US7813546B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Image processing device, program product and method
Assignee: Minolta Co Ltd
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Filing: 2001-08-30
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Granted: 2010-10-12
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Expires: 2021-08-30
Abstract
Abstract An image processing device having an image processing unit 10 that adjusts colors of the foreground image data that are approximately equal to a uniform color that makes the boundary between the foreground image data and the background image data recognizable to all the colors of the background image data that serves as the foreground image data's back ground, and synthesizes the foreground image data and the background image data.
Inventors
- 👤 Tsutomu Yamazaki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 10:33
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/46; G; G06; G06T; G06T11/00; G06T11/60
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
393 words
An image processing device comprising: a computing device having a processor, wherein the processor is programmed to function as: a first color detection means for detecting colors of first image data by each processing unit, said first image data including data of a plurality of foreground objects and grouping all of the detected colors of the plurality of foreground objects in the first image data into groups, each group containing a grouping of approximately equal colors from the plurality of foreground objects; a second color detection means for detecting colors of second image data that serves as the first image data's background by each processing unit, the second image data having a plurality of different colors; and means for comparing, for each group, a representative color that is determined from the approximately equal colors of the group, to all the colors of the second image data that are adjacent to the first image data of the group and for specifying a single uniform adjusting color to be used for the group, that makes the first image data recognizable against all colors of the second image data that serve as the first image data's background; wherein the computing device includes: a first memory means for storing the colors of the first image data by each of the approximately equal colors; and a second memory means for storing the colors of the second image data that serves as the first image data's background, said colors of which are correlated to each of the corresponding colors of the first image data that are stored in said first memory means; wherein said comparing and specifying means includes: an average color value calculating means for calculating an average value of all the colors of the second image data and for each group an average value of all the colors in each group as the representative color, the average value of all the colors of the second image data being correlated to each of the representative colors of the first image data; and an adjusting color calculating means for calculating said adjusting color for each of the colors of the first image data based on each of the representative colors of the first image data and the average color value of the second image data calculated in correspondence with each of the representative colors of the first image data.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
393 words
An image processing device comprising: a computing device having a processor, wherein the processor is programmed to function as: a first color detection means for detecting colors of first image data by each processing unit, said first image data including data of a plurality of foreground objects and grouping all of the detected colors of the plurality of foreground objects in the first image data into groups, each group containing a grouping of approximately equal colors from the plurality of foreground objects; a second color detection means for detecting colors of second image data that serves as the first image data's background by each processing unit, the second image data having a plurality of different colors; and means for comparing, for each group, a representative color that is determined from the approximately equal colors of the group, to all the colors of the second image data that are adjacent to the first image data of the group and for specifying a single uniform adjusting color to be used for the group, that makes the first image data recognizable against all colors of the second image data that serve as the first image data's background; wherein the computing device includes: a first memory means for storing the colors of the first image data by each of the approximately equal colors; and a second memory means for storing the colors of the second image data that serves as the first image data's background, said colors of which are correlated to each of the corresponding colors of the first image data that are stored in said first memory means; wherein said comparing and specifying means includes: an average color value calculating means for calculating an average value of all the colors of the second image data and for each group an average value of all the colors in each group as the representative color, the average value of all the colors of the second image data being correlated to each of the representative colors of the first image data; and an adjusting color calculating means for calculating said adjusting color for each of the colors of the first image data based on each of the representative colors of the first image data and the average color value of the second image data calculated in correspondence with each of the representative colors of the first image data.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processor is programmed to function as: an image synthesizing means for synthesizing the first image data converted into said adjusting color with said second image data.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the processor is programmed to function as: a file preparing unit for preparing an electronic file based on the image data synthesized by said image synthesizing means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 2 , further comprising: a printer unit for printing images on recording media based on the image data synthesized by said image synthesizing means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said processing unit is a pixel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processor is programmed to function as: a judging means for judging that colors of the first image data are approximately equal when a sum of squares of the differences of their coordinate values in a specified color system is less than a specified value.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said average color value calculating means calculates the average value of the coordinate values of the colors of the second image data in a specified color system.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
111 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein when a color of the first image data stored in said first memory means, an average color value of the second image data calculated in correspondence with the color of the first image data, and an adjusting color of the first image data are expressed in the L*a*b* color system as (Ln, an, bn), (LAn, aAn, bAn), and (Lnc, anc, bnc), as defined in the present specification; said adjusting color calculating means calculates the (Lnc, anc, bnc) that maximizes the value J in the following formulas: J =( Lnc−LAn ) 2 +( anc−aAn ) 2 +( bnc−bAn ) 2 H=bn/an.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
