Image color adjustment

Abstract

At least one of a plurality of achromatic object color ranges is selected based on the image targeted for processing, and a color adjustment process is executed based on the selected achromatic object color range. Image may be reproduced using a color image data after a color correction of the color image data, the color correction being performed according to illumination light source associated with the color image data. Image data may also be output after the color correction. Image data may also be output associated with data related to the illumination light source, to reproduce the image after the color correction.

1 . An image reproducing method of reproducing an image using color image data, comprising the steps of:
 (1) generating the color image data by focusing a photographic image on detector elements to detect light intensity over a plurality of wavelength ranges;   (2) acquiring illumination light source data, the illumination light source data being indicative of a type of an illumination light source used during shooting of the color image data;   (3) performing a color correction process of the color image data according to illumination light source associated with the color image data; and   (4) reproducing an image using the color image data after the color correction, wherein   the step (3) includes the steps of:   providing a plurality of correction parameters representing color correction associated with plural types of illumination light sources, respectively; and   performing the color correction using a correction parameter selected based on the illumination light source data.   
   
   
       2 . An image reproducing method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the step (3) includes the steps of:   providing, as the correction parameters, a plurality of conversion matrices for a linear conversion of the color image data; and   performing the linear conversion of the color image data using a conversion matrix selected based on the illumination light source data.   
   
   
       3 . An image reproducing method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the step (3) includes the steps of:   providing, as the correction parameters, a plurality of conversion tables each representing the color correction suitable to the type of illumination light source usable in shooting a photographic image; and   performing the color correction of the color image data by referencing a conversion table selected based on of the illumination light source data.   
   
   
       4 . An image reproducing method of reproducing a photographic image upon receipt of color image data produced by focusing the photographic image on detector elements, comprising the steps of:
 (A) receiving illumination light source data, the illumination light source data being indicative of a type of an illumination light source used during shooting of the color image data;   (B) performing a color correction process according to the illumination light source upon receipt of the color image data; and   (C) reproducing an image using the color image data after the color correction, wherein   the step (B) includes the steps of,   providing a plurality of correction parameters representing color correction associated with plural types of illumination light sources, respectively; and   performing the color correction of the color image data using a correction parameter selected based on the illumination light source data.   
   
   
       5 . An image data output device of outputting color image data generated by focusing a photographic image on detector elements to detect light intensity over a plurality of wavelength ranges, comprising:
 a light source data acquisition module configured to acquire illumination light source data, the illumination light source data being indicative of a type of an illumination light source used during shooting of the color image data;   a color correction module configured to perform a color correction process of the color image data according to the illumination light source data;   an image data output module configured to output the color image data after the color correction, wherein   the color correction module stores a plurality of correction parameters representing color correction associated with plural types of illumination light sources, respectively, and performs the color correction of the color image data using a correction parameter selected based on the illumination light source data.   
   
   
       6 . An image data output device according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the color correction module stores, as the correction parameters, a plurality of conversion matrices for a linear conversion of the color image data, and performs the linear conversion of the color image data using a conversion matrix selected based on the illumination light source data.   
   
   
       7 . An image data output device according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the plurality of conversion matrices include a predetermined standard conversion matrix, and   the color correction module performs the linear conversion of the color image data using the standard conversion matrix when no conversion matrix associated with the illumination light source data is available.   
   
   
       8 . An image data output device according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the color correction module stores, as correction parameters, a plurality of conversion tables matching the generated color image data with image data that has undergone color correction according to the type of illumination light sources, and performs the color correction of the color image data by referencing a conversion table that has been selected on the basis of the illumination light source data.   
   
   
       9 . An image data output device according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the plurality of conversion tables include a predetermined standard conversion table, and   the color correction module performs the color correction of the color image data by referencing the standard conversion table when no conversion table associated with the illumination light source data is available.   
   
   
       10 . An image data output device of outputting color image data generated by focusing a photographic image on detector elements to detect light intensity over a plurality of wavelength ranges, comprising:
 a light source data acquisition module configured to acquire illumination light source data, the illumination light source data being indicative of a type of an illumination light source used during shooting of the color image data;   a correction parameter storage configured to store a plurality of correction parameters for a color correction of the generated color image data, the plurality of correction parameters being associated with plural illumination light sources;   an image data output module configured to select a correction parameter among the plurality of correction parameters based on the illumination light source data, and to output the generated color image data and the selected correction parameter, the generated color image data and the selected correction parameter being associated with each other.   
   
   
       11 . An image data output device according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the correction parameter storage stores, as the correction parameters, a plurality of conversion matrices for a linear conversion of the color image data according to the type of illumination light source, and   the image data output module outputs the color image data and the selected conversion matrix among the plurality of conversion matrices, the color image data and the selected conversion matrix being associated with each other.   
   
