another information processing device via a communication line). It is also possible.

The laser printer section 18 is provided with R, G, and B laser light sources, and irradiates a photographic paper with laser light modulated in accordance with recording image data input from the image processing section 16 to perform scanning exposure. To record an image on photographic paper. Further, the processor unit 20 performs each process of color development, bleach-fix, washing, and drying on the photographic paper on which the image is recorded by the scanning exposure by the laser printer unit 18. Thus, an image is formed on the printing paper.

(Configuration of Image Processing Unit) Next, the image processing unit 16
Will be described with reference to FIG. Image processing unit 1
6 is R input from the line CCD scanner 14,
The line scanner correction unit 122 corresponding to the G and B data
R, 122G, and 122B are provided. The line scanner correction units 122R, 122G, and 122B have the same configuration, and are hereinafter generically referred to as “line scanner correction unit 122” without distinction.

The line scanner correction unit 122 outputs the line C
The scan data input from the CD scanner 14 is subjected to dark correction, density conversion, shading correction, and defective pixel correction. In the dark correction, data (data representing the dark output level of each cell of the line CCD) input from the line CCD scanner 14 in a state where the light incident side of the line CCD of the line CCD scanner 14 is shielded is stored for each cell. In addition, this is achieved by reducing the dark output level of the cell corresponding to each pixel from the scan data input from the line CCD scanner 14 by reading the photographic film by the line CCD.

The line scanner correction section 122 has a look-up table (LUT) in which data for performing logarithmic conversion is stored. In the density conversion described above, data subjected to dark correction (this data represents the amount of light incident on the line CCD) is converted into a line CCD by the aforementioned LUT.
The conversion is performed by converting the data into data representing the density of the photographic film set on the scanner 14. Further, the line scanner correction unit 122 operates the line CCD scanner 14 in a state where no photographic film is set on the line CCD scanner 14.
(Shading data) obtained by making uniform light incident on each cell. The above-described shading correction is performed by correcting the density-converted data in pixel units based on the shading data when reading a photographic film.

By the way, in the CCD sensor, cells (so-called defective pixels) that do not output a signal accurately corresponding to the amount of incident light exist at the time of shipment, or due to a balance with the yield at the time of manufacturing, or the CCD sensor Defective pixels may occur. For this reason, the line scanner correction unit 122
The presence or absence of a defective pixel is determined in advance, and if there is a defective pixel, the address of the defective pixel is stored. To generate new data by interpolation (defective pixel correction).

The output terminal of the line scanner correction unit 122 is connected to the input terminal of the selector 132, and the data which has been subjected to the dark correction, density conversion, shading correction, and defective pixel correction by the line scanner correction unit 122 are , Are input to the selector 132 as scan data. The input terminal of the selector 132 is also connected to the data output terminal of the input / output controller 134.
From 34, file image data input from the outside is input to the selector 132. The output terminal of the selector 132 is an input / output controller 134, an image processor unit 1
36A and 136B are respectively connected to the data input terminals. The selector 132 converts the input image data into an input / output controller 134 and an image processor 136.
A and 136B can be selectively output.

The image processor 136A includes a memory controller 138, an image processor 140, and three frame memories 142A, 142B, 142C. Frame memories 142A, 142B, 142C
Has a capacity capable of storing image data of a film image for one frame, and the image data input from the selector 132 is stored in any of the three frame memories 142. The memory controller 138 The data of each pixel of the input image data is stored in the frame memory 14.
2 so that they are stored in a certain order in the storage area,
The address at which the image data is stored in the frame memory 142 is controlled.

The image processor 140 takes in the image data stored in the frame memory 142, performs gradation conversion, color conversion, hypertone processing for compressing the gradation of an ultra-low frequency luminance component of the image, and sharpness while suppressing graininess. Various image processing such as hyper sharpness processing for emphasizing is performed. Note that the processing conditions of the above image processing are automatically calculated by an auto setup engine 144 (described later), and the image processing is performed according to the calculated processing conditions. The image processor 140 is connected to the input / output controller 134, and the image data subjected to the image processing is temporarily stored in the frame memory 142 and then output to the input / output controller 134 at a predetermined timing. Note that the image processor unit 136B has the same configuration as the above-described image processor unit 136A, and a description thereof will be omitted.

In the present embodiment, each line image is read twice by the line CCD scanner 14 at different resolutions. In the first reading at a relatively low resolution (hereinafter, referred to as pre-scan), even when the density of the film image is extremely low (for example, a negative image of an underexposure in a negative film), a line CCD is used.
The reading of the entire surface of the photographic film is performed under the reading conditions determined so that the accumulated charge does not saturate (the amount of light for irradiating the photographic film in each of the R, G, and B wavelength ranges, and the charge storage time of the line CCD). Done. Data (pre-scan data) obtained by the pre-scan is input from the selector 132 to the input / output controller 134, and further output to the auto setup engine 144 connected to the input / output controller 134.

The auto setup engine 144 has a C
PU 146, RAM 148 (for example, DRAM), ROM
150 (for example, a rewritable ROM) and an input / output port 152, which are connected to each other via a bus 154.

The auto set-up engine 144 determines the frame position of the film image based on the pre-scan data input from the input / output controller 134, and determines the data (press) corresponding to the area where the film image is recorded on the photographic film. (Can image data). Further, based on the pre-scanned image data, the size of the film image is determined, and the image feature amount such as density is calculated. (Hereinafter referred to as fine scan) is determined. Then, the frame position, type and reading condition are output to the line CCD scanner 14.

The auto setup engine 144
Calculated the image processing conditions for image data (fine scan image data) obtained by performing fine scan by the line CCD scanner 14 based on pre-scan image data of a film image for a plurality of frames. Processing conditions are set in the image processor unit 13
6 to the image processor 140.

