Image file processing method and image file processing apparatus

Abstract

an image file processing method adopted in an image file processing apparatus, includes steps for: inputting from the outside an image file containing at least color information corresponding to each of pixels defined by a color space used in the image file, a color space identification tag indicating whether or not the color space used in the image file is a first color space and a color space information tag providing color space information related to the color space used in the image file; making a decision as to whether or not the color space used in the image file is the first color space based upon the color space identification tag; and referencing the color space information tag in the image file if the color space used in the image file is determined not to be in the first color space.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An image file processing method adopted in an image file processing apparatus, comprising steps for: 
 inputting an image file;    making a decision as to whether or not the input image file uses a specific color space;    converting the specific color space to a color space suitable for processing to be executed in the image processing apparatus by using information stored in advance in the image processing apparatus if the input image file is determined to use the specific color space; and    converting a color space used in the input image file to the color space suitable for the processing to be executed in the image processing apparatus by using information stored in the input image file if the input image file is determined to use a color space other than the specific color space.    
     
     
         2 . An image file processing method according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the information stored in advance in the image processing apparatus relates to conversion of the specific color space to the color space suitable for the processing to be executed in the image processing apparatus; and    the information stored in the input image file relates to the color space used in the input image file.    
     
     
         3 . An image file processing method according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the input image file includes color space identification information indicating whether or not the specific color space is used in the input image file; and    a decision is made based upon the color space identification information as to whether or not the color space used in the input image file is the specific color space.    
     
     
         4 . An image file processing method adopted in an image file processing apparatus, comprising steps for: 
 inputting from the outside an image file containing at least color information corresponding to each of pixels defined by a color space used in the image file, a color space identification tag indicating whether or not the color space used in the image file is a first color space and a color space information tag providing color space information related to the color space used in the image file;    making a decision as to whether or not the color space used in the image file is the first color space based upon the color space identification tag; and    referencing the color space information tag in the image file if the color space used in the image file is determined not to be in the first color space.    
     
     
         5 . An image file processing method according to  claim 4 , wherein: 
 the color space used in the image file determined to be other than the first color space is converted to a second color space based upon the referenced color space information tag; and    the color information in the image file is expressed by using the second color space.    
     
     
         6 . An image file processing method according to  claim 5 , wherein: 
 a transformation matrix to be used to convert the first color space to the second color space is stored in memory;    if the color space used in the image file is determined to be the first color space, the color space used in the image file is converted from the first color space to the second color space based upon the transformation matrix; and    if the color space used in the image file is determined to be other than the first color space, the transformation matrix is reorganized based upon the referenced color space information tag and the color space used in the image file is converted to the second color space based upon the reorganized transformation matrix.    
     
     
         7 . An image file processing method adopted in an image file processing apparatus comprising steps for: 
 storing in memory a transformation matrix to be used to convert a first color space to a second color space;    inputting from the outside an image file containing at least color information corresponding to each of pixels defined by either the first color space or a third color space, a color space identification tag indicating whether or not a color space used in the image file is the first color space and a color space information tag providing color space information related to the third color space if the color space used in the image file is not the first color space;    making a decision as to whether or not the color space used in the image file is the first color space based upon the color space identification tag;    converting the color space used in the image file from the first color space to the second color space based upon the transformation matrix if the color space used in the image file is determined to be the first color space;    reorganizing the transformation matrix based upon the color space information tag and converting the color space used in the image file from the third color space to the second color space based upon the reorganized transformation matrix, if the color space used in the image file is determined to be other than the first color space; and    expressing the color information in the image file by using the second color space.    
     
     
         8 . An image file processing apparatus comprising: 
 a processing unit that executes an image file processing method according to  claim 1 .    
     
     
         9 . An image file processing apparatus comprising: 
 a processing unit that executes an image file processing method according to  claim 4 .    
     
     
         10 . A computer-readable computer program product comprising: 
 a control program that executes an image file processing method according to  claim 1 .    
     
     
         11 . A computer-readable computer program product comprising: 
 a control program that executes an image file processing method according to  claim 4.