   
       12 . An image data output device according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the correction parameter storage stores a conversion matrix as a standard conversion matrix, among the plurality of conversion matrices, and   the image data output module outputs the standard conversion matrix when no conversion matrix associated with the illumination light source data is available, the standard conversion matrix and the color image data being associated with each other.   
   
   
       13 . An image data output device according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the correction parameter storage stores, as correction parameters, a plurality of conversion tables matching the generated color image data with image data that has undergone color correction according to the type of illumination light source, and   the image data output module outputs the color image data and the selected conversion table among the plurality of conversion tables, the color image data and the selected conversion table being associated with each other.   
   
   
       14 . An image data output device according to  claim 13 , wherein
 the correction parameter storage stores a conversion table as a standard conversion table, among the plurality of conversion tables, and   the image data output module outputs the standard conversion table when no conversion table associated with the illumination light source data is available, the standard conversion table and the color image data being associated with each other.   
   
   
       15 . An image data output device of outputting color image data generated by focusing a photographic image on detector elements to detect light intensity over a plurality of wavelength ranges, comprising:
 a correction parameter storage configured to store a plurality of correction parameters for a color correction of the generated color image data according to an illumination light source of the photographic image; and   an image data output module configured to output the color image data and the plurality of correction parameters, the color image data and the plurality of correction parameters being associated with each other.   
   
   
       16 . An image data output device according to  claim 15 , wherein
 the correction parameter storage stores, as the correction parameters, a plurality of conversion matrices for a linear conversion of the color image data according to the type of illumination light source.   
   
   
       17 . An image data output device according to  claim 15 , wherein
 the correction parameter storage stores, as correction parameters, a plurality of conversion tables matching the generated color image data with image data that has undergone color correction according to the type of illumination light source.   
   
   
       18 . An image reproducing device of reproducing a photographic image upon receipt of color image data produced by focusing the photographic image on detector elements, comprising:
 a light source data receiving module configured to receive illumination light source data, the illumination light source data being indicative of a type of an illumination light source used during shooting of the color image data;   a color correction module configured to perform a color correction process according to the illumination light source upon receipt of the color image data; and   an image reproducing module configured to reproduce an image using the color image data after the color correction, wherein   the color correction module stores a plurality of correction parameters representing color correction associated with plural types of illumination light sources, respectively, and performs the color correction of the color image data using a correction parameter selected based on the illumination light source data.   
   
   
       19 . An image reproducing device according to  claim 18 , wherein
 the color correction module stores, as the correction parameters, a plurality of conversion matrices for a linear conversion of the color image data, and performs the linear conversion of the color image data using a conversion matrix selected based on the illumination light source data.   
   
   
       20 . An image reproducing device according to  claim 18 , wherein
 the color correction module stores, as correction parameters, a plurality of conversion tables matching the generated color image data with image data that has undergone color correction according to the type of illumination light sources, and performs the color correction of the color image data by referencing a conversion table that has been selected on the basis of the illumination light source data.   
   
   
       21 . An image reproducing device of reproducing a photographic image upon receipt of color image data produced by focusing the photographic image on detector elements, comprising:
 a correction parameter receiving module configured to receive a plurality of correction parameters associated with the color image data, the plurality of correction parameters being for a color correction of the produced color image data according to an illumination light source used in shooting the photographic image;   a color correction module configured to perform a color correction process of the color image data according to a correction parameter selected among the received plurality of correction parameters; and   an image reproducing module configured to reproduce an image using the color image data after the color correction.   
   
   
       22 . An image data output method of outputting color image data generated by focusing a photographic image on detector elements to detect light intensity over a plurality of wavelength ranges, comprising the steps of:
 (A) acquiring illumination light source data, the illumination light source data being indicative of a type of an illumination light source used during shooting of the color image data;   (B) performing a color correction process of the color image data according to the illumination light source data; and   (C) outputting the color image data after the color correction, wherein   the step (B) includes the steps of:   providing a plurality of correction parameters representing color correction associated with plural types of illumination light sources, respectively; and   performing the color correction using a correction parameter selected based on the illumination light source data.   
   
   
       23 . A computer program product stored on a computer readable medium for processing for reproducing an image using color image data generated by focusing a photographic image on detector elements to detect light intensity over a plurality of wavelength ranges, the computer program product comprising:
 (1) a program for causing a computer to acquire illumination light source data, the illumination light source data being indicative of a type of an illumination light source used during shooting of the color image data;   (2) a program for causing the computer to perform a color correction process of the color image data according to illumination light source associated with the color image data; and   (3) a program for causing the computer to reproduce an image using the color image data after the color correction, wherein   the program (2) includes:   a program for causing the computer to perform the color correction using a correction parameter selected based on the illumination light source data among a plurality of predetermined correction parameters, the plurality of correction parameters representing color correction associated with plural types of illumination light sources, respectively.