Method of determining a principal portion of an image and method of determining a copying condition

Claim 3

A method of determining a principal portion of an image according to claim 1, wherein when the region having the high probability of being the region corresponding to the principal portion of the original image has been determined, information related to the region extracted by each of said extracting methods and information related to the determined region are stored, and wherein, at a predetermine timing, each of said extracting methods is reevaluated on the basis of the stored information, and the weight for each of said extracting methods is corrected.

Claim 4

A method of determining a principal portion of an image according to claim 2, wherein said extracting method includes at least one of an extracting method for extracting a region of a particular color in the original image as the region estimated to correspond to the principal portion, an extracting method for extracting a region estimated to correspond to the principal portion by detecting a pattern of shape peculiar to the principal portion, and an extracting method for extracting a region estimated to correspond to the principal portion by eliminating a region estimated to correspond to a background.

Claim 5

A method of determining a copying condition, comprising the steps of: determining a region having a high probability of being a region corresponding to a principal portion with respect to an original image to be copied onto a copying material, by the method of determining a principal portion of an image according to claim 2; and determining a copying condition for the original image such that the determined region having the high probability of being the region corresponding to the principal portion is copied appropriately.

Claim 6

A method of determining a principal portion of an image according to claim 1, wherein said extracting method includes at least one of an extracting method for extracting a region of a particular color in the original image as the region estimated to correspond to the principal portion, an extracting method for extracting a region estimated to correspond to the principal portion by detecting a pattern of shape peculiar to the principal portion, and an extracting method for extracting a region estimated to correspond to the principal portion by eliminating a region estimated to correspond to a background.

Claim 7

A method of determining a copying condition, comprising the steps of: determining a region having a high probability of being a region corresponding to a principal portion with respect to an original image to be copied onto a copying material, by the method of determining a principal portion of an image according to claim 5; and determining a copying condition for the original image such that the determined region having the high probability of being the region corresponding to the principal portion is copied appropriately.

Claim 8

A method of determining a copying condition, comprising the steps of: determining a region having a high probability of being a region corresponding to a principal portion with respect to an original image to be copied onto a copying material, by the method of determining a principal portion of an image according to claim 1; and determining a copying condition for the original image such that the determined region having the high probability of being the region corresponding to the principal portion is copied appropriately.

Claim 11

A method of determining a principal portion of an image according to claim 8, wherein, at a first predetermined timing, regions estimated to correspond to the principal portion are respectively extracted from the original image by said extracting methods, a region having the high probability of being the region corresponding to the principal portion of the original image is determined on the basis of a result the extraction, and information related to the regions extracted respectively by said extracting methods and information related to the determined region are stored, and wherein, at a second predetermined timing, each of said extracting methods is reevaluated on the basis of the stored information, and the priority for each of said extracting methods is corrected.

Claim 12

A method of determining a principal portion of an image according to claim 9, wherein said extracting method includes at least one of an extracting method for extracting a region of a particular color in the original image as the region estimated to correspond to the principal portion, an extracting method for extracting a region estimated to correspond to the principal portion by detecting a pattern of shape peculiar to the principal portion, and an extracting method for extracting a region estimated to correspond to the principal portion by eliminating a region estimated to correspond to a background.

Claim 13

A method of determining a copying condition, comprising the steps of: determining a region having a high probability of being a region corresponding to a principal portion with respect to an original image to be copied onto a copying material, by the method of determining a principal portion of an image according to claim 9; and determining a copying condition for the original image such that the determined region having the high probability of being the region corresponding to the principal portion is copied appropriately.

Claim 14

A method of determining a principal portion of an image according to claim 8, wherein said extracting method includes at least one of an extracting method for extracting a region of a particular color in the original image as the region estimated to correspond to the principal portion, an extracting method for extracting a region estimated to correspond to the principal portion by detecting a pattern of shape peculiar to the principal portion, and an extracting method for extracting a region estimated to correspond to the principal portion by eliminating a region estimated to correspond to a background.

Claim 15

A method of determining a copying condition, comprising the steps of: determining a region having a high probability of being a region corresponding to a principal portion with respect to an original image to be copied onto a copying material, by the method of determining a principal portion of an image according to claim 12; and determining a copying condition for the original image such that the determined region having the high probability of being the region corresponding to the principal portion is copied appropriately.