In the calculation of the processing conditions of the image processing, it is determined whether or not there are a plurality of film images of similar scenes based on the exposure amount at the time of photographing, the type of illuminating light source and other characteristic amounts. If there are a plurality of photographed film images, it is determined that the processing conditions of the image processing for the fine scan image data of these film images are the same or similar.

The optimum processing conditions for image processing vary depending on whether the image data after image processing is used for recording an image on photographic paper in the laser printer unit 18 or output to the outside. Since the image processing unit 16 is provided with two image processor units 136A and 136B, for example, when the image data is used for recording an image on photographic paper and is output to the outside, the auto setup engine 144 is used. Calculates the optimal processing conditions for each application, and calculates the image processor units 136A and 136A.
Output to B. Thereby, the image processor unit 13
6A and 136B, the same fine scan image data is subjected to image processing under different processing conditions.

Further, the auto setup engine 144
Calculates an image recording parameter that defines a gray balance or the like when an image is recorded on photographic paper by the laser printer unit 18 based on the pre-scan image data of the film image input from the input / output controller 134, The image data is output simultaneously when the image data for recording (described later) is output to the printer unit 18. Further, the auto setup engine 144 calculates the processing conditions of the image processing for the file image data input from the outside in the same manner as described above.

The input / output controller 134 is an I / F circuit 1
It is connected to the laser printer section 18 via 56.
When the image data after image processing is used for recording an image on photographic paper, the image data processed by the image processor 136 is transferred from the input / output controller 134 via the I / F circuit 156 to the recording image. The data is output to the laser printer unit 18 as data. The auto setup engine 144 is connected to a personal computer 158. When the image data after the image processing is output to the outside as an image file, the image data processed by the image processor unit 136 is sent from the input / output controller 134 to the auto setup engine 144.
Is output to the personal computer 158 via the.

The personal computer 158 has a CPU
160, a memory 162, a display 164 corresponding to the display means according to claim 10, a keyboard 166 (see also FIG. 2 for the display 164 and the keyboard 166), a hard disk 168, a CD-ROM driver 170, a transport control unit 172, an extension A slot 174 and an image compression / decompression unit 176 are provided.
And are connected to each other via a. The transport controller 172 is connected to the film carrier 38 set on the line CCD scanner 14 and controls the transport of the photographic film by the film carrier 38. When an APS film is set on the film carrier 38, information (for example, print size) read from the magnetic layer of the APS film by the film carrier 38 is input.

A driver (not shown) for reading / writing data from / to a storage medium such as a memory card.
A communication control device for communicating with another information processing device is connected to the personal computer 158 via the expansion slot 174. When image data for output to the outside is input from the input / output controller 134, the image data is output to the outside (the driver, the communication control device, or the like) as an image file via the expansion slot 174. When file image data is input from outside via the expansion slot 174, the input file image data
4 to the input / output controller 134. In this case, the input / output controller 134 outputs the input file image data to the selector 132.

(Operation) Next, as an operation of the present embodiment, a film image recorded on a photographic film is
The laser printer unit 1 is read by the D scanner 14 and based on the scan data obtained by the reading.
The processing in the image processing unit 16 when recording an image on photographic paper in step 8 will be described.

As described above, the line CCD scanner 14 reads twice from the film image recorded on the photographic film (pre-scan and fine scan). In the following, first, the line CCD scanner 1
4, a prescan is performed on the entire surface of the photographic film, and a prescan process executed by the image processing unit 16 when prescan data is input to the image processing unit 16 is described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 4. Will be explained.

In step 200, the prescan data input from the line CCD scanner 14 is subjected to dark correction, density conversion, shading correction, and defective pixel correction by the line scanner correction unit 122.
The pre-scan data output from the line scanner correction unit 122 is input to the auto setup engine 144 via the selector 132. In the next step 202, the auto setup engine 144 determines the recording position (frame position) of the film image on the photographic film based on the pre-scan data input from the line CCD scanner 14, and based on the determined frame position. The prescan image data corresponding to the film image recording position is cut out from the prescan data for each film image recorded on the photographic film.

In the digital lab system 10 according to the present embodiment, a film scanner of a different type from the line CCD scanner 14 can be connected to the image processing unit 16. However, in the above configuration, the scan data input to the image processing unit 16 slightly differs depending on the type of the scanner that has performed the reading. Since this difference is caused by the difference in the configuration of various scanners, in the next step 204, the type of the scanner that has input the scan data to the image processing unit 16 is determined, regardless of the type of the scanner that has performed the reading. Then, the pre-scan image data of each film image is corrected according to the determined type of the scanner so that the data obtained when the same photographic film is read are the same as each other.

In step 206, the size of each film image is determined based on the pre-scanned image data of each film image, and the image characteristics such as the density of each film image are calculated. Then, based on the size and image feature amount of each film image, the line CCD scanner 14
Determines the reading conditions when performing fine scan for each film image. The calculated reading conditions are stored in the RAM 148 in association with information (for example, a frame number) for identifying each film image, and are stored in the line CCD scanner 14.
Is notified to the line CCD scanner 14 when the fine scan is performed.

In the next step 208, image processing is performed on image data (fine scan image data) obtained by performing fine scan by the line CCD scanner 14 on the basis of pre-scan image data of a plurality of frames of film images. The conditions are calculated for each film image. The calculated processing conditions are associated with information (for example, frame number) for identifying each film image and are stored in the RAM.
When the fine scan image data is input from the line CCD scanner 14, the image processor 140 of the image processor 140 is notified of the fine scan image data.

From the next step 210 onward, the personal computer 158 performs image verification processing. That is, in step 210, the auto setup engine 1
44, pre-scanned image data and image processing conditions are fetched from the image processor 14 based on the fetched processing conditions.
Image processing equivalent to the image processing executed in step 0 is performed on the prescanned image data to generate simulation image data. In the next step 212, step 21
0 based on the simulation image data generated
A simulation image is displayed on the display 164.

