Image processing apparatus and photoprinter using the same

• US 20010017689A1
• Filed: 02/05/2001
• Published: 08/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Iwaki, Yasuharu
• Granted Patent: US 6,989,914 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/18
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/00 Photographic printing apparatus

Abstract

The image processing apparatus and the photoprinter include a condition setting section for setting image processing conditions by analyzing image data, an image processing section for executing image processing in accordance with the image processing conditions set in the condition setting section, a mode setting an section including a plurality of operation modes, setting a operation mode from among the plurality of operation modes and changing at least one of a processing content in the condition setting section and a content of the image processing executed in the image processing section in accordance with the thus set operation mode, and optionally a selection device for selecting the operation mode.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a condition setting section for setting an image processing conditions of image data by analyzing said image data supplied from an image data supply source;

an image processing section for subjecting said image data to image processing in accordance with said image processing conditions set in said condition setting section;

a mode setting section including a plurality of operation modes, said mode setting section setting a operation mode from among said plurality of operation modes and changing at least one of a processing content in said condition setting section and a content of the image processing executed in said image processing section in accordance with said operation mode set.

2. The image processing apparatus according to

claim 1

, further comprising:

a selection device for selecting said operation mode to set said operation mode in said mode setting section out of said plurality of operation modes.

3. The image processing apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein said plurality of operation modes are at least two of an operation mode for reducing inappropriate prints, an operation mode for putting an emphasis on image quality, an operation mode for reducing the fluctuation of one case, and an operation mode for putting an emphasis on production speed.

4. The image processing apparatus according to

claim 2

, wherein:

density control based on the face region of a person is executed and further gradation is softened in said operation mode for reducing inappropriate prints;

gray/color gradation control is executed in accordance with at least one of a photographed scene, film exposure and a type of a film in said operation mode for putting an emphasis on image quality;

image processing conditions are set using all the image data of one case in said operation mode for reducing the fluctuation of one case; and

gray balance correction and density correction are executed in said operation mode for putting an emphasis on production speed.

5. The image processing apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein the image data supply source is at least one of a scanner which reads photoelectrically an image from a photographic film to obtain said image data, a medium driver which reads out said image data from a image data recording medium and a communication device which receives said image data.

6. A photoprinter comprising:

an image data supply source for supplying image data of an image;

a condition setting section for setting an image processing conditions of said image data for outputting a print on which said image is reproduced, by analyzing said image data supplied from said image data supply source;

an image processing section for subjecting said image data to image processing in accordance with said image processing conditions set in said condition setting section; and

a print section for outputting the print on which said image has been reproduced based on the image data subjected to the image processing by the image processing section;

further including;

a plurality of operation modes; and

a mode setting section for setting a operation mode from among said plurality of operation modes and changing at least one of a processing content in said condition setting section and a content of the image processing executed in said image processing section in accordance with said operation mode set.

7. The photoprinter according to

claim 6

, further comprising:

a selection device for selecting said operation mode to set said operation mode in said mode setting section out of said plurality of operation modes.

8. The photoprinter according to

claim 6

, wherein said plurality of operation modes are at least two of an operation mode for reducing inappropriate prints, an operation mode for putting an emphasis on image quality, an operation mode or reducing the fluctuation of one case, and an operation mode for putting an emphasis on production speed.

9. The photoprinter according to

claim 8

, wherein:

density control based on the face region of a person is executed and further gradation is softened in said operation mode for reducing inappropriate prints;

gray/color gradation control is executed in accordance with at least one of a photographed scene, film exposure and a type of a film in said operation mode for putting an emphasis on image quality;

image processing conditions are set using all the image data of one case in said operation mode for reducing the fluctuation of one case; and

gray balance correction and density correction are executed in said operation mode for putting an emphasis on production speed.

10. The photoprinter according to

claim 6

, wherein the image data supply source is at least one of a scanner which reads photoelectrically the image from a photographic film to obtain said image data, a medium driver which reads out said image data from the image data recording medium and a communication device which receives said image data.

11. The photoprinter according to

claim 6

, wherein said condition setting section calculates as the image processing conditions appropriate correction amounts of the image for reproducing preferably the image based on said image data.

12. The photoprinter according to

claim 11

, wherein said mode setting section changes as said processing content in the condition setting section at least one of operation algorithm for calculating the appropriate correction amounts of the image and operation parameters therefor.