Abstract:
This invention provides an image processing device and a printing apparatus that obviate the need for manual processing on the part of the user or operator and which can automatically perform an optimum image correction without using added information such as photographing information. For this purpose, this invention including: a highly chromatic color area detection unit to detect highly chromatic color area in an original image according to the input color image data; a concentration calculation unit to calculate a concentration level of the highly chromatic color area; and a print data generation unit to generate output color image data according to the concentration level of the highly chromatic color area.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an image processing device and an image processing method. More specifically, the present invention relates to an image processing method and an image processing device to perform correction processing on image data such as digital picture images. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     As printers and digital cameras become more sophisticated in performance and available at lower cost in recent years, the printing of digital pictures is gaining popularity among general users. In response to this background, it is widely practiced to correct original images using many application programs and printer driver&#39;s functions to allow them to be printed to the users&#39; preference. 
     A major image correction method currently available involves raising an overall lightness and chroma to make an image look more vivid and crisp. It is also a well known method to detect gamuts of so-called “memory colors” such as colors of skin, grass and sky and to render only the memory colors more vivid or correct them into more preferred colors. These methods can be performed in a variety of ways: the user or operator manually executes the methods; an image is analyzed to execute the methods automatically; the user specifies a mode for their execution; or additional information such as photographing information is analyzed for their automatic execution. 
     Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 06-121159 discloses a technique that detects memory colors and decides, based on the amount of the memory colors occupying an image, whether or not to correct the memory colors. 
     Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-292333 discloses a technique which corrects foreground colors according to background colors, by taking advantage of the characteristics of human visual perception in which the colors of foreground changes according the background images. 
     Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-134354 discloses a technique which determines the number of pixels having a chroma higher than a predetermined level and, for those images with a greater number of such pixels than a predetermined value, corrects a tone of portions having a high chroma. 
     However, with these techniques disclosed in the above patent documents, there are cases where images which look preferable to human perceptions can not be obtained even after they have undergone the above correction processing. 
     As one cause for this problem, the inventors of this invention have found that the human preference for “showiness” of colors changes according to concentrations of highly chromatic color areas in an image. Here, quantities associated with the “showiness” or include chroma, lightness, contrast and hue. When highly chromatic color areas are concentrated, they look too heavy or too showy to human eye. Thus, the “showiness” should be kept low. Conversely, where the highly chromatic color areas are dispersed, they look vibrant and vivid in the image if their level of showiness is enhanced. 
     With the techniques disclosed in the above patent documents, however, since the concentration of highly chromatic color areas is not detected, the “showiness” is not properly corrected. It is therefore not possible to form images that look most preferable to human perception. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been accomplished to solve the above problems and provide an image processing device and a printing apparatus that obviate the need for manual processing on the part of the user or operator and which can automatically perform an optimum image correction without using added information such as photographing information. 
     To achieve the above objective, this invention has the following construction. 
     That is, according to a first aspect, this invention provides an image processing device comprising: highly chromatic color area detection means for detecting highly chromatic color area in an original image according to the input color image data; concentration calculation means for calculating a concentration level of the highly chromatic color area; and output image data generation means for generating output color image data according to the concentration level of the highly chromatic color area. 
     In the first aspect, the output image data generation means may be contemplated to correct an image processing parameter according to the concentration level of the highly chromatic color area, the image processing parameter being adapted to generate output color image data. 
     In the first aspect, the output image data generation means may be contemplated to correct the input color image data according to the concentration level of the highly chromatic color area. 
     According to a second aspect, this invention provides an image processing method comprising: a highly chromatic color area detection step to detect highly chromatic color area in the color image data; a concentration calculation step to calculate a concentration level of the highly chromatic color area; and an image data generation step to generate output color image data according to the concentration level of the highly chromatic color area. 
     According to a third aspect, this invention provides an image forming system having image processing means for performing image processing to input color image data, and image forming means for forming an image based on an output image signal generated by the image processing means, the image forming system comprising: highly chromatic color area detection means for detecting highly chromatic color area in the color image data; concentration calculation means for calculating a concentration level of the highly chromatic color area; and image data generation means for generating output color image data according to the concentration level of the highly chromatic color area. 
     According to a fourth aspect, this invention provides an image processing program causing a computer to execute: a highly chromatic color area detection step to detect highly chromatic color area in an original image based on the input color image data; a concentration calculation step to calculate a concentration level of the highly chromatic color area; and an output image data generation step to generate output color image data according to the concentration level of the highly chromatic color area. 
