Device and method for processing unprocessed image data based on image property parameters

• US 7,199,829 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2001
• Issued: 04/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsui, Seiichi, Fujii, Tadashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Srivastava; Vivek
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hannett; James M.
• Application Number:
  US09/800,736
• Publication Number:
  US 20010020978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,217 Days
• Field of Search: 348/184, 348/185, 348/207.99, 348/333.02, 348/333.12, 348/231.99, 348/231.9, 382/168
• US Class Current: 348/333.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/6011 with simulation on a subsidiary picture reproducer H04N1/622 takes precedence; matching two or more picture reproducers H04N1/6052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction

Abstract

An image signal outputted from a CCD is converted into a digital signal by an A/D converter via a sampling hold circuit. After A/D conversion, the image data before image processing is stored in a first memory. A signal processing part performs image processing with respect to the unprocessed image data read out from the first memory in view of image property parameter data in accordance with an instruction from a CPU. The image after the image processing is displayed on a display. The user looks at the displayed image and selects, through an image property setting device, an image property parameter that the user desires, then inputs instructions such as change of parameter and adjustment. The signal processing part executes re-processing with respect to the unprocessed image data read out from the first memory, in accordance with new image property parameter data that is newly set by the user. The image property parameters are: white balance, gradation, gain, tonality, sharpness, and so forth.

Claims

1. An electronic camera, comprising:

an imaging device which converts an optical image into an analog image signal;

an A/D converter which converts the analog image signal outputted from the imaging device into a digital image signal;

an unprocessed data storing device which stores the digital image signal outputted from the A/D converter as unprocessed image data;

a signal processing device which processes the unprocessed image data read out from the unprocessed data storing device into a processed image data in accordance with an image property parameter;

an image property setting device through which an instruction is inputted to change data of the image property parameter;

a display which displays an image represented by the processed image data processed by the signal processing device in accordance with the data of the image property parameter set with the image property setting device;

a compression process device which compresses the processed image data; and

a recording device which records the processed image data compressed by the compression process device in a recording medium,

wherein the display displays at least one of histogram, average level, peak level, and bottom level of the result of the image processing, which is processed according to the image property setting designated by a user,

wherein the image property setting device and the signal processing device work cooperatively to repeatedly query whether a user is satisfied with the processed image data, query for changes to the image property parameter in the event that the user is not satisfied, and process the unprocessed image data to produce a new processed image data in accordance with the correspondingly changed image property parameter until the user is satisfied, an image represented by the new processed image data is displayed on the display, and

wherein when the user is satisfied, the compression process device compresses image data corresponding to the processed image data displayed on the display and the recording device stores the compressed image data in the recording medium.

2. The electronic camera of claim 1, wherein the unprocessed image data stored in the unprocessed image data storing device includes supplemental data that covers a defective pixel data.

3. The electronic camera of claim 1, wherein the recording medium is a removable memory medium.

4. The electronic camera of claim 1, wherein the imaging parameter includes at least one of white balance, gradation, brightness, tonality, and sharpness.

5. The electronic camera of claim 1, further comprising:

an instruction input device which inputs a recording instruction for the processed image data corresponding to the image displayed on the display to be recorded in the recording medium,

wherein the instruction input device inputs the recording instruction when the user indicates satisfaction with the processed image data.

6. The electronic camera of claim 5, further comprising:

a processed data storing device which stores the processed image data processed by the signal processing device,

wherein the display displays the image represented by the processed imaged data stored in the processed data storing device, and

wherein the compression process device compresses the processed image read data from the processed data storing device.

