Image processing method and apparatus

• US 6,738,531 B1
• Filed: 05/10/2000
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Funahashi, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dastouri, Mehrdad
• Application Number:
  US09/568,161
• Time in Patent Office: 1,469 Days
• Field of Search: 382/294, 382/295, 382/296, 382/297, 382/298, 382/131, 382/132, 382/151, 382/201, 378/163, 378/182, 378/62, 378/162, 600/429, 606/130, 358/451, 250/584
• US Class Current: 382/294
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 using feature-based methods

Abstract

In an image processing method, a direction transforming process is performed on an image signal representing an image and in accordance with information giving specifics about an image recording technique. In cases where a marker pattern, which is represented by a marker signal, is to be appended to the image represented by the image signal, the direction and the appending position of the marker signal are determined in accordance with the information giving specifics about the image recording technique. The marker signal is appended to the image signal in accordance with the thus determined direction and the thus determined appending position of the marker signal. The marker signal is thus appended to the image signal in an appropriate state in accordance with the specifics about the image recording technique.

Claims

1. An image processing method, in which a direction transforming process is performed on an image signal representing an image and in accordance with information giving specifics about an image recording technique, and in which a marker pattern represented by a marker signal is appended to the image represented by the image signal, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a direction of the marker signal and an appending position of the marker signal in accordance with the information giving specifics about the image recording technique, and

appending the marker signal to the image signal in accordance with the thus determined direction of the marker signal and the thus determined appending position of the marker signal,

wherein a size of the marker signal is altered in accordance with a size of the image, which is represented by the image signal, and/or a read-out density, with which the image signal was obtained,

wherein, in cases where a signal value of the marker signal and signal values of image signal components of the image signal, which image signal components correspond to the position in the vicinity of the appending position of the marker signal, approximately coincide with each other, the signal value of the marker signal and/or the signal values of the image signal components of the image signal, which image signal components correspond to the position in the vicinity of the appending position of the marker signal, are altered.

2. An image processing method, in which a direction transforming process is performed on an image signal representing an image and in accordance with information giving specifics about an image recording technique, and in which a marker pattern represented by a marker signal is appended to the image represented by the image signal, the method comprising the steps of:

performing the direction transforming process on the image signal,

displaying an image, which is represented by the image signal having been subjected to the direction transforming process, together with a pointer, which indicates an arbitrary position on the image, on displaying means,

altering the direction of the marker signal in accordance with the information giving specifics about the image recording technique,

altering the shape of the pointer to a shape of a marker pattern, which is represented by the altered marker signal,

altering the position of the marker pattern on the image in accordance with a pointer position altering instruction, and

appending the marker signal to the image signal in accordance with a marker pattern appending instruction given at a desired position on the image displayed on the displaying means,

wherein a size of the marker signal is altered in accordance with a size of the image, which is represented by the image signal, and/or a read-out density, with which the image signal was obtained,

wherein, in cases where a signal value of the marker signal and signal values of image signal components of the image signal, which image signal components correspond to the position in the vicinity of the appending position of the marker signal, approximately coincide with each other, the signal value of the marker signal and/or the signal values of the image signal components of the image signal, which image signal components correspond to the position in the vicinity of the appending position of the marker signal, are altered.

3. An image processing apparatus, which is provided with direction transforming means for performing a direction transforming process on an image signal representing an image and in accordance with information giving specifics about an image recording technique, and in which a marker pattern represented by a marker signal is appended to the image represented by the image signal, the apparatus comprising:

determination means for determining a direction of the marker signal and an appending position of the marker signal in accordance with the information giving specifics about the image recording technique,

marker signal appending means for appending the marker signal to the image signal in accordance with the thus determined direction of the marker signal and the thus determined appending position of the marker signal, and

signal value altering means for operating such that, in cases where a signal value of the marker signal and signal values of image signal components of the image signal, which image signal components correspond to the position in the vicinity of the appending position of the marker signal, approximately coincide with each other, the signal value altering means alters the signal value of the marker signal and/or the signal values of the image signal components of the image signal, which image signal components correspond to the position in the vicinity of the appending position of the marker signal,

wherein the determination means alters a size of the marker signal in accordance with a size of the image, which is represented by the image signal, and/or a read-out density, with which the image signal was obtained.

