Color-tone correction device, apparatus, system, and method for performing color-tone correction

Abstract

To shorten processing time for color-tone correction.SOLUTION: The color-tone correction device includes: means for receiving a first image; means for storing the received first image; means for reducing the stored first image; means for applying a color-tone correction algorithm to the reduced first image; means for enlarging the first image to its original size after the color-tone correction algorithm is applied; means for acquiring chrominance information from the enlarged first image; means for acquiring luminance information from the stored first image; and means for generating a second image by using the chrominance information and the luminance information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a color correction device, apparatus, system and method, and more particularly to a color correction device, apparatus, system and method for color correcting an image or video in image processing. [Background technology]

[0002] Devices for performing color correction or white balance adjustment on images or videos are known. The way an object appears changes depending on the spectral distribution and intensity of the light source. However, the human eye is generally able to recognize the same color for the same object even if the spectral distribution or intensity of the light source for the object being viewed changes slightly. This property is called color constancy. Color correction or white balance adjustment is a function that provides color constancy to devices, etc. Hereafter, color correction and white balance adjustment will be collectively referred to as simply color correction.

[0003] Conventional computers reduce a first image to generate a reduced image, enhance the contrast or correct the color tone of the reduced image to generate a second image, identify a first region in which an object is captured in the second image, extract a second region corresponding to the first region from the first image, and enhance the contrast or correct the color tone of the second region to generate a region image (see, for example, Patent Document 1 (pages 3-4, Figure 3)).

[0004] In addition, in conventional processing, when an image is reduced and the resulting reduced image is enlarged by combining the cut-out portion and the paste destination using Poisson image synthesis, high-frequency components are restored by interpolation using the relationship between adjacent pixels in the pasted image before synthesis (see, for example, non-patent document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-022236 [Non-patent literature]

[0006] [Non-Patent Document 1] Yosuke Nagatomo and Yoshiyuki Yashima, "Accelerating Poisson Image Synthesis Using Reduced Images," 12th Information Science and Technology Forum, Information Processing Society of Japan and The Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers, 2013, pp. 323-324 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, color correction has a problem in that the amount of calculation increases as the size of the image to be processed increases. In particular, the amount of calculation for color correction tends to increase significantly in algorithms with high correction performance.

[0008] In addition, the method of detecting the area containing the object to be observed from the reduced image and correcting only the portion extracted from the original image where the area is detected has the problem that it takes time to detect the area, and if the detection rate of the area is poor, the accuracy of the color correction decreases.

[0009] The present invention has been made in consideration of these problems, and its purpose is to provide a color correction device, apparatus, system, and method that shortens the processing time for color correction by reducing the amount of calculation required for the color correction process. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] A first aspect of the present invention includes a processing device comprising means for receiving a first image, means for storing the received first image in a storage device, means for reducing the stored first image, means for applying a color correction algorithm to the reduced first image, means for enlarging the first image to which the color correction algorithm has been applied to its original size, means for acquiring color difference information from the enlarged first image, means for acquiring luminance information from the stored first image, and means for generating a second image using the color difference information and luminance information.

[0011] This configuration makes it possible to provide a device that reduces the processing time required for color correction.

[0012] A second aspect of the present invention is configured to receive a first image, store the received first image, reduce the stored first image, apply a color correction algorithm to the reduced first image, enlarge the first image to which the color correction algorithm has been applied to its original size, obtain color difference information from the enlarged first image, obtain luminance information from the stored first image, and generate a second image using the color difference information and luminance information.

[0013] According to this configuration, it is possible to provide an apparatus that reduces the processing time required for color correction.

[0014] A third aspect of the present invention includes a device for receiving a first image, a device for storing the received first image, a device for reducing the stored first image, a device for applying a color correction algorithm to the reduced first image, a device for enlarging the first image to which the color correction algorithm has been applied to its original size, a device for obtaining color difference information from the enlarged first image, a device for obtaining luminance information from the stored first image, and a device for generating a second image using the color difference information and luminance information.

[0015] This configuration makes it possible to provide a system that reduces the processing time required for color correction.

[0016] A fourth aspect of the present invention comprises the steps of receiving, by a processing device, a first image, storing the received first image in a storage device, reducing the stored first image, applying a color correction algorithm to the reduced first image, enlarging the first image to which the color correction algorithm has been applied to its original size, obtaining color difference information from the enlarged first image, obtaining luminance information from the stored first image, and generating a second image using the color difference information and luminance information.