109 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein when a color of the first image data stored in said first memory means, an average color value of the second image data calculated in correspondence with the color of the first image data, and an adjusting color of the first image data are expressed in the L*a*b* color system as (Ln, an, bn), (LAn, aAn, bAn), and (Lnc, anc, bnc), as defined herein the present specification; said adjusting color calculating means sets anc=|an| , when aAn< 0 ; anc=−|an| , when aAn> 0, bnc=|bn| , when bAn< 0 ; bnc=−|bn| , when bAn> 0, and maximizes Lnc.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said first image data is an image data that represents character images.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the computing device includes: a third memory means for storing said second image data.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising: a scanner unit for obtaining said first image data and/or said second image data by means of reading a document.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the grouping means individually compares each representative color to a value representing a combination of all of the colors of the second image data.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
356 words
A computer-readable non-transitory storage device containing a program product for image processing that causes a computer to execute a process comprising the steps of: detecting colors of first image data by each processing unit, said first image data including data of a plurality of foreground objects; grouping all of the detected colors of the plurality of foreground objects in the first image data into groups, each group containing a grouping of approximately equal colors from the plurality of foreground objects; detecting colors of second image data that serves as the first image data's background by each processing unit, the second image data having a plurality of colors; comparing, for each group, a representative color that is determined from the approximately equal colors of the group, to all the colors of the second image data that are adjacent to the first image data of the group and specifying a single uniform adjusting color to be used for the group, that makes the first image data recognizable against all colors of the second image data that serve as the first image data's background; storing the colors of the first image data by each of the approximately equal colors into a specified memory means; and storing the colors of the second image data that serves as the first image data's background, said colors of which are correlated to each of the corresponding colors of the first image data that are stored in said specified memory means; wherein said specifying a uniform adjusting color includes: calculating an average value of all the colors of the second image data and calculating an average value of all the colors in each group as the representative color, the average value of all the colors of the second image data being correlated to each of the representative colors of the first image data, and calculating said adjusting color for each of the representative colors of the first image data based on each of the colors of the first image data and the average color value of the second image data calculated in correspondence with each of the representative colors of the first image data.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
356 words
A computer-readable non-transitory storage device containing a program product for image processing that causes a computer to execute a process comprising the steps of: detecting colors of first image data by each processing unit, said first image data including data of a plurality of foreground objects; grouping all of the detected colors of the plurality of foreground objects in the first image data into groups, each group containing a grouping of approximately equal colors from the plurality of foreground objects; detecting colors of second image data that serves as the first image data's background by each processing unit, the second image data having a plurality of colors; comparing, for each group, a representative color that is determined from the approximately equal colors of the group, to all the colors of the second image data that are adjacent to the first image data of the group and specifying a single uniform adjusting color to be used for the group, that makes the first image data recognizable against all colors of the second image data that serve as the first image data's background; storing the colors of the first image data by each of the approximately equal colors into a specified memory means; and storing the colors of the second image data that serves as the first image data's background, said colors of which are correlated to each of the corresponding colors of the first image data that are stored in said specified memory means; wherein said specifying a uniform adjusting color includes: calculating an average value of all the colors of the second image data and calculating an average value of all the colors in each group as the representative color, the average value of all the colors of the second image data being correlated to each of the representative colors of the first image data, and calculating said adjusting color for each of the representative colors of the first image data based on each of the colors of the first image data and the average color value of the second image data calculated in correspondence with each of the representative colors of the first image data.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
38 words
A computer-readable non-transitory storage device containing a program product as claimed in claim 14 , wherein said process further comprising the step of: synthesizing the first image data converted into said adjusting color with said second image data.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
A computer-readable non-transitory storage device containing program product as claimed in claim 15 , wherein said process further comprises the step of: preparing an electronic file based on the image data synthesized at said step of synthesizing.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
A computer-readable non-transitory storage device containing a program product as claimed in claim 14 , wherein said processing unit is a pixel.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
57 words
A computer-readable non-transitory storage device containing a program product as claimed in claim 14 , wherein said process further comprises the step of: judging that colors of the first image data are approximately equal when a sum of squares of the differences of their coordinate values in a specified color system is less than a specified value.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
45 words
A computer-readable non-transitory storage device containing a program product as claimed in claim 14 , wherein said step of calculating average value is for calculating the average value of the coordinate values of the colors of the second image data in a specified color system.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
