Apparatus and method for adjusting output image from image data

Abstract

If a memory card MC is inserted in a slot 34, a control circuit 30 of a color printer 20 acquires image output control information GI from the memory card MC and analyzes this information. A CPU 31 modifies a brightness standard value Bstd corresponding to a brightness parameter by taking account of a preset exposure bias value when an exposure bias value other than zero is set. The CPU 31 determines the brightness correction level Brev by correcting the brightness representative value Brep so as to bring it closer to the brightness standard value Bstd that has been modified, and adjusts the image quality of image data by taking account of the brightness correction level Brev. As a result, the image quality of image data can be automatically adjusted without degrading output conditions that have been set arbitrarily.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An output device which uses image data and image output control information, which includes at least the exposure bias value information in image data generation and which has been associated with the image data, and outputs the image data, said output device comprising: 
 image parameter quality value acquisition means for analyzing said image data and acquiring a value for the image quality parameter which indicates at least the characteristic relating to the brightness of said image data;    image quality adjustment means for adjusting the image quality of said image data based on a standard image quality parameter value that is determined in advance for said image quality parameter value relating at least to said brightness, said acquired image quality parameter value, and said exposure bias value information; and    output means for outputting said image data that has been subjected to said image quality adjustment.    
     
     
         2 . An output device according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 said image quality adjustment means adjusts the image quality of said image data so as to reduce or eliminate deviations in said image quality parameter value from said standard image quality parameter value by taking account of said exposure bias value information.    
     
     
         3 . An output device according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 said image quality adjustment means adjusts the image quality of said image data by computing the image quality adjustment quantity from said standard image quality parameter value and said image quality parameter value, modifying said image quality adjustment quantity by taking account of said exposure bias value information, and using said image quality adjustment quantity that has been modified.    
     
     
         4 . An output device according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 standard image quality parameter value modification means for modifying said standard image quality parameter value based on said exposure bias value information, and wherein 
 said image quality adjustment means adjusts the image quality of said image data based on said modified standard image quality parameter value and said acquired image quality parameter value, instead of said standard image quality parameter value, said acquired image quality parameter value, and said exposure bias value information.  
   
     
     
         5 . An output device according to  claim 4 , wherein 
 said standard image quality parameter value modification means does not execute modification of said standard image quality parameter value when the exposure bias value has been set to zero as a result of analysis of said image output control information.    
     
     
         6 . An image data processing device which uses image data and image output control information, which includes at least exposure bias value information in image data generation and which has been associated with the image data, and processes the image data, said image data processing device comprising: 
 obtaining means for obtaining said image data and said image output control information;    image quality parameter value acquisition means for analyzing said downloaded image data to acquire the value of the image quality parameter indicating at least the characteristic relating to the brightness of said image data; and image quality adjustment means for adjusting the image quality of said image data based on a standard image quality parameter value that is determined in advance for said image quality parameter value relating at least to said brightness, said acquired image quality parameter value, and said exposure bias value information.    
     
     
         7 . An image data processing device according to  claim 6 , wherein 
 said image quality adjustment means adjusts the image quality of said image data so as to reduce or eliminate deviations in said image quality parameter value from said standard image quality parameter value by taking account of said exposure bias value information.    
     
     
         8 . An image data processing device according to  claim 6 , wherein 
 said image quality adjustment means adjusts the image quality of said image data by computing the image quality adjustment quantity from said standard image quality parameter value and said image quality parameter value, modifying said image quality adjustment quantity by taking account of said exposure bias value information, and using said image quality adjustment quantity that has been modified.    
     
     
         9 . An image data processing device according to  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 standard image quality parameter value modification means for modifying said standard image quality parameter value based on said exposure bias value information, and wherein 
 said image quality adjustment means adjusts the image quality of said image data based on said modified standard image quality parameter value and said acquired image quality parameter value, instead of said standard image quality parameter value, said acquired image quality parameter value, and said exposure bias value information.  
   
     
     
         10 . An image data processing device according to  claim 9 , wherein 
 said standard image quality parameter value modification means does not execute modification of said standard image quality parameter value when the exposure bias value has been set to zero as a result of analysis of said image output control information.    
     
     
         11 . A method for image quality adjustment of image data comprising: 
 acquiring image data and image output control information which includes at least exposure bias value information occurring during image data generation, and which has been associated with the image data;    analyzing said image data to acquire the value of the image quality parameter indicating at least the characteristic relating to the brightness of said image data;    analyzing said image output control information to acquire the exposure bias value from said exposure bias value information; and    adjusting the image quality of said image data based on a standard image quality parameter value that is determined in advance, said acquired image quality parameter value, and said exposure bias value.    
     
     
         12 . A method for image quality adjustment according to  claim 11 , wherein the image quality of said image data is adjusted so as to reduce or eliminate deviations in said image quality parameter value from said standard image quality parameter value with reflecting said exposure bias value information.  
     
