Method of processing image

• US 7,369,285 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2006
• Issued: 05/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Morikawa, Seiichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, ANH-VINH THI
• Application Number:
  US11/375,252
• Publication Number:
  US 20060158705A1
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.9, 358/521, 358/520, 358/518, 358/538, 358/540, 358/529, 382/167, 382/162
• US Class Current: 358/521
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/407 Control or modification of tonal gradation or of extreme levels, e.g. background level
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/6027 Correction or control of colour gradation or colour contrast H04N1/6058 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/6075 Corrections to the hue
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/62 Retouching, i.e. modification of isolated colours only or in isolated picture areas only

Abstract

An attentional portion to be corrected in gradation of an image is specified, and a gradation corrective function with respect to a density of the specified attentional portion is generated. Preset gradation conversion characteristics are corrected with the gradation corrective function, and the gradation of the image is converted according to the corrected gradation conversion characteristics. The gradation conversion characteristics can be corrected in the vicinity of a desired density.

Claims

1. A method of processing an image by way of gradation conversion, comprising the steps of:

specifying plural attentional portions on a displayed image;

generating a first gradation corrective function with respect to density values of the plural specified attentional portions;

correcting a preset gradation conversion characteristic with the first gradation corrective function; and

converting the gradation of said image according to the corrected gradation conversion characteristic,

wherein the first gradation corrective function which corrects a predetermined area of the preset gradation conversion characteristic is generated based the displayed image,

wherein the attentional portions are specified by setting a designation mark on the displayed image, and a second gradation corrective function which corrects the gradation conversion characteristic with respect to gradations of the attentional portions is generated, and the gradation conversion characteristic is corrected based on the first and second gradation corrective functions.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

saving at least one of said first and second gradation corrective function, so that the saved gradation corrective function can be read and used.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the read gradation corrective function can be corrected.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plural attentional portions comprise a subset of data which is less than a frame of an image.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the plural attentional portions are discontinuous from each other.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the frame includes attentional portions and non-attentional portions, and wherein the non-attentional portions are not used when generating the common gradation corrective function and obtaining the preset gradation conversion characteristic.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the plural attentional portions comprise discontinuously located spots.

8. A method of processing an image by way of gradation conversion, comprising the steps of:

specifying an attentional portion of an image, said attentional portion including a combination of plural color signals;

generating a first gradation corrective function with respect to density values of the plural color signals of the specified attentional portion;

correcting a preset gradation conversion characteristic with said first gradation corrective function; and

converting the gradation of said image according to the corrected gradation conversion characteristic, wherein the first gradation corrective function which corrects a predetermined area of the preset gradation conversion characteristic is generated based the displayed image,

wherein the attentional portion is specified by setting a designation mark on the displayed image, and a second gradation corrective function which corrects the gradation conversion characteristic with respect to gradation of the attentional portion is generated, and the gradation conversion characteristic is corrected based on the first and second gradation corrective functions.

9. A method of processing a color image by way of color correction, comprising the steps of:

specifying plural attentional portions of the color image;

generating a first color corrective function with respect to density values of color signals of the plural specified attentional portions; and

correcting said color with said first color corrective function,

wherein the first color corrective function which corrects color of a predetermined area is generated based the displayed image,

wherein the attentional portions are specified by setting a designation mark on the displayed image, and a second color corrective function which corrects the color of the attentional portions is generated, and the color is corrected based on the first and second color corrective functions.