Image processing method and apparatus

• US 6,856,707 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2002
• Issued: 02/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Enomoto, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRINICH, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US10/201,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20030031375A1
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: 382276-279, 382260-629, 382199-200
• US Class Current: 382/277
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10024 Color image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20192 Edge enhancement; Edge preservation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/73 Deblurring; Sharpening
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/80 Geometric correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/387 Composing, repositioning or otherwise geometrically modifying originals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/58 Edge or detail enhancement; Noise or error suppression, e.g. colour misregistration correction H04N1/62 takes precedence

Abstract

The image processing method and apparatus acquire input image data from the image recorded optically with a taking lens, acquire the information about the lens used to record the image and perform image processing schemes on the input image data using the acquired lens information, provided that the type of the lens used is identified from the acquired lens information and the intensity of sharpness enhancement of the corresponding image is altered in accordance with the identified lens type. Using the obtained lens characteristics as well as the position information for the recorded image, the input image data is subjected to aberration correction for correcting the deterioration in image quality due to the lens characteristics.

Claims

1. An image processing method, comprising the steps of:

acquiring not only input image data from the image recorded optically with a taking lens but also an information about the taking lens used to record said image;

obtaining lens characteristics of said taking lens from the acquired lens information; and

performing image processing schemes on said input image data by using the obtained lens characteristics and a position information for said recorded image;

wherein said input image data is subjected to the image processing schemes in a first direction of said recorded image and a second direction crossing the first direction and

wherein said imaae processing schemes are performed in said first and second directions independently of each other.

2. The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein said image processing schemes include at least one of correction of aberrations derived from said taking lens, electronic scaling and sharpening.

3. The image processing method according to claim 2, wherein said correction of the aberrations includes at least one of distortion, chromatic aberration of magnification, deterioration of marginal lumination, and defocusing.

4. The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein an order of said image processing schemes is selectable in said first and second directions.

5. The image processing method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

performing unidirectional image processing in at least one of said first and second directions.

6. The image processing method according to claim 5, wherein when said input image data is acquired by line sensors that read the image recorded on a film, said unidirectional image processing is color divergence correction that corrects the color divergence derived from said line sensors.

7. The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein contents of said image processing schemes are altered in each of said first and second directions.

8. The image processing method according to claim 7, wherein the contents of said image processing schemes are altered by changing a kind or degree of said image processing schemes.

9. The image processing method according to claim 7, wherein the contents of said image processing schemes are altered by changing values of parameters in the image processing schemes in each of said first and second directions.

10. The image processing method according to claim 9, wherein parameters in said image processing schemes are at least one of a filter coefficient of a filter used;

a correction coefficient for correction of distortion;

a correction coefficient for correction of chromatic aberration of magnification;

a correction coefficient for correction of deterioration of marginal lumination;

a correction coefficient for correction of defocusing;

an electronic scaling ratio; and

a coefficient of sharpening.

11. The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein if said image processing schemes include at least correction of distortion and chromatic aberration of magnification, either an amount of correction of chromatic aberration of magnification or an amount of correction of distortion or both amounts differ between said first and second directions.

12. The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein if said image processing schemes include at least correction of distortion and chromatic aberration of magnification, the correction in whichever of said first and second directions that requires the chromatic aberration of magnification and distortion to be corrected in smaller amounts precedes the correction in the other direction.

13. The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein if said input image data is acquired by photoelectric reading of said recorded image with line sensors that have said first direction as a main scanning direction and said second direction as an auxiliary scanning direction, said image processing schemes in said second direction further include correction of color divergence caused by said line sensors.

14. The image processing method according claim 1, wherein said first and second directions cross at right angles.

15. An image processing apparatus which acquires input image data from the image recorded optically with a taking lens and performs specified image processing schemes on the input image data to produce output image data, comprising:

acquisition means for acquiring an information about the taking lens used to record said image;

storage means for storing characteristics of said taking lens in accordance with the information about said taking lens; and

image processing means which performs the image processing schemes on said input image data in both a first direction of said recorded image and a second direction crossing the first direction, by using an information about pixel positions of the input image and the characteristics of the related taking lens as read from said storage means in accordance with the information about the taking lens acquired by said acquisition means,

wherein said image processing means performs said image processing schemes in said first and second directions independently of each other.

