Color reproducing device

• US 7,672,017 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2008
• Issued: 03/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Ishii, Kensuke, Ohyama, Nagaaki, Obi, Takashi, Komiya, Yasuhiro, Yamaguchi, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, II; Jerome
• Application Number:
  US12/210,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20090016602A1
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: 358/501, 358/504, 358/518, 358/1.9, 358/509, 358/2.1, 358/520, 358/523, 382/167, 348/222.1, 348/223.1
• US Class Current: 358/1.9
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/603 controlled by characteristics of the picture signal generator or the picture reproducer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/6086 by scene illuminant, i.e. conditions at the time of picture capture, e.g. flash, optical filter used, evening, cloud, daylight, artificial lighting, white point measurement, colour temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/6088 by viewing conditions, i.e. conditions at picture output

Abstract

A multi-spectral camera is provided which includes an image pickup optical system which forms an image of a subject. A wavelength selecting device receives light beams from the image pickup optical system and outputs a light beam having a selected wavelength. A wavelength switching device selectively switches the selected wavelength of the wavelength selecting device. An image pickup element receives the light beam output from the wavelength selecting device and outputs image data. A spectroscope receives the light beams from the image pickup optical system and outputs spectral data. And a subject characteristic calculating unit calculates a spectral data characteristic of the subject from the spectral data output from the spectroscope.

Claims

1. A color reproduction device comprising color correction means for performing color conversion on an input image, which is an image of an object to be a subject shot, wherein the color correction means comprises:

an input profile creation section which calculates an input profile using shooting characteristics of an image input device which shoots the input image and shooting-time lighting data, which is spectrum data of lighting used when shooting the input image; and

an input profile operation section which converts the input image into a device-independent color image with reference to the input profile.

2. The color reproduction device according to claim 1, wherein the input profile creation section calculates the input profile using further statistical data on spectrum of the subject.

3. The color reproduction device according to claim 1, wherein the input profile creation section creates the input profile in a matrix form;

and

the input profile operation section converts into the device-independent color image by matrix operation using the input file of the matrix form.

4. The color reproduction device according to claim 1, wherein the input profile creation section and the input profile operation section each further comprises a selection section which selects appropriate information from various information inputs, in which the input image, the shooting characteristics of the image input device and the shooting-time lighting data are supplied from one of the image input device, an input device provided exclusively therefore, a network that connects to external devices, and a storage medium.

5. The color reproduction device according to claim 1, wherein the color correction means includes an information database which stores at least the shooting characteristics of the image input device and the shooting-time lighting data, to which can be referred when calculating the input file.

6. The color reproduction device according to claim 1, further comprising an image output device, wherein the color correction means further comprises:

an output profile creation section which calculates an output profile using information concerning the image output device; and

an output profile operation section which converts the device independent color image into an output image to be outputted from the image output device with reference to the output profile.

7. The color reproduction device according to claim 6, wherein the color correction means further comprises a bias subtraction section which subtracts bias values of color signal, created by surrounding environment light irradiated from the device-independent color image to an output surface of the image output device and offset of the image output device, and

the output profile operation section, after the subtraction of the bias values by the bias subtracting section, converts the device-independent color image to an output image with reference to the output profile.

8. The color reproduction device according to claim 1, wherein the color correction means comprises:

a color correction preprocessing section and a color correction postprocessing section connected via a network to the color correction preprocessing section,

the color correction preprocessing section comprises;

the input profile creation section; and

the input profile operation section, and transfers the device-independent color image converted by the input profile operation section to the color correction postprocessing section, and

the color correction postprocessing section further comprises;

an output profile creation section which calculates an output profile using information concerning the image output device; and

an output profile creation section which converts the device independent color image into an output image to be outputted from the image output device with reference to the output profile.

9. The color reproduction device according to claim 8, wherein the color correction means further comprises a bias subtraction section which subtracts bias values of color signal, created by surrounding environment light irradiated from the device-independent color image to an output surface of the image output device and offset of the image output device, and the output profile operation section, after the subtraction of the bias values by the bias subtracting section, converts the device-independent color image to an output image with reference to the output profile.

10. The color reproduction device according to claim 8, further comprising an image input device.

11. The color reproduction device according to claim 10, further comprising:

a chromaticity detection sensor which detects a chromaticity value of lighting in a site where an image of the subject should be observed; and

an external light operation section which converts the chromaticity value from the chromaticity detection sensor into an XYZ value,

wherein the chromaticity detection sensor is formed to be attachable to the image output device.

