Image processing apparatus

• US 6,700,685 B1
• Filed: 06/22/1999
• Issued: 03/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Matama, Toru
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Kimberly
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ebrahimi, Saeid
• Application Number:
  US09/337,491
• Time in Patent Office: 1,715 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 358/709, 358/1.13, 358/1.11, 358/487, 358/447, 355/80
• US Class Current: 358/487
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/407 Control or modification of tonal gradation or of extreme levels, e.g. background level

Abstract

The image processing apparatus receives image data from an image data supply source and coverts the image date into output image data by subjecting the image data to image processing. The apparatus includes an instructing device for interactively instructing a region from an image of one frame, and at least two of a first dodging processing device for applying automatic dodging processing to an entire image of the one frame (first mode), a second dodging processing device for applying the automatic dodging processing only to the instructed region (second mode) and a third dodging processing device for applying the automatic dodging processing to the instructed region and to the regions other than the instructed region in different intensity (third mode). The apparatus can switch optionally or automatically the above first, second and third modes and interactively designate the region to which the dodging processing is applied or the region to which the dodging processing is applied in the different intensity. Accordingly, the image processing apparatus can simply apply the dodging processing and the dodging processing having high intensity only to the designated region, whereby finished prints to which gradation processing is more appropriately applied can be obtained.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus for receiving image data from an image data supply source and converting the image data into output image data by subjecting the image data to image processing, comprising:

first dodging processing means for applying automatic dodging processing to an entire image of one frame;

means for interactively instructing a region from an image of said one frame; and

second dodging processing means for applying the automatic dodging processing only to the instructed region.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first dodging processing means applies said automatic dodging processing in uniform intensity.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing apparatus includes, as an automatic dodging processing mode, a mode in which the automatic dodging processing is applied to the entire image by said first dodging processing means and a mode in which the automatic dodging processing is applied only to the instructed region by said second dodging processing means, the mode in which the automatic dodging processing is applied to the entire image is set as a basic mode, and the image processing apparatus further comprises switching means for switching the modes from the basic mode to the mode in which the automatic dodging processing is applied only to the instructed region.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the automatic dodging processing compresses a dynamic range of the image by compressing a low frequency component of the image data of a region to be processed and said first and second dodging processing means have means for compressing the low frequency component commonly used in both of said first and second dodging processing means.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said first dodging processing means has first compressing means for compressing a low frequency component of the image data of the entire image to apply the automatic dodging processing,

said second dodging processing means has second compressing means for compressing the low frequency component by weighting the low frequency component with a signal for instructing the region due to said instructing means, and

said first and second compressing means are commonly used.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a signal for instructing the regions can be input externally by said instructing means.

7. An image processing apparatus for receiving image data from an image data supply source and converting the image data into output image data by subjecting the image data to image processing, comprising:

first dodging processing means for applying automatic dodging processing to an entire image of one frame;

means for interactively instructing a region from an image of said one frame; and

third dodging processing means for applying the automatic dodging processing to the instructed region and to the regions other than the instructed region in different intensity.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said first dodging processing means applies said automatic dodging processing in uniform intensity.

9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the image processing apparatus includes, as an automatic dodging mode, a mode in which the automatic dodging processing is applied to the entire image in uniform intensity by said first dodging processing means and a mode in which the automatic dodging processing is applied to the instructed region and to the regions other than the instructed region in different intensity by said third dodging processing means, the mode in which the automatic dodging processing is applied to the entire image is set as a basic mode, and the image processing apparatus further comprises switching means for executing switching from the basic mode to the mode in which the dodging processing is applied to the instructed region and to the regions other than the instructed region in different intensity.

10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the automatic dodging processing compresses a dynamic range of the image by compressing a low frequency component of the image data of a region to be processed and said first and Cthira dodging processing means have means for compressing the low frequency component commonly used in both of said first and third dodging processing means.

11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a signal for instructing the regions can be input externally by said instructing means.

12. An image processing apparatus for receiving image data from an image data supply source and converting the image data into output image data by subjecting the image data to image processing, comprising:

first dodging processing means for applying automatic dodging processing to an entire image of one frame;

means for interactively instructing a region from an image of said one frame;

second dodging processing means for applying the automatic dodging processing only to the instructed region; and

third dodging processing means for applying the automatic dodging processing to the instructed region and to the regions other than the instructed region in different intensity.

13. The image processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said first dodging processing means applies said automatic dodging processing in uniform intensity.

14. The image processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the image processing apparatus includes, as an automatic dodging processing mode, a mode in which the automatic dodging processing is applied to the entire image in uniform intensity by said first dodging processing means, a mode in which the automatic dodging processing is applied only to the instructed region by said second dodging processing means and a mode in which the automatic dodging processing is applied to the instructed region and to the regions other than the instructed region in different intensity by said third dodging processing means, the mode in which the automatic dodging processing is applied to the entire image is set as a basic mode, and the image processing apparatus further comprises switching means for switching the modes from the basic mode to any of the mode in which the automatic dodging processing is applied only to the instructed region and the mode in which the automatic dodging processing is applied to the instructed region and to the regions other than the instructed region in different intensity.

15. The image processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the automatic dodging processing compresses a dynamic range of the image by compressing a low frequency component of the image data of a region to be processed and said first, second and third dodging processing means have means for compressing the low frequency component is commonly used in said first, second and third dodging processing means.

16. The image processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein a signal for instructing the regions can be input externally by said instructing means.