     According to a fifth aspect, this invention provides a computer-readable storage medium storing an image processing program to perform image processing to input color image data, the storage medium causing a computer to execute: a highly chromatic color area detection step to detect highly chromatic color area in an original image based on the input color image data; a concentration calculation step to calculate a concentration level of the highly chromatic color area; and an output image data generation step to generate output color image data according to the concentration level of the highly chromatic color area. 
     With this invention it is possible to easily and automatically produce image data to form an image that gives a preferable impression, without requiring additional information on the image or manual processing on the part of the user. 
     The above and other objects, effects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing a configuration of a print system applicable to a first embodiment of this invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing a printer driver configuration in the print system of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of an image check processing unit; 
         FIG. 4  is a flow chart showing a sequence of steps in an image correction process performed by an image correction unit of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5A  is an example of an original image, a vivid photographic image of a red flower, to undergo the image correction process in the first embodiment of this invention; 
         FIG. 5B  is an example of an original image, a photographic image of red flowers scattered in green grass, to undergo the image correction process in the first embodiment of this invention; 
         FIG. 6A  shows an example of an area dividing process in the first embodiment of this invention, with the original image of  FIG. 5A  divided into pixel groups; 
         FIG. 6B  shows another example of the area dividing process in the first embodiment of this invention, with the original image of  FIG. 5B  divided into pixel groups; 
         FIG. 7A  shows an example of a concentrated area detecting process in the first embodiment of this invention, with areas in which highly chromatic pixel groups are concentrated extracted from the image of  FIG. 6A ; 
         FIG. 7B  shows another example of the concentrated area detecting process in the first embodiment of this invention, with areas in which highly chromatic pixel groups are concentrated (concentrated areas) extracted from the image of  FIG. 6B ; and 
         FIG. 8  is a block diagram showing a printer driver configuration in a print system applicable to a second embodiment of this invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Now, embodiments of this invention will be described by referring to the accompanying drawings. 
     First Embodiment 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing an outline configuration of an image forming system in one embodiment of this invention. 
     The image forming system includes a host computer  100  with a function of an image processing means, a printer  106  as an image forming means, and a monitor  105 . That is, the host computer  100  is connected with the printer  106  of an ink jet printing system and the monitor  105  in a way that allows them to communicate in both directions. 
     The host computer  100  has an operating system (OS)  102 . The host computer  100  also has, as software under the management of the OS  102 , applications  101  such as word processor, spreadsheet, image processor and Internet browser. Further, the host computer  100  has a printer driver  103  that processes a variety of writing instructions issued by the application and representing an output image and generates print data. The variety of writing instructions include image writing instructions, text writing instructions and graphics writing instructions. The host computer  100  have a monitor driver  104  that processes the writing instructions issued by the application  101  and displays processed results on the monitor  105 . 
     The host computer  100  also includes, as hardware operated by the above software, a CPU  108 , a hard disk (HD)  107  driven by a hard disk driver, a random access memory (RAM)  109 , and a read only memory (ROM)  110 . 
     The hard disk  107  and ROM  110  store various software described above. According to the software read from the hard disk  107  and ROM  110  as required, the CPU  108  processes signals. The RAM  109  is used as a work area during the signal processing by the CPU  108 . 
     With the image forming system of the above configuration, the user watching an image displayed on the monitor  105  performs image processing by the application  101 . This processing generates image data, including text data such as characters classified as text, graphics data such as figures classified as graphics, and image data such as landscape images classified as image. 
     When a request is made by the user to produce a printed output of the generated image data, the application  101  requests the OS  102  to produce a printout. Further, the application  101  issues to the OS  102  a group of writing instructions, which is made up of graphics writing instructions for a graphics data portion and image writing instructions for an image data portion. Upon receiving the printout demand from the application, the OS  102  now issues the writing instructions to the printer driver  103  corresponding the printer that performs the printing. 
     The printer driver  103  processes the print request and the writing instructions received from the OS  102 , generates print data printable by the printer  106  and transfers the print data to the printer  106 . If the printer  106  is a raster printer, the printer driver  103  performs image correction processing successively in accordance with the writing instructions from the OS  102  and rasterizes the image data in a RGB 24-bit page memory. With all writing instructions rasterized, the content of the RGB 24-bit page memory is converted into a data format printable by the printer  106 , such as CMYK data. The converted CMYK data is then transferred to the printer. 
