Method, apparatus and recording medium for image processing

• US 7,251,054 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2000
• Issued: 07/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Takemoto, Fumito
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Thomas D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRINICH, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US09/748,002
• Publication Number:
  US 20020018224A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,407 Days
• Field of Search: 358500-501, 358/518, 358520-523, 358298-300, 358/1.9, 358/538, 345/589
• US Class Current: 358/1.9
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/622 with simulation on a subsidiary picture reproducer

Abstract

The color and tone of an image of an object are changed to a color and tone desired by a user. Image data including an image of an object is input to image processing means and displayed on a monitor. The user observes the image displayed on the monitor and selects an area including an image of an object having the desired color and tone, and an area including the image of an object whose color and tone are to be changed to the desired color and tone. The image processing means extracts color pixels from each respective specified area and generates cumulative histograms of the color pixels as characteristic quantitative data representing the color and tone. Based on the cumulative histograms, the color-tone of the area including the image of the latter object is changed, and processed image data whose color and tone have been changed is obtained.

Claims

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

receiving specification of a first area having a desired color-tone in a displayed image;

receiving specification of a second area in the image or in another image; and

changing a color-tone of a desired area including the second area into the color-tone of the first area while gradually changing the color tone at a border of the second area.

2. The image processing method of claim 1, wherein the step of changing the color-tone of the desired area including the second area includes:

obtaining cumulative histograms of the first area and the second area; and

correlating the cumulative histogram of the first area and the cumulative histogram of the second area.

3. The image processing method of claim 1, wherein the step of changing the color-tone of the desired area including the second area includes changing the color-tone of a skin color area included in the second area to the color-tone of a skin color included in the first area.

4. The image processing method of claim 1, wherein the first area includes a plurality of facial areas.

5. The image processing method of claim 1, wherein the desired area that includes the second area is one of an entirety of the second area, a specific area within the second area, an entirety of an image that includes the second area, and an area comprising the second area and other areas.

6. The image processing method of claim 1, wherein the color tone at the border of the second area is gradually chanced such that a transition of the color tone of the second area from the border of the second area to the desired color tone is gradual.

7. The image processing method of claim 1, further comprising:

extracting a first skin-color area within the first area, after receiving the specification of the first area; and

setting the desired color-tone as a color tone of the first skin-color area of the first area,

wherein the first skin-color area is an area within the first area with a color-tone that is within a predefined skin-color range.

8. An image processing apparatus, comprising:

display means for image display;

area specification means for specifying a first area having a desired color-tone in an image displayed on the display means and a second area in the image or in another image; and

conversion means for converting a color-tone of a desired area including the second area into the color-tone of the first area while gradually changing the color tone at a border of the second area.

9. The image processing apparatus of claim 8, wherein the conversion means are configured to:

obtain cumulative histograms of the first area and the second area; and

correlate the cumulative histogram of the first area and the cumulative histogram of the second area.

10. The image processing apparatus of claim 8, wherein the conversion means are configured to change the color-tone of a skin color area included in the second area to the color-tone of a skin color included in the first area.

11. The image processing apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first area includes a plurality of facial areas.

12. The image processing apparatus of claim 8, wherein the desired area that includes the second area is one of an entirety of the second area, a specific area within the second area, an entirety of an image that includes the second area, and an area comprising the second area and other areas.

13. The image processing apparatus of claim 8, wherein the conversion means gradually changes the color tone at the border of the second area such that a transition of the color tone of the second area from the border of the second area to the desired color tone is gradual.

14. The image processing apparatus of claim 8,

wherein the area specification means extract a first skin-color area within the first area, after specifying the first area, and set the desired color-tone as a color tone of the first skin-color area of the first area, and

wherein the first skin-color area is an area within the first area with a color-tone that is within a predefined skin-color range.

15. A computer-readable recording medium storing a computer program to cause a computer to execute the procedures of:

receiving specification of a first area having a desired color-tone in a displayed image;

receiving specification of a second area in the image or in another image; and

changing a color-tone of a desired area including the second area into the color-tone of the first area while gradually changing the color tone at a border of the second area.

16. The computer-readable recording medium of claim 15, wherein the procedure of changing the color-tone of the desired area including the second area includes:

obtaining cumulative histograms of the first area and the second area; and

correlating the cumulative histogram of the first area and the cumulative histogram of the second area.

17. The computer-readable recording medium of claim 15, wherein the procedure of changing the color-tone of the desired area including the second area includes changing the color-tone of a skin color area included in the second area to the color-tone of a skin color included in the first area.

18. The computer-readable recording medium of claim 15, wherein the first area includes a plurality of facial areas.

19. The computer-readable recording medium of claim 15, wherein the desired area that includes the second area is one of an entirety of the second area, a specific area within the second area, an entirety of an image that includes the second area, and an area comprising the second area and other areas.

20. The computer-readable recording medium of claim 15, wherein the procedure of gradually changing the color tone at the border of the second area changes the color tone such that a transition of the color tone of the second area from the border of the second area to the desired color tone is gradual.