Image Processing Apparatus Glossy Region Composite Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image reading apparatuses struggle to reproduce the glossy appearance of glossy regions in images while maintaining high image quality for non-glossy regions, as they often receive insufficient diffuse light from glossy portions, leading to darkened glossy regions and poor image reproduction.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus that extracts first and second target images from different reading environments, aligns them if necessary, and composites the non-glossy region from the first image with the glossy region from the second image to form a composite image, ensuring accurate alignment and improved image quality for both glossy and non-glossy regions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the image sensor is disposed to receive specular light, then the glossy appearance of glossy regions can be reproduced, but the image quality (brightness) of the read image varies depending on the surface characteristics of the reading target
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the reading target into glossy regions and non-glossy regions, and applies different image processing techniques to each region. The glossy regions are processed using specular light information while non-glossy regions are processed using diffuse light information, allowing both to be optimized independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by treating different regions of the image differently based on their surface characteristics. The processing apparatus identifies glossy versus non-glossy regions and applies appropriate enhancement techniques to each region, ensuring that glossy regions maintain their reflective appearance while non-glossy regions maintain consistent brightness.
2Reliability
If the image sensor receives mostly diffuse light, then variations in image quality due to surface characteristics are suppressed, but the glossy appearance of glossy regions cannot be reproduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the reading target into glossy regions and non-glossy regions, and applies different image processing techniques to each region. The glossy regions are processed using specular light information while non-glossy regions are processed using diffuse light information, allowing both to be optimized independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the advantages of both diffuse light reading and specular light reading by combining multiple read images. It composite-processes images obtained under different lighting conditions to create a final image that incorporates both the consistency of diffuse light readings and the glossy appearance of specular light readings.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple read images are obtained from different reading environments, then both glossy and non-glossy regions can be accurately represented, but the complexity of the image processing apparatus increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by obtaining multiple read images in advance from different reading environments (first reading environment with specular light and second reading environment with diffuse light). These pre-acquired images are then stored and processed later, allowing the complex multi-image processing to be performed offline rather than requiring complex real-time hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates copies of the reading target from different reading environments. Instead of using a single complex reading system, it uses multiple simpler reading configurations that each capture specific characteristics (glossy or non-glossy) and then combines these copies through image processing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively reproduces the glossy appearance of glossy regions while mitigating image quality degradation in non-glossy regions, even when the orientations of the target images differ, resulting in a composite image with enhanced image quality and accurate representation of both glossy and non-glossy areas.
Implementation Method 1
irradiates a reading target with light from a light source, receives reflected light from the reading target with an image sensor
Data Source
AI summary
An image processing apparatus includes a processor configured to: extract a first target image corresponding to a reading target having a glossy portion and a non-glossy portion from a first read image acquired by optically reading the reading target in a first reading environment, and extract a second target image corresponding to the reading target from a second read image acquired by optically reading the reading target in a second reading environment in which specular light acquired from the reading target by an image sensor is of higher intensity compared to the first reading environment; execute an alignment of the first target image and the second target image if positions of the first and second target images do not coincide with each other and if the first and second target images are alignable by translating or rotating at least one of the first target image or the second target image; and form a composite image by executing a composition process that composites a non-glossy region corresponding to the non-glossy portion extracted from the first target image with a glossy region corresponding to the glossy portion extracted from the second target image.