FIG. 5 shows an example of the display of a simulation image. In FIG. 5, a simulation image 300 of a film image for six frames is displayed, and a line CCD is displayed.
Of the photographic film read by the scanner 14, a portion where a film image corresponding to the displayed simulation image 300 is recorded is also an image 302.
Further, on the photographic film displayed as the image 302, a film image corresponding to the displayed simulation image 300 is indicated by being surrounded by a frame 304. Although not shown in FIG. 5, the display 164 also displays a message requesting the operator to perform image verification and input of a verification result.

When the simulation image is displayed on the display 164, the operator visually checks the simulation image, and determines whether or not the frame position determined by the auto setup engine 144 is appropriate and whether the image quality of the simulation image is appropriate ( That is, whether or not the processing conditions calculated by the auto setup engine 144 are appropriate), whether or not it is appropriate to perform cross filter processing (details will be described later), and the like are tested, and information representing the test results is input via the keyboard 166. input.

When any information (instruction) is input from the operator via the keyboard 166, the process proceeds to step 214, and based on the input information, as a test result for the simulation image, a processing condition for a specific simulation image is determined. It is determined whether correction has been instructed. If the determination in step 214 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 216, in which correction information for instructing correction of the processing conditions input by the operator is output to the auto setup engine 144, and the film image corresponding to the specific simulation image is output. To the auto setup engine 144 to correct the processing conditions.

In step 208, the auto setup engine 144 sets the processing conditions for the film image corresponding to the specific simulation image to
Recalculation (that is, correction) is performed in consideration of the correction information input from the operator. Then, the steps 210 and 212 are performed again by the personal computer 158, whereby the simulation image 300 is displayed again on the display 164 based on the corrected processing conditions. When the operator visually confirms the redisplayed specific simulation image, the operator can easily determine whether or not the content of the previously input correction information is appropriate.

If the determination in step 214 is denied, the process proceeds to step 218, where the frame position is corrected for a specific simulation image as a test result for the simulation image based on the information input by the operator. It is determined whether or not an instruction has been given. If the determination in step 218 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 220, in which correction information instructing correction of the frame position input from the operator is output to the auto setup engine 144, and the film image corresponding to the specific simulation image is output. To the auto setup engine 144 to correct the frame position.

Thus, in step 202, the auto setup engine 144 corrects the frame position of the film image corresponding to the specific simulation image, and converts the pre-scan image data from the pre-scan data based on the corrected frame position. Cut out again. Then, the processing of steps 204 to 208 is performed again by the auto setup engine 144, and the personal computer 158 executes step 2.
By performing the processing of steps 10 and 212 again, the simulation image 300 whose frame position has been corrected is displayed again on the display 164.

If the determination in step 218 is denied, the process proceeds to step 222, where cross filter processing is performed on a specific simulation image as a test result on the simulation image based on the information input by the operator. Is determined.
If the determination in step 222 is denied, it means that the test result has been determined to be "passed", and the prescan processing ends. As a result, appropriate reading conditions and processing conditions are set for each film image recorded on the photographic film.

On the other hand, in the above-described verification processing, when the user instructs a specific image to change to the same image tone as an image captured using a special filter such as a cross filter, or If the operator visually observes the simulation image and determines that it is appropriate to change the specific image to the same image tone as the image captured using a special filter such as a cross filter, the operator can use the specific image. Information for instructing execution of the cross filter processing on the image is input via the keyboard 166. As a result, the determination in step 222 is affirmed, and the process proceeds to step 224, where the personal computer 158
Performs a cross filter process on the specific image. Hereinafter, the cross filter processing will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

The cross filter processing according to the present embodiment
This is for changing the tone of the recorded image when the film image to be processed is recorded on photographic paper to the same tone as the image photographed using a special filter such as a cross filter. Is to search for and extract a brilliant region (details will be described later) in which highlight points are concentrated in the film image to be processed, and to apply a striation added to the image by photographing using a cross filter or the like. This is to generate striation data for adding a similar striation to a recorded image on the basis of the extracted glittering region.

In this embodiment, various striations are prepared as striations that can be added to a recorded image. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, as the distance from the glittering area increases, the thickness gradually decreases. A first group of striations 190 (FIG. 7) in which a plurality of striations having such a shape are radially extended from the bright region.
(See (A)), a plurality of striations extending radially from the glittering area and having a shape that is gradually reduced in thickness while periodically fluctuating as the distance from the glittering area increases. One streak group 192 (see FIG. 7 (B)), and a streak 194 (see FIG. 7 (B)) in which a plurality of hexagonal high-luminance regions (other shapes (for example, N.gtoreq.5 N-gons) may be continuous) from the bright region. 7 (C) is prepared.

The striation data representing the first striation group 190 and the striation data representing the first striation group 192 correspond to the first striation data according to claim 6. The striation data representing the striation 194 corresponds to the second striation data described in claim 6. Further, the first group of striations 190, the first
Each of the streak groups 192 and 194 has a thickness of the streak varying according to the distance from the glittering area, and generates streak data representing the streaks as described above (the streak data). The generation of data will be described later) corresponds to the ninth aspect of the present invention.

The cross filter processing according to the present embodiment
First, in step 230, the type of striations to be added to the recorded image, the presence or absence of a search range designation for designating a range to search for a glittering region in the film image to be processed, and the number of glittering regions to which striations are added A message is displayed on the display 164 requesting input of information indicating the presence or absence of the number designation for designating the
The user inputs the above-mentioned various information via the input port 66. Step 23
In step 2, it waits until various information is input.

When a message requesting input of various information is displayed on the display 164, the operator selects the type of striation to be added to the recorded image according to an instruction from the user or his own judgment, and Enter information indicating the type of article. In addition, the operator determines that a streak is to be added only to a glitter area within a specific range in the film image, or that the operator wants to add a streak only to a glitter area outside the specific range in the film image. In this case, information indicating "there is no search range specified" is input, and in other cases, information indicating "there is no search range specified" is input.
Further, if the operator determines that a large number of glittering areas may be extracted and it is not preferable to add striations to each of the extracted glittering areas, the information indicating “the number is specified” and the glitter to be extracted are determined. When information for designating the number of areas is input and it is determined that there is no need to limit the number of glitter areas to which striations are added, information representing "no number specified" is input.

