Color Adjustment Device Saturation Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional image display apparatuses struggle to distinguish between objects in images with similar colors, particularly in medical and surveillance applications, as existing color adjustment technologies do not effectively enhance color differences between internal organs and blood vessels or between subjects with similar hues.

Innovation Solution

A color adjustment apparatus that adjusts image saturation by calculating and applying specific saturation correspondence values and adjustment coefficients based on predefined parameters, allowing for increased color differences between objects within defined hue ranges, thereby enhancing distinguishability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional color adjustment methods are used to improve color reproducibility, then color accuracy is improved, but the ability to distinguish between objects with similar colors remains poor

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecolor reproducibilityVSAvoiddistinguishability between objects
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by adjusting saturation differently for different hue ranges. Instead of applying a uniform saturation adjustment across all colors, the system divides the hue spectrum into multiple ranges and applies distinct saturation adjustment parameters to each range, thereby enhancing the distinguishability of specific color groups while maintaining overall color accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the saturation parameter dynamically based on hue range. By introducing hue-range-dependent saturation adjustment parameters, the system transforms the color image in a way that enhances differences between objects with similar colors. The saturation adjustment is not fixed but varies according to the specific hue being processed, allowing for optimized distinction between similar-colored objects

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Illumination intensity

If saturation is increased uniformly across all colors, then color vibrancy is improved, but the distinction between similar colors becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecolor vibrancyVSAvoiddistinguishability between similar colors
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies local quality by targeting specific hue ranges for saturation enhancement rather than treating all colors uniformly. By identifying which hue ranges contain similar-colored objects that need distinction, the system applies saturation adjustment locally to those ranges, thereby enhancing vibrancy where needed without creating harmful color differences elsewhere

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the hue spectrum into multiple ranges and processes each segment independently with appropriate saturation adjustment parameters. This segmentation allows the system to enhance color vibrancy in specific segments while maintaining distinguishability, avoiding the pitfall of uniform saturation increase that would blur distinctions between similar colors

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2966849B1Color adjustment device, image display device, and color adjustment method
Publication Date: 2019.01.09 EIZO CORP
  • EP2966849B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2966849B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2966849B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

Provided is a color adjustment apparatus, image display apparatus, and color adjustment method for adjusting color of a color image to enable easier distinction between objects shown in the image. A parameter defines a range of saturation to be adjusted within saturation before color adjustment and a range of change of the saturation after color adjustment compared to the saturation before color adjustment. The color adjustment apparatus calculates the saturation from an image signal, calculates the saturation after color adjustment according to the saturation before color adjustment such that the saturation in the range determined by the parameter increases/decreases by an amount determined by the parameter, and generates an image signal from the saturation after color change. By determining the parameter such that the saturation difference between prescribed colors is greater after color adjustment, the difference in color between a plurality of objects shown in the image is increased.