12. The color reproduction device according to claim 10, further comprising a lighting detection sensor which detects lighting in a site where an image of the subject should be observed.

13. The color reproduction device according to claim 1, further comprising an image input device and an image output device.

14. The color reproduction device according to claim 13, wherein the image input device further comprises:

a lighting detection sensor which detects lighting when shooting with the image input device; and

a shooting-time lighting data detection section which processes a signal of the lighting detected by the lighting detection sensor.

15. The color reproduction device according to claim 13, further comprising a lighting detection sensor which detects lighting in a site where an image of the subject should be observed.

16. The color reproduction device according to claim 1, further comprising an image input device.

17. The color reproduction device according to claim 16, wherein the image input device further comprises:

a lighting detection sensor which detects lighting when shooting with the image input device; and

a shooting-time lighting data detection section which processes a signal of the lighting detected by the lighting detection sensor.

18. The color reproduction device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a color correction preprocessing section which converts a format of data of the image data into lighting convertible image data having a color convertible data structure using the shooting characteristics of the image input device and the shooting-time lighting data,

wherein the input profile creation section calculates the input profile using the shooting characteristics divided from the lighting convertible image data and the shooting-time lighting data; and

the input profile operation section converts the input image data divided from the lighting convertible image data into a device-independent color image with reference to the input profile.

19. The color reproduction device according to claim 18, further comprising an image input device and an image output device.

20. The color reproduction device according to claim 19, wherein the image input device further comprises:

a lighting detection sensor which detects lighting when shooting with the image input device; and

a shooting-time lighting data detection section which processes a signal of the lighting detected by the lighting detection sensor.

21. The color reproduction device according to claim 19, further comprising a lighting detection sensor which detects lighting in a site where an image of the subject should be observed.

22. The color reproduction device according to claim 18, further comprising an image input device.

23. The color reproduction device according to claim 22, wherein the image input device further comprises:

a lighting detection sensor which detects lighting when shooting with the image input device; and

a shooting-time lighting data detection section which processes a signal of the lighting detected by the lighting detection sensor.

24. The color reproduction device according to claim 18, wherein the input profile creation section calculates the input profile using observation-time lighting data which is spectral data of lighting in a location where an image of the subject is to be observed.

25. The color reproduction device according to claim 24, wherein the input profile creation section and the input profile operation section each further comprises a selection section which selects appropriate information from various information inputs, in which the input image, the shooting characteristics of the image input device and the shooting-time lighting data are supplied from one of the image input device, an input device provided exclusively therefore, a network that connects to external devices, and a storage medium.

26. The color reproduction device according to claim 24, further comprising an image input device.

27. The color reproduction device according to claim 26, wherein the image input device further comprises:

a lighting detection sensor which detects lighting when shooting with the image input device; and

a shooting-time lighting data detection section which processes a signal of the lighting detected by the lighting detection sensor.

28. The color reproduction device according to claim 18, wherein the lighting convertible image data comprises a plurality of image data assigned to band numbers of the input image, the shooting characteristics of the image input device, the shooting-time lighting data and various header information.

29. The color reproduction device according to claim 28, wherein the input profile creation section calculates the input profile using observation-time lighting data which is spectral data of lighting in a location where an image of the subject is to be observed.

30. The color reproduction device according to claim 29, wherein the input profile creation section and the input profile operation section each further comprises a selection section which selects appropriate information from various information inputs, in which the input image, the shooting characteristics of the image input device and the shooting-time lighting data are supplied from one of the image input device, an input device provided exclusively therefore, a network that connects to external devices, and a storage medium.

31. The color reproduction device according to claim 29, further comprising an image input device.

32. The color reproduction device according to claim 31, wherein the image input device further comprises:

a lighting detection sensor which detects lighting when shooting with the image input device; and

a shooting-time lighting data detection section which processes a signal of the lighting detected by the lighting detection sensor.

33. The color reproduction device according to claim 1, wherein:

the color correction means comprises a color correction preprocessing section and a color correction postprocessing section connected via a network to the color correction preprocessing section,

the input profile creation section further includes;

a first input profile creation section provided in the color correction preprocessing section, which calculates a first input profile using the shooting characteristics of the image input device and the shooting-time lighting data; and

a second input profile creation section provided in the color correction postprocessing section, which calculates a second input profile using at least one of observation-time lighting data, which is spectral data of lighting in a location where an image of the subject is to be observed, and statistical data on spectrum of the subject; and

the input profile operation section further includes;

a first input profile operation section provided in the color correction preprocessing section, which converts a format of data of the input image data into lighting convertible image data having a color convertible data structure, which is analogous to a spectral reflectance of the subject, with reference to the first input profile; and

a second input profile operation section provided in the color correction postprocessing section, which converts the lighting convertible image data transmitted from the color correction preprocessing section, into a device-independent color image with reference to the second input profile.

