Mapping colors of an image

Abstract

A method and system for mapping colors of an image. The method including the steps of: segmenting an image into a plurality of regions, so that pixels in each of the plurality of regions have a characteristic that meets a predetermined similarity; determining an initial contrast between adjacent regions in the plurality of regions; and transforming an initial color of each of the plurality of regions into a target color; where a target contrast between the adjacent regions in the plurality of regions is equal to or greater than the initial contrast or a difference between the target contrast and corresponding initial contrast is less than a predetermined threshold; and where at least one of the steps is carried out by a computer device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for mapping colors of an image, comprising:
 segmenting an image into a plurality of regions such that pixels in each of said plurality of regions have a characteristic that meets a predetermined similarity;   determining a color of a representative point of each of said plurality of regions as an initial color of each of said plurality of regions;   transforming said initial color of a region of said plurality of regions into a target color;   calculating a difference between said initial color of said region and an adjacent region in order to determine an initial contrast;   determining said target color of said adjacent region for which said target color has not been determined, based on said initial contrast between said region for which said target color has been determined and said adjacent region for which said target color has not been determined;   repeating said steps of calculating said difference and determining said target color of said adjacent region until said target color of each of said plurality of regions has been determined; and   transforming said initial color of each of said plurality of regions into said target color;   wherein a target contrast between said adjacent regions in said plurality of regions is equal to or greater than said initial contrast or a difference between said target contrast and corresponding initial contrast is less than a predetermined threshold;   wherein at least one of the steps is carried out by a computer device.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said step of determining said target color of said adjacent region further comprises the steps of:
 (i) calculating a difference between said target color of said region for which said target color has been determined and a current color of said adjacent region for which said target color has not been determined, said difference being designated as a current contrast;   (ii) judging whether said current contrast is equal to or greater than said initial contrast between said region for which said target color has been determined and said adjacent region for which said target color has not been determined;   (iii) determining said target color of said adjacent region for which said target color has not been determined as said current color of said adjacent region if said current contrast is equal to or greater than said corresponding initial contrast;   (iv) judging whether a difference between said current contrast and said corresponding initial contrast is lower than said predetermined threshold if said current contrast is lower than said corresponding initial contrast;   (v) determining said target color of said adjacent region for which said target color has not been determined as said current color of said adjacent region if said difference between said current contrast and said corresponding initial contrast is lower than said predetermined threshold;   (vi) transforming said current color of said adjacent region for which said target color has not been determined into another color if said difference between said current contrast and said corresponding initial contrast is equal to or greater than said predetermined threshold; and   repeating said steps (i) to (vi) until said target color of all said adjacent regions for which said target color has not been determined are determined.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising adjusting a border target color of a border between said adjacent regions, so that a relationship between said border target color and said target color of each of said adjacent regions is approximately equal to a relationship between an initial border color of said border and said initial color of each of said adjacent regions. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 judging whether a point lies within a triangle formed by a first line connecting said representative point of a first region of said plurality of regions with said representative point of a second region of said plurality of regions, a second line connecting said representative point of said second region with said representative point of a third region of said plurality of regions, and a third line connecting said representative point of said third region with said representative point of said first region, said point being located within one of said first region, said second region and said third region; and   adjusting a point target color of said point if said point is within said triangle, so that a relationship between said point target color and said target color of each said representative point of each said first region, said second region and said third region is approximately equal to a relationship between an initial point color of said point and said initial color of each said representative point of each said first region, said second region and said third region.   
     
     
         5 . A method for mapping colors of an image, comprising:
 segmenting an image into a plurality of regions, so that pixels in each of said plurality of regions have a characteristic that meets a predetermined similarity;   determining a color of a representative point of each of said plurality of regions as said initial color of said region;   calculating a difference between said initial color of said region and an adjacent region in order to determine an initial contrast;   merging at least one of said initial contrasts for regions having the same initial color in said plurality of regions;   removing redundant initial contrasts between each of said plurality of regions and its said adjacent regions;   transforming said initial color of a region of said regions into a target color;   (i) calculating a difference between said target color of said region for which said target color has been determined and a current color of said related region for which said target color has not been determined, said difference being designated as a current contrast;   (ii) judging whether said current contrast is equal to or greater than said initial contrast between said region for which said target color has been determined and said related region for which said target color has not been determined;   (iii) determining said target color of said related region for which said target color has not been determined as said current color if said current contrast is equal to or greater than said corresponding initial contrast;   (iv) judging whether a difference between said current contrast and said corresponding initial contrast is less than said predetermined threshold if said current contrast is lower than said corresponding initial contrast;   (v) determining said target color of said related region for which said target color has not been determined as said current color if said difference between said current contrast and said corresponding initial contrast is less than said predetermined threshold;   (vi) transforming said current color of said related region for which said target color has not been determined into another color if difference between said current contrast and said corresponding initial contrast is equal to or greater than said prescribed threshold;   repeating said steps (i) to (vi) until said target color of all said related regions for which said target color has not been determined has been determined; and transforming said initial color of each of said plurality of regions into said target color;   wherein a target contrast between said adjacent regions in said plurality of regions is equal to or greater than said initial contrast or a difference between said target contrast and corresponding initial contrast is less than a predetermined threshold; and   wherein at least one of the steps is carried out by a computer device.   
     
     
         6 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium tangibly embodying a computer readable program code having computer readable instructions which when implemented, cause a computer to carry out the steps of a method comprising:
 segmenting an image into a plurality of regions, so that pixels in each of said plurality of regions have a characteristic that meets a predetermined similarity;   determining an initial contrast between adjacent regions in said plurality of regions; and   transforming an initial color of each of said plurality of regions into a target color;   wherein a target contrast between said adjacent regions in said plurality of regions is equal to or greater than said initial contrast or a difference between said target contrast and corresponding initial contrast is less than a predetermined threshold; and   wherein at least one of the steps is carried out by a computer device.