[0017] This configuration makes it possible to provide a system that reduces the processing time required for color correction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the present invention, there are provided means for receiving a first image, means for storing the received first image, means for reducing the stored first image, means for applying a color correction algorithm to the reduced first image, means for enlarging the first image to which the color correction algorithm has been applied to its original size, means for acquiring color difference information from the enlarged first image, means for acquiring luminance information from the stored first image, and means for generating a second image using the color difference information and luminance information, thereby making it possible to shorten the processing time for color correction. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing a color correction device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a block diagram showing the functions of a color correction device according to one aspect of the present invention; [Figure 3] 1 is a flowchart illustrating a color correction method according to one aspect of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary helicopter television transmission system implementing a color correction device according to an aspect of the present invention; [Figure 5]1 is a block diagram showing an example of an on-board facility in a helicopter television transmission system that implements a color correction device according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Hereinafter, the term "image" includes still images and moving images, and may be interpreted as image data in some cases. Furthermore, the term "original image" refers to an original image before a color correction method according to one embodiment of the present invention is performed. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will readily understand that the term "device" used herein may be interchangeable with the term "apparatus" in some cases.

[0021] In this embodiment, the original image is reduced, a color correction algorithm is applied to the reduced image, and the corrected image is enlarged. If the amount of calculation required for the reduction and enlargement is significantly less than the amount required for the color correction, the overall amount of calculation can be reduced. However, simply enlarging or reducing an image will result in the high-frequency components of the image disappearing, creating a blurred impression. Therefore, brightness information is obtained from the original image so that the high-frequency components remain.

[0022] 1 is a block diagram showing a color correction device according to one embodiment of the present invention. The color correction device 100 includes a processing device 101 that executes a color correction method according to one embodiment of the present invention, a main memory device 102 that stores program code and data, an input / output interface 103 that inputs data from an external device (not shown) to the main memory device 102 and outputs data to the external device (not shown), a memory bus 104 that connects the processing device 101 and the main memory device 102, and an input / output bus 105 that connects the main memory device 102 and the input / output interface 103.

[0023] The color correction device 100 may be, for example, an integrated circuit (IC), and may be any device capable of implementing the color correction method according to one embodiment of the present invention. It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the color correction device 100 may be, for example, a computer system instead of an integrated circuit.

[0024] The processing device 101 generates color-corrected image data, which will be described later with reference to Figures 2 and 3, in accordance with the program code, data, etc. stored in the main memory device 102 via the memory bus 104. The processing device 101 may be any processing device that can process in accordance with the program code, data, etc. stored in the main memory device 102.

[0025] The main memory device 102 transmits the color-corrected image data to the input / output interface 103 via the input / output bus 105. The main memory device 102 may be any primary storage device capable of storing program code, data, etc. The program code and data stored here may be read from a computer-readable storage medium (not shown), such as a hard disk, provided inside or outside the processing device 101.

[0026] The input / output interface 103 transmits the original image data before color correction received from an external device (not shown) of the color correction device 100 to the main memory device 102 via the input / output bus 105, and transmits the image data after color correction received from the main memory device 102 via the input / output bus 105 to an external device (not shown) of the color correction device 100. The input / output interface 103 may be any interface as long as it is an interface that can send and receive data to and from an external device (not shown) of the color correction device 100.

[0027] With such a configuration, it is possible to provide, as an example, the configuration of a color correction device according to one aspect of the present invention.

[0028] 2 is a block diagram showing the functions of a color correction device according to one embodiment of the present invention. The processing device 101 includes an image storage unit 201 that stores a received image in the main memory device 102, an image reduction unit 202 that reduces the size of the received image, a color correction unit 203 that applies a color correction algorithm to the reduced image, an image enlargement unit 204 that enlarges the image to which the color correction algorithm has been applied, a color space conversion unit 205 that converts the color space of the enlarged image to obtain color difference information and converts the color space of the original image to obtain luminance information, and an image synthesis unit 206 that generates a new image using the obtained luminance information and color difference information. The functions of each functional block included in the processing device 101 shown in FIG. 2 are implemented by the processing device 101 executing program code of a program stored in the main memory device 102.

[0029] With such a configuration, it is possible to provide, as an example, a functional block configuration of a color correction device according to one aspect of the present invention.

[0030] In another aspect of the present invention, each functional block may be configured as an individual device, and a color correction system may be configured from these devices.

[0031] 3 is a flowchart showing a color correction method according to one embodiment of the present invention. The color correction method according to one embodiment of the present invention starts when an original image is input to the color correction device 100. The processing device 101 (image storage unit 201) stores the input original image in the main memory device 102.