       FIG. 2  shows processing performed by the printer driver  103 . The processing performed by the printer driver  103  consists largely of image check processing and print data generation processing. 
     An image check processing unit  120  performs an image check on color information (input image data) made up of RGB luminance signals contained in the writing instructions entered from the OS  102 . Based on the check result, a parameter setting unit  122  sets image processing parameters (hereinafter referred to as “color processing parameters”) used in generating print image data. 
     On the other hand, a print data generation unit  121  rasterizes the writing instructions on the color information received. Then, based on the color processing parameters set by the parameter setting unit  122 , the print data generation unit  121  generates a raster image in the RGB 24-bit page memory. Further, the print data generation unit  121  generates image data that depends on the color reproducibility of the printer for each pixel, i.e., cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y) and black (K) image data. The generated image data is transferred to the printer  106 . 
     Next, the image check processing unit  120  will be explained. 
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the image check processing unit  120 . 
     The image check processing unit  120  shown here has an area dividing processing unit  130  to divide an image into pixel groups described later and a signal conversion processing unit  131  to perform conversion between RGB luminance signals and lightness, color and chroma (LCH) signals. The image check processing unit  120  also includes a highly chromatic color area detection unit  132  to detect highly chromatic color areas in the image. The image check processing unit  120  includes a concentration calculation unit  133  to calculate a degree of concentration of highly chromatic areas in the image. The image check processing unit  120  includes a decision unit  134  to decide, based on the result of calculation by the concentration calculation unit  133 , whether or not the concentration is higher than a predetermined level. The image check processing unit  120  also has a parameter setting unit  135  that sets the following image processing parameters based on the result of the decision made by the decision unit  134 . 
     The parameter setting unit  135  can selectively set one of two color processing parameters, a color processing parameter  1  for printing at normal lightness and chroma and a color processing parameter  2  for printing at higher lightness and chroma. Of these two parameters, the color processing parameter  2  is used to print showy images. 
     Next, by referring to the flow chart of  FIG. 4 , the image correction procedure executed by the image check processing unit  120  will be explained. 
     First, an original image is input (step  1 ). Pixels of the original image are each represented by 8-bit data of RGB luminance signals. The original image has a high resolution of, for example, 300 dpi but the human vision system does not recognize such fine dispersions as “areas”. Thus, rather than dividing the original image into individual pixel areas, the area dividing processing unit  130  divides the original image into sections each made up of a plurality of pixels, or pixel groups (step  2 ). Then, the image check processing unit  120  makes the following decision on these pixel groups. It is noted here that the size of the pixel groups is arbitrary and may be changed as required according to the resolution of the original image and the size of a printed output. 
     Next, the image check processing unit  120  in step  3  averages the luminance signal values for R, G and B pixels in each pixel group and takes the averaged signal values as R′, G′ and B′. Then, the signal conversion processing unit  131  calculates a Lab, an equalized color space coordinate, from the values of R′, G′ and B′ in each pixel group to determine values of luminance (L), hue (H) and chroma (C) (step  4 ). 
     Next, highly chromatic color area detection unit  132  extracts pixel groups (highly chromatic color areas) with higher luminance, chroma and hue than predetermined values (step  5 ). Colors to be extracted can be determined according to the printer characteristics, such as vivid red, orange and green. 
     Next, the concentration calculation unit  133 , or a concentration level extraction unit, uses known filtering processing to extract areas in which pixel groups of a particular color extracted in step  5  adjoin one another (step  6 ). As a result, only those areas having highly chromatic pixel groups concentrated are picked up, while areas in which highly chromatic pixel groups are dispersed are not extracted. Further, the concentration calculation unit  133  also calculates a percentage a in the original image of each area covering the concentrated pixel groups extracted in step  6  (step  7 ). 
     The decision unit  134  compares the percentage a with a predetermined threshold. Then, if the percentage a is higher than the threshold, the decision unit  134  decides that the color processing parameter  1  be used in that area and, if the percentage α is lower than the threshold, it decides that the color processing parameter  2  be used in the area (step  8 ,  9 ,  10 ). Based on this decision, the parameter setting unit  135  sets the color processing parameter in the print data generation unit  121  (step  11 ). 
     Here, the above image correction processing will be explained for a case where it is executed on the original image  140  of  FIG. 5A  and for a case where it is executed on the original image  141  of  FIG. 5B . 