When various types of information are input as described above, the determination in step 232 is affirmed, and step 234 is performed.
Move to. In step 234, it is determined whether or not information representing “the search range is specified” is input from the operator. If the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step 236, where the entire surface of the film image is set as the search range of the glittering area for the film image to be processed, and step 242 is performed.
Move to. If the determination in step 234 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 238, in which a message requesting designation of the search range of the glittering area is displayed on the display 164, and the keyboard 166 (or a pointing device such as a mouse) is operated by the operator. It waits until the search range of the brilliant area is designated through the reticle.

In the present embodiment, as a method of designating the search range of the glittering area, the outer periphery of the search range of the glittering area is displayed on the simulation image while the simulation image of the film image to be processed is displayed on the display 164. And a method of drawing a line drawing indicating the outer edge of a range (non-search range) in which the search for the glittering area is not performed is prepared. When a message requesting designation of a search range is displayed on the display 164,
The operator draws a line drawing indicating an outer edge of the search range or the non-search range of the glitter area on the displayed simulation image.

At this time, the simulation image of the film image to be processed is displayed.
This corresponds to “displaying an image represented by image data on a display unit before recording an image on a recording material” described in No. 0.

When the search range or the non-search range of the glittering area is specified as described above, the determination in step 238 is affirmed, and the process proceeds to step 240, where the search range of the glittering area is set according to the designation of the operator. I do. That is, when the search range is specified, the specified range is set as the search range of the glittering area, and when the non-search range is specified, the range excluding the specified range is searched for the glittering area. Set as a range. Since the glittering area is searched only within the set search range, the setting of the search range in step 240 is performed according to an instruction input based on the image displayed on the display means according to claim 10. "Selecting a glittering area to which a streak is added according to the streak data".

In step 242, prescan image data representing the density of the film image to be processed is fetched,
Based on the captured pre-scan image data, highlight points existing within the search range set in step 236 or step 240 (for example, if the film image is a negative image, the average density of R, G, B (three colors) All the pixels having the maximum or a value close to the maximum, or the pixels having the three-color average density of the minimum or the value close to the minimum when the film image is a positive image are all extracted. In the next step 244, an area where many highlight points are concentrated (an area where many highlight points are adjacent or close to each other) is determined based on the result of highlight point extraction in step 242. Is extracted as a bright region within the search range. Note that the above steps 242, 2
The extraction of the brilliant region by 44 corresponds to the second aspect of the present invention.

In step 246, the data of the glitter area extracted in step 244 is extracted from the pre-scan image data, and based on the extracted data of the glitter area, each of the color, brightness, size and shape of the glitter area is extracted. The feature amount is calculated for each glitter area. In addition, as the tint of the brilliant area, for example, a difference or ratio of the average density of each of R, G, and B in the brilliant area can be used. The density can be used. As the size of the glittering area, for example, the number of pixels in the glittering area can be used. Further, as the shape of the glittering region, the complexity e of the shape can be used (see the following equation). Complexity e
Is minimum when the shape is circular, and increases as the shape becomes more complicated.

E = (perimeter of glittering area) ² / (area of glittering area) In step 248, based on the feature amount calculated for each glittering area in step 246 (if “number is specified”, specify In consideration of the number of the glittering regions that have been applied (see also the number of glittering regions), the glittering region to which the streak is added is selected. The selection of the brilliant region can be performed, for example, by sequentially applying the following selection conditions.

(1) A bright region in which the shape can be determined to be significantly different from a circle (for example, a bright region having a complexity e equal to or more than a predetermined value)
Is excluded. This makes it possible to exclude a glitter region corresponding to an unnatural illuminant or the like to which a streak is added, such as a fluorescent lamp, from a glitter region to which a streak is added. This selection condition corresponds to the third aspect of the present invention.

(2) If the number of glittering regions remaining without being excluded by the selection condition (1) is larger than the number of designated glittering regions, one of the brightness and size of each glittering region is selected. The comparison of one side and the exclusion of a bright area having a low brightness or a small size are repeated until the number becomes equal to the designated number. As a result, only the bright region suitable for adding the streak remains without being excluded. The selection condition also corresponds to claim 10 "selecting a glitter area to which a streak is to be added according to streak data in accordance with an instruction input based on an image displayed on the display means".

In the case of "no number specified", if there is a bright area whose brightness is equal to or less than a predetermined value or a bright area whose size is equal to or less than a predetermined value, this is excluded. Is also good. In addition, it is also possible to exclude a brilliant region having a tint falling within a predetermined range on the color coordinates, or to select only a shining region having a tint falling within the predetermined range on the color coordinates.

When the glitter area to which the streak is added is selected as described above, in the next step 250, the characteristic amount of the selected glitter area and the average density (L) of the entire film image are determined.
ATD), taking into account the type of striation specified,
A parameter that defines a striation to be added to the selected glitter area is determined. The parameters include, for example, the length, thickness, and color of the striations, and a striation group including a plurality of striations (for example, the first striation group 190 and the first striation group 192 shown in FIG. 7).
And the like, the intersection angle of each striation and the like. This step 250 corresponds to the step of "determining the parameter defining the striation" according to the present invention.

The length of the streak can be determined, for example, such that the length increases as the brightness of the glittering region increases, and the length increases as the size of the glittering region increases. In addition, it is preferable that the length of the striations be shortened as the brightness of the entire recording image recorded on the photographic paper increases (that is, when the film image is a negative image, the LATD of the film image increases). Thereby, the appearance of the recorded image is improved.

