Title: Color reproducing system capable of performing selection about whether or not predetermined processing is performed on color image data
Abstract: A color reproducing system includes a color image input section. A color image processing device has an image processing section for performing a predetermined processing on color image data input through the color image input section. A storage section stores therein the color image data which has been input through the color image input section. A color image output section outputs the color image data which has been stored in the storage section. The color image processing device further includes a processing selection section for performing selection about whether or not the predetermined processing is performed on the color image data input through the color image input section.
Patent Number: 7,020,331 Issued on 03/28/2006 to Saikawa, et al.
| Inventors:
|
Saikawa; Haruko (Ojiya, JP);
Ishii; Kensuke (Tokyo, JP);
Komiya; Yasuhiro (Hino, JP);
Ohsawa; Kenro (Musashino, JP);
Wada; Toru (Niiza, JP)
|
| Assignee:
|
Olympus Corporation (Tokyo, JP)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
885375 |
| Filed:
|
July 6, 2004 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
| Aug 03, 1999[JP] | 11-219922 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
382/167; 382/164 |
| Current Intern'l Class: |
G06K 9/00 (20060101) |
| Field of Search: |
382/162,164,165,167,305
358/509,515,518,520,523,527
348/188,207,220.1,221.1,223.1,231
386/46,117
396/63
355/77
|
References Cited [Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
| 5132786 | Jul., 1992 | Ishiwata.
| |
| 5223891 | Jun., 1993 | Fierstein et al.
| |
| 5414537 | May., 1995 | Omuro et al.
| |
| 5453853 | Sep., 1995 | Sakai et al.
| |
| 5638184 | Jun., 1997 | Fujimoto et al.
| |
| 5742339 | Apr., 1998 | Wakui.
| |
| 5828780 | Oct., 1998 | Suzuki et al.
| |
| 5852675 | Dec., 1998 | Matsuo et al.
| |
| 6111605 | Aug., 2000 | Suzuki.
| |
| 6211973 | Apr., 2001 | Takemoto.
| |
| 6249313 | Jun., 2001 | Nishi.
| |
| 6253023 | Jun., 2001 | Fukushima et al.
| |
| 6256062 | Jul., 2001 | Endo.
| |
| 6426771 | Jul., 2002 | Kosugi.
| |
| 6449426 | Sep., 2002 | Suga et al.
| |
| 6539169 | Mar., 2003 | Tsubaki et al.
| |
| 6549232 | Apr., 2003 | Taniguchi et al.
| |
| 6549653 | Apr., 2003 | Osawa et al.
| |
| 6618079 | Sep., 2003 | Higuchi.
| |
| 6628826 | Sep., 2003 | Gilman et al.
| |
| 6734899 | May., 2004 | Okamoto.
| |
| 6766050 | Jul., 2004 | Saikawa et al.
| |
| Foreign Patent Documents |
| 10-285541 | Oct., 1998 | JP.
| |
| 11-85952 | Mar., 1999 | JP.
| |
| 11-96333 | Apr., 1999 | JP.
| |
Primary Examiner: Johns; Andrew W.
Assistant Examiner: Alavi; Amir
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Straub and Pokotylo, Pokotylo; John C.
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a divisional of prior application Ser. No. 09/630,041, titled
"COLOR REPRODUCING SYSTEM CAPABLE OF PERFORMING SELECTION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT
PREDETERMINED PROCESSING IS PERFORMED ON COLOR IMAGE DATA", now U.S. Pat. No. 6,766,050
filed on Aug. 1, 2000 and listing Haruko Saikawa, Kensuke Ishii, Yasuhiro Komiya,
Kenro Ohsawa, and Toru Wada as inventors, (incorporated herein by reference) which
is based upon and which claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese
Patent Application No. 11-219922, filed Aug. 3, 1999, the entire contents of which
applications are incorporated herein by reference.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A color reproducing system comprising:
color image input means; and
a color correction device, which performs color correction processing by using
a color chart image and signal values of a plurality of patches that have been
automatically recognized from the color chart image, the color chart image being
formed of the plurality of patches input by photographing a color chart by the
color image input means.
2. The color reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein the color image
input means displays a color chart guide and photographs the color chart along
with the color chart guide.
3. The color reproducing system according to claim 1, further comprising storage
means for storing color image data input by the color image input means, wherein
the color chart image is stored in the storage means in a file which stores data
of a photographed subject image.
