Patent · US Expired

Image processing method and apparatus therefor

US5742296A · kind A · utility

108Cited by
19References
52Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 7, 1995
Grant dateApr 21, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 7, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N1/6058
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An image processing method for executing image data conversion between different types of input and output devices having different color reproduction ranges, and an apparatus therefor are disclosed. A device independent color reproduction range is calculated in, e.g., a CIE L*a*b* uniform color space, and a color reproduction range depending on a device such as a binary recording color printer is calculated. Only a saturation is compressed at a compression ratio corresponding to the ratio of the two calculated color reproduction ranges. Thus, when an output device outputs a color image, image qualities (color reproducibilities) of input and output images can be equalized. Even when a color outside the color reproduction range of the output device is to be output, a satisfactory output which preserves gradation characteristics can be obtained.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.