The thickness of the streak can be determined so that, for example, the brightness increases as the brightness of the glittering area increases, and the thickness increases as the size of the glittering area increases. For example, the first type shown in FIG.
7A and the first group of rays 192 shown in FIG.
Are formed such that the thickness becomes gradually thinner as the distance from the glittering region increases (the striations forming the first group of rays 192 have a periodic thickness). Gradually fluctuates while fluctuating), so these striations
In addition to the length of the streak, the shape of the streak is determined by determining the thickness of the streak at a portion where the thickness of the streak is maximum (in this case, a portion relatively close to the glittering region). . In the first streak group 192, the fluctuation cycle of the streak thickness may be changed in accordance with the brightness of the brilliant region and other characteristic amounts.

Also, the streak 194 shown in FIG. 7C is shaped such that its thickness increases (the size of the hexagonal high-brightness area increases) as the distance from the glittering area increases. Since the light striation 194 is determined, in addition to the length of the light streak, the thickness of the light streak in a portion where the thickness of the light streak is maximum (in this case, a portion farthest from the glittering region) By determining the length, the shape of the striation is determined.

Further, the color of the striations can be determined, for example, so as to match the color of the glitter area on the recorded image. In addition, for the portion close to the glitter region on the striation, the color is determined so as to match the color of the glitter region on the recorded image, and for the portion relatively far from the glitter region on the striation, The tint may be determined so that the tint periodically changes (the hue rotates) as the distance from the glittering area increases. In this case, it is possible to obtain a streak similar to the streak added to the image by photographing using a known rainbow filter. As described above, generating the streak data representing the streaks whose color changes according to the distance from the glittering area (generation of the streak data will be described later).
Corresponding to the invention of the present invention.

The angle of intersection of the striations can be set, for example, to a predetermined angle. Alternatively, a face area or the like corresponding to a person's face exists in the film image to be processed. In the case where a face region is present in the film image, the intersection angle of the striation is automatically set so that the striation to be added does not overlap the face region. You may. By determining the parameters defining the striations as described above, the next step 2
The striation represented by the striation data generated in 52 can be approximated to a striation appearing on a captured image when photographing is performed using a special filter such as a cross filter.

In the next step 252, step 248 is executed.
In the glitter area (the glitter area to which the streak is added) selected in step 25, the type selected by the operator and step 25
The striation data for adding striations defined by the parameters determined at 0 is generated. The striation data may be bitmap data (the resolution in this case may be adjusted to either the pre-scan image data or the fine scan image data), the position where the striation is added in the image, the striation. The data may be vector-format data including data such as the shape of the light beam, the brightness of the striations, and the color. Step 252 corresponds to “generating striation data based on the determined parameters”.

In step 254, the generated striation data is combined with the pre-scan image data of the film image to be processed. If the striation data is bitmap data having a resolution that matches the fine scan image data, the striation data is thinned out so that the resolution matches the prescanned image data, and then combined. In step 256, simulation image data is generated by performing the same processing as in step 210 of the above-described prescan processing (see FIG. 4) on the prescan image data obtained by synthesizing the striation data.

Then, in the next step 258, based on the simulation image data generated in step 256, a simulation image with striations added by striation data is displayed on the display 164, and a verification of the displayed simulation image is performed. The request message is displayed on the display 164. As an example, FIG.
For the film image to be processed shown in FIG.
When four glitter areas indicated by “●” are extracted and selected in (B), an image as shown in FIG. 8C is displayed on the display 164. By viewing the image displayed on the display 164, the operator can
Whether or not the content of the striation data generated in step 252 is appropriate (whether or not the striation added by the generated striation data is appropriate) can be easily tested.

Displaying the simulation image to which the striations are added in step 258 on the display 164 means that “the striation data is synthesized before the image is recorded on the recording material”. Displaying an image represented by image data on display means ".

When a message requesting the verification is displayed on the display 164, the operator verifies the number, position, type, shape, color, crossing angle of the stripe, and the like of the added stripe, and adds the stripe. Determine if the striations are appropriate. If it is determined that the striations added to the simulation image displayed on the display 164 are not appropriate, information for instructing correction of striations data on at least one of the test items listed above is input to the keyboard. 1
Input via 66. As an example, when it is determined that the striation displayed in the lower right corner in FIG. 8C is unnecessary, the operator, as indicated by a broken line in FIG. Specify the range that includes, and instruct to delete striations that exist within the specified range.

When any information is input from the operator, the process proceeds to the next step 260, where it is determined whether or not the striation added to the simulation image is determined to be appropriate based on the input information. If the information instructing the correction of the striation data is input, the determination in step 260 is denied, and the process proceeds to step 262. After the striation data is corrected according to the input information, step 254 is performed.
To 258 are repeated. Step 262 corresponds to “correction of striation data”.

As described above, the striation data corrected in accordance with the instruction of the operator is recombined with the prescanned image data, and is displayed again on the display 164 as simulation image data. For example, when deletion of a striation existing within the range shown by the broken line in FIG.
In step 262, the striation data is modified so that the data corresponding to the striation indicated to be deleted is deleted,
As shown in FIG. 8 (E), the simulation image corrected according to the instruction from the operator is displayed again on the display 164.

Then, if it is determined that the striation added to the simulation image displayed on the display 164 is appropriate, the operator inputs information notifying that the striation is appropriate. As a result, the determination at step 260 is affirmed, and the process proceeds to step 264, where the striation data is stored in the memory 162 in association with the information (for example, the frame number) for identifying each film image, and the cross filter processing ends. The generation (and correction) of striation data is completed by the above-described cross filter processing.

On the other hand, when the pre-scan for the photographic film is completed, the line CCD scanner 14 performs a fine scan for reading the photographic film for each individual film image. The auto setup engine 144 notifies the line CCD scanner 14. Further, the auto setup engine 144 notifies the image processor 136 of image processing conditions for fine scan image data calculated for each film image. Further, when the above-described cross filter processing is performed in accordance with an instruction from the operator, the personal computer 158 transfers the striation data generated by the cross filter processing to the image processor unit 136.

