IMAGE PROCESSOR FOR CONVERTING IMAGE BY USING IMAGE RETRIEVED BASED ON KEYWORD

• US 20090060364A1
• Filed: 09/02/2008
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: KONDO, Masaki, HASEGAWA, Tomohiko
• Granted Patent: US 8,311,323 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/254
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5838 using colour
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/6075 Corrections to the hue
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/62 Retouching, i.e. modification of isolated colours only or in isolated picture areas only

Abstract

An image processor includes a keyword inputting unit, a first image acquiring unit, a first characteristic quantity determining unit, a second image inputting unit, a second characteristic quantity determining unit and an image correcting unit. The keyword inputting unit inputs a keyword. The first image acquiring unit acquires at least one first image related to the keyword inputted by the keyword inputting unit. The first characteristic quantity determining unit determines first characteristic quantity data expressing a characteristic of at least one of the at least one first image acquired by the first image acquiring unit. The second image inputting unit inputs a second image. The second characteristic quantity determining unit determines second characteristic quantity data expressing a characteristic of the second image inputted by the second image inputting unit. The image correcting unit performs an image correction process on the second image to adjust characteristic of the second image represented by the second characteristic quantity data close to the first characteristic quantity data.

Claims

1. An image processor comprising:

a keyword inputting unit that inputs a keyword;

a first image acquiring unit that acquires at least one first image related to the keyword inputted by the keyword inputting unit;

a first characteristic quantity determining unit that determines first characteristic quantity data expressing a characteristic of at least one of the at least one first image acquired by the first image acquiring unit;

a second image inputting unit that inputs a second image;

a second characteristic quantity determining unit that determines second characteristic quantity data expressing a characteristic of the second image inputted by the second image inputting unit; and

an image correcting unit that performs an image correction process on the second image to adjust characteristic of the second image represented by the second characteristic quantity data close to the first characteristic quantity data.

2. An image processor according to claim 1, further comprising a selecting unit that selects one first image from among a plurality of first images based on a prescribed condition when the first image acquiring unit acquires the plurality of first images;

wherein the first characteristic quantity determining unit determines the first characteristic quantity data expressing a characteristic of the first image selected by the selecting unit.

3. An image processor according to claim 2, further comprising a calculating unit that calculates a mean value of pixel values of pixels in each of the plurality of first images acquired by the first image acquiring unit, thereby determining a plurality of mean values for the plurality of first images, wherein the selecting unit selects one of the first images whose mean value is closest to a mean value of the plurality of mean values.

4. An image processor according to claim 3, wherein the calculating unit calculates a mean value of all the plurality of mean values, and selects, from among the first images acquired by the first image acquiring unit, at least one first image whose mean value satisfies a prescribed condition relative to the mean value of all the plurality of mean values, and calculates a mean value of at least one mean value of the selected at least one first image, and wherein the selecting unit selects one of the selected at least one first image whose mean value is closest to the mean value of the at least one mean value.

5. An image processor according to claim 4, further comprising a mean value storing unit that stores, in association with the inputted keyword, the mean value of the at least one mean value calculated by the calculating unit;

wherein when a keyword newly inputted by the keyword inputting unit is the same as the keyword stored in the mean total storing unit, the first image acquiring unit newly acquires at least one first image related to the newly inputted keyword, and

wherein when the first image acquiring unit newly acquires a plurality of first images related to the newly inputted keyword, the calculating unit newly calculates a mean value of pixel values of pixels in each of the newly acquired first images, the calculating unit newly selects, from among the newly acquired first images, at least one first image whose mean value satisfies a prescribed condition relative to the mean value of the at least one mean value stored in association with the keyword, and newly calculates a mean value of at least one mean value of the newly selected at least one first image and the selecting unit newly selects, from among the newly selected at least one first image, one first image whose mean value is closest to the newly calculated mean value of the at least one mean value.

6. An image processor according to claim 1, further comprising a characteristic quantity storing unit that stores first characteristic quantity data determined by the first characteristic quantity data determining unit in association with the keyword;

wherein, when a keyword newly inputted with the keyword inputting unit is the same as the keyword stored in the characteristic quantity storing unit, the first characteristic quantity determining unit reads the first characteristic quantity data stored in association with the keyword.

7. An image processor according to claim 1, wherein the first image acquiring unit acquires the at least one first image from a storage device through communications via the Internet.

8. An image processor according to claim 1, wherein the first characteristic quantity determining unit determines a plurality of values as the first characteristic quantity data according to a prescribed condition;

the second characteristic quantity determining unit determines a plurality of values as second characteristic quantity data according to the same condition as that used by the first characteristic quantity determining unit; and

the image correcting unit performs an image correction process on each pixel constituting the second image based on a correction value that is determined for the subject pixel based on the plurality of values determined as the first characteristic quantity data and the plurality of values determined as the second characteristic quantity data.

9. An image processing method, comprising:

inputting a keyword;

acquiring at least one first image related to the inputted keyword;

determining first characteristic quantity data expressing a characteristic of at least one of the acquired at least one first image;

inputting a second image;

determining second characteristic quantity data expressing a characteristic of the inputted second image; and

performing an image correction process on the second image to adjust characteristic of the second image represented by the second characteristic quantity data close to the first characteristic quantity data.

10. A computer readable storage medium storing a set of image processing program instructions, the instructions comprising:

inputting a keyword;

acquiring at least one first image related to the inputted keyword;

determining first characteristic quantity data expressing a characteristic of at least one of the acquired at least one first image;

inputting a second image;

determining second characteristic quantity data expressing a characteristic of the inputted second image; and

performing an image correction process on the second image to adjust characteristic of the second image represented by the second characteristic quantity data close to the first characteristic quantity data.