34. The color reproduction device according to claim 33, wherein the lighting convertible image data comprises a plurality of image data assigned to band numbers of the input image, and spectral data analogous to the spectral reflectance of each of a plurality of the subjects corresponding to the band numbers.

35. The color reproduction device according to claim 33, further comprises an image input device.

36. The color reproduction device according to claim 35, wherein the image input device further comprises:

a lighting detection sensor which detects lighting when shooting with the image input device; and

a shooting-time lighting data detection section which processes a signal of the lighting detected by the lighting detection sensor.

37. The color reproduction device according to claim 33, further comprising an image input device and an image output device.

38. The color reproduction device according to claim 37, wherein the image input device further comprises:

a lighting detection sensor which detects lighting when shooting with the image input device; and

a shooting-time lighting data detection section which processes a signal of the lighting detected by the lighting detection sensor.

39. The color reproduction device according to claim 37, further comprising a lighting detection sensor which detects lighting in a site where an image of the subject should be observed.

40. The color reproduction device according to claim 1, wherein the input profile creation section calculates the input profile using observation-time lighting data which is spectral data of lighting in a location where an image of the subject is to be observed.

41. The color reproduction device according to claim 40, further comprising an image input device.

42. The color reproduction device according to claim 41, wherein the image input device further comprises:

a lighting detection sensor which detects lighting when shooting with the image input device; and

a shooting-time lighting data detection section which processes a signal of the lighting detected by the lighting detection sensor.

43. The color reproduction device according to claim 40, wherein the input profile creation section and the input profile operation section each further comprises a selection section which selects appropriate information from various information inputs, in which the input image, the shooting characteristics of the image input device and the shooting-time lighting data are supplied from one of the image input device, an input device provided exclusively therefore, a network that connects to external devices, and a storage medium.

44. A color reproduction device comprising color correction means for performing color conversion on an input image, which is an image of an object to be a subject shot, wherein the color correction means comprises:

an input/output profile creation section which calculates

an input/output profile using shooting characteristics of an image input device which shoots the input image, shooting-time lighting data, which is spectrum data of lighting used when shooting the input image and information relating to an image output device; and

an input/output profile operation section which converts the input image into an output image to be outputted from the image output device with reference to the input/output profile.

45. The color reproduction device according to claim 44, further comprising:

a color correction preprocessing section which converts a format of data of the input image data into lighting convertible image data having a color convertible data structure using the shooting characteristics of the image input device and the shooting-time lighting data,

wherein the input/output profile creation section calculates the input/output profile using the shooting characteristics divided from the lighting convertible image data and the shooting-time lighting data; and

the input/output profile operation section converts the input image data divided from the lighting convertible image data into a device-independent color image with reference to the input/output profile.

46. The color reproduction device according to claim 45, wherein the lighting convertible image data comprises a plurality of image data assigned to band numbers of the input image, the shooting characteristics of the image input device, the shooting-time lighting data and various header information.

47. The color reproduction device according to claim 44, further comprising an image input device.

48. The color reproduction device according to claim 47, further comprising:

a chromaticity detection sensor which detects a chromaticity value of lighting in a site where an image of the subject should be observed; and

an external light operation section which converts the chromaticity value from the chromaticity detection sensor into an XYZ value,

wherein the chromaticity detection sensor is formed to be attachable to the image output device.

49. The color reproduction device according to claim 47, further comprising a lighting detection sensor which detects lighting in a site where an image of the subject should be observed.

50. The color reproduction device according to claims 44, further comprising an image input device and an image output device.

51. The color reproduction device according to claim 50, wherein the image input device further comprises:

a lighting detection sensor which detects lighting when shooting with the image input device; and

a shooting-time lighting data detection section which processes a signal of the lighting detected by the lighting detection sensor.

52. The color reproduction device according to claim 50, further comprising a lighting detection sensor which detects lighting in a site where an image of the subject should be observed.

53. A color reproduction device comprising an image input section and a color correction section which performs color conversion on an input image, which is an image of an object to be a subject shot,

wherein the color correction section comprises:

an input profile creation section which calculates an input profile using shooting characteristics of an image input device which shoots the input image and shooting-time lighting data, which is spectrum data of lighting used when shooting the input image; and

an input profile operation section which converts the input image into a device-independent color image with reference to the input profile, and

the color correction section outputs the device-independent color image.