Subsequently, in the line CCD scanner 14, each film image of the photographic film is read (fine scan) under the notified reading conditions, and the image processing unit 16 outputs the fine scan image data of each film image. The fine scan process executed by the image processing unit 16 when is input will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. Note that this fine scan processing is performed on fine scan image data of each film image.

In step 280, the fine scan image data input from the line CCD scanner 14 is subjected to dark correction, density conversion, shading correction, and defective pixel correction by the line scanner correction unit 122. The fine image scan data output from the line scanner correction unit 122 is input to the image processor unit 136 via the selector 132. In the next step 282, in the image processor unit 136,
Fine scan image data is normalized in the same manner as in step 204 of the prescan process (see FIG. 4).

In step 284, image processing such as hypertone processing and hypersharpness processing is performed on the standardized fine scan image data under the processing conditions notified from the auto setup engine 144. In the next step 286, it is determined whether or not the striation data to be added to the currently processed fine scan image data has been transferred from the personal computer 158.

If the determination in step 286 is negative, the film image corresponding to the fine scan image data currently being processed is subjected to the prescan processing (FIG. 4).
, Since the execution of the cross filter process is not instructed, the process proceeds to step 290, where the density range of the fine scan image data is converted according to the range reproduced as an image on photographic paper. Conversion and color conversion for correcting the density balance of the three colors of the image represented by the fine scan image data in accordance with the R, G, and B variations in the exposure-color density characteristics of the photographic paper, thereby performing fine scan processing. finish.

On the other hand, if the determination in step 286 is affirmative, the flow shifts to step 288, where the striation data transferred from the personal computer 158 is finely processed in the same manner as in step 256 of the cross filter processing (FIG. 6). Combine with the scanned image data (if the resolutions do not match, combine after performing resolution conversion such as interpolation). Then, in the next step 290, the above-described gradation conversion and color conversion are performed on the fine scan image data in which the striation data is synthesized. Note that, as described above, step 2
Performing the processing in step 290 after performing the processing in step 88 may include the step of “combining the striation data with the image data and then combining the striation data with the image data on the recording material. To perform gradation conversion for use in recording. "

The data that has been subjected to the fine scan processing is transferred to the laser printer section 18 as image data for recording, and used for exposure recording of an image on photographic paper. Therefore,
For recording image data in which striation data is synthesized in the fine scan processing, an image having the same image tone as an image photographed using a special filter such as a cross filter,
More specifically, the image is recorded on the photographic paper as an image to which a striation judged appropriate by the operator is added.

As described above, the recording image data obtained by synthesizing the striation data is data obtained by synthesizing the striation data with the fine scan image data and then performing gradation conversion. Since gradation conversion is performed simultaneously on the stripe data under the same gradation conversion condition, it is possible to prevent the striations added to the recorded image from looking unnatural.

Next, another example of the cross filter processing will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In step 300, it is determined whether or not the glitter area is manually set. If this determination is denied, at step 302, the brilliant region extraction process (step 2 in the flowchart of FIG. 6)
30 to step 248). In the next step 304, it is determined whether or not a streak is manually set for the glitter area extracted by the glitter area extraction processing. If this determination is also denied, in step 306, the automatic striation setting / testing process (the process corresponding to steps 250 to 264 in the flowchart of FIG. 6) is performed, and the cross filter process ends.

On the other hand, when the luminous area is set manually, the determination in step 300 is affirmed, and step 310 is executed.
Then, the simulation image data is generated from the pre-scan image data of the film image to be processed, and the simulation image is displayed on the display 164. In the next step 312, a message is displayed on the display 164 requesting the operator to set the position where the glitter area is to be generated. In step 314, it is determined whether or not the position where the glittering region is to be generated has been designated by the operator, and the process waits until the determination is affirmed.

When a message requesting the setting of the luminous region generation position is displayed, the operator operates the display 16.
4, a position at which a glitter area is to be generated (a position at which a streak is to be added) is determined, and a position determined by operating a pointing device such as a mouse is set. Setting of “Position where brilliant region is to be generated” described in 4). The position where the glittering region is to be generated may be set by the operator according to an instruction from the user, or may be set based on the operator's own judgment.

When the position where the glittering region is to be generated is set, the determination in step 314 is affirmed, and step 316 is performed.
Then, the set position is stored in the memory 162.
In the next step 318, it is determined whether or not to manually set a glitter area parameter that defines a feature amount such as the size, shape, brightness, and color of the glitter area to be generated. If the determination is negative, the default of the glitter area parameter set and stored in advance is fetched, and the routine proceeds to step 324.

If the determination in step 318 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 320, where a message requesting the operator to set the glittering area parameter is displayed on the display 164. In step 322, it is determined whether or not the glitter area parameter has been set by the operator, and the process waits until the determination is affirmed.

When a message requesting the setting of the glitter area parameter is displayed, the operator operates the keyboard 166.
And the like to set a glitter area parameter that defines a glitter area to be generated at the previously specified position (setting of “parameter defining a glitter area to be generated” according to claim 5). The glitter area parameter (what kind of glitter area is generated) may be set by the operator according to an instruction from the user, or may be set based on the operator's own judgment. When the luminous area parameter is set, the determination in step 322 is affirmed, and the process proceeds to step 324, where the set luminous area parameter (or fetched in step 318) is stored in the memory 16
Stored in 2.

In step 326, it is determined whether or not to manually set the striation to be added to the glitter area (the glitter area to be processed) for which the glitter area parameter has been set. If the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step 328, and based on the set glitter area parameters, the parameter defining the striation to be added to the glitter area to be processed is set in the same manner as in step 250 of the flowchart of FIG. After the automatic setting, the process proceeds to step 334.

If the determination in step 326 is affirmative, the process moves to step 330, and a message requesting the operator to set a parameter (strip parameter) defining a streak to be added to the illuminated area to be processed. Is displayed on the display 164. In step 332,
It is determined whether or not the striation parameter has been set by the operator, and the process waits until the determination is affirmed.