4. The color reproducing system according to claim 3, wherein the color chart
image and the subject image are photographed under same illumination light.
5. The color reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein the color correction
device is adapted to automatically recognize the plurality of patches of the color
chart image.
6. The color reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein the color correction
device is adapted to automatically locate, within an input color image, the plurality
of patches of the color chart image.
7. A color reproducing system comprising:
color image input means; and
a color correction device, which performs color correction processing by using
a color chart image obtained by photographing and inputting a color chart formed
of a plurality of patches by the color image input means, and signal values of
the plurality of patches from the color chart image,
wherein the color image input means displays a color chart guide and photographs
the color chart along with the color chart guide.
8. The color reproducing system according to claim 7, wherein the color chart
guide allows a user to define a position of the color chart within a color image.
9. The color reproducing system according to claim 7, wherein the color chart
guide allows a user to input accurately a position of the color chart within a
color image.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a color reproducing system, and in particular
to a color reproducing system for reproducing color of a subject image which has
been photographed by a color image input device such as a digital camera or the
like by a color image output device such as a monitor, a printer or the like.
Many of conventional color reproducing systems aim to reproduce color appearing
desirably, while exact color reproduction is basically achieved to some extent
in such an image which has been photographed by a digital camera. For this reason,
since color image processing is automatically performed inside a camera, a user
can obtain an image satisfying him/her to some extent without adjusting an output image.
On the other hand, Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 11-85952
has disclosed a color reproducing system aiming to achieve exact color reproduction,
where an XYZ image of a subject under observation illumination light on a reproduction
side is obtained from a photographed image of the subject, using the spectral sensitivity
of a camera, photographing illumination light spectral data on a photograph side,
observation illumination light spectral data on the reproducing side, and the like,
and the XYZ image is converted to signal values in a reproducing device in response
to color reproduction characteristics of a reproducing device to be output.
Also, in Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 11-96333, a method
has been disclosed that an exact color reproduction is performed by photographing
a color chart whose spectral reflectance is known in the same conditions as photographing
in a subject and using the spectral reflectance of the color chart and the photographing
signal, even when there is neither spectral sensitivity of a camera nor photographing
illumination light spectral data. In these methods, it is required that the photographed
image of the subject is modeled by wavelength integral of a product of the spectral
sensitivity of the camera and the incident light spectrum of the subject to the
camera. Or it is required to be calibrated to such data.
In Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 10-285541, when image data
is recorded in a recording medium (memory card) of an electric still camera, image
processing information such as white balance or gamma correction which has been
performed on photographed image data in addition to the photographed image data
is recorded simultaneously therewith, and restoring processing is performed according
to procedure reversed to the image processing when exact color reproduction is
performed so that image signal before the image processing is obtained and image
correction processing is performed in accordance with displaying characteristics
of a displaying monitor device.
In an exact color reproducing system such as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application
KOKAI Publication No. 11-85952 and No. 11-96333, as mentioned above, it is necessary
to perform a processing for color reproduction on photographed image data on which
such an image processing as a contour enhancement or the like has not been performed.
Also, in order to perform exact color reproduction, data of the spectral sensitivity
of a camera, photographing illumination light spectrum, observation illumination
light spectrum and the like are required, and these data corresponding to photographed
image data must be used in the color reproduction processing.
Also, the method which has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application KOKAI
Publication No. 10-285541 is structured such that, after image data has been subjected
to such an image processing as white balance or shading processing, gamma correction
and the like, it is recorded in a memory card and it is subjected to restoring
process according to the procedure reversed to the recording procedure in recording/restoring
processing of the image data, so that photographed image data which has not been
subjected to the image processing is obtained. However, such an image processing
as white balance, gamma correction or the like is not required for image processing
for exact color reproduction originally, and a processing which makes it impossible
to restore image data is performed in some cases. Also, it is a complicated task
to cause various pieces of data required for color reproduction to correspond to
image data pieces different in photographing conditions, and there often occurs
a case where data correspondence can not be preformed exactly.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a color
reproducing system which can make selection about whether or not predetermined
image processing is performed on input color image data according to an aspect
of a color reproduction processing.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a color reproducing
system comprising:
a color image input section;
a color image processing device having an image processing section for performing
a predetermined processing on color image data input through the color image input section;
a storage section for storing the color image data input through the color image
input section; and
a color image output section for outputting the color image data stored in the
storage section, wherein
the color image processing device further comprises a processing selection section
for selecting whether or not the predetermined processing is performed on the color
image data input through the color image input section.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in
the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description,
or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the
invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations
particularly pointed out hereinafter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of
the specification, illustrate presently preferred embodiments of the invention,
and together with the general description given above and the detailed description
of the preferred embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a color reproducing system according
to a first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a digital camera shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a data structure of a memory card;
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration of a color reproducing system according
to a second embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration of a digital camera shown in FIG. 4;
FIG. 6A is a diagram showing a data structure of a memory card in a color reproducing mode;
FIG. 6B is a diagram showing a data structure of a memory card in a color chart mode;
FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams each showing an aspect where a color chart guide
corresponding to a configuration of a color chart is superimposed and displayed
on a subject image when a set mode is a color chart mode;
FIGS. 8A to 8G are diagrams each showing a configuration of a color chart;
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a configuration of a digital camera in a color reproducing
system according to a third embodiment of the invention; and
FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a data structure of a memory card in a mode reproducing mode.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be explained in detail below
with reference to the drawings.