     
         13 . A method for image quality adjustment according to  claim 11 , wherein the image quality of said image data is adjusted by computing the image quality adjustment quantity from said standard image quality parameter value and said image quality parameter value, modifying said image quality adjustment quantity by taking account of said exposure bias value information, and using said image quality adjustment quantity that has been modified.  
     
     
         14 . A method for image quality adjustment according to  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 modifying the standard image quality parameter value that has been determined in advance with respect to said image quality parameter value relating to at least said brightness, by reflecting said acquired exposure bias value; and    adjusting the image quality of said image data based on said modified standard image quality parameter value and said acquired image quality parameter value, instead of said standard image quality parameter value, said acquired image quality parameter value, and said exposure bias value information.    
     
     
         15 . A method for image quality adjustment according to  claim 14 , wherein the modification of said standard image quality parameter value is not conducted when said acquired exposure bias value is zero.  
     
     
         16 . A computer-readable medium storing a program for adjusting the image quality of image data, wherein said program instructs a computer to execute the functions of: 
 acquiring image data and image output control information which includes at least exposure bias value information occurring during image data generation, and which has been associated with the image data;    analyzing said image data to acquire the value of the image quality parameter indicating at least the characteristic relating to the brightness of said image data;    analyzing said image output control information to acquire the exposure bias value from said exposure bias value information; and    adjusting the image quality of said image data based on a standard image quality parameter value that is determined in advance, said image quality parameter value, and said exposure bias value.    
     
     
         17 . A computer-readable medium according to  claim 16 , wherein the function of adjusting the image quality of said image data is a function of adjusting the image quality of said image data so as to reduce or eliminate deviations in said image quality parameter value from said standard image quality parameter value by taking account of said exposure bias value information.  
     
     
         18 . A computer-readable medium according to  claim 16 , wherein the function of adjusting the image quality of said image data is a function of adjusting the image quality of said image data by computing the image quality adjustment quantity from said standard image quality parameter value and said image quality parameter value, modifying said image quality adjustment quantity by taking account of said exposure bias value information, and using said image quality adjustment quantity that has been modified.  
     
     
         19 . A computer-readable medium according to  claim 16 , wherein said program further instructs a computer to execute the function of: 
 modifying the standard image quality parameter value that has been determined in advance with respect to said image quality parameter value relating to at least said brightness, by reflecting said acquired exposure bias value, and    wherein the function of adjusting the image quality of said image data is executed by the computer based on said modified standard image quality parameter value and said image quality parameter value, instead of said standard parameter value, said image quality parameter value, and said exposure bias value.    
     
     
         20 . A computer-readable recording medium according to  claim 19 , wherein a function is executed by a computer such that modification of said standard image quality parameter value is not conducted when said acquired exposure bias value is zero.  
     
     
         21 . An image data generation device for generating image data that has been associated with image processing conditions for image data in an output device, said image data generation device comprising: 
 image data generation means for generating image data;    exposure bias value information acquisition means for acquiring exposure bias value information;    image quality parameter value acquisition means for analyzing said generated image data so as to acquire the value of the image quality parameter indicating at least the characteristic relating to the brightness of said image data;    image processing conditions generation means for generating said image processing conditions based on a standard image quality parameter value that is determined in advance for said image quality parameter value relating to said brightness, said acquired image quality parameter value, and said exposure bias value information; and    output means for outputting said generated image processing conditions and said image data associated with each other.    
     
     
         22 . An image data generation device according to  claim 21 , wherein 
 said image processing conditions generation means generates said image processing conditions so as to reduce or eliminate deviations in said image quality parameter value from said standard image quality parameter value by taking account of said exposure bias value information.    
     
     
         23 . An image data generation device according to  claim 21 , wherein said image processing conditions generation means generates said image processing conditions by computing the image quality adjustment quantity from said standard image quality parameter value and said image quality parameter value, modifying said image quality adjustment quantity by taking account of said exposure bias value information, and using said image quality adjustment quantity that has been modified.  
     
     
         24 . An image data generation device according to  claim 21 , which further comprises standard image quality parameter value modification means for modifying said standard image quality parameter value based on said exposure bias value information, and wherein 
 said image processing conditions generation means generates said image processing conditions based on said modified standard image quality parameter value and said acquired image quality parameter value, instead of said standard image quality parameter value, said acquired image quality parameter value, and said exposure bias value information.    
     
     
         25 . An image data generation device according to  claim 24 , wherein 
 said standard image quality parameter value modification means does not conduct modification of said standard image quality parameter value when said acquired exposure bias value is zero.    
     
     
         26 . An image data generation device according to any one of claims  21  through  25 , wherein said image data are output after having been stored in the same file as said image processing conditions.