METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAXIMIZING THE VISUAL QUALITY OF IMAGE PRESENTED IN ELECTRIC FORM

Abstract: The present invention relates to a procedure and an apparatus for optimizing the visual quality of an image. In the procedure, the greyness balance of the image is adjusted by a statistical method and the colour reproduction is adjusted to make it correspond to a standard observer's preference, which is a predetermined optimum value for colour reproduction. The procedure can be used e.g. to improve the quality of images transmitted over information networks by providing the image transmission path with an apparatus which corrects images detected in the transmission path by applying the procedure of the present invention.

Description: METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAXIMIZING THE VISUAL QUALITY OF IMAGE PRESENTED IN ELECTRIC FORM The present invention relates to a procedure for maximizing the visual quality of an image as de- fined in the preamble of claim 1. In addition, the present invention relates to an apparatus for maximizing the visual quality of an image as defined in the preamble of claim 10. As the use of information networks is gaining ground and their data transmission capacity is increa¬ sing, increasing numbers of digital colour images are being transmitted across the networks. Images are sent into the network from various sources, using different equipment and various encoding and packing methods known in themselves. Moreover, the technical origin of the images is generally unknown to the receiver. Due to errors caused by the operations per¬ formed on the image, such as encoding and packing, as well as errors generated in the data transfer medium, the visual quality of the image is often deteriorated as compared with its original visual quality. For this reason, methods for implementing the colour reproduc¬ tion of an image have been developed to maximize the visual quality of the image. In an optimal case, the reproduced image reproduces the visual impression gi¬ ven by an error-free original image unchanged. In practice, however, this is not always possible. A ba¬ sic reason for this is that the original image usually has a larger range of colours than is possible to reproduce. But even if all the colours in the original could be reproduced, creating a visual similarity would still be difficult. That is to say, current chromatics does not know any methods for quantitative ¬ ly determining the colour impressions produced by nor- mal images consisting of numerous fields of different colours and shapes. Several methods for colour correction and ca- libration, for improving the visual quality of an ima¬ ge, are known in the art. A feature common to these methods is that the technical origin of the image is known or a "model" (a high-quality photograph) of the image exists. However, the technical origin of an ima¬ ge received e.g. over an information network is not known, and therefore the prior-art methods cannot be used to improve the visual quality of the image. It is possible to improve the visual quality of an image by a manual method, whereby an operator processing the image makes observations about the ori¬ ginal picture, an image displayed on a computer screen or printed out on a printer, and corrects the colour reproduction manually on the basis of his/her own ob- servations and skill. However, processing an image by this manual method is a slow and laborious business and requires a skilled image processing operator. Mo¬ reover, manual image processing requires expensive ma¬ chines which must be compatible with each other and calibrated to ensure e.g. that an image displayed on¬ screen visually corresponds to its printed copy. The object of the present invention is to eliminate the problems and drawbacks described above. A specific object of the present invention is to produce a new type of procedure for image proces¬ sing which can be easily implemented and automated for use in the processing of large amounts of images. A further object of the present invention is to produce an apparatus which can be used for the pro- cessing of an image being transmitted in an informati¬ on network, a printing system or the like to optimize the visual quality of the image without significantly retarding its transmission. An additional object of the present invention is to present a procedure which can be used for impro¬ ving the visual quality of an image without special image processing skill. As for the features characteristic of the present invention, reference is made to the claims. In the procedure of the present invention, an image in electric format, preferably a colour image, is processed. The image may be a packed one, obtained by packing methods known in themselves, e.g. methods employing the GIF or TIFF standard. According to the invention, the image is converted into a chromaticity coordinate format, preferably an Lsα coordinate