System and method for image processing

• US 6,434,272 B1
• Filed: 06/08/1999
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Teknillinen Korkeakoulu Viestintarekniiken Laboratorio
• Inventors: Saarelma, Hannu
• Primary Examiner(s): Johns, Andrew W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): AZARIAN, SEYED H
• Application Number:
  US09/319,631
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: 382/224, 382/225, 382/254, 382/305, 382/306, 382/317, 382/180, 399/178, 399/197, 399/377, 358/426, 358/467
• US Class Current: 382/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/00 Image enhancement or restoration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4072 dependent on the contents of the original
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/603 controlled by characteristics of the picture signal generator or the picture reproducer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3214 of a date
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3225 of data relating to an image, a page or a document

Abstract

The invention relates to a system and a procedure for image processing. The system comprises a data communication network (1) which serves as a channel for the transmission of the image being processed, digitized in an electronic form of representation, and an image processing device (2; 2a, 2b, 2c), which is connected to the data communication network (1) and which processes the image to enhance its visual quality to print the image to different formats. According to the invention, the image processing system comprises a classifying device (3), which automatically classifies the image, and a correcting device (4), which automatically corrects the image.

Claims

1. An image processing system, comprising:

a data communication network (1) over which an image being processed is transmitted, the image being represented by image data digitized in an electronic form of representation;

an image correcting device (2a) connected to the data communication network (1), the image correcting device being configured to process the image to enhance the image visual quality and/or print the image to different formats;

wherein the image correcting device includes a classifying device for automatic classification of the image, the classifying device (3) including an adding device arranged to add information data to the image data, the information data added by the classifying device classifies the subject matter of the image and provides specific processing instructions in the form of metadata;

wherein the image correcting device further includes a correcting device (4) for automatic correction of the image, the image correcting device arranged to add information data to the image data, wherein the information data added by the correcting device improves the quality of the image by providing specific processing instructions in the information data; and

a plurality of image processing devices (2a, 2b, 2c) connected to the data communication network (1), each image processing device including a profile generating device arranged to extract processing instructions from the metadata, the profile generating device being configured to process the image according to the processing instructions.

2. The image processing system of claim 1, wherein the information data added to the image data includes information about image correction, exposure conditions, motif of the image or time when the picture was taken.

3. The image processing system of claim 1 wherein the image is in a digital form in the image processing system.

4. A procedure for image processing comprising the steps of:

transmitting an image digitized in an electronic form along a data communication network;

processing the image in an image correcting device connected to the data communication network to enhance its visual quality;

printing the image in different formats;

automatically classifying the image in the image correcting device based upon the subject matter of the image; and

automatically correcting the image in the image correcting device to improve the quality of the image;

wherein information data is added to the image data by the image correcting device, the information data being related to the classifying and correcting of the image data and comprising device specific processing instructions in the form of metadata; and

wherein the image is processed in an output device connected to the data communication network according to the processing instructions extracted from the information data, wherein the processing instructions are specific for the output device.

5. The procedure of claim 4 wherein the information data contains information about image correction, exposure conditions, motif of the image and time when the picture was taken.

6. The procedure of claim 4 wherein the automatic correction of the image comprises the steps of:

identifying edge areas in the image;

performing gamma correction of the image;

adjusting the grey shade balance of the image;

adjusting the brightness of the image;

adjusting the RGB contrast of the image;

enhancing the sharpness of the image;

filtering out the noise of the image; and

performing color memory adjustment of the image.

7. The procedure of claim 6 wherein in the automatic correction step, information obtained from a test observer is used.

8. The procedure of claim 6 wherein the output device-specific correction is performed after the automatic classification and correction.