Scanner Gamma Correction and PC Color Determination
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Solution Overview
Problem
In image reading systems, the need to perform gamma correction and determine image characteristics before data transfer increases processing requirements in scanners, leading to higher manufacturing costs without reducing image quality, and can degrade image quality when gamma correction is applied twice.
Innovation Solution
An image reading system where the scanner performs initial gamma correction using a first correction characteristic, and the connected PC determines image characteristics and applies additional gamma correction using an inverse characteristic if necessary, allowing for improved image quality without increasing scanner processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If gamma correction and image characteristic determination are performed in the scanner before data transfer, then image quality is maintained, but processing requirements and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the image characteristic determination function from the scanner and relocates it to the PC. The scanner performs only gamma correction using a first correction characteristic, while the PC determines image characteristics and applies additional gamma correction using an inverse characteristic if necessary. This extraction reduces scanner processing requirements while maintaining image quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the gamma correction process into two parts: initial gamma correction in the scanner and additional gamma correction in the PC. This segmentation allows the scanner to perform simpler processing while the PC handles the more complex image characteristic determination and conditional correction, resolving the contradiction between image quality and device complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If gamma correction is applied twice in the scanner, then image quality is improved, but image quality degradation occurs due to double correction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies gamma correction using an inverse characteristic in the PC to counteract the initial gamma correction applied in the scanner. By determining image characteristics and applying conditional inverse correction, the system prevents image quality degradation that would result from improper double correction, while still maintaining high image quality through the first correction.
3Loss of time
If the number of tones in image data is reduced for transfer, then data transfer time is shortened, but image quality may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary gamma correction in the scanner before data transfer, ensuring that image quality is optimized in advance. This allows the PC to receive pre-processed image data that maintains quality even when the number of tones is reduced for efficient transfer, eliminating the need for complex post-processing.
Data Source
AI summary
In an image reading system, when an automatic determination mode is designated as a color mode, a scanner does not determine the color of the read image but applies gamma correction to the image data of the image using the first correction characteristic. The scanner transmits the resultant image data to a PC. The PC determines the color of the image indicated by the received image data. When the determined color does not correspond to the first correction characteristic, the PC performs gamma correction of the received image data in accordance with the inverse characteristic of the first correction characteristic and then performs gamma correction using the second correction characteristic corresponding to the determined color.