Claim 16

A method of determining a copying condition, comprising the steps of: determining a region having a high probability of being a region corresponding to a principal portion with respect to an original image to be copied onto a copying material, by the method of determining a principal portion of an image according to claim 8; and determining a copying condition for the original image such that the determined region having the high probability of being the region corresponding to the principal portion is copied appropriately.

Claim 17

A method of determining a copying condition according to claim 4, wherein a plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image, including a characteristic amount of an image in a region corresponding to a principal portion of an original image or in a region having a high probability of being a region corresponding to the principal portion, are obtained with respect to a plurality of original images, and, on the basis of the obtained plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts and a correction amount for the copying condition of each of the plurality of original images, a relationship between the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image and the correction amount is obtained in advance, wherein after the region having the high probability of being the region corresponding to the principal portion has been determined with respect to the original image to be copied onto the copying material, by the method of determining a principal portion according to any one of claims 5, 8, or 9, the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image of the original image, including the characteristic amount of the determined region having the high probability of being the region corresponding to the principal portion, are obtained, wherein the correction amount is calculated on the basis of the determined plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image and said relationship, and the copying condition of the original image is determined by using the correction amount, wherein information representing the determined plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image of the original image and information representing a finally used correction amount for the copying condition are stored, and wherein said relationship is updated at a predetermined timing on the basis of the information representing the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image stored with respect to the plurality of original images and the information representing the correction amount for the copying condition.

Claim 18

A method of determining a copying condition according to claim 15, wherein the original images are classified into a plurality of groups on the basis of a predetermined characteristic amount of an image, and the relationship between the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image and the correction amount for the copying condition is obtained for each of the groups, wherein, on the basis of the predetermined characteristic amount of an image of the original image, a determination is made as to to which one of the groups the original image to be copied belongs, the correction amount for the copying condition is calculated by using said relationship corresponding to the determined group, and the information representing the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image of the original image and the information representing the finally used correction amount for the copying condition are stored separately for each of the groups, and wherein said relationship is updated for each of the groups at the predetermined timing.

Claim 19

A method of determining a copying condition according to claim 15, wherein the information representing the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image of the original images which determined the copying condition and the information representing the finally used correction amount for the copying condition are stored separately for a group for which the determined copying condition was further corrected and a group for which the determined copying condition was not corrected, wherein, on the basis of the stored information, a determination is made at a predetermined timing as to whether or not an original image for which the determined copying condition is required to be further corrected and an original image for which the determined copying condition is not required to be corrected can be distinguished in advance on the basis of at least one of the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image, wherein, in a case where it is determined that said images can be distinguished in advance, a relationship between the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image and the correction amount for the copying condition concerning the original images for which the determined copying condition was further corrected is obtained in advance on the basis of the stored information, and in the determination of the copying condition, whether or not the original image to be copied onto the copying material is the original image for which the determined copying condition is required to be further corrected is determined on the basis of at least one of the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image of said original image, whereas in a case where it is determined that the determined copying condition is required to be further corrected, the correction amount for the copying condition is obtained by using said relationship obtained with respect to the original images for which the determined copying condition was corrected, so as to determine the copying condition.

Claim 20

A method of determining a copying condition according to claim 6, wherein a plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image, including a characteristic amount of an image in a region corresponding to a principal portion of an original image or in a region having a high probability of being a region corresponding to the principal portion, are obtained with respect to a plurality of original images, and, on the basis of the obtained plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts and a correction amount for the copying condition of each of the plurality of original images, a relationship between the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image and the correction amount is obtained in advance, wherein after the region having the high probability of being the region corresponding to the principal portion has been determined with respect to the original image to be copied onto the copying material, by the method of determining a principal portion according to any one of claims 7, 8, or 9, the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image of the original image, including the characteristic amount of the determined region having the high probability of being the region corresponding to the principal portion, are obtained, wherein the correction amount is calculated on the basis of the determined plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image and said relationship, and the copying condition of the original image is determined by using the correction amount, wherein information representing the determined plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image of the original image and information representing a finally used correction amount for the copying condition are stored, and wherein said relationship is updated at a predetermined timing on the basis of the information representing the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image stored with respect to the plurality of original images and the information representing the correction amount for the copying condition.

