Pixel color conversion method and system applied to output device

• US 20070268303A1
• Filed: 09/15/2006
• Published: 11/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Primax Electronics Limited
• Original Assignee: Primax Electronics Limited
• Inventors: Liao, Wu-Jie, Ying, Meng-Yun
• Granted Patent: US 7,688,329 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/589
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/6016 Conversion to subtractive colour signals

Abstract

A pixel color conversion method applied to an output device includes: providing a trainable database for storing a plurality of data values corresponding to a set of indexes for use performing pixel color conversion; regarding at least one source image, training the trainable database; and according to the plurality of data values corresponding to the set of indexes in the trainable database, converting source samples of a source image into target samples for being outputted by the output device.

Claims

1. A pixel color conversion method applied to an output device, comprising:

providing a trainable database for storing a plurality of data values corresponding to a set of indexes for use performing pixel color conversion;

regarding at least one source image, training the trainable database, comprising;

within the trainable database, storing a set of source samples as the set of indexes, wherein the set of source samples represent pixel colors of the source image;

within the trainable database, storing a plurality of sets of candidate data values, a plurality of candidate data values in each set of candidate data values respectively corresponding to a plurality of indexes in the set of indexes;

converting the set of source samples into a plurality of sets of target samples according to the plurality of sets of candidate data values, respectively, wherein each set of target samples represent pixel colors of a target image;

utilizing the output device to output each set of target samples to generate output results of the sets of target samples; and

according to comparison results between the output results of the sets of target samples outputted by the output device, selecting a set of candidate data values from the candidate data values stored in the trainable database as the plurality of data values corresponding to the set of indexes; and

according to the plurality of data values corresponding to the set of indexes in the trainable database, converting source samples of another source image into target samples for being outputted by the output device.

2. The pixel color conversion method of claim 1, wherein the step of training the trainable database regarding the at least one source image trains the trainable database regarding a plurality of source images, and the step of training the trainable database further comprises:

according to the source samples of a source image of the plurality of source images, increasing the number of indexes in the set of indexes to expand the trainable database.

3. The pixel color conversion method of claim 1, wherein the step of training the trainable database further comprises:

according to a set of candidate data values stored in the trainable database and the output result of a set of target samples corresponding to the set of candidate data values, generating another set of candidate data values in the trainable database.

4. The pixel color conversion method of claim 3, wherein the step of generating another set of candidate data values in the trainable database further comprises:

according to the output result of the set of target samples, adjusting the set of candidate data values to generate the another set of candidate data values.

5. The pixel color conversion method of claim 1, wherein the step of training the trainable database further comprises:

except the set of candidate data values selected in the selecting step, removing other candidate data values in the trainable database.

6. The pixel color conversion method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting the output result of each set of target samples outputted by the output device to perform comparisons between the output results of the sets of target samples.

7. The pixel color conversion method of claim 6, wherein the source image has gradient variations along a specific direction, and the step of detecting the output result of each set of target samples outputted by the output device further comprises:

detecting whether a saturation output region exists in the gradient variations along the specific direction as shown by the output result of each set of target samples outputted by the output device when performing the comparisons between the output results of the sets of target samples.

8. The pixel color conversion method of claim 7, wherein the step of detecting the output result of each set of target samples outputted by the output device further comprises:

if the saturation output region is detected, detecting a beginning location of the saturation output region along the specific direction when performing the comparisons between the output results of the sets of target samples.

9. The pixel color conversion method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a user interface for inputting the comparison results between the output results of the sets of target samples outputted by the output device.

10. The pixel color conversion method of claim 1, wherein the output device is a printer or multi-function printer, and the step of utilizing the output device to output each set of target samples to generate the output results of the sets of target samples comprises utilizing the printer or the multi-function printer to print each set of target samples to generate the print results of the sets of target samples.

11. The pixel color conversion method of claim 1, wherein the output device is a monitor, and the step of utilizing the output device to output each set of target samples to generate the output results of the sets of target samples comprises utilizing the monitor to display each set of target samples to generate the display results of the sets of target samples.

12. The pixel color conversion method of claim 1, wherein the output device is a projector, and the step of utilizing the output device to output each set of target samples to generate the output results of the sets of target samples comprises utilizing the projector to display each set of target samples to generate the display results of the sets of target samples.

13. A pixel color conversion system applied to an output device, comprising:

a trainable database for storing a plurality of data values corresponding to a set of indexes for use performing pixel color conversion; and

a processing circuit, coupled to the trainable database, for training the trainable database regarding at least one source image, the training of the trainable database comprising;

within the trainable database, storing a set of source samples as the set of indexes, wherein the set of source samples represent pixel colors of the source image;

within the trainable database, storing a plurality of sets of candidate data values, a plurality of candidate data values in each set of candidate data values respectively corresponding to a plurality of indexes in the set of indexes;

converting the set of source samples into a plurality of sets of target samples according to the plurality of sets of candidate data values, respectively, wherein each set of target samples represent pixel colors of a target image;

utilizing the output device to output each set of target samples to generate output results of the sets of target samples; and

according to comparison results between the output results of the sets of target samples outputted by the output device, selecting a set of candidate data values from the candidate data values stored in the trainable database as the plurality of data values corresponding to the set of indexes;

wherein according to the plurality of data values corresponding to the set of indexes in the trainable database, the processing circuit is for converting source samples of another source image into target samples for being outputted by the output device.

14. The pixel color conversion system of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the processing circuit is installed in the output device.

15. The pixel color conversion system of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the trainable database is installed in the output device.

16. The pixel color conversion system of claim 13, wherein the processing circuit further comprises:

a detection module, coupled to the processing circuit, for detecting the output result of each set of target samples outputted by the output device, whereby the processing circuit performs comparisons between the output results of the sets of target samples.

17. The pixel color conversion system of claim 16, wherein the source image has gradient variations along a specific direction, and the detection module detects whether a saturation output region exists in the gradient variations along the specific direction as shown by the output result of each set of target samples outputted by the output device, whereby the processing circuit performs the comparisons between the output results of the sets of target samples.

18. The pixel color conversion system of claim 17, wherein if the detection module detects the saturation output region, the detection module further detects a beginning location of the saturation output region along the specific direction, whereby the processing circuit performs the comparisons between the output results of the sets of target samples.

19. The pixel color conversion system of claim 13, wherein the processing circuit further comprises:

a user interface for inputting the comparison results between the output results of the sets of target samples outputted by the output device.

20. The pixel color conversion system of claim 13, wherein the output device is a printer or multi-function printer, and the processing circuit utilizes the printer or the multi-function printer to print each set of target samples to generate the print results of the sets of target samples.

21. The pixel color conversion system of claim 13, wherein the output device is a monitor, and the processing circuit utilizes the monitor to display each set of target samples to generate the display results of the sets of target samples.

22. The pixel color conversion system of claim 13, wherein the output device is a projector, and the processing circuit utilizes the projector to display each set of target samples to generate the display results of the sets of target samples.