(First Embodiment)
FIGS. 1 to 3 show a first embodiment of a color reproducing system of the present
invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the color reproducing system of this embodiment
comprises a digital camera
100, a memory card
120, a color correction
device
130, and a CRT monitor
140. Photographed image data which
is color image data of a subject
50 which has been photographed by the digital
camera
100 is stored in the memory card
120 which has been inserted
in a camera main body prior to photographing.
FIG. 2 shows a configuration of the digital camera
100. A subject image
is formed on a CCD
109 through a lens
104, and after an analog signal
which has been output from the CCD
109 is digitized through an A/D converter
(A/D)
110, the digitized signal is input into a processing selection device
111 as photographed image data. In the processing selection device
111,
selection of processing is performed on the basis of data regarding mode setting
from a color reproducing mode setting device
103. Set mode comprises a color
reproducing mode and a normal mode. The color reproducing mode is for exact color
reproduction, while the normal mode is for a desirable color reproduction which
has been set in advance.
When the set mode is the normal mode, after a predetermined image processing
is performed on photographed image data in the image processing device
112,
it is stored in a memory card
120 through a frame memory (F/M)
113.
The predetermined image processing performed in the image processing device
112
includes white balance, edge enhancement, saturation enhancement, and gamma correction
in order to perform desirable color reproduction.
Also, when the set mode is the color reproducing mode, the photographed image
data is stored in the memory card
120 through the frame memory
113
without performing the processing on the data in the image processing device
112.
Also, camera spectral sensitivity data, photographing illumination light spectrum
data which is photographing illumination light information, and subject spectral
reflectance basis function data which is spectral characteristic information are
respectively read out from a camera spectral sensitivity data storage device
105,
from photographing illumination light spectrum data storage device
106,
and from a subject spectral reflectance basis function data storage device
107
to be recorded in the memory card
120. Here, the photographing illumination
light spectrum data is one which has been set by a photographing illumination light
setting device
101 in advance by selection from a plurality of pieces of
illumination light spectrum data which have been stored in the photographing illumination
light spectrum data storage device
106.
The photographing illumination light spectrum data which has been stored in the
photographing illumination light spectrum data storage device
106 is spectrum
measurement data of a plurality of light sources including a daylight lamp, a fluorescent
lamp, a halogen lamp, and the like. Similarly, the subject spectral reflectance
basis function data is one which has been selected from a plurality of pieces of
subject spectral reflectance basis function data which have been stored in the
subject spectral reflectance basis function data storage device
107 and
has been set by a subject characteristic setting device
102 in advance.
The subject spectral reflectance basis function data which has been stored in the
subject spectral reflectance basis function data storage device
107 is basis
function data of spectral reflectances of a plurality of subjects including a human
skin, a color chart, a flower, a picture and the like.
When the set mode is the normal mode, photographed image data and related information
required according to formats such as data size of image are stored in the memory
card
120 in a predetermined format. Also, when the set mode is the color
reproducing mode, header information
150, camera spectral sensitivity data
151, photographing illumination light spectrum data
152, and subject
spectral reflectance basis function data
153 are stored together with photographed
image data
154 in the memory card
120 for each photographed image,
as shown in FIG. 3.
