Patent ID: 6188786
Filing Date: 2001-02-13
Classification: G06T,H04N

Abstract:
An image processing apparatus comprising:a color information obtaining device which obtains color information relating to a color of a target area pixel group consisting of a plurality of pixels belonging to a target area as one of a plurality of areas present in an object image,said color information obtaining device comprising a target area pixel designator which is operable by an operator for designating at least one primary target area pixel belonging to the target area,the color information relating to a color of each of the at least one primary target area pixel designated by the target area pixel designator and a plurality of secondary target area pixels automatically determined based on the primary target area pixel, the primary and secondary target area pixels providing, as the target area pixel group, a designated target area pixel group;a characteristic information obtaining device which obtains characteristic information which relates to a characteristic of the object image and which is different from the color information,the characteristic information obtaining device comprising an input device which is operable by the operator for inputting input information, and characteristic-information obtaining means for obtaining the characteristic information based on the input information,the input device comprising the target area pixel designator, and a non-target area pixel designator which is operable by the operator for designating at least one primary non-target area pixel belonging to a non-target area of the object image as a different one of the areas from the target area,the characteristic information comprising color information relating to a color of each of the at least one primary non-target area pixel designated by the non-target area pixel designator and a plurality of secondary non-target area pixels automatically determined based on the at least one primary non-target area pixel, the primary and secondary non-target area pixels providing a designated non-target area pixel group, the characteristic information further comprising first position information relating to a position of the designated target area pixel group in the object image, and second position information relating to a position of the designated non-target area pixel group in the object image; andtarget area determining means for determining the target area in the object image by determining a value of a function K that has independent variables including a color space distance between each of a plurality of pixels belonging to the object image and the target area pixel group, a color space distance between said each pixel and the non-target area pixel group, a spatial distance between said each pixel and the target area pixel group, and a spatial distance between said each pixel and the non-target area pixel group and comparing said value of the function K to a threshold for the function K for determining which of said plurality of pixels of the object image belong to the target area and which of said plurality of pixels of the object image belong to the non-target area.