121 words
A computer-readable non-transitory, storage device containing a program product as claimed in claim 19 , wherein when a color of the first image data stored in said specified memory means, an average color value of the second image data calculated in correspondence with the color of the first image data, and an adjusting color of the first image data are expressed in the L*a*b* color system as (Ln, an, bn), (LAn, aAn, bAn), and (Lnc, anc, bnc), as defined in the present specification; said step of specifying a uniform adjusting color is for calculating the (Lnc, anc, bnc) that maximizes the value J in the following formulas: J =( Lnc−LAn ) 2 +( anc−aAn ) 2 +( bnc−bAn ) 2 H=bn/an.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
108 words
A computer-readable non-transitory storage device containing a program product as claimed in claim 19 , wherein when a color of the first image data stored in said specified memory means, an average color value of the second image data calculated in correspondence with the color of the first image data, and an adjusting color of the first image data are expressed in the L*a*b* color system as (Ln, an, bn), (LAn, aAn, bAn), and (Lnc, anc, bnc), as defined in the present specification; anc=|an| , when aAn< 0 ; anc=−|an| , when aAn> 0, bnc=|bn| , when bAn< 0 ; bnc=−|bn| , when bAn> 0, and maximizes Lnc.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
A computer-readable non-transitory storage device containing a program product as claimed in claim 14 , wherein said first image data is an image data that represents character images.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
38 words
A computer-readable non-transitory storage device containing a program product as claimed in claim 14 , wherein each representative color is individually compared to a value representing a combination of all of the colors of the second image data.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
348 words
An image processing method performed by a computing device having a processor comprising the processor programmed to: detect colors of first image data by each processing unit, said first image data including data of a plurality of foreground objects; group all of the detected colors of the plurality of foreground objects in the first image data into groups, each group containing a grouping of approximately equal colors from the plurality of foreground objects; detect colors of second image data that serves as the first image data's background by each processing unit, the second image data having a plurality of colors; compare, for each group, a representative color that is determined from the approximately equal colors of the group, to all the colors of the second image data that are adjacent to the first image data of the group and specifying a single uniform adjusting color to be used for the group, that makes the first image data recognizable against all colors of the second image data that serve as the first image data's background; store the colors of the first image data by each of the approximately equal colors into a specified memory means; and store the colors of the second image data that serves as the first image data's background, said colors of which are correlated to each of the corresponding colors of the first image data that are stored in said specified memory means; wherein said specifying a uniform adjusting color includes: calculating an average of all the colors of the second image data and calculating an average value of all the colors in each group as the representative color, the average value of all the colors of the second image data being correlated to each of the representative colors of the first image data, and calculating said adjusting color for each of the representative colors of the first image data based on each of the colors of the first image data and the average color value of the second image data calculated in correspondence with each of the representative colors of the first image data.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
348 words
An image processing method performed by a computing device having a processor comprising the processor programmed to: detect colors of first image data by each processing unit, said first image data including data of a plurality of foreground objects; group all of the detected colors of the plurality of foreground objects in the first image data into groups, each group containing a grouping of approximately equal colors from the plurality of foreground objects; detect colors of second image data that serves as the first image data's background by each processing unit, the second image data having a plurality of colors; compare, for each group, a representative color that is determined from the approximately equal colors of the group, to all the colors of the second image data that are adjacent to the first image data of the group and specifying a single uniform adjusting color to be used for the group, that makes the first image data recognizable against all colors of the second image data that serve as the first image data's background; store the colors of the first image data by each of the approximately equal colors into a specified memory means; and store the colors of the second image data that serves as the first image data's background, said colors of which are correlated to each of the corresponding colors of the first image data that are stored in said specified memory means; wherein said specifying a uniform adjusting color includes: calculating an average of all the colors of the second image data and calculating an average value of all the colors in each group as the representative color, the average value of all the colors of the second image data being correlated to each of the representative colors of the first image data, and calculating said adjusting color for each of the representative colors of the first image data based on each of the colors of the first image data and the average color value of the second image data calculated in correspondence with each of the representative colors of the first image data.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
31 words
An image processing method as claimed in claim 24 , wherein the processor is programmed to: synthesize the first image data converted into said adjusting color with said second image data.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
17 words
An image processing method as claimed in claim 24 , wherein said processing unit is a pixel.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
33 words
An image processing method as claimed in claim 24 , wherein each representative color is individually compared to a value representing a combination of all of the colors of the second image data.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
391 words