In the color correction device
130, XYZ under observation illumination
light is estimated from the photographed image data, the photographing illumination
light spectrum data, and the subject spectral reflectance basis function data which
are read out from the memory card
120, and observation illumination light
spectrum data which is observation illumination light information and color matching
function data which have been stored in the color correction device
130
in advance, and RGB signal to be input in the CRT monitor
140 is calculated
from the estimated XYZ and CRT monitor profile data to be output in the CRT monitor
140 in order to display the XYZ of the subject under the observation illumination
light on the CRT monitor
140.
The CRT monitor
140 is input with the RGB signal output form the color
correction device
130 to display photographed image data of the subject
50. Incidentally, all the spectral characteristic data has data at intervals
of 1 nm in a wavelength range of 380 nm to 780 nm. The configuration and operation
of the color correction device
130 have been described in detail in Japanese
Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 11-85952 and therefore explanation thereof
will be omitted here.
(Second Embodiment)
FIGS. 4 to 7B show a second embodiment of a color reproducing system of the
invention. As shown in FIG. 4, the color reproducing system of this embodiment
comprises a color chart
60 for calibration, a digital camera
200,
a memory card
220, a color correction device
230, and a CRT monitor
240. Photographed image data of a subject
50 which has been photographed
by the digital camera
200 is stored in the memory card
220 which
has been inserted in a camera body prior to photographing.
FIG. 5 shows a configuration of the digital camera
200. A subject image
is formed on a CCD
209 through a lens
204, and, after an analog signal
output from the CCD
209 is digitized through an A/D converter (A/D)
210,
it is input in a processing selection device
211 as photographed image data.
In the processing selection device
211, selection of processing is performed
on the basis of data regarding mode setting which has been stored in the memory
card
220. Set mode comprises a color reproducing mode, a normal mode, and
a color chart mode. The color reproducing mode is for exact color reproduction
and the normal mode is for desirable color reproduction which has been set in advance.
Also, the color chart mode is setting for acquiring calibration data for photographing
illumination light and the camera spectral sensitivity, and, after photographing
a subject in the color reproducing mode, the mode is automatically changed to the
color chart mode.
When the set mode is the normal mode, after a predetermined image processing
is performed on photographed image data in the image processing device
212,
the processed image data is stored in the memory card
220 through a frame
memory (F/M)
213. The predetermined image processing performed in the image
processing device
212 includes white balance, edge enhancement, saturation
enhancement, and gamma correction.
Also, when the set mode is the color reproducing mode, the photographed image
data is stored in the memory card
220 through the frame memory
213
without performing the processing on the data in the image processing device
212.
Also, camera spectral sensitivity data, photographing illumination light spectrum
data which is photographing illumination light information, and subject spectral
reflectance basis function data which is spectral characteristic information are
respectively read out from a camera spectral sensitivity data storage device
205,
from a photographing illumination light spectrum data storage device
206,
and from a subject spectral reflectance basis function data storage device
207
so that they are stored in the memory card
220. Here, the photographing
illumination light spectrum data is one which has been set by a photographing illumination
light setting device
201 in advance through selection from a plurality of
pieces of illumination light spectrum data which have been stored in the photographing
illumination light spectrum data storage device
206.
The photographing illumination light spectrum data which has been stored in the
photographing illumination light spectrum data storage device
206 is spectrum
measurement data of a plurality of light sources including a daylight lamp, a fluorescent
lamp, a halogen lamp, and the like. Similarly, the subject spectral reflectance
basis function data is one which has been set from a plurality of pieces of subject
spectral reflectance basis function data which have been stored in the subject
spectral reflectance basis function data storage device
207 by a subject
characteristic setting device
202 in advance. The subject spectral reflectance
basis function data which has been stored in the subject spectral reflectance basis
function data storage device
207 is basis function data of spectral reflectances
of a plurality of subjects including a human skin, a color chart, a flower, a picture
and the like.
The subject spectral reflectance basis function data which is stored in the memory
card
220 may be stored in the memory card
220 before the memory card
220 is inserted in the digital camera
200. In this case, the subject
spectral reflectance basis function data which has been stored in the memory card
220 may be only data of a specific subject to be photographed corresponding
to the kind of a subject or data about a plurality of kinds of subjects to be photographed.
When the subject spectral reflectance basis function data of the specific subject
has been stored in the memory card, the memory card is used as a dedicated memory
card corresponding to the kind of the subject spectral reflectance basis function
data which has been stored.