for- mat, where L stands for luminance, s for colour satu¬ ration, and α for hue angle. The Lsα values are de¬ termined for the RGB values in Fig. 1 according to predefined equations. The image can also be converted into a format employing a different coordinate system. After this, the greyness balance of the image is de¬ termined and compared with a standard observer's grey¬ ness balance preference. Based on this comparison, the greyness balance of the image is adjusted to make it correspond to the standard observer's preference. In connection with the adjustment of the greyness balance in a preferred case, the highest and lowest luminance values of the grey shades are determined, a probabili¬ ty model is used to determine whether the shades should be neutral grey and the whole image is shifted in the colour space so that the highest and the lowest values correspond to neutral grey. The purpose of this operation is to adjust the greyness balance of the image so that white will be perceived as white and black will be perceived as black to a maximum degree of "correctness". Finally, according to the invention, the optimized image is converted from the chromaticity coordinate format back into its original format. The colour reproduction of the image is opti¬ mized to make it correspond to a standard observer's preference. A visual processor has been taught a pre¬ ference selected on the basis of a large number of images of various themes presented to a number of test persons. The visual processor adjusts the visual qu¬ ality of each image to a maximum level. The teaching of the visual processor can be performed by a control parameter optimizing method or a neural network met- hod. The procedure of the invention has several advantages as compared with prior art. The most impor¬ tant and most significant advantage is undoubtedly the fact that the procedure corrects the visual quality of the image automatically and independently of the sour¬ ce, in other words, the technical origin as well as the "correct" colour reproduction are unknown. Furt¬ hermore, the procedure can be implemented independent¬ ly of hardware, which means that the display device or printer eventually used to reproduce the image need not be known. The procedure can also be provided with profiles of different output device groups or indivi¬ dual devices, and the procedure can be incorporated in individual output devices. A further advantage of the present invention as compared with prior art is that the procedure can be easily standardized for use as a method of impro¬ ving image quality in information networks. Moreover, the procedure can be applied for different types of display devices, including the cathode ray tube, li¬ quid crystal display and electroluminescent display. Further, the procedure can be applied for different types of display control systems, including standardi¬ zed computer screens and computer screens developed for special uses, as well as television screens emplo¬ ying the normal and HDTV standards. In addition, the procedure can be applied for different types of colour printer, including electrography, ink jet, thermal printers, electronic colour printing machines and ot- her printing machines connectable to a computer. In an embodiment of the present invention, the colour reproduction of an image is determined and compared with a predetermined colour reproduction pre¬ ference of a standard observer and, based on this com¬ parison, the colour reproduction of the image is ac¬ centuated to make it correspond to the standard obser- ver's preference. Preferably the colour reproduction of the image is accentuated by adjusting the global colour reproduction of the image to make it correspond to the standard observer's preference. Global colour reproduction means the colour reproduction in the en- tire image, in other words, at this stage of the pro¬ cedure the colours in the entire image are crispened or accentuated. In another embodiment of the invention, the colour reproduction of the image is accentuated by lo- eating local colour areas on the basis of occurrence probabilities and adjusting the colour reproduction in the image areas encountered to make it correspond to the standard observer's preference. In searching the image for local colour areas, detected continuous areas of sufficient size are compared with predefined values. A given standard colour can be defined before¬ hand e.g. for the human skin, the sky, water and any objects, such as a Coca Cola can. From the shape, si¬ ze, position and size of chromaticity statistic of a colour area encountered, it is possible to infer whet¬ her it is a predefined colour type. If such as colour type is encountered, the local colour area in the ima¬ ge is adjusted to make it correspond to the predefined colour. In an embodiment of the present invention, the image is classified according to certain classifi¬ cation rules. First, the image can be subjected to a certain type cf thematic