Image processing device performing image correction by using a plurality of sample images

• US 8,159,716 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2008
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Kondo, Masaki, Hasegawa, Tomohiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Madelein A
• Application Number:
  US12/194,680
• Publication Number:
  US 20090059251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,336 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.9, 358/537, 358/538, 358/540, 358/539, 358/520, 358/518, 358/501, 358/528, 382/167, 382/165, 382/164, 382/274, 382/282, 382/318
• US Class Current: 358/1.9
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00005 relating to image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00047 using an image not specifically designed for the purpose
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00068 Calculating or estimating
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00087 Setting or calibrating picture signal circuits H04N1/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00132 in a digital photofinishing system, i.e. a system where digital photographic images undergo typical photofinishing processing, e.g. printing ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00161 Viewing or previewing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00167 Processing or editing H04N1/00196 - H04N1/00201 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00175 from a still image storage medium H04N1/00172, H04N1/0018 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00188 Printing, e.g. prints or reprints H04N1/0019, H04N1/00196 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0035 User-machine interface; Control console input or output arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2307 Circuits or arrangements for the control thereof, e.g. using a programmed control device, according to a measured quantity H04N1/27, H04N1/29 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/233 according to characteristics of the data to be reproduced, e.g. number of lines
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

An image processing device includes a first image inputting unit, a comprehensive first characteristic quantity data determining unit, a second image inputting unit, a second characteristic quantity data determining unit, and an image correcting unit. The first image inputting unit is configured so as to be capable of inputting a plurality of first images. The comprehensive first characteristic quantity data determining unit determines comprehensive first characteristic quantity data based on the plurality of first images inputted by the first image inputting unit. The second image inputting unit is configured so as to be capable of inputting a second image. The second characteristic quantity data determining unit determines second characteristic quantity data expressing a characteristic of the second image inputted by the second image inputting unit. The image correcting unit corrects the second image based on the comprehensive first characteristic quantity data and the second characteristic quantity data.

Claims

1. An image processing device comprising:

a first image inputting unit that is configured so as to be capable of inputting a plurality of first images;

a comprehensive first characteristic quantity data determining unit that determines comprehensive first characteristic quantity data based on the plurality of first images inputted by the first image inputting unit;

a second image inputting unit that is configured so as to be capable of inputting a second image;

a second characteristic quantity data determining unit that determines second characteristic quantity data expressing a characteristic of the second image inputted by the second image inputting unit;

an image correcting unit that corrects the second image based on the comprehensive first characteristic quantity data and the second characteristic quantity data,

a correction-result indicating image creating unit that creates a correction-result indicating image based on the plurality of first images and the second image, the correction- result indicating image indicating the second image corrected by the image correcting unit; and

an outputting unit that outputs the correction-result indicating image,

wherein, after the outputting unit outputs the correction-result indicating image, the first image inputting unit inputs another first image;

wherein the comprehensive first characteristic quantity data determining unit updates the comprehensive first characteristic quantity data based on the first images, based on which the correction-result indicating image is created, and the another first images; and

wherein the image correcting unit corrects the second image based on the updated comprehensive first characteristic quantity data and the second characteristic quantity data.

2. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein the comprehensive first characteristic quantity data determining unit comprises:

a merging unit that merges the plurality of first images in a comprehensive first image; and

a determining unit that determines, as the first characteristic quantity data, characteristic quantity data expressing a characteristic of the comprehensive first image.

3. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein the outputting unit is configured of a display unit that displays the second image corrected by the image correcting unit.

4. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein the outputting unit is configured of a printing unit that prints the second image corrected by the image correcting unit.

5. The image processing device according to claim 1, further comprising a selecting unit that enables a user to select at least one of the plurality of first images after the outputting unit outputs the correction-result indicating image,

wherein the comprehensive first characteristic quantity data determining unit updates comprehensive first characteristic quantity data based on the plurality of first images, based on which the correction-result indicating image is created, except for the first image selected by the selecting unit, and

wherein the image correcting unit corrects the second image based on the updated comprehensive first characteristic quantity data and the second characteristic quantity data.

6. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein the outputting unit further comprises a thumbnail image creating unit that creates a thumbnail image based on the second image, and creates the correction-result indicating image based on the thumbnail image and the plurality of first images.

7. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein the image correcting unit corrects the second image according to a correcting value for each of a plurality of pixels constituting the second image, the correcting value being calculated based on the comprehensive first characteristic quantity data and the second characteristic quantity data.

8. An image processing device comprising:

a first image inputting unit that is configured so as to be capable of inputting a plurality of first images;

a comprehensive first characteristic quantity data determining unit that determines comprehensive first characteristic quantity data based on the plurality of first images inputted by the first image inputting unit;

a second image inputting unit that is configured so as to be capable of inputting a second image;

a second characteristic quantity data determining unit that determines second characteristic quantity data expressing a characteristic of the second image inputted by the second image inputting unit; and

an image correcting unit that corrects the second image based on the comprehensive first characteristic quantity data and the second characteristic quantity data,

wherein the comprehensive first characteristic quantity data determining unit comprises a first characteristic quantity data determining unit that determines a set of first characteristic quantity data expressing a characteristic of each first image, and a determining unit that determines the comprehensive first characteristic quantity data based on the plurality of sets of first characteristic quantity data of the plurality of first images,

wherein the first characteristic quantity data determining unit comprises a first dividing unit that divides, for each first image, a plurality of pixels constituting the each first image into a plurality of classifications based on a prescribed classification criteria,

wherein the first characteristic quantity data determining unit determines, for each first image, a first characteristic value for each classification,

wherein the comprehensive first image quantity data determining unit further comprises a characteristic value selecting unit that selects, for each classification, one from among the characteristic values determined for all the classifications, and

wherein the comprehensive first image quantity data determining unit determines the comprehensive first image quantity data based on the characteristic values selected for the plurality of classifications,

wherein the second characteristic quantity data determining unit comprises a second dividing unit that divides a plurality of pixels constituting the second image into a plurality of classifications based on a prescribed classification criteria,

wherein the second characteristic quantity data determining unit determines, as the second characteristic quantity data, a second characteristic value for each classification, and

wherein the image correcting unit corrects the second image based on the comprehensive first characteristic quantity data and the second characteristic quantity data to change the characteristic of second image closer to a characteristic corresponding to the comprehensive first characteristic quantity data.

