Generation of image quality adjustment information and image quality adjustment with image quality adjustment information

Abstract

A CPU extracts ornamental image data and layout control information from an ornamental image file FF. When the layout control information does not include characteristic values, the CPU analyzes the ornamental image data to acquire characteristic values representing a tendency of image quality of the ornamental image data. The CPU may additionally compute correction rates for correcting values of image quality-relating parameters of objective image data from the acquired characteristic values of the ornamental image data. The CPU writes either the acquired characteristic values or the computed correction rates into the layout control information. The layout control information including the acquired characteristic values or the computed correction rates is output together with the ornamental image data in the form of the ornamental image file FF.

1 . An image processing method that executes image processing of objective image data, which is laid out on ornamental image data, said image processing method comprising:
 obtaining the ornamental image data;   analyzing the obtained ornamental image data to acquire a statistical value of an image quality-relating parameter regarding image quality of the ornamental image data;   obtaining the objective image data, which is to be laid out in a layout location of the ornamental image data;   obtaining layout control information, which is related to the ornamental image data and specifies a layout location and layout dimensions of the objective image data to be laid out on the ornamental image data;   adjusting image quality of the objective image data, based on the acquired statistical value; and   combining the image quality-adjusted objective image data with the ornamental image data according to the layout control information, so as to generate output image data.   
     
     
         2 . An image processing method in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising:
 acquiring a reference value of the image quality-relating parameter for specifying a tendency of image quality characteristic of the ornamental image data; 
 computing a correction rate of the image quality-relating parameter of the objective image data from the acquired reference value of the image quality-relating parameter and the acquired statistical value of the image quality-relating parameter of the ornamental image data; and 
 executing image quality adjustment of the objective image data, based on the computed correction rate of the image quality-relating parameter, instead of the acquired statistical value. 
 
     
     
         3 . An image processing method in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein said adjusting image quality of the objective image data is implemented by adjusting the image quality of the objective image data to make an image quality tendency of the objective image data different from an image quality tendency of the ornamental image data. 
     
     
         4 . An image processing method in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein said adjusting image quality of the objective image data is implemented by adjusting the image quality of the objective image data to make an image quality tendency of the objective image data similar to or identical with an image quality tendency of the ornamental image data. 
     
     
         5 . An image processing device that executes image processing of objective image data, which is laid out on ornamental image data, said image processing device comprising:
 an ornamental image data acquisition module that obtains the ornamental image data;   a statistical value acquisition module that analyzes the obtained ornamental image data to acquire a statistical value of an image quality-relating parameter regarding image quality of the ornamental image data;   an objective image data acquisition module that obtains the objective image data, which is to be laid out in a layout location of the ornamental image data;   a layout control information acquisition module that obtains layout control information, which is related to the ornamental image data and specifies a layout location and layout dimensions of the objective image data to be laid out on the ornamental image data;   an image quality adjustment module that adjusts image quality of the objective image data, based on the acquired statistical value; and   an output image data generation module that combines the image quality-adjusted objective image data with the ornamental image data according to the layout control information, so as to generate output image data.