Patent US1977970A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0650291A2
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EP
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Image processing apparatus and image processing method
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1994-09-28
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2014-09-28
Abstract
Abstract A color image processing apparatus is rendered capable, in case of output of a color image, displayed for example on a color display, by an output device such as a hard copying device, of judging the color reproduction range of each output device with a limited memory capacity, by defining the color reproduction range of each output device by the interior of a hexahedron on a uniform color space (L*, a*, b*) and judging whether the input image signal Q is present inside the hexahedron by the product of the input image signal with an internal point P with respect to each plane (i) constituting the hexahedron.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenichi C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Ohta
- 👤 Manabu C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Ohga
- 👤 Takashi C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Yabe
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 17:49
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/46; H04N1/56; H04N1/60; H04N1/6058; H04N1/603; H04N1/6033
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 44
Claim 1
Independent Claim
58 words
An image processing apparatus comprising: generation means for generating plural color image data which correspond to a substantially limit saturation produceable in an image output device and are mutually different in hue; and interpolation means for forming, by interpolation, a boundary plane of the reproduction range produceable by said image output device, from said plural color image data.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
41 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plural color image data mutually different in hue correspond to the primary colors and secondary colors of color recording materials of said image output device and a black recording material thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plural color image data mutually different in hue are color image data of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), blue (B), green (G), red (R), black (K) and white (W) colors.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising judgment means for judging based on the boundary plane of the reproduction range generated by interpolation in said interpolation means, whether the input image data are positioned inside said color reproduction range.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
100 words
A color image processing apparatus for converting color image signals into output data for an output device for visual output, comprising: conversion means for converting primary color data determined on colors producible by said output device and said color image signals into data belonging to a same color space; and judgment means for judging whether the color indicated by said color image signals is producible by said output device, based on the positional relationship between a plane defined by the value of said primary color data after said conversion and the value of said color image signals after said conversion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
A color image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said primary color data are measured color data.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
A color image processing apparatus according to claim 5, provided with said primary color data for each of mutually different plural output devices, and adapted to convert, by said conversion means, the primary color data corresponding to an output device designated by output device designation means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
A color image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said plane contains a triangle defined by three values selected in predetermined combinations from the plural converted values of said plural primary color data, and 12 combinations are predetermined as said predetermined combinations.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
53 words
A color image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said judgment means is adapted to effect said judgment, according to whether a point on a predetermined axis in a predetermined color space and said converted value of said color image signals are positioned on a same side with respect to said plane.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
56 words
A color image processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said judgment means is adapted to effect said judgment, according to whether said converted value of said color image signals is contained in the interior of a tetrahedron formed by said three coordinate values and a point on a predetermined axis of said predetermined color space.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
A color image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said output device utilizes a head of the type emitting liquid droplets by film boiling induced by thermal energy.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
111 words
A color image processing apparatus for converting color image signals into output data of an output device for visual output, comprising: memory means for storing primary color data determined by colors producible by said output device; conversion means for converting said primary color data and said color image signals into values of a same color space; and judgment means for judging whether the color indicated by said color image signals is producible by said output device, based on the positional relationship in said color space between a plane defined by the value of said primary color data after said conversion and the value of said color image signals after said conversion.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
A color image processing apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising correction means for correcting said color image signals to producible image signals, based on the result of judgment by said judgment means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
48 words
A color image processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said judgment means is adapted to judge whether the color indicated by said color image signals is producible by said output device, based on a covnergent point present inside a three-dimensional body obtained from said primary color data.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
73 words
An image processing apparatus comprising: output means for generating patches; input means for reading and converting the patches, generated by said output means, into image signals; judgment means for judging the color reproduction range of said output means, based on the image signals entered by said input means; and color space compression means for effecting color space compression on the input image data, utilizing the color reproduction range judged by said judgment means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
55 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said judgment means includes: sampling means for sampling the image signals converted by said input means; and setting means for averaging the image signals obtained by said sampling means and setting thus averaged image signals as data indicating the color reproduction range of said output means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said patches generated by said output means are patches indicating substantially maximum densities of plural colors producible by said output means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
62 words
An image processing apparatus comprising: holding means for holding data indicating the color reproduction range; output means for providing an image, based on the data, indicating the color reproduction range, held by said holding means; and renewal means for renewing said data, indicating said color reproduction range and held by said holding means, based on the image provided by said output means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
42 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said data, indicating the color reproduction range and held by said holding means, are held for six primary colors of red (R), green (G), blue (B), cyan (C), magenta (M) and yellow (Y).