9. The image processing device according to claim 8, wherein the first characteristic quantity data determining unit determines the first characteristic quantity data for the plurality of first images based on at least a part of the each first image, and

wherein the comprehensive first characteristic data determining unit further comprises a size determining unit that determines a size of the at least a part of each first image, thereby determining a plurality of sizes for the plurality of first images, respectively,

wherein the determining unit determines the comprehensive first characteristic quantity data based on the plurality of first characteristic quantity data and the plurality of sizes determined by the size determining unit.

10. The image processing device according to claim 8, wherein the first characteristic data determining unit comprises a ratio-calculating unit that calculates, for each first image, a ratio of the first image occupied by the pixels belonging to each classification, and

wherein the characteristic value selecting unit that selects, for each classification, the characteristic value corresponding to a first image that has the largest ratio occupied by pixels for the each classification, and

wherein the comprehensive first image quantity data determining unit determines the comprehensive first image quantity data based on the characteristic values selected for all the classifications.

11. The image processing device according to claim 8, wherein the first characteristic data determining unit divides, based on hue values of the plurality of pixels, the plurality of pixels constituting each first image into the plurality of classifications, and

wherein the second characteristic data determining unit divides, based on hue values of the plurality of pixels, the plurality of pixels constituting the second image into the plurality of classifications.

12. An image processing device comprising:

a first image inputting unit that is configured so as to be capable of inputting a plurality of first images;

a comprehensive first characteristic quantity data determining unit that determines comprehensive first characteristic quantity data based on the plurality of first images inputted by the first image inputting unit;

a second image inputting unit that is configured so as to be capable of inputting a second image;

a second characteristic quantity data determining unit that determines second characteristic quantity data expressing a characteristic of the second image inputted by the second image inputting unit; and

an image correcting unit that corrects the second image based on the comprehensive first characteristic quantity data and the second characteristic quantity data,

wherein the first image inputting unit inputs the first image optically read from a document placed in a prescribed reading position, and inputs a plurality of images independently from one another as a plurality of first images when the plurality of images are read from the document,

wherein the first image inputting unit inputs the plurality of images read in a plurality of scanning regions divided within the reading position as the plurality of first images, and

wherein the first image inputting unit further comprises a judging unit that judges whether the document is set in the reading position when a mean brightness of an image scanned in the scanning region is greater than or equal to a predetermined value.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium that stores an image processing program, the image processing program comprising instructions for:

inputting a plurality of first images;

determining comprehensive first characteristic quantity data based on the plurality of first images;

inputting a second image;

determining second characteristic quantity data expressing a characteristic of the second image;

correcting the second image based on the comprehensive first characteristic quantity data and the second characteristic quantity data,

creating a correction-result indicating image based on the plurality of first images and the second image, the correction-result indicating image indicating the second image corrected by the image correcting step;

outputting the correction-result indicating image, wherein, after outputting the correction- result indicating image, another first image is input,

updating the comprehensive first characteristic quantity data based on the first images, based on which the correction-result indicating image is created, and the another first images, and

correcting the second image based on the updated comprehensive first characteristic quantity data and the second characteristic quantity data.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium that stores an image processing program, the image processing program comprising instructions for:

inputting a plurality of first images;

determining comprehensive first characteristic quantity data based on the plurality of first images inputted by the first image inputting unit;

inputting a second image;

determining second characteristic quantity data expressing a characteristic of the second image; and

correcting the second image based on the comprehensive first characteristic quantity data and the second characteristic quantity data,

determining a set of first characteristic quantity data expressing a characteristic of each first image,

determining the comprehensive first characteristic quantity data based on the plurality of sets of first characteristic quantity data of the plurality of first images,

dividing, for each first image, a plurality of pixels constituting the each first image into a plurality of classifications based on a prescribed classification criteria,

determining, for each first image, a first characteristic value for each classification,

selecting, for each classification, one from among the characteristic values determined for all the classifications,

determining the comprehensive first image quantity data based on the characteristic values selected for the plurality of classifications,

dividing a plurality of pixels constituting the second image into a plurality of classifications based on a prescribed classification criteria,

determining, as the second characteristic quantity data, a second characteristic value for each classification, and

correcting the second image based on the comprehensive first characteristic quantity data and the second characteristic quantity data to change the characteristic of second image closer to a characteristic corresponding to the comprehensive first characteristic quantity data.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium that stores an image processing program, the image processing program comprising instructions for:

inputting a plurality of first images;

determining comprehensive first characteristic quantity data based on the plurality of first images inputted by the first image inputting unit;

inputting a second image;

determining second characteristic quantity data expressing a characteristic of the second image;

correcting the second image based on the comprehensive first characteristic quantity data and the second characteristic quantity data,

inputting the first image optically read from a document placed in a prescribed reading position, and inputting a plurality of images independently from one another as a plurality of first images when the plurality of images are read from the document,

inputting the plurality of images read in a plurality of scanning regions divided within the reading position as the plurality of first images, and

judging whether the document is set in the reading position when a mean brightness of an image scanned in the scanning region is greater than or equal to a predetermined value.