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 system for mapping colors of an image, comprising:
 a segmenting module for 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;   a contrast determining module for determining an initial contrast between adjacent regions in said plurality of regions, the contrast determining module comprising:
 an initial color determining module for determining a color of a representative point of each of said plurality of regions as an initial color of said region, 
 a first calculating module for calculating a difference between said initial color of said region and its adjacent region in order to determine said initial contrast, 
 a merging module that merges at least one of said initial contrasts for regions having said same initial color in said plurality of regions, and 
 a removing module that removes redundant initial contrasts between each of said plurality of regions and its said adjacent regions; and 
   a color transforming module for 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 respective initial contrast or a difference between said target contrast and corresponding initial contrast is less than a predetermined threshold.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said color transforming module further comprises a target color determining module that determines said target color of said region related to said region for which said target color has been determined, based on said initial contrasts between said regions having said initial contrast, and said color transforming module further transforms said initial color of one of said regions with said initial contrasts into said target color, and transforms said initial colors of other regions than said regions with said initial contrasts into said target colors. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said target color determining module further comprises:
 a second calculating module that calculates difference between said target color of said region for which said target color has been determined and current color of a related region for which said target color has not been determined, said difference being designated as current contrast;   a judging module configured to judge 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, and judge whether 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;   a determining module that determines said target color of said related region for which said target color has not been determined as its current color if 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, or said difference between said current contrast and said corresponding initial contrast is less than said predetermined threshold; and   a transforming module that transforms said current color of said related region for which said target color has not been determined into another color if said current contrast is lower 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 or said difference between said current contrast and said corresponding initial contrast is equal to or greater than said predetermined threshold.   
     
     
         4 . A system for mapping colors of an image, comprising:
 a segmenting module for 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;   a contrast determining module for determining an initial contrast between adjacent regions in said plurality of regions, the contrast determining module comprising:
 an initial color determining module for determining a color of a representative point of a region of said plurality of regions as an initial color of said region, and 
 a first calculating module for calculating a difference between said initial color of said region and its adjacent region in order to determine said initial contrast; 
   a target color determining module that determines a target color of said adjacent region for which said target color has not been determined, based on an initial contrast between said region for which said target color has been determined and its adjacent region for which said target color has not been determined; and   a color transforming module that transforms an initial color of said region into said target color;   wherein a target contrast between said adjacent regions in said plurality of regions is equal to or greater than said respective initial contrast or a difference between said target contrast and corresponding initial contrast is less than a predetermined threshold.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein said target color determining module further comprises:
 a second calculating module that calculates a difference between said target color of said region for which said target color has been determined and current color of said adjacent region for which said target color has not been determined, said difference being designated as current contrast;   a judging module configured to judge whether said current contrast is equal to or greater than an 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 determine, and judge whether difference between said current contrast and said corresponding initial contrast is less than said predetermined threshold if said current contrast is lower than corresponding initial contrast;   a determining module for determining said target color of said adjacent region for which said target color has not been determined as its current color if 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, or if said difference between said current contrast and said corresponding initial contrast is less than said predetermined threshold; and   a transforming module that transforms said current color of said adjacent region for which said target color has not been determined into another color if said current contrast is lower 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 and said difference between said current contrast and said corresponding initial contrast is equal to or greater than said predetermined threshold.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a first adjusting module that adjusts a target border color of a border between said adjacent regions, so that a relationship between said target border 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.   
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a triangle module that judges 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   a triangle adjusting module that adjusts 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.