When the set mode is the normal mode, photographed image data and related information
required according to formats such as data size of image are stored in the memory
card
220 in a predetermined format. On the other hand, when the set mode
is the color reproducing mode, header information
250, camera spectral sensitivity
data
251, photographing illumination light spectrum data
252, and
subject spectral reflectance basis function data
253 are stored together
with photographed image data
254 in the memory card
220 for each
photographed image, as shown in FIG. 6A. When the camera spectral sensitivity data,
the photographing illumination light spectrum data and the subject spectral reflectance
basis function data are not set, these data are not stored in the memory card
220.
When the set mode is the color chart mode, as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, a color
chart guide (a color chart guide
1 in FIG. 7A and a color chart guide
2
in FIG. 7B) corresponding to a configuration of a color chart is superimposed on
the photographed image data to be displayed on a liquid crystal finder
215.
FIGS. 8A to 8G show examples of the color chart.
The photographed image data of the color chart at a time of the color chart mode
is stored in the memory card
220 through the frame memory (F/M)
213
without processing the data in the image processing device
212. FIG. 6B
shows a structure of data which is stored in the memory card
222 at the
time of the color chart mode.
In the color correction device
230, XYZ under observation illumination
light is estimated from the photographed image data, the photographing illumination
light spectrum data, and the subject spectral reflectance basis function data which
are read out from the memory card
220, and observation illumination light
spectrum data which is observation illumination light information and color matching
function data which have been stored in the color correction device
230
in advance, and RGB signal to be input in the CRT monitor
240 is calculated
from the estimated XYZ and CRT monitor profile data to be output in the CRT monitor
240 in order to display the XYZ of the subject under the observation illumination
light on the CRT monitor
240. The CRT monitor
240 is input with the
RGB signal output form the color correction device
230 to display a color
image of the subject. Incidentally, all the spectral characteristic data have data
at intervals of 1 nm in the wavelength range of 380 nm to 780 nm.
The configuration and operation of the color correction device
230 have
been described in detail in Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 11-85952
and therefore explanation thereof will be omitted here.
Also, when at least one of camera spectral sensitivity and photographing illumination
light spectrum is not stored in a photographed image data file, the photographed
image data of the color chart
60 and the spectral reflectance of the color
chart which has been stored in the color correction device
230 can be used
in a substituting manner. Respective patches on the color chart
60 are recognized
automatically as the image data of the color chart
60 and an average value
of photographing signals of the respective patches is calculated in the color correction
device
230. The file of the image data of the color chart
60 and
the file of the photographed image data of the subject can be caused to correspond
to each other by photographing numbers which have been stored in respective header
information. Since the configuration and operation of the color correction device
230 in this case have been described in detail in Japanese Patent Application
KOKAI Publication No. 11-96333, explanation thereof will be omitted.
(Third Embodiment)
FIGS. 9 and 10 show a third embodiment of the color reproducing system of the
present invention. The color reproducing system of this embodiment comprises a
color chart for calibration, a digital camera, a memory card, a color correction
device and a CRT monitor, like the second embodiment. Photographed image data of
a subject which has been photographed by the digital camera is stored in the memory
card which has been inserted in a camera body prior to photographing.
FIG. 9 shows a configuration of the digital camera. A subject image is formed
on a CCD
309 through a lens
304, and, after an analog signal which
has been output from the CCD
309 is digitized through an A/D converter (A/D)
310, the digitized signal is input into a processing selection device
311
as photographed image data. In the processing selection device
311, selection
of processing is performed on the basis of data regarding mode setting which has
been stored in the memory card
320.
The set mode comprises a color reproducing mode, a normal mode and a color chart
mode. The color reproducing mode is for exact color reproduction and the normal
mode is for desirable color reproduction which has been set in advance. Also, the
color chart mode is setting for acquiring calibration data for photographing illumination
light and the camera spectral sensitivity, and, after photographing a subject in
the color reproducing mode, the mode is automatically changed to the color chart mode.
When the set mode is the normal mode, after a predetermined image processing
is performed on photographed image data in the image processing device
312,
it is stored in the memory card
320 through a frame memory (F/M)
313.
The predetermined image processing performed in the image processing device
312
includes white balance, edge enhancement, saturation enhancement, and gamma correction.
Also, when the set mode is the color reproducing mode, the photographed image
data is stored in the memory card
320 through the frame memory
313
without performing the processing on the data in the image processing device
312.