54. The color reproduction device according to claim 53, wherein the image input device further comprises:

a lighting detection sensor which detects lighting when shooting with the image input device; and

a shooting-time lighting data detection section which processes a signal of the lighting detected by the lighting detection sensor.

55. The color reproduction device according to claim 53, wherein the image input section shoots a multi-spectral image of the subject.

56. The color reproduction device according to claim 53, wherein the input profile creation section and the input profile operation section each further comprises a selection section which selects appropriate information from various information inputs, in which the input image, the shooting characteristics of the image input device and the shooting-time lighting data are supplied from one of the image input device, an input device provided exclusively therefore, a network that connects to external devices, and a storage medium.

57. The color reproduction device according to claim 53, wherein the input profile creation section calculates the input profile using observation-time lighting data, which is spectral data of lighting in a location where an image of the subject is to be observed.

58. The color reproduction device according to claim 57, wherein the input profile creation section and the input profile operation section each further comprises a selection section which selects appropriate information from various information inputs, in which the input image, the shooting characteristics of the image input device and the shooting-time lighting data are supplied from one of the image input device, an input device provided exclusively therefore, a network that connects to external devices, and a storage medium.

59. A color reproduction device comprising an image input section, a color correction section which performs color conversion on an input image, which is an image of an object to be a subject shot, and an image output device,

wherein the color correction section comprises:

an input profile creation section which calculates an input profile using shooting characteristics of an image input device which shoots the input image and shooting-time lighting data, which is spectrum data of lighting used when shooting the input image;

an input profile operation section which converts the input image into a device-independent color image with reference to the input profile;

an output profile creation section which calculates an output profile using information concerning the image output device; and

an output profile operation section which converts the device independent color image into an output image to be outputted from the image output device with reference to the output profile.

60. The color reproduction device according to claim 59, wherein the input profile creation section and the input profile operation section each further comprises a selection section which selects appropriate information from various information inputs, in which the input image, the shooting characteristics of the image input device and the shooting-time lighting data are supplied from one of the image input device, an input device provided exclusively therefore, a network that connects to external devices, and a storage medium.

61. The color reproduction device according to claim 59, wherein the input profile creation section calculates the input profile using observation-time lighting data, which is spectral data of lighting in a location where an image of the subject is to be observed.

62. The color reproduction device according to claim 61, wherein the input profile creation section and the input profile operation section each further comprises a selection section which selects appropriate information from various information inputs, in which the input image, the shooting characteristics of the image input device and the shooting-time lighting data are supplied from one of the image input device, an input device provided exclusively therefore, a network that connects to external devices, and a storage medium.

63. The color reproduction device according to claim 59, wherein the image input section shoots a multi-spectral image of the subject.

64. The color reproduction device according to claim 59, wherein the image input device further comprises:

a lighting detection sensor which detects lighting when shooting with the image input device; and

a shooting-time lighting data detection section which processes a signal of the lighting detected by the lighting detection sensor.

65. A color reproduction device comprising an image input section, a color correction section which performs color conversion on an input image, which is an image of an object to be a subject shot, and an image output device, wherein the color correction section comprises:

an input/output profile creation section which calculates an input/output profile using shooting characteristics of an image input device which shoots the input image, shooting-time lighting data, which is spectrum data of lighting used when shooting the input image and information relating to an image output device; and

an input/output profile operation section which converts the input image into an output image to be outputted from the image output device with reference to the input/output profile.

66. A color correction device comprising:

an input profile creation section which calculates an input profile using shooting characteristics of an image input device which captures an input image of an object which is a subject of shooting, shooting-time lighting data, which is spectrum data of lighting used when capturing the input image; and

an input profile operation section which converts the input image into a device independent color image with reference to the input/output profile,

wherein the color correction device makes color conversion of the input image.

67. A color reproduction method comprising:

performing color correction to execute color conversion on an input image, which is an image of an object to be a subject shot,

wherein the color correction comprises;

calculating an input profile using shooting characteristics of an image input device which shoots the input image and shooting-time lighting data, which is spectrum data of lighting used when shooting the input image; and

converting the input image into a device-independent color image with reference to the calculated input profile.

68. A color reproduction method comprising:

performing color correction to execute color conversion on an input image, which is an image of an object to be a subject shot,

wherein the color correction comprises;

calculating an input profile using shooting characteristics of an image input device which shoots the input image and shooting-time lighting data, which is spectrum data of lighting used when shooting the input image, and information relating to image output means; and

converting the input image into an output image to be outputted by an image output device with reference to the input profile.