When a message requesting the setting of the streak parameter is displayed, the operator operates the keyboard 166 or the like to set the streak parameter defining the streak to be added to the brilliant area to be processed. Of “parameters defining striations to be synthesized” described in (1). The striation parameters (what striations are added) may be set by the operator according to an instruction from the user, or may be set based on the operator's own judgment.

When the striation parameters are set, the judgment in step 332 is affirmed, and the flow shifts to step 334, where the size and shape corresponding to the glitter area parameter are set at the position set by the operator in the image to be processed. A luminous area having brightness and color is generated, and luminous data for adding a length, thickness, color, and number of luminous rays according to the luminous parameter to the luminous area is generated.

In the next step 336, the generated striation data is synthesized with the pre-scan image data of the film image to be processed, and simulation image data is generated from the pre-scan image data obtained by synthesizing the striation data. Using the generated simulation image data,
A simulation image to which a bright region and a streak are added according to the streak data is displayed on the display 164, and a message requesting verification of the displayed simulation image is displayed on the display 164.

When the simulation image to which the glitter region and the streak are added is displayed, the operator can determine the position, size, shape, brightness, and color of the added glitter region, and the length of the added streak. -It is verified whether the thickness, color, and number are appropriate, and the verification result is input by operating the keyboard 166 or the like. In the next step 338, it is determined whether or not the test result is “proper” based on the input information.

If the information instructing the correction of the striation data has been input, the judgment in step 338 is denied and the routine proceeds to step 340, in which the striation data is corrected according to the input information and stored. The set position (bright area position), the brilliant area parameter, and the streak parameter are corrected as necessary, and the process returns to step 336. Therefore, steps 336 to 34 until the test result becomes “appropriate”.
0 is repeated.

If the test result is determined to be “appropriate”, it is determined in the next step 342 whether or not a streak (bright area) is further added to the image to be processed. When the addition of the striations is instructed by the operator, the determination in step 342 is affirmed and the process returns to step 310, and steps 310 to 342 are repeated until the determination in step 342 is denied. If the determination in step 342 is negative, the striation data is stored in association with the frame number, and the cross filter processing ends.

By the above-described processing, an arbitrary size, shape, brightness, and color can be set at an arbitrary position in the image to be processed (irrespective of the presence or absence of the glittering area in the image or the position of the glittering area in the image). Generates a brilliant region of taste, and can be set to any length, thickness, color,
It is possible to add the number of striations.

Further, the bright region extraction processing (step 30)
When the striations are manually set for the bright region extracted in 2), the determination in step 304 is affirmative, and the process proceeds to step 350, where a simulation image is displayed on the display 164 in the same manner as in step 310. At the same time, a glitter area to be processed is selected from the glitter areas extracted by the glitter area extraction processing, and the selected glitter area to be processed is specified on the simulation image (for example, surrounded by a frame).

In the next step 352, a striation parameter manual setting / verification process (a process corresponding to steps 330 to 340) is performed on the specified bright region to be processed.
Is performed. This processing also corresponds to the eighth aspect of the present invention. This makes it possible to add striations of an arbitrary length, thickness, color, and number to the glitter area extracted by the glitter area extraction processing.

In the next step 354, it is determined whether or not the processing has been completed, that is, whether or not the above processing has been performed on all the glitter areas extracted by the glitter area extraction processing. If the determination is negative, the process returns to step 354,
Steps 350 to 354 are repeated. And
If the determination in step 354 is affirmative, the cross filter processing ends.

The striation data generated by the above-described cross filter processing is also synthesized into fine scan image data by the fine scan processing (FIG. 9). As a result, as described above, a streak is added to the recorded image (when the glitter area is manually set by the cross filter processing, the glitter area is also added).

Although FIGS. 8A and 8B show a group of striations composed of four striations, the number of striations forming the group of striations is not limited to this. , 3 from the glittering area
It goes without saying that striation data representing a striation group in which less than or more than five striations extend may be used.

In the above description, the case where fine scan image data obtained by synthesizing striation data and performing gradation conversion and the like is used for recording an image on photographic paper has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Instead, the fine scan image data may be stored in a storage medium such as a floppy disk, hard disk, magneto-optical disk, or memory card.

In the above description, striation data is generated by performing cross-filter processing on an image designated by the operator, and striations are added to the recorded image.
The present invention is not limited to this. Information specifying an image to which a streak is added is magnetically, optically, or electrically recorded on a photographic film or a cartridge, and by reading the information, An image specified to add a line may be determined.

Further, in FIG. 6, the mode in which the search range of the glittering area and the number of the glittering areas are specified independently by the operator has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. A plurality of search ranges are specified by the operator. In this case, the number of glittering regions may be specified for each search range. Further, it may be possible to specify the glittering region itself to which the streak is added.

In FIG. 6, a case has been described in which striations of the same type are added to a plurality of glitter regions in the image to be processed. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, striations may be added. The type of striation to be added may be selected for each of the plurality of glittering regions selected as the glittering regions to be added, and different types of striations may be added to the plurality of glittering regions in the image.

FIG. 6 shows an example in which striation data is generated based on the type of striation specified by the operator and various parameters determined in step 250, but the present invention is not limited to this. Is not
Many types of striation data are generated in accordance with the type of striations and combinations of parameters, and are previously stored in a storage medium such as a hard disk 168, and a specified striation is selected from the various types of striation data. The striation data to be used may be selected based on the type of the light beam and the various parameters.

Further, the case where the processing according to the image processing method according to the present invention is performed in the digital lab system has been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The function of performing the processing is provided by a digital camera or a personal computer. It is also possible to mount the information processing apparatus according to the present invention or the like, and execute the processing according to the image processing method according to the present invention by performing various designations by the user himself.

The embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the above-described embodiments include the embodiments described below in addition to the embodiments described in the claims.

