Image processing apparatus and image processing method for designating color and monochrome images

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10715690-B2
Application number	US-201916274000-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2019
Priority date	Jul 24, 2018
Publication date	Jul 14, 2020
Grant date	Jul 14, 2020

Abstract

An image processing apparatus includes a processor configured to acquire an image and designate whether the image is a color image or a monochrome image based on a comparison of a feature quantity of the image and a threshold value. A storage unit stores the threshold value. A display unit displays whether the image has been designated a color image or a monochrome image by the processor. An input device is configured to receive user input for changing whether the image is designated a color image or a monochrome image. The processor changes the threshold value stored in the storage unit when the user input changes whether the image is designated a color image or a monochrome image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image processing apparatus, comprising:
a processor configured to:
acquire an image; and
designate whether the image is a color image or a monochrome image based on a comparison of a feature quantity of the image and a threshold value;

a storage device for storing the threshold value;
a display for displaying whether the image has been designated a color image or a monochrome image by the processor; and
an input device configured to receive user input for changing whether the image is designated a color image or a monochrome image, wherein
the processor is further configured to change the threshold value stored in the storage device to a new threshold value if the user input changes whether the image is designated a color image or a monochrome image, the new threshold value being calculated based on the feature quantity of the image.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the processor acquires a plurality of images,
designates each of the plurality of images as a color image or a monochrome image according the threshold value,
the display is configured to display the designation of a color image or a monochrome image for each of the plurality of images, and
the input device is configured to receive the user input for changing whether at least one image among the plurality of images is designated a color image or a monochrome image.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the display is configured to display the plurality of images in an order of increasing or decreasing feature quantity.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to use the new threshold value to re-designate each of the plurality of images as a color image or a monochrome image after the threshold value is changed according to the user input received by the input device.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor acquires the image via a scanner.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor acquires the image via a network interface.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor acquires the image from the storage device.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a scanner for acquiring the image.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a network interface via which the processor acquires the image.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the storage device is configured to store user identification numbers in association with the threshold value and a history file including past image analysis results of a user.

11. A multifunctional peripheral device, comprising:
a scanner for obtaining a document image;
a printer for printing color and monochrome images on recording media;
an operation panel for displaying information and receiving user inputs associated with operations of the scanner and the printer;
a storage device for storing, in association with a user ID, a color feature threshold value and a history file including previously determined color feature threshold values of the user associated with the user ID; and
a processor configured to:
set the user ID according to a log-in process;
acquire a plurality of page images;
designate each page image as a color image or a monochrome image based on analysis of a color feature quantity value of the page image and the color feature threshold value stored in the storage device in association with the user ID;
display the designation of a color image or a monochrome image for the plurality of page images on the operation panel;
receive user input, via the operation panel, for changing whether at least one page image among the plurality of page images is designated a color image or a monochrome image;
calculate a new color feature threshold value if the received user input changes whether at least one image among the plurality of page images is designated a color image or a monochrome image, the new color feature threshold value being calculated based on the color feature quantity value of the at least one image having a designation changed by the user input; and
store the new color feature threshold value in the storage unit in association with the user ID.

12. The multifunctional peripheral device according to claim 11 , wherein the plurality of page images is obtained via the scanner.

13. The multifunctional peripheral device according to claim 11 , further comprising:
a network interface, wherein
the plurality of page images is obtained via the network interface.

14. The multifunctional peripheral device according to claim 11 , wherein the operation panel comprises a touch panel.

15. The multifunctional peripheral device according to claim 11 , wherein the color feature quantity value is a ratio of a total number of determined color pixels in a page image to a total number of pixels in the page image.

16. The multifunctional peripheral device according to claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the total number of determined color pixels in each page image.

17. An image processing method, comprising:
receiving a page image including a plurality of pixels;
calculating a color feature quantity value for the page image, the color feature quantity value corresponding to a ratio of a total number of determined color pixels in the plurality of pixels to a total number of pixels in the plurality of pixels;
designate whether the page image is a color image or a monochrome image based on the calculated color feature quantity value of the page image and a threshold color feature quantity value associated with a user ID;
displaying, on an operation panel, whether the page image is designated a color image or a monochrome image;
receiving, via the operation panel, a user input for changing whether the page image is designated a color image or a monochrome image; and
changing the threshold color feature quantity value associated with the user ID to a new threshold value if the user input is received for changing whether the page image is designated a color image or a monochrome image, the new threshold value being calculated based on the color feature quantity value for the page image.

18. The image processing method according to claim 17 , wherein the page image is obtained by a scanner.

19. The image processing method according to claim 17 , further comprising:
receiving a plurality of page images;
calculating the color feature quantity value for each page image in the plurality; and
designating whether each page image in the plurality of page images is a color image or a monochrome image based on the calculated color feature value of the respective page image and the threshold color feature quantity value associated with the user ID.

20. The image processing method according to claim 17 , wherein determination of whether each pixel is a color pixel is based on RGB levels of the pixel.

Assignees

• Toshiba Tec Kk

Inventors

• Hiroe Yoshihito

Classifications

• H04N1/00474

  outputting a plurality of functional options, e.g. scan, copy or print · CPC title

• H04N1/60

  Colour correction or control {(H04N1/54 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• H04N1/00029

  Diagnosis, i.e. identifying a problem by comparison with a normal state · CPC title

• H04N1/482

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

• G06F3/1256

  User feedback, e.g. print preview, test print, proofing, pre-flight checks · CPC title