Image processing apparatus that specifies edge pixel in target image using single-component image data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10506131-B2
Application number	US-201815935223-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 26, 2018
Priority date	Mar 28, 2017
Publication date	Dec 10, 2019
Grant date	Dec 10, 2019

Abstract

An image processing apparatus performs: acquiring target image data representing a target image including a plurality of pixels, the target image data including a plurality of sets of component image data representing respective ones of a plurality of component images; smoothing the plurality of component images to generate respective sets of a plurality of sets of smoothed component image data representing respective ones of a plurality of smoothed component images; enhancing an edge in each of the plurality of smoothed component images to generate corresponding one set of a plurality of sets of enhanced component image data; generating single-component image data including one type of component value corresponding to each of the plurality of pixels by using the plurality of sets of enhanced component image data; and specifying a plurality of edge pixels using the single-component image data, the plurality of edge pixels constituting an edge in the target image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:
a processor; and
a memory storing a set of computer-readable instructions therein, the set of computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, causing the image processing apparatus to perform:
acquiring target image data representing a target image including a plurality of pixels, the target image data being generated by scanning an original with an image sensor, the target image data including a plurality of sets of component image data representing respective ones of a plurality of component images, the plurality of sets of component image data corresponding to respective ones of a plurality of components constituting a specific color system, the plurality of sets of component image data including first component image data representing a first component image and second component image data representing a second component image, the plurality of components including a first color and a second color, the first component image data corresponding to the first color, the second component image data corresponding to the second color;
smoothing the plurality of component images to generate respective sets of a plurality of sets of smoothed component image data, the plurality of sets of smoothed component image data representing respective ones of a plurality of smoothed component images, the plurality of sets of smoothed component image data including first smoothed component image data representing a first smoothed component image and second smoothed component image data representing a second smoothed component image, the first smoothed component image data being generated by smoothing the first component image, the second smoothed component image data being generated by smoothing the second component image;
enhancing an edge in each of the plurality of smoothed component images to generate corresponding one set of a plurality of sets of enhanced component image data, the plurality of sets of enhanced component image data representing an enhanced image and including first enhanced component image data and second enhanced component image data, the first enhanced component image data being generated by enhancing an edge in the first smoothed component image, the second enhanced component image data being generated by enhancing an edge in the second smoothed component image;
generating first single-component image data using the plurality of sets of enhanced component image data, the first single-component image data including one type of component value corresponding to each of the plurality of pixels; and
specifying a plurality of edge pixels using the first single-component image data, the plurality of edge pixels constituting an edge in the target image, wherein the first single-component image data is luminance image data indicating a luminance of each of the plurality of pixels included in the enhanced image.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the set of computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, causes the image processing apparatus to further perform:
generating second single-component image data including one type of component value corresponding to each of the plurality of pixels, the second single-component image data being generated differently from the generating first single-component image data.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the target image data includes a plurality of component values corresponding to each of the plurality of pixels, the plurality of component values corresponding to respective ones of the plurality of components, and
wherein the second single-component image data is one of first image data and second image data, the first image data including a plurality of first pixel values corresponding to respective ones of the plurality of pixels, each of the plurality of first pixel values being related to a minimum value among the plurality of component values of corresponding one of the plurality of pixels, the second image data including a plurality of second pixel values corresponding to respective ones of the plurality of pixels, each of the plurality of second pixel values being related to a maximum value among the plurality of component values of corresponding one of the plurality of pixels.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the enhancing comprises:
designating a target pixel one by one from the plurality of pixels included in the each of the plurality of smoothed component images;
calculating a smoothed target pixel value of the target pixel using a target pixel value and a plurality of peripheral pixel values, the each of the plurality of smoothed component images including the target pixel having the target pixel value and a plurality of peripheral pixels of the target pixel having respective ones of the plurality of peripheral pixel values;
calculating a difference between the smoothed target pixel value and the target pixel value;
setting a processed pixel value of the target pixel based on the target pixel value and the difference; and
generating the corresponding one set of the plurality of sets of enhanced component image data including a plurality of processed pixel values corresponding to respective ones of the plurality of pixels.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the setting sets a sum of the target pixel value and the difference as the processed pixel value of the target pixel in a case where the difference is equal to or greater than a reference whereas the setting sets the target pixel value as the processed pixel value of the target pixel.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the target image includes the plurality of edge pixels and a plurality of non-edge pixels, the plurality of edge pixels having respective ones of a plurality of edge pixel values, the plurality of non-edge pixels having respective ones of a plurality of non-edge pixel values, and
wherein the set of computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, causes the image processing apparatus to further perform:
applying image processing to the target image data to generate processed target image data, the image processing including first image processing and second image processing different from the first image processing, the first image processing being applied to the plurality of edge pixel values, the second image processing being applied to the plurality of non-edge pixels.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the set of computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, causes the image processing apparatus to further perform:
generating print data using the processed target image data.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the specific color system is an RGB color system, and the plurality of components is a red component, a green component, and a blue component.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a set of program instructions installed on and executed by a computer, the set of program instructions comprising:
acquiring target image data representing a target image including a plurality of pixels, the target image data being generated by scanning an original with an image sensor, the target image data including a plurality of sets of component image data representing respective ones of a plurality of component images, the plurality of sets of component image data corresponding to respective ones of a plurality of components constituting a specific color system, the plurality of sets of component image data including first component image data representing a

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Yamada Ryuji

Classifications

• H04N1/40062

  Discrimination between different image types, e.g. two-tone, continuous tone · CPC title

• H04N1/4092

  Edge or detail enhancement · CPC title

• H04N1/482

  using the same detector device sequentially for different colour components · CPC title

• G06T2207/10008

  from scanner, fax or copier · CPC title

• H04N1/40093 Primary

  Modification of content of picture, e.g. retouching (geometric modifications H04N1/387) · CPC title