(1) Extraction means for extracting a glittering area in an image based on image data, and based on the glittering area extracted by the extracting means, striation data representing a streak extending from the glittering area in the image. An image processing apparatus including: a synthesizing unit that synthesizes data.

[0135]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a bright area in an image is extracted based on image data,
Based on the extracted brilliant region, streak data representing the vein extending from the brilliant region is combined with the image data, so an image equivalent to the image whose image tone is intentionally changed using a special filter is created. It can be easily obtained without using a special filter.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the glitter area to which the streak is added is selected based on the shape of the glitter area. On the other hand, there is an effect that striations can be added so that unnaturalness is not felt.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a position at which a glitter area in an image is to be generated is set, image data is changed so that a glitter area is generated at the set position, and based on the generated glitter area, Since the streak data representing the streaks extending from the brilliant area is combined with the image data, an image equivalent to an image whose image tone is intentionally changed using a special filter can be used without using a special filter. It has an excellent effect that it can be easily obtained.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect of the invention, at least one of brightness, size, shape, and color of the glitter area to be generated is set, and the glitter area according to the set parameters is set. Since the image data is changed so as to generate the effect, in addition to the above-described effects, it is possible to arbitrarily change the brightness, size, shape, and color of the glittering area generated in the image. Have.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the first or the fourth aspect of the present invention, the parameter defining the striation based on at least one characteristic amount of the brightness, the size, and the color of the glittering region is set. Since the determined striation data is generated or selected based on the determined parameters, in addition to the above-described effects, the striation added to the image by synthesizing the striation data with the image data causes an uncomfortable feeling when viewing the image. Has an effect that it can be prevented from being given.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the first or the fourth aspect of the present invention, a parameter defining a striation to be combined is set, and striation data is generated or selected based on the set parameter. With this configuration, in addition to the above-described effects, there is an effect that the length, thickness, color, and the like of the striations to be combined can be arbitrarily set.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the first or fourth aspect, at least one of the thickness and the color of the striation is changed according to the distance from the glittering region. In addition to the above, there is an effect that various types of striations added to a captured image can be reproduced by using various special filters.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the first or the fourth aspect of the present invention, the image represented by the image data or the image data obtained by synthesizing the striation data is recorded before the image is recorded on the recording material. Display and select or set a glitter area to which a streak is added by streak data in accordance with an instruction input based on the displayed image, so that the streak data is generated or selected or modified. In addition to the effect, it is possible to add a streak to an arbitrary glitter area of the extracted glitter area, and it is possible to obtain an image in which a stripe is added to a desired glitter area.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in the first or the fourth aspect of the present invention, after the striation data is combined with the image data, gradation conversion for use in recording an image on a recording material is performed. Therefore, in addition to the above-described effects, the present invention has an effect that the streaks represented by the streak data can be prevented from looking unnatural.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a digital laboratory system according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an external view of a digital laboratory system.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an image processing unit.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the contents of a pre-scan process performed by an image processing unit.

FIG. 5 is an image diagram showing a display example of a simulation image on a display.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the contents of a cross filter process executed by a personal computer of an image processing unit.

FIGS. 7A to 7C are image diagrams each showing an example of striations added to an image by synthesizing striation data with image data; FIGS.

8A is an example of an image to be processed, FIG. 8B is an example of a brilliant area extraction result, and FIG. 8C is an example of a test image to which a streak is added, for explaining the procedure of cross filter processing. (D) is an image figure which shows an example of the instruction | indication with respect to the image for a test to which the striation was added, (E) is an image figure which shows an example of a print image, respectively.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating the content of a fine scan process executed by the image processing unit.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating another example of the cross filter processing.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Digital laboratory system 16 Image processing unit 136 Image processor unit 158 Personal computer 164 Display 166 Keyboard

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. An image processing method for extracting a glitter area in an image based on image data, and combining, based on the extracted glitter area, stripe data representing a stripe extending from the glitter area with the image data. 2. The image according to claim 1, wherein a highlight point in the image is extracted based on the image data, and an area where the highlight points are concentrated is extracted as a bright area in the image. Processing method. 3. The glitter area to which a streak is added according to the striation data is selected from the extracted glitter areas based on the shape of the extracted glitter area. Image processing method. 4. A position where a glitter area in an image is to be generated, image data is changed so that a glitter area is generated at the set position, and light extending from the glitter area is generated based on the generated glitter area. An image processing method for combining striation data representing a striation with the image data. 5. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of brightness, size, shape, and color of the glitter area is set as a parameter defining the glitter area to be generated, and the glitter area is generated according to the set parameters. 5. The image processing method according to claim 4, wherein the data is changed. 6. The first striation data representing a plurality of striations extending radially from a brilliant region, or the first streak data representing a striation extending from a brilliant region and including a polygonal high-luminance region, as the striation data. The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein the image data is used. 7. A parameter defining a striation to be synthesized is determined based on at least one characteristic amount of brightness, size, and color of the extracted or generated glittering region,
The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein the striation data is generated or selected based on the determined parameter. 8. The image processing according to claim 1, wherein a parameter defining a striation to be combined is set, and the striation data is generated or selected based on the set parameter. Method. 9. The striation data according to claim 1, wherein the striation data is generated such that at least one of the thickness and the tint of the striation changes depending on a distance from a glittering region. Image processing method. 10. The image data obtained by synthesizing the striation data is used for recording an image on a recording material, or is stored in an information storage medium, and the image is recorded on the recording material, or the information is stored. Prior to storage in the medium, an image represented by the image data or the image data obtained by synthesizing the striation data is displayed on the display means, and the striation is input in accordance with an instruction input based on the image displayed on the display means. The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein a glitter area to which a streak is added is selected or set based on data, and the streak data is generated, selected, or corrected, and combined with image data. 11. The image data obtained by combining the striation data with the image data after combining the striation data with the image data.
5. The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein gradation conversion for use in recording an image on a recording material is performed.