4. An image processing apparatus, which is provided with direction transforming means for performing a direction transforming process on an image signal representing an image and in accordance with information giving specifics about an image recording technique, the apparatus comprising:

displaying means for displaying an image, which is represented by the image signal having been subjected to the direction transforming process performed by the direction transforming means, together with a pointer, which indicates an arbitrary position on the image,

marker signal altering means for altering a direction of a marker signal, which represents a marker pattern to be appended to the image represented by the image signal, in accordance with the information giving specifics about the image recording technique,

pointer altering means for altering the shape of the pointer to a shape of a marker pattern, which is represented by the altered marker signal,

position altering means for altering the position of the marker pattern on the image in accordance with a pointer position altering instruction,

marker signal appending means for appending the marker signal to the image signal in accordance with a marker pattern appending instruction given at a desired position on the image displayed on the displaying means, and

signal value altering means for operating such that, in cases where a signal value of the marker signal and signal values of image signal components of the image signal, which image signal components correspond to the position in the vicinity of the appending position of the marker signal, approximately coincide with each other, the signal value altering means alters the signal value of the marker signal and/or the signal values of the image signal components of the image signal, which image signal components correspond to the position in the vicinity of the appending position of the marker signal,

wherein the determination means alters a size of the marker signal in accordance with a size of the image, which is represented by the image signal, and/or a read-out density, with which the image signal was obtained.

5. A recording medium, on which a program for causing a computer to execute an image processing method has been recorded and from which the computer is capable of reading the program, the image processing method comprising performing a direction transforming process on an image signal representing an image and in accordance with information giving specifics about an image recording technique, and appending a marker pattern represented by a marker signal to the image represented by the image signal,

wherein the program comprises the procedures for:

determining a direction of the marker signal and an appending position of the marker signal in accordance with the information giving specifics about the image recording technique, and

appending the marker signal to the image signal in accordance with the thus determined direction of the marker signal and the thus determined appending position of the marker signal,

wherein the program further comprises the procedure for altering a size of the marker signal in accordance with a size of the image, which is represented by the image signal, and/or a read-out density, with which the image signal was obtained,

wherein the program further comprises the procedure for operating such that, in cases where a signal value of the marker signal and signal values of image signal components of the image signal, which image signal components correspond to the position in the vicinity of the appending position of the marker signal, approximately coincide with each other, the signal value of the marker signal and/or the signal values of the image signal components of the image signal, which image signal components correspond to the position in the vicinity of the appending position of the marker signal, are altered.

6. A recording medium, on which a program for causing a computer to execute an image processing method has been recorded and from which the computer is capable of reading the program, the image processing method comprising performing a direction transforming process on an image signal representing an image and in accordance with information giving specifics about an image recording technique, and appending a marker pattern represented by a marker signal to the image represented by the image signal,

wherein the program comprises the procedures for:

performing the direction transforming process on the image signal,

displaying an image, which is represented by the image signal having been subjected to the direction transforming process, together with a pointer, which indicates an arbitrary position on the image, on displaying means,

altering the direction of the marker signal in accordance with the information giving specifics about the image recording technique,

altering the shape of the pointer to a shape of a marker pattern, which is represented by the altered marker signal,

altering the position of the marker pattern on the image in accordance with a pointer position altering instruction,

appending the marker signal to the image signal in accordance with a marker pattern appending instruction given at a desired position on the image displayed on the displaying means,

operating such that, in cases where a signal value of the marker signal and signal values of image signal components of the image signal, which image signal components correspond to the position in the vicinity of the appending position of the marker signal, approximately coincide with each other, the signal value of the marker signal and/or the signal values of the image signal components of the image signal, which image signal components correspond to the position in the vicinity of the appending position of the marker signal, are altered, and

altering a size of the marker signal in accordance with a size of the image, which is represented by the image signal, and/or a read-out density, with which the image signal was obtained.