7. An electronic camera, comprising:

an imaging device which converts an optical image into an analog image signal;

an A/D converter which converts the analog image signal outputted from the imaging device into a digital image signal;

a first buffer which stores the digital image signal outputted from the A/D converter as unprocessed image data;

a signal processing device which processes the unprocessed image data read out from the first buffer into a processed image data in accordance with an image property parameter;

a second buffer which stores processed image data outputted from the signal processing device;

an image property setting device through which an instruction is inputted to change data of the image property parameter; and

a display which displays an image represented by the processed image data processed by the signal processing device in accordance with the data of the image property parameter set with the image property setting device;

a compression process device which compresses the processed image data read from the second buffer; and

a recording device which records the processed image data compressed by the compression process device in a recording medium,

wherein the image property setting device and the signal processing device work cooperatively to repeatedly query whether a user is satisfied with the processed image data, query for changes to the image property parameter in the event that the user is not satisfied, and process the unprocessed image data to produce a new processed image data in accordance with the correspondingly changed image property parameter until the user is satisfied, the new processed image data being stored in the second buffer and an image represented by the new processed image data is displayed on the display, and

wherein when the user is satisfied, the compression device compresses image data corresponding to the processed image data read from the second buffer and the recording device stores the compressed image data in the recording medium.

8. The electronic camera of claim 7, wherein the unprocessed image data stored in the first buffer includes supplemental data that covers a defective pixel data.

9. The electronic camera of claim 7, further comprising:

an instruction input device which inputs a recording instruction for the processed image data corresponding to the image displayed on the display to be recorded in the recording medium,

wherein the instruction input device inputs the recording instruction when the user indicates satisfaction with the processed image data.

10. The electronic camera of claim 7, wherein the recording medium is a removable memory medium.

11. The electronic camera of claim 7, wherein the imaging parameter includes at least one of white balance, gradation, brightness, tonality, and sharpness.

12. An image processing method, comprising:

retrieving unprocessed data from an unprocessed data storage device;

processing the unprocessed data into processed image data based on imaging parameters;

querying whether a user is satisfied with the processed image data;

querying for changes to the imaging parameters in the event that the user is not satisfied;

processing the unprocessed image data based on changes to the imaging parameters;

repeating the querying and processing steps until the user indicates satisfaction; and

compressing the processed image data and storing the compressed image data in a recording medium when the user indicates satisfaction.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the recording medium is a removable memory medium.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising displaying on a display an image corresponding to the processed image data, the imaging parameters, and at least one of a histogram average level, peak level, and bottom level of the processed image data.

15. The method claim 12, wherein the unprocessed image data stored in the unprocessed image data includes supplemental data that covers a defective pixel data.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the imaging parameters include at least one of white balance, gradation, brightness, tonality, and sharpness.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising displaying on a display an image corresponding to the processed image data, the imaging parameters, and at least one of a histogram average level, peak level, and bottom level of the processed image data.

18. An electronic camera, comprising:

an imaging device which converts an optical image into an analog image signal;

an A/D converter which converts the analog image signal outputted from the imaging device into a digital image signal;

a first memory which stores a first image data that is outputted from the A/D converter as unprocessed image data after the conversion;

a signal processing device which processes the first image data read out from the first memory in accordance with an image property parameter;

an image property setting device through which an instruction is inputted to change data of the image property parameter;

a second memory which stores a second image data obtained by processing the first image data in the signal process device according to the data of the image property parameter set with the image property setting device;

a display which displays an image represented by the second image data stored in the second memory;

an instruction input device which inputs a recording instruction for the second image corresponding to the image displayed on the display to be recorded in a recording medium;

a compression process device which compresses the second image data according to the recording instruction from the instruction input device; and

a recording device which records the second image data compressed by the compression process device in the recording medium,

wherein when the recording instruction is not inputted by the instruction input device and the instruction to change data of the image property parameter is inputted by the image property setting device, a new second image data is produced by the signal processing device by processing the first image data according to the changed data of the image property parameter, the new second image data is stored in the second memory and an image represented by the new second image data stored in the second memory is displayed on the display, and

wherein when the recording instruction is inputted by the instruction input device, the second image data corresponding to the image displayed on the display is compressed by the compression process device and recorded in the recording medium as compressed image data.

19. The electronic camera of claim 18, wherein the recording medium is a removable memory medium.

20. The electronic camera of claim 18, wherein the imaging parameter includes at least one of white balance, gradation, brightness, tonality, and sharpness.