Image processing device and computer-readable medium using photographic and non-photographic correspondence data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9582744-B2
Application number	US-201314032562-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2013
Priority date	Sep 28, 2012
Publication date	Feb 28, 2017
Grant date	Feb 28, 2017

Abstract

An image processing device includes a processor and a memory. The image processing device acquires target image data including each pixel value of a plurality of pixels. The image processing device extracts a plurality of photographic pixels and a plurality of non-photographic pixels from the plurality of the pixels in the target image. The image processing device generates photographic correspondence data. The image processing device generates non-photographic correspondence data. The image processing device converts an original pixel value of a pixel of the plurality of photographic pixels into a respective converted pixel value by using the photographic correspondence data. The image processing device converts an original pixel value of a pixel of the plurality of non-photographic pixels into a respective converted pixel value by using the non-photographic correspondence data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image processing device comprising:
a processor; and
a memory storing computer-readable instructions therein, the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, causing the image processing device to perform:
acquiring target image data including each pixel value of a plurality of pixels, the target image data representing a target image by using the plurality of pixels;
extracting a plurality of photographic pixels and a plurality of non-photographic pixels from the plurality of the pixels in the target image;
determining a text color value by using a plurality of text pixels included in the plurality of non-photographic pixels, the plurality of text pixels constituting a text image;
determining a background color value by using a plurality of background pixels included in the plurality of non-photographic pixels, the plurality of background pixels constituting a background image;
storing the background color value in the memory;
generating non-photographic correspondence data by using the text color value and the stored background color value;
converting, by using the non-photographic correspondence data, each original pixel value of the plurality of non-photographic pixels into a corresponding one converted pixel value, respectively, the non-photographic correspondence data including a first feature used to convert each original pixel value smaller than the background color value and a second feature used to convert each original pixel value greater than or equal to the background color value;
generating, without determining a background color value again, photographic correspondence data by using the stored background color value without using the text color value, the photographic correspondence data being different from the non-photographic correspondence data; and
converting, by using the photographic correspondence data, each original pixel value of the plurality of photographic pixels into a corresponding one converted pixel value, respectively, the photographic correspondence data including a third feature used to convert each original pixel value smaller than the background color value and the second feature,
wherein a first converted pixel value, into which a specific original pixel value smaller than the background color value is converted using the first feature, is different from a second converted pixel value, into which the specific original pixel value is converted using the third feature, and
wherein the second feature is used to convert each original pixel value into a corresponding one converted pixel value all have a same value, respectively.

2. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the photographic correspondence data comprises:
a color correction correspondence data to be generated by using the stored background color value without using the text color value, the color correction correspondence data to be used to convert each original pixel value of the plurality of photographic pixels into a corresponding one color corrected pixel value, respectively; and
a white balance correspondence data to be used to convert each color corrected pixel value into a corresponding one converted pixel value, respectively.

3. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the photographic correspondence data comprises a color correction correspondence data to be used to convert each original pixel value of the plurality of photographic pixels into a corresponding one converted pixel value, respectively.

4. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the image processing device to perform:
identifying a first photographic area and a second photographic area subsequent to extraction of the plurality of photographic pixels, the first photographic area being constituted by a first contiguous group of one or more of the plurality of photographic pixels, the second photographic area being constituted by a second contiguous group of one or more of the plurality of photographic pixels, the first contiguous group and the second contiguous group being unconnecting each other,
wherein the photographic correspondence data includes first photographic correspondence data and second photographic correspondence data when the first photographic area and the second photographic area are identified,
wherein the first photographic correspondence data is associated with the first photographic area and the second photographic correspondence data is associated with the second photographic area, and
wherein the first photographic correspondence data is different from the second photographic correspondence data.

5. The image processing device according to claim 4 , wherein all of the plurality of non-photographic pixels constitute a single non-photographic area.

6. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the extracting comprises:
extracting a target pixel from the plurality of pixels by defining a target area including the target pixel and a plurality of neighboring pixels arranged around the target pixel, the plurality of neighboring pixels included in the plurality of pixels;
calculating a number of colors in the target area;
identifying the target pixel as either one of the plurality of photographic pixels and one of the plurality of non-photographic pixels based on the calculated number of colors.

7. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the photographic correspondence data includes white balance correspondence data for each of a plurality of color components representing the plurality of photographic pixels, and the white balance correspondence data is generated by using a smallest average pixel value selected from among respective average pixel values of each of the plurality of color components.

8. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of non-photographic pixels form at least one of a text image, a drawing image, and a background image.

9. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of photographic pixels form at least one photographic image.

10. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the target image data has a plurality of color components, and each of the pixel values of the plurality of pixels has a respective plurality of color component values,
wherein the photographic correspondence data includes a respective photographic correspondence data for each of the plurality of color components, and
wherein the non-photographic correspondence data includes a respective non-photographic correspondence data for each of the plurality of color components.

11. The image processing device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the background color value is greater than the text color value,
wherein the first feature includes a fourth feature used to convert each original pixel value smaller than or equal to the text color value and a fifth feature used to convert each original pixel value greater than the text color value and smaller than the background color value, and
wherein the fourth feature is used to convert each original pixel value into a corresponding one converted pixel value having the same value as each original pixel value, respectively.

12. The image processing device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the background color value is greater than the text color value,
wherein the first feature includes a fourth feature used to convert each original pixel value greater than the text color value and smaller than the background color value and a fifth feature used to conver

Assignees

• Hasegawa Tomohiko
• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Hasegawa Tomohiko

Classifications

• G06K15/1872 Primary

  Image enhancement · CPC title

• H04N1/4074

  using histograms · CPC title

• H04N1/40062 Primary

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