classification, to determine e.g. whether the image represents a portrait or a landscape. In addition, the image can be subjected to a certain type of quality classification to determine the quality of the image. Quality classes have prefe- rably been defined beforehand. The quality classifica¬ tion is used to prevent "over-optimization" of an ima¬ ge, i.e. to ensure that an image whose quality has al¬ ready been visually optimized by the method of the in- vention will not be processed again. The standard observer's preference mentioned in this application is determined by presenting a num¬ ber of images to a large number of people and using their observations to determine optimal values for the greyness balance, global colour reproduction and local colour reproduction of the images. Let it be stated that the standard observer's preference can be conti¬ nuously "improved" by increasing the number of people to whom the images are presented. On the other hand, it is also possible to use a standard observer's pre¬ ference produced by a highly skilled image processing specialist. This can be achieved e.g. by teaching that preference to the apparatus implementing the procedu¬ re. The apparatus of the present invention for optimizing the visual quality of an image in electric format comprises a visual processor which stores pre¬ defined standard observer' s preference values for greyness balance and colour reprodution and which receives an image, analyzes and classifies it and ma¬ kes decisions as to how the image is to be adjusted, and a signal processor electrically connected to the visual processor to adjust the image as controlled by the visual processor. The visual processor preferably comprises conversion means for converting the image into an Lsα coordinate format. Further, the conversion means pre¬ ferably consist of electric components in the proces¬ sor circuit. The signal processor may be any kind of microprocessor, programmable circuit or application- specific integrated circuit (ASIC) suited for use in signal processing. As for the advantages of the apparatus of the invention, reference is made to those of the procedure of the invention. In the following, the invention is described by the aid of examples of its embodiments by referring to the attached drawings, in which Fig. 1 presents a block diagram representing an implementation of the procedure of the invention; Fig. 2 presents a diagram representing an ap- paratus as provided by the present invention; and Fig. 3 represents a chromaticity coordinate format. Referring to the block diagram in Fig. 1, the procedure of the invention works as follows. An image e.g. in an RGB format is received in block 4 and con¬ verted into an Lsα format. This conversion is descri¬ bed later on by referring to Fig. 3. After this, an adjustment of the greyness balance is effected in block 5. In block 5, highest and lowest values for pa- rameter L are determined and compared with predefined values. If necessary, based on the comparison, the whole Lsα colour space of the image is shifted so that the highest and lowest values fall on the desired point in the colour space. After the adjustment of the greyness balance, the colour reproduction of the image is accentuated. The stages of the accentuation process are represented by blocks 6 and 7. In block 6, colour reproduction is accentuated globally concerning the whole image, and in block 7 local colour areas are accentuated. The lo¬ cal colour areas are determined by finding certain predefined hues and colours close to them and adjus¬ ting the areas encountered to suitable values. After both greyness balance and colour reproduction have been corrected, an Lsα => RGB conversion is performed in block 8 to obtain new R l f G x and B x values. The apparatus represented by Fig. 2 comprises in its simplest form a visual processor 1, which clas¬ sifies the image and performs the necessary operations to determine how the image is to be corrected. Moreo¬ ver, the apparatus comprises a signal processor 2, which is used to perform the RGB => Lsα conversion and is electrically connected to the visual processor 1. Controlled by the visual processor, the signal proces¬ sor makes the required changes in the image. The appa¬ ratus shown in Fig. 2 also comprises a printer or a display 3 used to print or display the corrected ima¬ ge. Referring now to Fig. 3, the RGB => Lsα con¬ version performed in the first stage of the procedure of the invention is described. The colour space repre- sented by Fig. 3 is of a cylindrical shape. The lumi¬ nance L is determined from the RGB values according to equation (1) as follows: where: V = k x R + k 2 + k 3 B V max = V / max(R,G,B) v p i us = a(l - Vmax) , and a = user-defined constant k : + k 2 + k 3 = 1, and i,, k 2 , k 3 , R, G, B and a e [0, 1] The significance of the R, G and B values for the new parameters can be adjusted by means of the constants k l r k 2 and k 3 , and the proportion of