Claim 21

A method of determining a copying condition according to claim 18, wherein the original images are classified into a plurality of groups on the basis of a predetermined characteristic amount of an image, and the relationship between the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image and the correction amount for the copying condition is obtained for each of the groups, wherein, on the basis of the predetermined characteristic amount of an image of the original image, a determination is made as to to which one of the groups the original image to be copied belongs, the correction amount for the copying condition is calculated by using said relationship corresponding to the determined group, and the information representing the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image of the original image and the information representing the finally used correction amount for the copying condition are stored separately for each of the groups, and wherein said relationship is updated for each of the groups at the predetermined timing.

Claim 22

A method of determining a copying condition according to claim 18, wherein the information representing the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image of the original images which determined the copying condition and the information representing the finally used correction amount for the copying condition are stored separately for a group for which the determined copying condition was further corrected and a group for which the determined copying condition was not corrected, wherein, on the basis of the stored information, a determination is made at a predetermined timing as to whether or not an original image for which the determined copying condition is required to be further corrected and an original image for which the determined copying condition is not required to be corrected can be distinguished in advance on the basis of at least one of the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image, wherein, in a case where it is determined that said images can be distinguished in advance, a relationship between the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image and the correction amount for the copying condition concerning the original images for which the determined copying condition was further corrected is obtained in advance on the basis of the stored information, and in the determination of the copying condition, whether or not the original image to be copied onto the copying material is the original image for which the determined copying condition is required to be further corrected is determined on the basis of at least one of the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image of said original image, whereas in a case where it is determined that the determined copying condition is required to be further corrected, the correction amount for the copying condition is obtained by using said relationship obtained with respect to the original images for which the determined copying condition was corrected, so as to determine the copying condition.

Claim 23

A method of determining a copying condition according to claim 7, wherein a plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image, including a characteristic amount of an image in a region corresponding to a principal portion of an original image or in a region having a high probability of being a region corresponding to the principal portion, are obtained with respect to a plurality of original images, and, on the basis of the obtained plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts and a correction amount for the copying condition of each of the plurality of original images, a relationship between the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image and the correction amount is obtained in advance, wherein after the region having the high probability of being the region corresponding to the principal portion has been determined with respect to the original image to be copied onto the copying material, by the method of determining a principal portion according to any one of claims 2, 5, 8, or 9, the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image of the original image, including the characteristic amount of the determined region having the high probability of being the region corresponding to the principal portion, are obtained, wherein the correction amount is calculated on the basis of the determined plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image and said relationship, and the copying condition of the original image is determined by using the correction amount, wherein information representing the determined plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image of the original image and information representing a finally used correction amount for the copying condition are stored, and wherein said relationship is updated at a predetermined timing on the basis of the information representing the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image stored with respect to the plurality of original images and the information representing the correction amount for the copying condition.

Claim 24

A method of determining a copying condition according to claim 21, wherein the original images are classified into a plurality of groups on the basis of a predetermined characteristic amount of an image, and the relationship between the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image and the correction amount for the copying condition is obtained for each of the groups, wherein, on the basis of the predetermined characteristic amount of an image of the original image, a determination is made as to to which one of the groups the original image to be copied belongs, the correction amount for the copying condition is calculated by using said relationship corresponding to the determined group, and the information representing the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image of the original image and the information representing the finally used correction amount for the copying condition are stored separately for each of the groups, and wherein said relationship is updated for each of the groups at a predetermined timing.

Claim 25

A method of determining a copying condition according to claim 21, wherein the information representing the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image of the original images which determined the copying condition and the information representing the finally used correction amount for the copying condition are stored separately for a group for which the determined copying condition was further corrected and a group for which the determined copying condition was not corrected, wherein, on the basis of the stored information, a determination is made at a predetermined timing as to whether or not an original image for which the determined copying condition is required to be further corrected and an original image for which the determined copying condition is not required to be corrected can be distinguished in advance on the basis of at least one of the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image, wherein, in a case where it is determined that said images can be distinguished in advance, a relationship between the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image and the correction amount for the copying condition concerning the original images for which the determined copying condition was further corrected is obtained in advance on the basis of the stored information, and in the determination of the copying condition, whether or not the original image to be copied onto the copying material is the original image for which the determined copying condition is required to be further corrected is determined on the basis of at least one of the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image of said original image, whereas in a case where it is determined that the determined copying condition is required to be further corrected, the correction amount for the copying condition is obtained by using said relationship obtained with respect to the original images for which the determined copying condition was corrected, so as to determine the copying condition.