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising calibration means for calibrating said output device, wherein the renewal of said data indicating the color reproduction range is conducted after said calibration.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
57 words
An image processing apparatus comprising: output means for generating plural patches; input means for reading and converting the plural patches, generated by said output means, into image signals; and judgment means for judging patches indicating the substantially outermost part of the color reproduction range of said output means, from the plural patches read by said input means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
38 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising setting means for setting data indicating the outermost part of the color reproduction range of said output device, based on the outermost patches judged by said judgment means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
36 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said plural patches generated by said output means are those indicating the outermost part or the vicinity thereof of the color reproduction range of said output means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
54 words
An image processing apparatus comprising: first output means for output of an input image with a first process mode; second output means for output of said input image with a second process mode; and holding means for holding data indicating the color reproduction range corresponding to each of said first and second process modes.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
51 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising designation means for designating the image output in said first or second process mode, wherein the image output is conducted by a process utilizing the data indicating said color reproduction range corresponding to said process mode designated by said designation means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
58 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said first output means is adapted to provide image data represented by four color components of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y) and black (K), while said second output means is adapted to provide image data represented by three color components of cyan (C), magenta (M) and yellow (Y).
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
41 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 25, further comprising renewal means for renewing said data indicating the color reproduction range, wherein said data indicating the color reproduction range area renewed by said renewal means in each of said process modes.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
65 words
An image processing apparatus comprising: output means for generating patches; input means for reading and converting the patches, generated by said output means, into image signals; judgment means for judging the color reproduction range of said output means, based on the image signals entered by said input means; and transfer means for transferring said data indicating said judged color reproduction range to an external equipment.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
53 words
A color image processing method comprising: generating plural color image data which correspond to limit saturations producible by an output device and are mutually different in hue; and generating, by interpolation, a boundary plane of the reproduction range producible by said output device, from said generated plural color image data different in hue.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
40 words
A color image processing method according to claim 29, wherein said plural color image data mutually different in hue are those of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), blue (B), green (G), red (R), black (K) and white (W) colors.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
107 words
A color image processing method for converting color image signals into output data for an output device for visual output, comprising: a conversion step for converting primary color data based on the colors producible by said output device and said color image signals, into data belonging to a same color space; and a judgment step for judging whether the color indicated by said color image signals is producible by said output device, based on the positional relationship in said color space between a plane defined by the values of said primary color data after said conversion and the values of said color image signals after said conversion.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
18 words
A color image processing method according to claim 31, wherein said primary color data are measured color data.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
44 words
A color image processing method according to claim 31, utilizing said primary color data for each of mutually different output devices, and adapted to convert, by said conversion step, the primary color data corresponding to an output device designated by output device designation means.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
42 words
A color image processing method according to claim 33, wherein said plane contains a triangle defined by three values selected predetermined combinations from the plural converted values of said plural primary color data, and 12 combinations are predetermined as said predetermined combinations.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
53 words
A color image processing method according to claim 33, wherein said judgment step is adapted to effect said judgment, according to whether a point on a predetermined axis in a predetermined color space and said converted value of said color image signals are positioned on a same side with respect to said plane.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
56 words
A color image processing method according to claim 35, wherein said judgment step is adapted to effect said judgment, according to whether said converted value of said color image signals is contained in the interior of a tetrahedron formed by said three coordinate values and a point on a predetermined axis of said predetermined color space.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
114 words
A color image processing method for converting color image signals into output data for an output device for visual output, comprising: a memory step for storing primary color data determined by colors producible by said output device; a conversion step for converting said primary color data and said color image signals into values of a same color space; and a judgment step for judging whether the color indicated by said color image signals is producible by said output device, based on the positional relationship in said color space between a plane defined by the value of said primary color data after said conversion and the value of said color image signals after said conversion.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
34 words
A color image processing method according to claim 37, further comprising a correction step for correcting said color image signals to producible image signals, based on the result of judgment by said judgment step.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
48 words
A color image processing method according to claim 37, wherein said judgment step is adapted to judge whether the color indicated by said color image signals is producible by said output device, based on a convergent point present inside a three-dimensional body obtained from said primary color data.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
49 words
An image processing method comprising steps of generating patches, reading and converting said generated patches into image signals, judging the color reproduction range of output means based on said converted image signals, and effecting color space compression on the input image data based on said judged color reproduction range.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
54 words
An image processing method comprising steps of: holding data indicating the color reproduction range of an output device; generating an image, based on said held data indicating the color reproduction range of said output device; and renewing said held data indicating the color reproduction range of said output device, based on said generated image.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
56 words
An image processing method comprising steps of: generating plural patches indicating the outermost part or the vicinity thereof of the color reproduction range of output means; reading and converting said generated plural patches into image signals; and judging patches indicating the outermost part of the color reproduction range of said output means, from said plural patches.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
36 words
An image processing method for effecting a first or second color processing on input image signals, comprising a step of storing data indicating the color reproduction range corresponding to each of said and second color processings.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
46 words
An image processing method comprising steps of: generating patches; reading and converting said generated patches into image signals; judging the color reproduction range of output means, based on said converted image signals; and transferring said data, indicating the judged color reproduction range, to an external equipment.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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