Also, camera spectral sensitivity data, photographing illumination light spectrum
number serving as photographing illumination light information, and subject spectral
reflectance basis function number serving as spectral characteristic information
are respectively read out from a camera spectral sensitivity data storage device
305, from a photographing illumination light spectrum data storage device
306, and from a subject spectral reflectance basis function data storage
device
307 to be stored in the memory card
320. Here, the photographing
illumination light spectrum data is one which has been selected from a plurality
of illumination light spectrum numbers which have been stored in the photographing
illumination light spectrum data storage device
306 and has been set by
a photographing illumination light setting device
301 in advance.
The photographing illumination light spectrum numbers which have been stored
in the photographing illumination light spectrum data storage device
206
are registration numbers of spectrum measurement data pieces of a plurality of
light sources including a daylight lamp, a fluorescent lamp, a halogen lamp, and
the like. Similarly, the subject spectral reflectance basis function number is
one which has been set from a plurality of subject spectral reflectance basis function
numbers which have been stored in the subject spectral reflectance basis function
data storage device
307 by a subject characteristic setting device
302
in advance. The subject spectral reflectance basis function numbers which have
been stored in the subject spectral reflectance basis function data storage device
207 are registration numbers of basis functions of spectral reflectances
of a plurality of subjects including a human skin, a color chart, a flower, a picture
and the like. When the set mode is the normal mode, photographed image data and
related information required according to a format are stored in the memory card
320 in a predetermined format. When the set mode is the color reproducing
mode, header information, camera spectral sensitivity data, photographing illumination
light spectrum number, and subject spectral reflectance basis function number are
stored together with photographed image data in the memory card
320 for
each photographed image. When the camera spectral sensitivity data, the photographing
illumination light spectrum number and the subject spectral reflectance basis function
number are not set, these data are not stored in the memory card
320.
FIG. 10 shows a structure of data which is stored in a memory card in a case
of the color reproducing mode, and the structure comprises header information
350,
camera spectral sensitivity data
351, photographing illumination light spectrum
number
352, subject spectral reflectance basis function number
353,
observation illumination light spectrum data
354, color chart photographed
signal
355 and photographed image data
356.
Also, when the set mode is the color chart mode, a color chart guide corresponding
to a configuration of a color chart is superimposed on a subject image to be displayed
on a liquid crystal finder
315. The photographed image data of the color
chart is input in a color chart processing device
316. In the color chart
processing device
316, respective patches within the color chart are automatically
recognized from the photographed image data of the color chart input from the processing
selection device
311, and an average value of photographing signals of the
respective patches is calculated and stored in the memory card
320. Confirmation
about whether or not the automatic recognition of the color chart is performed
correctly can be made with eyes by displaying the average region of the signal
values on the respective patches of the color chart photographed image on the liquid
crystal finder
315.
In the color correction device, XYZ under observation illumination light of the
subject is estimated from the photographed image data, the camera spectral sensitivity
data, the photographing illumination light spectrum data corresponding to the photographing
illumination light spectrum number, and the subject spectral reflectance basis
function data corresponding to the subject spectral reflectance basis function
number, which are read out from the memory card
320, and observation illumination
light spectrum data serving as observation illumination light information which
has been stored in the memory card
320 in advance and color matching function
data which have been stored in the color correction device in advance, and RGB
signal to be input in the CRT monitor is calculated from the estimated XYT and
CRT monitor profile data to be output in the CRT monitor for displaying the XYZ
of the subject under the observation illumination light on the CRT monitor.
The photographing illumination light spectrum data and the subject spectral reflectance
basis function data are stored in the color correction device so as to correspond
to their registration numbers. The CRT monitor is input with the RGB signal output
from the color correction device to display the color image of the subject. Incidentally,
all the spectral characteristic data have data at intervals of 1 nm in the wavelength
range of 380 nm to 780 nm.
The configuration and operation of the color correction device
230 have
been described in detail in Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 11-85952
and therefore explanation thereof will be omitted here. Also, when at least one
of camera spectral sensitivity and photographing illumination light spectrum is
not stored in a photographed image data file, the color chart photographing signal
and the spectral reflectance data of the color chart which has been stored in the
color correction device in advance can be used in a substituting manner. Since
the configuration and operation of the color correction device in this case have
been described in detail in Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 11-96333,
explanation thereof will be omitted.