16. The image processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said image processing means has at least two parts of first and second distortion correcting parts that correct distortion in said first and second directions, respectively;

first and second magnification chromatic aberration correcting parts that correct chromatic aberration of magnification in said first and second directions, respectively;

first and second marginal lumination deterioration correcting parts that correct deterioration of marginal lumination in said first and second directions, respectively;

first and second defocusing correcting parts that correct defocusing in said first and second directions, respectively;

first and second electronic scaling parts that perform electronic scaling in said first and second directions, respectively; and

first and second sharpening parts that perform sharpening in said first and second directions, respectively.

17. The image processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said image processing means has a first image processing part and a second image processing part that perform image processing schemes independently of each other in said first and second directions.

18. The image processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said image processing means is capable of selecting an order of said image processing schemes that are performed by said first and second image processing parts.

19. The image processing apparatus according to claim 15, further including unidirectional image processing means for performing unidirectional image processing in at least one of said first and second directions.

20. The image processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein if said input image data is acquired by line sensors that read the image recorded on a film, said unidirectional image processing means has a color divergence correcting part that corrects the color divergence derived from said line sensors.

21. The image processing apparatus according to claim 15, further including control means for altering contents of said image processing schemes in each of said first and second directions.

22. The image processing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said control means alters the contents of said image processing schemes by changing a kind or degree of said image processing schemes.

23. The image processing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said control means alters the contents of said image processing schemes by changing values of parameters in the image processing schemes in each of said first and second directions.

24. The image processing apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the parameters in said image processing schemes are at least one of a filter coefficient of a filter used;

a correction coefficient for correction of distortion;

a correction coefficient for correction of chromatic aberration of magnification;

a correction coefficient for correction of deterioration of marginal lumination;

a correction coefficient for correction of defocusing;

an electronic scaling ratio; and

a coefficient of sharpening.

25. The image processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein if said image processing means includes at least a distortion correcting part and a magnification chromatic aberration correcting part, either an amount of correction of chromatic aberration of magnification or an amount of correction of distortion or both amounts in said distortion and magnification chromatic aberration correcting parts differ between said first and second directions.

26. The image processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein if said image processing means includes at least a distortion correcting part and a magnification chromatic aberration correcting part, correction in whichever of said first and second directions that requires chromatic aberration of magnification and distortion to be corrected in smaller amounts precedes the correction in the other direction.

27. The image processing apparatus according to claim 15, which, if said input image data is acquired by photoelectric reading of said recorded image with line sensors that have said first direction as a main scanning direction and said second direction as an auxiliary scanning direction, further includes a color divergence correcting part that corrects the color divergence derived from said line sensors in said second direction.

28. The image processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said image processing means allows said first and second directions to cross at right angles.

29. An image processing method, comprising the step of subjecting image data representing an image recorded on an image recording medium to image processing schemes in either a first direction or a second direction crossing said first direction or both directions, wherein if said image processing schemes are to be performed in both said first and second directions, contents of the image processing schemes in each of said first and second directions are altered.

30. The image processing method according to claim 29, wherein the contents of said image processing schemes are altered by changing values of parameters in the image processing schemes in each of said first and second directions.

31. An image processing apparatus comprising:

image processing means for performing unidirectional image processing schemes on image data that represents an image recorded on an image recording medium; and

control means for controlling said image processing means such that image processing schemes are performed on said image data in either a first direction or a second direction crossing said first direction or both directions, wherein if said control means controls said image processing means such that said image processing schemes are performed in both said first and second directions, said control means alters contents of said image processing schemes in each of said first and second directions.

32. The image processing apparatus according to claim 32, wherein said control means alters the contents of said image processing schemes by changing values of parameters in the image processing schemes in each of said first and second directions.

33. The image processing apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the parameters in said image processing schemes comprise at least one of a filter coefficient of a filter used;

a coefficient of sharpening;

a correction coefficient for correction of aberrations; and

an electronic scaling ratio.