neutral and saturated colours by means of the constant a. The colour reproduction angle α 0 < α < 2π is calculated from equation (2) as follows: a a R ( 2 ) (if R = B:a = 3 / 2tr t if a > 0:a = π + 2π) Further, colour saturation s is calculated from the RGB values using equation (3) as follows: max(R, G, B)- min(R, G, B) s = (3; max(R,G,B) After the required operations have been per¬ formed on the image in the Lsα space, analogies of equations (1), (2) and (3) can also be used for the Lsα => RGB conversion to obtain new R l r G 1 and B 1 va¬ lues. Let it be noted that in this example only one chromaticity coordinate conversion has been described and that other conversions can also be used within the scope of the inventive idea. The invention is not limited to the embodi¬ ment examples discussed above, but many variations are possible within the scope of the inventive idea de¬ fined by the claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Procedure for automatically maximizing the visual quality of an image in electric format, charac¬ terized in that the following operations are performed automatically: — the image is converted into a chromaticity coordinate format — a probable greyness balance is determined for the image by a statistical method from the video signal and the greyness balance of the image is adjus¬ ted to correct it; — the colour reproduction of the image is ad¬ justed; and — the maximized image is converted from the chromaticity coordinate format back into its original format. 2. Procedure as defined in claim 1, characte¬ rized in that the colour reproduction of the image is determined and compared with a certain colour repro- duction preference of a standard observer and, based on this comparison, the colour reproduction of the image is accentuated to make it correspond to the standard observer's preference. 3. Procedure as defined in claim 1 or 2, cha- racterized in that in an Lsα coordinate format, L stands for luminance, s for colour saturation, and α for the hue angle, these values being determined from the RGB values of the image using predefined equa¬ tions. 4. Procedure as defined in any one of the preceding claims 1- 3, characterized in that the co¬ lour reproduction of the image is accentuated by ad¬ justing rhe global colour reproduction of the image to make it correspond to the standard observer's prefe- rence. 5. Procedure as defined in any one of the preceding claims 1- 4, characterized in that the co- lour reproduction of the image is accentuated by fin¬ ding local colour areas on the basis of occurrence probabilities and adjusting the colour reproduction in the areas encountered in the image to make it corres- pond to the standard observer's preference. 6. Procedure as defined in any -one of the preceding claims 1 - 5, characterized in that a histo¬ gram is generated to represent the colour space of the image, the highest and lowest values of the grey sha- des are determined, the values are compared with pro¬ bability values and, based on this comparison, the image is shifted in the colour space so that the highest and lowest values correspond to neutral grey. 7. Procedure as defined in any one of the preceding claims 1 - 6, characterized in that the the¬ me of the image is determined and the image is classi¬ fied according to its theme into a predefined theme among a number of predefined themes. 8. Procedure as defined in any one of the preceding claims 1 - 7, characterized in that the qu¬ ality level of the image is determined and the image is classified according to its quality level into a predefined quality level among a number of predefined quality levels. 9. Procedure as defined in any one of the preceding claims 1 - 8, characterized in that the standard observer' s preference is determined by pre¬ senting a number of images to a large number of people and using their observations to determine optimal va- lues for the greyness balance, global colour reproduc¬ tion and local colour reproduction of the images. 10. Apparatus for optimizing the visual qu¬ ality of an image in electric format, characterized in that the apparatus comprises a visual processor (1) in which predetermined standard observer's preference va¬ lues for greyness balance and colour reproduction are stored and which receives the image, analyzes and classifies it and makes the decisions as to how the image is to be adjusted, and a signal processor (2) electrically connected to the visual processor to al¬ low adjustment of the image under the control of the visual processor. 11. Apparatus as defined in claim 10, charac¬ terized in that the visual processor (1) comprises conversion means for converting the image to an Lsα coordinate system.

Inventors: LAIHANEN PEKKA, SAARELMA HANNU, LAIHANEN, PEKKA, SAARELMA, HANNU
Applicants: LAIHANEN PEKKA, SAARELMA HANNU, TEKNILLINEN KORKEAKOULU, LAIHANEN, PEKKA, SAARELMA, HANNU
Application year: 1996
Main classification: G06T5
IPC codes: G06T5, G09G5, H04N1, H04N9