Claim 26

A method of determining a copying condition according to claim 11, wherein a plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image, including a characteristic amount of an image in a region corresponding to a principal portion of an original image or in a region having a high probability of being a region corresponding to the principal portion, are obtained with respect to a plurality of original images, and, on the basis of the obtained plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts and a correction amount for the copying condition of each of the plurality of original images, a relationship between the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image and the correction amount is obtained in advance, wherein after the region having the high probability of being the region corresponding to the principal portion has been determined with respect to the original image to be copied onto the copying material, by the method of determining a principal portion according to any one of claims 1, 2, or 5, the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image of the original image, including the characteristic amount of the determined region having the high probability of being the region corresponding to the principal portion, are obtained, wherein the correction amount is calculated on the basis of the determined plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image and said relationship, and the copying condition of the original image is determined by using the correction amount, wherein information representing the determined plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image of the original image and information representing a finally used correction amount for the copying condition are stored, and wherein said relationship is updated at a predetermined timing on the basis of the information representing the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image stored with respect to the plurality of original images and the information representing the correction amount for the copying condition.

Claim 27

A method of determining a copying condition according to claim 24, wherein the original images are classified into a plurality of groups on the basis of a predetermined characteristic amount of an image, and the relationship between the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image and the correction amount for the copying condition is obtained for each of the groups, wherein, on the basis of the predetermined characteristic amount of an image of the original image, a determination is made as to to which one of the groups the original image to be copied belongs, the correction amount for the copying condition is calculated by using said relationship corresponding to the determined group, and the information representing the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image of the original image and the information representing the finally used correction amount for the copying condition are stored separately for each of the groups, and wherein said relationship is updated for each of the groups at the predetermined timing.

Claim 28

A method of determining a copying condition according to claim 24, wherein the information representing the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image of the original images which determined the copying condition and the information representing the finally used correction amount for the copying condition are stored separately for a group for which the determined copying condition was further corrected and a group for which the determined copying condition was not corrected, wherein, on the basis of the stored information, a determination is made at a predetermined timing as to whether or not an original image for which the determined copying condition is required to be further corrected and an original image for which the determined copying condition is not required to be corrected can be distinguished in advance on the basis of at least one of the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image, wherein, in a case where it is determined that said images can be distinguished in advance, a relationship between the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image and the correction amount for the copying condition concerning the original images for which the determined copying condition was further corrected is obtained in advance on the basis of the stored information, and in the determination of the copying condition, whether or not the original image to be copied onto the copying material is the original image for which the determined copying condition is required to be further corrected is determined on the basis of at least one of the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image of said original image, whereas in a case where it is determined that the determined copying condition is required to be further corrected, the correction amount for the copying condition is obtained by using said relationship obtained with respect to the original images for which the determined copying condition was corrected, so as to determine the copying condition.

Claim 29

A method of determining a copying condition according to claim 13, wherein a plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image, including a characteristic amount of an image in a region corresponding to a principal portion of an original image or in a region having a high probability of being a region corresponding to the principal portion, are obtained with respect to a plurality of original images, and, on the basis of the obtained plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts and a correction amount for the copying condition of each of the plurality of original images, a relationship between the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image and the correction amount is obtained in advance, wherein after the region having the high probability of being the region corresponding to the principal portion has been determined with respect to the original image to be copied onto the copying material, by the method of determining a principal portion according to any one of claims 1, 2, 5 or 9, the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image of the original image, including the characteristic amount of the determined region having the high probability of being the region corresponding to the principal portion, are obtained, wherein the correction amount is calculated on the basis of the determined plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image and said relationship, and the copying condition of the original image is determined by using the correction amount, wherein information representing the determined plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image of the original image and information representing a finally used correction amount for the copying condition are stored, and wherein said relationship is updated at a predetermined timing on the basis of the information representing the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image stored with respect to the plurality of original images and the information representing the correction amount for the copying condition.