[0032] In step S301, the processing device 101 (image reduction unit 202) reduces the stored original image to an arbitrary size. The reduction ratio used to reduce the original image can be stored in advance as data in, for example, an external device (not shown) of the color correction device 100. In addition, the reduction ratio data can be manually rewritten from an external device (not shown) of the color correction device 100, or can be automatically changed by having an external device (not shown) of the color correction device 100 perform machine learning on the original image and an image corrected manually.

[0033] In step S302, the processing device 101 (color correction unit 203) applies a color correction algorithm to the image reduced in step S301. The color correction algorithm to be applied is assumed to have a computational complexity that increases in proportion to the size of the image. The color correction algorithm to be applied may be any algorithm that can perform color correction on the image, such as a color correction algorithm that uses a color chart or a color correction algorithm that uses a color patch with a specified color.

[0034] In step S303, the processing device 101 (image enlargement unit 204) enlarges the image to which the color correction algorithm has been applied in step S302 to the size of the original image. The enlargement ratio used to enlarge the image to which the color correction algorithm has been applied can be calculated by the processing device 101 (image enlargement unit) as the reciprocal of the reduction ratio used in step S302, or can be stored in advance as data in a device (not shown) external to the color correction device 100, for example.

[0035] In step S304, the processing device 101 (color space conversion unit 205) converts the color space of the image enlarged in step S303 to obtain color difference information of the image enlarged in step S303. As an example, the color difference information may be color difference information represented by U (the difference between luminance and blue) and V (the difference between luminance and red) after color space conversion from the RGB space to the YUV space.

[0036] In step S305, the processing device 101 (color space conversion unit 205) converts the color space of the original image stored in the main storage device 102 to acquire luminance information. As an example, the luminance information may be luminance information represented by Y (luminance) after color space conversion from RGB space to YUV space.

[0037] In step S306, the processing device 101 (image synthesis unit 206) generates a new image using the color difference information acquired in step S304 and the luminance information acquired in step S305. The generated new image is the image output from the color correction device 100 according to one aspect of the present invention.

[0038] According to this aspect, the amount of calculation required for color correction processing can be reduced.

[0039] In one aspect of the present invention, the enlargement ratio used in step S303 is the reciprocal of the reduction ratio used in step S302, but in another aspect, the enlargement ratio does not have to be the reciprocal of the reduction ratio.

[0040] In one aspect of the present invention, in step S304, the color space of the image enlarged in step S303 is converted to obtain color difference information, but in another aspect, it may be possible to obtain color difference information of the enlarged image without converting the color space.

[0041] In one aspect of the present invention, in step S305, the color space of the original image stored in the main memory device 102 is converted to obtain luminance information, but in another aspect, it may be possible to obtain luminance information of the original image without converting the color space.

[0042] In one embodiment of the present invention, the processing of steps S301 to S306 is performed by a single processing device 101, main memory device 102, and input / output interface 103, but the processing of steps S301 to S306 can be performed by multiple processing devices, main memory devices, and input / output interfaces, and those skilled in the art will understand that the processing of steps S301 to S306 can be divided and distributed among multiple processing devices, main memory devices, and input / output interfaces as necessary.

[0043] The order of steps S301 to S306 in the color correction method according to one aspect of the present invention is not limited to the order described in this specification. For example, step S305 may be performed before step S301 or after step S301.

[0044] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary helicopter television transmission system implementing a color correction device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] An exemplary helicopter television transmission system includes a helicopter 400 equipped with on-board equipment, a relay camera 401 included in the on-board equipment and used to film the subject at the filming location, a surroundings camera 402 included in the on-board equipment and used to film the area around the helicopter 400, ground equipment 410 that receives surrounding images from the helicopter 400, controls the relay camera 401, and receives the relayed images from the helicopter 400, a video receiving device 411 included in the ground equipment 410 and receives the relayed images from the helicopter 400, an operation console 412 included in the ground equipment 410 and controls the relay camera 401, and a facility 420 to which the relayed images from the helicopter 400 are transmitted from the ground equipment 410.

[0046] The color correction device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention can be installed anywhere in the above-mentioned on-board equipment, ground equipment 410, and facility 420.

[0047] Such a configuration can provide auto white balance for helicopter television transmission systems.

[0048] FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing an on-board facility in a helicopter television transmission system as an example in which a color correction device according to an embodiment of the present invention is implemented.