Incidentally, in the above embodiments, the camera spectral sensitivity
data, the photographing illumination light spectrum data, and the subject spectral
reflectance basis function data are stored in a state where they are added to each
photographed image data, but the present invention is not limited to this. These
data may be given when the color correction processing is performed in the color
correction device.
The inventions structured in the following manner are extracted from the above embodiments.
1. An invention is a color reproducing system comprising:
a color image input section;
a color image processing device having an image processing section for performing
a predetermined processing on color image data input through the color image input section;
a storage section for storing the color image data input through the color image
input section; and
a color image output section for outputting the color image data stored in the
storage section, wherein
the color image processing device further comprises a processing selection section
for selecting whether or not the predetermined processing is performed on the color
image data input through the color image input section.
(Corresponding Embodiments of the Invention)
The first embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 3), the second embodiment (FIGS. 4 to 8G) and
the third embodiment (FIGS. 9 to 10) correspond to this invention.
The color image input section includes
100,
200 or
300 of
the digital camera, the CCD
109,
209 or
309, the A/D converter
110,
210 or
310, the camera spectral sensitivity data storage
device
105,
205 or
305, the photographing illumination light
spectrum data storage device
106,
206 or
306, and the subject
spectral reflectance basis function data storage device
107,
207
or
307; the image processing section includes the image processing device
112,
212 or
312; the color image processing device includes
the processing selection device
111,
211 or
311, and the image
processing device
112,
212 or
312; the storage section includes
the memory card
120,
220 or
320; the color image output section
includes the CRT monitor
140 or
240; and the processing selection
section includes the processing selection device
111,
211 or
311.
(Effect)
Selection about whether or not the predetermined image processing is performed
on input color image data can be made according to an aspect of a color reproducing
processing. Here, since selection between the color reproducing mode and the normal
mode can be made, one of an image for performing more exact color reproduction
and an image on which a desirable color reproducing processing has been performed
can be selected by one color image input section.
2. Another invention is a color reproducing system according to the above invention
1, wherein the processing selection section has a setting section for performing
a setting about whether or not the predetermined processing is performed at a time
when color image data is input through the color image input section.
(Corresponding Embodiments of the Present Invention)
The above first embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 3) corresponds to this invention. The
setting section includes the color reproducing mode setting device
103 in
the first embodiment.
(Effect)
The setting section is provided in the color image input section, so that one
of an image for performing exact color reproduction and an image on which a desirable
color reproducing processing has been performed can be selected for each photographing
at a time of image input.
3. Another invention is a color reproducing system according to the above invention
1, wherein the storage section stores data regarding mode setting therein, and
the processing selection means determines whether or not the predetermined processing
is performed on the basis of the data regarding the mode setting which has been
stored in the storage section.
4. Another invention is a color reproducing system according to any one of the
above inventions 1 to 3, wherein the storage section is a memory card.
(Corresponding Embodiments of the Present Invention)
The above second embodiment (FIGS. 4 to 8G) and third embodiment (FIGS. 9 to
10) correspond to this invention. The color image input section includes the CCD
209 or
309, the A/D converter
210 or
310, the camera
spectral sensitivity data storage device
205 or
305, the photographing
illumination light spectrum data storage device
206 or
306, and the
subject spectral reflectance basis function data storage device
207 or
307
of the digital camera
200 or
300 in the second or third embodiment;
the image processing section includes the image processing device
212 or
312; the color image processing device includes the processing selection
device
211 or
311 and the image processing device
212 or
312;
the storage section includes the memory card
220 or
320; the color
image output section includes the CRT monitor
240; and the processing selection
section includes the processing selection device
211 or
311.
(Effect)
Since selection of the color reproducing mode or the normal mode is automatically
determined on the basis of the data regarding the mode setting which has been stored
in the memory card which has been inserted into the digital camera, after a photographer
inserts the memory card in the camera, he/she can conduct photographing without
considering the mode setting. Also, in many cases, in a camera where a desirable
color reproduction is performed, photographed image data for exact color reproduction
can be taken out without a special structure of such a color reproducing mode setting
function for exact color reproduction.
5. Another invention is a color reproducing system according to any one of the
above inventions 1 to 4, wherein the storage section stores spectral characteristic
information of a subject therein.
6. Another invention is a color reproducing system according to the above invention
4, wherein the memory card stores spectral characteristic information of a subject
corresponding to the kind of the subject.
7. Another invention is a color reproducing system according to the above invention
5, wherein the color image input section further comprises a subject characteristic
setting section for setting spectral characteristic information of the subject.