     The original image  140  is a picture image of a vivid red flower. In such a picture image, the red flower is better printed out by suppressing the showiness of red color. The original image  141  is a picture image of red flowers similar to that of the original image  140  scattered in green grass. In this picture image, it is preferred that the red flowers be more emphasized. 
       FIG. 6A  and  FIG. 6B  show the original images  140 ,  141  divided by the area dividing processing unit  130  into sections each made up of a plurality of pixels, or pixel groups. 
     From among the pixel groups e, into which the image has been divided, those with highly chromatic red er have been extracted and then the concentrated area extraction processing of step  6  is performed. In this processing, the concentrated area ER extracted from the original image  140  is shown shaded in  FIG. 7A . This concentrated area is wide. The concentrated areas ER extracted from the original image  141  are small as shown in  FIG. 7B . For the original image  140 , therefore, the parameter  1  is applied to perform image processing that suppresses the luminance and chroma, namely, minimizes the showiness of the image. On the other hand, for the original image  141 , the parameter  2  is applied to perform image processing that enhances the luminance and chroma, i.e., the showiness of the image. This allows either of the images  140 ,  141  to be printed in a preferable condition. 
     The image extraction processing in this invention is not limited to the above. Other processing may be adopted as long as it can calculate the concentration level of the area of highly chromatic pixel groups without putting a heavy burden on the processor. 
     Second Embodiment 
     Next, the second embodiment of this invention will be described. 
     In the first embodiment, the method has been described to change a color of a printed output by selecting an appropriate color processing parameter. In the second embodiment, the input image data (RGB luminance signals) representing the original image is corrected according to the concentration level of each area of highly chromatic pixel groups. 
       FIG. 8  shows the processing performed by the printer driver  103  in the second embodiment. The printer driver  103  includes largely an image check processing unit  120 , a print data generation unit  121  and an image correction unit  123 . 
     The image check processing unit  120  performs processing in a manner similar to the first embodiment, decides whether or not the image of interest should be output at an enhanced level of showiness, and determines the amount of correction on luminance and chroma. According to the determined correction amount on luminance and chroma, the image correction unit  123  corrects LCH of each pixel in the original image. The image correction processing is, for example, emphasis processing that multiplies the chroma C by α. The corrected image is converted by the signal conversion processing from LCH signal into RGB signal. Then, the RGB signal is further transformed by the print data generation unit  121  into printable data for printing by the printer  106 . 
     In the above embodiments, an area in the image in which highly chromatic pixel groups (highly chromatic color areas) are concentrated is extracted and the percentage of the highly chromatic concentrated area with respect to the image as a whole is determined. Based on this percentage, an appropriate image printing parameter specifying one of different levels of emphasis on luminance and chroma can automatically be set. 
     Thus, a print system can be provided which produces an image conforming to image characteristics, without causing the user any trouble with image processing or mode selection. 
     In the above embodiments, we have described a case where a printer is used as an output device for producing an image and in which a CMY output image signal that matches the printer is generated. It is noted however that this invention can also be applied to cases where output image signals (RGB signals) conforming to other output devices than the printer, such as displays, are generated. 
     Other Embodiments 
     This invention can be applied to a system comprising a plurality of devices (e.g., host computer, interface device, reader, printer, etc.). It can also be applied to equipment comprising a single device (e.g., copying machine and facsimile). 
     It should be noted that the object of this invention can also be achieved by loading into a system or device a storage medium containing a program code of software that realizes the function of the preceding embodiment, and having a computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or device read and execute the program code stored in the storage medium. In this case, it is the program code read out from the storage medium that realizes the functions of the preceding embodiments. Thus, the storage medium storing the program code also constitutes this invention. Further, this invention includes not only a case where the functions of the preceding embodiments are realized by the computer executing the read program code but also a case where an operating system (OS) running on the computer executes a part or all of the actual processing according to instructions of the program code to realize the functions of the preceding embodiments. 
     Further, this invention includes the following processing. That is, the program code read out from the storage medium is written into a memory incorporated in a function expansion card installed in the computer or in a function extension unit connected to the computer and then the CPU mounted on the function expansion card or function extension unit executes a part or all of the actual processing according to the instructions of the program code to realize the functions of the preceding embodiments. 
     If this invention is applied to the storage medium described above, the storage medium stores the program code corresponding to the flow chart described earlier. 
     The present invention has been described in detail with respect to preferred embodiments, and it will now be apparent from the foregoing to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspect, and it is the intention, therefore, in the apparent claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit of the invention. 
     This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-297899 filed Oct. 12, 2004, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.