Image processing apparatus and method, and non-transitory computer readable medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017365043-A1
Application number	US-201715497580-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 26, 2017
Priority date	Jun 21, 2016
Publication date	Dec 21, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

There is provided an image processing apparatus, method, and operation program capable of appropriately removing an abnormal pixel even in a case where the abnormal pixel is present in a tailing region. An abnormal pixel removing section removes an abnormal pixel from an image in which tailing and the dot-shaped abnormal pixel are mixed every other line. The abnormal pixel removing section selects neighboring pixels from only odd lines or even lines including a line, in which a target pixel to be corrected is present, depending on whether or not the line in which the target pixel is present is an odd-numbered line in a sub-scanning direction, and performs processing for removing the abnormal pixel based on the selected neighboring pixels.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An image processing apparatus that uses a scanning unit that performs scanning for image reading on an image carrier carrying image information by moving an optical head relative to the image carrier and that reads a one-dimensional line image in a main scanning direction line by line by performing reciprocating scanning, in which forward scanning and backward scanning are alternately repeated for each line in the main scanning direction, and reads a two-dimensional image by performing scanning in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction in combination with the reciprocating scanning, acquires the two-dimensional image from the scanning unit, and performs image processing on the two-dimensional image, the apparatus comprising:
an abnormal pixel removing unit that removes a dot-shaped abnormal pixel present in the two-dimensional image based on neighboring pixels present around the abnormal pixel, and that selects the neighboring pixels from only at least one odd line including an odd line, in which a target pixel to be corrected in order to remove the abnormal pixel is present, in a case where a line in which the target pixel is present is an odd-numbered line in the sub-scanning direction, and selects the neighboring pixels from only at least one even line including an even line, in which the target pixel is present, in a case where a line in which the target pixel is present is an even-numbered line in the sub-scanning direction, and removes the abnormal pixel based on the selected neighboring pixels; and a tailing removing unit that removes stripe-shaped tailing, which occurs every other line due to the reciprocating scanning in the two-dimensional image and extends in the main scanning direction, from the two-dimensional image.

2 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein tailing removal processing for removing the tailing is performed after performing abnormal pixel removal processing for removing the abnormal pixel.

3 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein, in the abnormal pixel removal processing for removing the abnormal pixel, the number of lines for selecting the neighboring pixels is two or more.

4 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein, in the abnormal pixel removal processing, the lines for selecting the neighboring pixels include at least an n-th line, an (n−2)-th line, and an (n+2)-th line in a case where the line in which the target pixel is present is the n-th line (where n is an integer of 1 or more).

5 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 4 ,
wherein, in the abnormal pixel removal processing, in a case where the line in which the target pixel is present is an end line located in an upper end portion or a lower end portion of the two-dimensional image in the sub-scanning direction, the abnormal pixel removing unit performs end portion processing in which a virtual line is additionally set at an upper end or a lower end of the two-dimensional image and the virtual line is used as the line for selecting the neighboring pixels.

6 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the tailing removing unit performs tailing determination processing in which a pixel value of the target pixel is compared with pixel values of upper and lower pixels adjacent to the target pixel in the sub-scanning direction and the target pixel is determined to be a tailing pixel forming the tailing in a case where the pixel value of the target pixel is higher than the pixel values of the upper and lower pixels and a difference or a ratio between the pixel value of the target pixel and the pixel values of the upper and lower pixels is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

7 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 6 ,
wherein, in the tailing determination processing, for a plurality of columns including a column, which extends in the sub-scanning direction and in which the target pixel is present, and left and right columns adjacent to the target pixel in the main scanning direction, the tailing removing unit compares pixel values between pixels adjacent to each other in the sub-scanning direction and uses a result of the comparison for tailing determination.

8 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the image carrier contains a sample that emits fluorescence, and the scanning unit has an excitation light source that generates excitation light to be emitted to the image carrier and an optical sensor that photoelectrically converts fluorescence that is excited by the excitation light and is received by the optical head.

9 . An image processing method in which a scanning unit, which performs scanning for image reading on an image carrier carrying image information by moving an optical head relative to the image carrier and which reads a one-dimensional line image in a main scanning direction line by line by performing reciprocating scanning, in which forward scanning and backward scanning are alternately repeated for each line in the main scanning direction, and reads a two-dimensional image by performing scanning in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction in combination with the reciprocating scanning, is used, the two-dimensional image is acquired from the scanning unit, and image processing is performed on the two-dimensional image, the method comprising:
an abnormal pixel removing step of removing a dot-shaped abnormal pixel present in the two-dimensional image based on neighboring pixels present around the abnormal pixel, and of selecting the neighboring pixels from only at least one odd line including an odd line, in which a target pixel to be corrected in order to remove the abnormal pixel is present, in a case where a line in which the target pixel is present is an odd-numbered line in the sub-scanning direction, and of selecting the neighboring pixels from only at least one even line including an even line, in which the target pixel is present, in a case where a line in which the target pixel is present is an even-numbered line in the sub-scanning direction, and of removing the abnormal pixel based on the selected neighboring pixels; and a tailing removing step of removing stripe-shaped tailing, which occurs every other line due to the reciprocating scanning in the two-dimensional image and extends in the main scanning direction, from the two-dimensional image.

10 . A non-transitory computer readable medium for storing a computer-executable program for execution of image processing that uses a scanning unit that performs scanning for image reading on an image carrier carrying image information by moving an optical head relative to the image carrier and that reads a one-dimensional line image in a main scanning direction line by line by performing reciprocating scanning, in which forward scanning and backward scanning are alternately repeated for each line in the main scanning direction, and reads a two-dimensional image by performing scanning in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction in combination with the reciprocating scanning, acquires the two-dimensional image from the scanning unit, and performs image processing on the two-dimensional image,
wherein the computer-executable program includes: an abnormal pixel removing step of removing a dot-shaped abnormal pixel present in the two-dimensional image based on neighboring pixels present around the abnormal pixel, and of selecting the neighboring pixels from only at least one odd line including an odd line, in which a target pixel to be corrected in order to remove the abnormal pixel is presen

Assignees

• Fujifilm Corp

Inventors

• Tanaka Yasutake

Classifications

• G01N21/6456

  Spatial resolved fluorescence measurements; Imaging · CPC title

• G06T2207/30004

  Biomedical image processing · CPC title

• H04N1/409 Primary

  Edge or detail enhancement; Noise or error suppression · CPC title

• H04N1/401

  Compensating positionally unequal response of the pick-up or reproducing head (H04N1/403 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04N2201/0079

  Medical imaging device · CPC title