(Corresponding Embodiments of the Invention)
The first embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 3), the second embodiment (FIGS. 4 to 8G) and
the third embodiment (FIGS. 9 to 10) correspond to this invention. The subject
characteristic setting section includes the subject characteristic setting device
102,
201 or
302 in the first, second or third embodiment.
(Effect)
Since the subject spectral reflectance basis function data is stored together
with the photographed image data, even when the subject spectral reflectance basis
function data can not be obtained in the color correction device, the color correction
processing can be performed. Also, it is made possible to perform the color reproduction
in the color correction device more exactly by changing the subject spectral reflectance
basis function data for each subject to be photographed. Also, the subject spectral
reflectance basis function data corresponding to the kind of a subject is stored
in the memory card in advance, so that it becomes unnecessary to store the subject
spectral reflectance basis function data in the camera or the amount of data can
be reduced.
8. Another invention is a color reproducing system according to any one of the
above inventions 1 to 7, wherein the storage section further stores photographing
illumination light information therein.
9. Another invention is a color reproducing system according to the above invention
8, wherein the color image input section further comprises photographing illumination
light setting means for setting the photographing illumination light information.
(Corresponding Embodiments of the Invention)
The first embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 3), the second embodiment (FIGS. 4 to 8G) and
the third embodiment (FIGS. 9 to 10) correspond to this invention. The photographing
illumination light setting section includes the photographing illumination light
setting device
101,
201 or
301 in the first, second or third
embodiment. Incidentally, when photographed image data of the color chart can be
obtained, photographing of the color chart is performed in the photographing illumination
light setting section.
(Effect)
Since the photographing illumination light spectrum data is stored together
with the photographed image data, even when the photographing illumination light
spectrum data can not be obtained in the color correction device, the color correction
processing can be performed. Also, it is made possible to perform the color reproduction
in the color correction device more correctly by changing the photographing illumination
light spectrum data for each illumination condition for photographing.
10. Another invention is a reproducing system according to any one of the above
inventions 1 to 9, wherein the processing selection section has a photographing
mode of a color chart for calibration, and the color image input section has a
finder, the finder displaying a frame for color chart photographing in the photographing
mode of a color chart for calibration.
(Corresponding Embodiments of the Invention)
The second embodiment (FIGS. 4 to 8G) and the third embodiment (FIGS. 9 to 10)
correspond to this invention. In the second or third embodiment, the photographing
mode of a color chart for calibration includes the color chart mode, the finder
includes the liquid crystal finder
215 or
315, and the frame for
color chart photographing includes the color chart guide
1 or
2, respectively.
(Effect)
Since the frame for color chart photographing is displayed in the finder at
the time of photographing the color chart for calibration and the color chart is
arranged and photographed so as to match with the frame for color chart photographing,
the color chart can be photographed with its exact arrangement. Also, it becomes
easy to recognize positions of respective patches constituting the color chart
from the photographed image data of the color chart to calculate the photographing
signal value automatically.
11. Another invention is a color reproducing system according to any one of the
above inventions 1 to 10, wherein the predetermined processing performed in the
image processing section includes at least one of white balance, edge enhancement,
saturation enhancement, gamma correction, and color correction for desirable color reproduction.
(Corresponding Embodiment of the Invention)
The first embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 3), the second embodiment (FIGS. 4 to 8G) and
the third embodiment (FIGS. 9 to 10) correspond to this invention.
(Effect)
Since such a processing as white balance, edge enhancement, saturation enhancement,
gamma correction, and color correction for desirable color reproduction, which
makes it difficult or impossible to recover the image data before the processing
by a reverse correction can be prevented at the color reproducing mode time, exact
color reproduction can be performed with a high accuracy in the following color
correction device.
12. Another invention is a color reproducing system according to any one of the
above inventions 1 to 11, wherein the storage section further stores observation
illumination light information therein.
(Corresponding Embodiment of the Invention)
The above third embodiment (FIGS. 9 to 10) corresponds to this invention.
(Effect)
Since the observation illumination light information is stored in the storage
section, it becomes unnecessary to give the observation illumination light information
at the color reproducing mode time.
According to the present invention, there is provided a color reproducing
system which can make selection about whether a predetermined processing is performed
on input color image data according to an aspect of a color reproduction processing.
Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled
in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the
specific details and representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly,
various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of
the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
*
