Patent ID: 7312892

Claim:
An image processing method for performing data conversion so as to adapt a color image input from image input means to a predetermined output medium when the color image is to be output as a hardcopy by image output means to the predetermined output medium, comprising: obtaining data of a brightest point in the image output means and data of a chromaticity point allowing achievement of a preferred whiteness in the image output means; and performing the data conversion on the input image data by using the data of the brightest point for a chromatic color part of the input image data and the data of the chromaticity point for an achromatic color part of the input image data, wherein the data conversion is performed on the input image data by using the data of the brightest point in the image output means and the data of the chromaticity point allowing the achievement of the preferred whiteness, wherein the performing the data conversion is carried out by proportionally distributing a combination of the data of the brightest point and the data of the chromaticity point according to a parameter calculated from the input image data, wherein the parameter is calculated based on a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of an image output intensity (Or, Og, Ob) of the image-processed input image data upon its output from the image output means and a difference between an intermediate value and the minimum value of the image output intensity.