[0049] The on-board equipment installed on the exemplary helicopter 400 includes a surroundings capturing camera 402 that captures images of the surroundings of the helicopter 400, and a control signal antenna 503 that receives radio waves from the ground equipment 410 and converts them into control signals. The on-board equipment also includes a control signal receiving device 502 that is connected to the control signal antenna 503 via line 523 and receives the control signal, and a control device 501 that is connected to the control signal receiving device 502 via line 522 and controls a camera operating device 504 via line 521 in accordance with the control signal. The on-board equipment also includes a relay camera 401 that captures images of a subject to be relayed, a camera operating device 504 that is connected to the relay camera 401 via line 525 and operates the relay camera 401, and a signal processing device 505 that is connected to the surroundings capturing camera 402 via line 529 and to the camera operating device 504 via line 526 and that combines the surrounding images captured by the surroundings capturing camera 402 and the relayed images captured by the relay camera 401. The on-board equipment also includes a video transmission device 506 that is connected to the signal processing device 505 via a line 527 and transmits the surrounding video and relayed video combined by the signal processing device 505 as a video signal to the ground equipment 410. The on-board equipment also includes a video antenna 507 that is connected to the video transmission device 506 via a line 528 and converts the video signal and audio signal into radio waves for transmission, and a shooting position display device 508 that is connected to the signal processing device 505 via a line 530 and displays the shooting position to the passengers of the helicopter 400. The control device 501 is further connected to the signal processing device 505 via a line 524 and also controls the signal processing device 505.

[0050] The color correction device 100 according to one aspect of the present invention can be mounted anywhere in the above-mentioned on-board equipment, such as the relay camera 401, the signal processing device 505, or the video transmission device 506, for example.

[0051] Such a configuration can provide on-board equipment with automatic white balance for helicopter television transmission systems. [Industrial Applicability]

[0052] The present invention is widely used when color correction is required in photography. [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] 100 Color Correction Devices 101 Processing equipment 102 Main storage 103 Input / Output Interface 104 Memory Bus 105 Input / Output Bus 201 Image storage unit 202 Image reduction section 203 Color tone correction section 204 Image enlargement section 205 Color space conversion unit 206 Image synthesis unit 400 helicopter 401 Broadcast camera 402 Surroundings camera 411 Video receiving device 412 Control console 501 control device 502 Control signal receiving device 503 Control signal antenna 504 Camera operation device 505 Signal Processing Device 506 Video transmission equipment 507 Video Antenna 508 Shooting position display device 521 lines 522 lines 523 lines 524 lines 525 lines 526 lines 527 lines 528 lines 529 lines 530 lines

Claims

1. A color correction device comprising a processing unit and a storage unit, the processing unit comprising: means for receiving a first image; means for storing the received first image in the storage device; means for reducing the stored first image; means for applying a color correction algorithm to the reduced first image; means for enlarging the first image to which the color correction algorithm has been applied to the original size; means for obtaining color difference information from the enlarged first image; means for obtaining luminance information from the stored first image; means for generating a second image using the color difference information and the luminance information; A color correction device comprising:

2. The means for acquiring color difference information from the enlarged first image includes: The color correction device according to claim 1 , wherein the color difference information is obtained from the enlarged first image by performing color space conversion on the enlarged first image.

3. The means for acquiring luminance information from the stored first image includes:

2. The color correction device of claim 1, wherein the stored first image is subjected to a color space conversion to obtain the luminance information from the stored first image.

4. receiving a first image; storing the received first image; reducing the stored first image; applying a color correction algorithm to the reduced first image; enlarging the first image to which the color correction algorithm has been applied to its original size; obtaining color difference information from the enlarged first image; obtaining luminance information from the stored first image; generating a second image using the color difference information and the luminance information; A color correction device characterized by being configured as follows.

5. a device for receiving a first image; a device for storing the received first image; a device for reducing the stored first image; a device for applying a color correction algorithm to the reduced first image; a device for enlarging the first image to which the color correction algorithm has been applied to the original size; a device for obtaining color difference information from the enlarged first image; a device for obtaining luminance information from the stored first image; a device for generating a second image using the color difference information and the luminance information; A color correction system comprising:

6. By the processing device, receiving a first image; storing the received first image in a storage device; reducing the stored first image; applying a color correction algorithm to the reduced first image; enlarging the first image to which the color correction algorithm has been applied to back to its original size; obtaining color difference information from the enlarged first image; obtaining luminance information from the stored first image; generating a second image using the color difference information and the luminance information; A color correction method comprising:

7. The step of obtaining color difference information from the enlarged first image includes:

7. The color correction method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of performing color space conversion on the enlarged first image to obtain the color difference information from the enlarged first image.

8. The step of obtaining luminance information from the stored first image includes:

7. The color correction method of claim 6, further comprising the step of performing a color space conversion on the stored first image to obtain the luminance information from the stored first image.

Images