Claim 30

A method of determining a copying condition according to claim 27, wherein the original images are classified into a plurality of groups on the basis of a predetermined characteristic amount of an image, and the relationship between the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image and the correction amount for the copying condition is obtained for each of the groups, wherein, on the basis of the predetermined characteristic amount of an image of the original image, a determination is made as to to which one of the groups the original image to be copied belongs, the correction amount for the copying condition is calculated by using said relationship corresponding to the determined group, and the information representing the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image of the original image and the information representing the finally used correction amount for the copying condition are stored separately for each of the groups, and wherein said relationship is updated for each of the groups at the predetermined timing.

Claim 31

A method of determining a copying condition according to claim 27, wherein the information representing the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image of the original images which determined the copying condition and the information representing the finally used correction amount for the copying condition are stored separately for a group for which the determined copying condition was further corrected and a group for which the determined copying condition was not corrected, wherein, on the basis of the stored information, a determination is made at a predetermined timing as to whether or not an original image for which the determined copying condition is required to be further corrected and an original image for which the determined copying condition is not required to be corrected can be distinguished in advance on the basis of at least one of the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image, wherein, in a case where it is determined that said images can be distinguished in advance, a relationship between the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image and the correction amount for the copying condition concerning the original images for which the determined copying condition was further corrected is obtained in advance on the basis of the stored information, and in the determination of the copying condition, whether or not the original image to be copied onto the copying material is the original image for which the determined copying condition is required to be further corrected is determined on the basis of at least one of the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image of said original image, whereas in a case where it is determined that the determined copying condition is required to be further corrected, the correction amount for the copying condition is obtained by using said relationship obtained with respect to the original images for which the determined copying condition was corrected, so as to determine the copying condition.

Claim 32

A method of determining a copying condition according to claim 14, wherein a plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image, including a characteristic amount of an image in a region corresponding to a principal portion of an original image or in a region having a high probability of being a region corresponding to the principal portion, are obtained with respect to a plurality of original images, and, on the basis of the obtained plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts and a correction amount for the copying condition of each of the plurality of original images, a relationship between the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image and the correction amount is obtained in advance, wherein after the region having the high probability of being the region corresponding to the principal portion has been determined with respect to the original image to be copied onto the copying material, by the method of determining a principal portion according to any one of claims 1, 2, 5 or 9, the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image of the original image, including the characteristic amount of the determined region having the high probability of being the region corresponding to the principal portion, are obtained, wherein the correction amount is calculated on the basis of the determined plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image and said relationship, and the copying condition of the original image is determined by using the correction amount, wherein information representing the determined plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image of the original image and information representing a finally used correction amount for the copying condition are stored, and wherein said relationship is updated at a predetermined timing on the basis of the information representing the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image stored with respect to the plurality of original images and the information representing the correction amount for the copying condition.

Claim 33

A method of determining a copying condition according to claim 30, wherein the original images are classified into a plurality of groups on the basis of a predetermined characteristic amount of an image, and the relationship between the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image and the correction amount for the copying condition is obtained for each of the groups, wherein, on the basis of the predetermined characteristic amount of an image of the original image, a determination is made as to to which one of the groups the original image to be copied belongs, the correction amount for the copying condition is calculated by using said relationship corresponding to the determined group, and the information representing the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image of the original image and the information representing the finally used correction amount for the copying condition are stored separately for each of the groups, and wherein said relationship is updated for each of the groups at the predetermined timing.

Claim 34

A method of determining a copying condition according to claim 30, wherein the information representing the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image of the original images which determined the copying condition and the information representing the finally used correction amount for the copying condition are stored separately for a group for which the determined copying condition was further corrected and a group for which the determined copying condition was not corrected, wherein, on the basis of the stored information, a determination is made at a predetermined timing as to whether or not an original image for which the determined copying condition is required to be further corrected and an original image for which the determined copying condition is not required to be corrected can be distinguished in advance on the basis of at least one of the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image, wherein, in a case where it is determined that said images can be distinguished in advance, a relationship between the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image and the correction amount for the copying condition concerning the original images for which the determined copying condition was further corrected is obtained in advance on the basis of the stored information, and in the determination of the copying condition, whether or not the original image to be copied onto the copying material is the original image for which the determined copying condition is required to be further corrected is determined on the basis of at least one of the plurality of kinds of characteristic amounts of an image of said original image, whereas in a case where it is determined that the determined copying condition is required to be further corrected, the correction amount for the copying condition is obtained by using said relationship obtained with respect to the original images for which the determined copying condition was corrected, so as to determine the copying condition.