Image processing method

• US 6,728,428 B1
• Filed: 02/19/1999
• Issued: 04/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kinjo, Naoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehta, Bhavesh M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DESIRE, GREGORY M
• Application Number:
  US09/253,003
• Time in Patent Office: 1,894 Days
• Field of Search: 382/299, 382/309, 382/321, 382/322, 382/112, 382/167, 382/169, 382/274, 348/64, 348/231, 348/232, 348/96, 348/344, 396/429.1, 396/311, 396/313, 396/319, 396/57, 358/1.9, 358/447, 358/448, 358/461, 358/462, 358/500, 358/518-520, 358/527
• US Class Current: 382/309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00132 in a digital photofinishing system, i.e. a system where digital photographic images undergo typical photofinishing processing, e.g. printing ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00196 Creation of a photo-montage, e.g. photoalbum H04N1/0019 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3242 of processing required or performed, e.g. for reproduction or before recording H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence

Abstract

An image processing method including the steps of: acquiring scene information which is previously tagged on to image data supplied from an image data supply source together with the image data; and setting image processing conditions in accordance with the scene information using the image data, and/or setting an image sequence in a plurality of images to be recorded on an index print in accordance with the scene information; and producing the index print on which the plurality of the images are recorded in accordance with the image sequence. The method provides a digital image processing method that is particularly suitable for use with digital photoprinters and which can process image data under optimal conditions that are adapted to specific scenes in images such as the one recorded on films. As a result, the method can produce high-quality prints that reproduce optimal images for various scenes.

Claims

1. An image processing method for setting image processing conditions using image data supplied from an image data supply source, comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of processing conditions for a scene;

acquiring scene information, previously tagged with said image data, together with said image data, wherein said scene information includes information relating to the image content of an individual image frame from the image data supply source; and

setting said image processing conditions in accordance with at least one stored processing condition corresponding to said acquired scene information for the individual image frame.

2. The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein said scene information tagged on to said image data is a magnetic or optical record on a film.

3. The image processing method according to claim 2, wherein said scene information is automatically acquired by reading said magnetic or optical record on the film with magnetic or optical reading means, respectively.

4. The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein said scene information includes at least one scene type selected from the group consisting of a human individual, a flower, a landscape, a night view, an indoor view, a firework, a snow, a setting sun, a rising sun and a still object, wherein said scene information designates the stored processing condition used to set said image processing conditions based on said at least one scene type.

5. The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein said scene information is a standardized classification data value of said scene information which is keyed to an image content of said image data.

6. The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein said scene information is a registered classification data value of said scene information which is set and keyed to an image content of said image data.

7. The image processing method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

setting an image sequence in a plurality of images to be recorded on a index print in accordance with said scene information; and

producing said index print on which said plurality of said images are recorded in accordance with said image sequence.

8. An image processing method comprising:

storing a plurality of processing conditions for a scene in a processed information storing subsection;

acquiring image data of an image from a first portion of an image data source and scene data from a second portion of the image data source, which is tagged with said image, wherein said scene data includes information relating to image content of an individual image frame from the image data source;

retrieving from said processed information storing subsection, at least one processing condition corresponding to said acquired scene data; and

processing said acquired image data according to said retrieved processing condition.

9. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a scanner adapted to acquire image data and scene data from an image;

a processed information storing subsection containing a plurality of processing conditions for processing image data;

a setup subsection adapted to recognize the acquired scene data and acquire at least one corresponding processing condition from said processed information storing subsection, wherein said acquired scene data includes information relating to image content from the image; and

an image data processing subsection adapted to process said image data according to said acquired at least one associated processing condition.

10. An image processing system comprising:

a camera adapted to permit a user to acquire an image and to tag said image with scene data;

a scanner adapted to acquire image data and scene data from said image;

a processed information storing subsection containing a plurality of processing conditions corresponding scene data;

a setup subsection adapted to recognize the acquired scene data and to acquire at least one corresponding processing condition from said processed information storing subsection, wherein said scene data includes information relating to the image content of an individual image; and

an image data processing subsection adapted to process said image data according to said acquired at least one associated processing condition.