An image processing device comprising: a computing device having a processor, wherein the processor is programmed to function as: a first color detector for detecting colors of first image data by each unit of first image data, said first image data including data of a plurality of foreground objects and grouping all of the detected colors of the plurality of foreground objects in the first image data into groups, each group containing a grouping of approximately equal colors from the plurality of foreground objects; a second color detector for detecting colors of second image data that serves as the first image data's background by each unit of second image data, the second image data having a plurality of colors; and a color adjusting circuit for comparing, for each group, a representative color that is determined from the approximately equal colors of the group, to all the colors of the second image data that are adjacent to the first image data of the group and specifying a single uniform adjusting color to be used for the group, that makes the first image data recognizable against all colors of the second image data that serve as the first image data's background; wherein the computing device includes: a first memory for storing the colors of the first image data by each of the approximately equal colors; and a second memory for storing the colors of the second image data that serves as the first image data's background, said colors of which are correlated to each of the corresponding colors of the first image data that are stored in said first memory; wherein said color adjusting circuit includes an average color value calculating circuit for calculating an average value of all the colors of the second image data and an average value of all the colors of each group as the representative color, the average value of all the colors of the second image data being correlated to each of the representative colors of the first image data, and an adjusting color calculating circuit for calculating said adjusting color for each of the colors of the first image data based on each of the representative colors of the first image data and the average color value of the second image data calculated in correspondence with each of the representative colors of the first image data.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
391 words
An image processing device comprising: a computing device having a processor, wherein the processor is programmed to function as: a first color detector for detecting colors of first image data by each unit of first image data, said first image data including data of a plurality of foreground objects and grouping all of the detected colors of the plurality of foreground objects in the first image data into groups, each group containing a grouping of approximately equal colors from the plurality of foreground objects; a second color detector for detecting colors of second image data that serves as the first image data's background by each unit of second image data, the second image data having a plurality of colors; and a color adjusting circuit for comparing, for each group, a representative color that is determined from the approximately equal colors of the group, to all the colors of the second image data that are adjacent to the first image data of the group and specifying a single uniform adjusting color to be used for the group, that makes the first image data recognizable against all colors of the second image data that serve as the first image data's background; wherein the computing device includes: a first memory for storing the colors of the first image data by each of the approximately equal colors; and a second memory for storing the colors of the second image data that serves as the first image data's background, said colors of which are correlated to each of the corresponding colors of the first image data that are stored in said first memory; wherein said color adjusting circuit includes an average color value calculating circuit for calculating an average value of all the colors of the second image data and an average value of all the colors of each group as the representative color, the average value of all the colors of the second image data being correlated to each of the representative colors of the first image data, and an adjusting color calculating circuit for calculating said adjusting color for each of the colors of the first image data based on each of the representative colors of the first image data and the average color value of the second image data calculated in correspondence with each of the representative colors of the first image data.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
38 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 28 , wherein one processor is programmed to function as an image synthesizing circuit for synthesizing the first image data converted into said adjusting color with said second image data.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
15 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 28 , wherein said units are pixels.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
56 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 28 , wherein one processor is programmed to function as a judging circuit for judging that colors of the first image data are approximately equal when a sum of squares of the differences of their coordinate values in a specified color system is less than a specified value.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
38 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 28 , wherein said average color value calculating circuit calculates the average value of the coordinate values of the colors of the second image data in a specified color system.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
110 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 32 , wherein when a color of the first image data stored in said first memory, an average color value of the second image data calculated in correspondence with the color of the first image data, and an adjusting color of the first image data are expressed in the L*a*b* color system as (Ln, an, bn), (LAn, aAn, bAn), and (Lnc, anc, bnc), as defined in the present specification; said adjusting color calculating circuit calculates the (Lnc, anc, bnc) that maximizes the value J in the following formulas: J =( Lnc−LAn ) 2 +( anc−aAn ) 2 +( bnc−bAn ) 2 H=bn/an.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
108 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 32 , wherein when a color of the first image data stored in said first memory, an average color value of the second image data calculated in correspondence with the color of the first image data, and an adjusting color of the first image data are expressed in the L*a*b* color system as (Ln, an, bn), (LAn, aAn, bAn), and (Lnc, anc, bnc), as defined in the present specification; said adjusting color calculating circuit sets anc=|an| , when aAn< 0 ; anc=−|an| , when aAn> 0, bnc=|bn| , when bAn< 0 ; bnc=−|bn| , when bAn> 0, and maximizes Lnc.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
23 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 28 , wherein said first image data is an image data that represents character images.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
24 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 28 , wherein the computing device includes a third memory for storing said second image data.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
36 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 28 , wherein the color adjusting circuit individually compares each representative color to a value representing a combination of all of the colors of the second image data.
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