Image processing system and image processing method

• US 20060187477A1
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 138 East LCD Advancements Limited (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Oyanagi, Makoto, Ishida, Goro, Kobayashi, Masaya, Maki, Yoichiro, Kojima, Shoji, Narusawa, Hideyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,646,517 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.900
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3871 the composed originals being of different kinds, e.g. low- and high-resolution originals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/60 Colour correction or control H04N1/54 takes precedence

Abstract

An image forming system is provided and includes an access unit, a reductive color processing unit, an order sheet print control unit, a composition unit, and a composite print control unit. The access unit accesses a user image stored in a recording medium, the processing unit forms a background image by reducing a color gamut of the user image, and the order sheet print control unit causes a printer unit to create an order sheet on which the background image is printed in a free rendering area. Also, the composition unit separates an area of a subject recorded by a user in the free rendering area from an image of the free rendering area read by a scan unit based on a color gamut of the background image and superimposing the area of the subject on the user image to thereby form a composite image. Finally, the composite print control unit causes the printer unit to print the composite image. A method that the system performs is also provided.

Claims

1. An image forming system comprising:

an access unit for accessing a user image stored in a recording medium;

a reductive color processing unit for forming a background image by reducing a color gamut of the user image;

an order sheet print control unit for causing a printer unit to create an order sheet on which the background image is printed in a free rendering area;

a composition unit for separating an area of a subject recorded by a user in the free rendering area from an image of the free rendering area read by a scan unit based on a color gamut of the background image and superimposing the area of the subject on the user image to thereby form a composite image; and

a composite print control unit for causing the printer unit to print the composite image.

2. An image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the reductive color processing unit forms the background image having a single hue.

3. An image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the reductive color processing unit forms the background image having multi-gradations.

4. An image forming system according to claim 3, wherein the reductive color processing unit forms the background image having three color channels only one of which has a gradation.

5. An image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the reductive color processing unit forms the background image that is light-colored.

6. An image forming system according to claim 1, wherein:

the order sheet print control unit causes the printer unit to print on the order sheet a sample patch whose color gamut is identical with a color gamut of the background; and

the composition unit decides an area, within the free rendering area, in which no color value is included in the color gamut of an image of the sample patch read by the scan unit as an area of the subject.

7. An image forming system according to claim 4, further comprising a recording medium for recording a gradation range of the other two color channels in a condition where the other two color channels are correlated with a gradation value of the color channel having a gradation,

wherein the composition unit decides each of target pixels of the free rendering area as a pixel of an area of the subject if gradation values of the other two color channels of the target pixel are not included in the gradation range of the other two color channels correlated with the gradation value of the color channel having a gradation of the target pixel.

8. An image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the reductive color processing unit forms the background image that represents an edge component of the user image.

9. An image forming method comprising:

accessing a user image stored in a recording medium;

forming a background image by reducing a color gamut of the user image;

causing a printer unit to create an order sheet on which the background image is printed in a free rendering area;

separating an area of a subject recorded by a user in the free rendering area from an image of the free rendering area read by a scan unit based on a color gamut of the background image;

superimposing the area of the subject on the user image to thereby form a composite image; and

causing the printer unit to print the composite image.

10. An image forming method according to claim 9, wherein the background image has a single hue.

11. An image forming system according to claim 9, wherein the background image is light-colored.

12. An image forming system according to claim 9, wherein the background image has multi-gradations.

13. An image forming method according to claim 12, wherein the background image has three color channels only one of which has a gradation.

14. An image forming method according to claim 13, when separating the area of the subject, deciding each of target pixels of the free rendering area as a pixel of the area of the subject if gradation values of the other two color channels of the target pixel are not included in a gradation range of the other two color channels recorded, correlatively with the color channel having a gradation of the target pixel, on a recording medium for recording a gradation range of the other two color channels in a condition where the other two color channels are correlated with a gradation value of the color channel having a gradation.

15. An image forming method according to claim 9, wherein:

when causing the printer unit to create the order sheet, causing the printer unit to print on the order sheet a sample patch whose color gamut is identical with a color gamut of the background; and

when separating the area of the subject, deciding an area, within the free rendering area, in which no color value is included in the color gamut of an image of the sample patch read by the scan unit as an area of the subject.

16. An image forming method according to claim 9, wherein the background image represents an edge component of the user image.