# US 2010/0165137 A1 · Image processing method, image processing program, image processing device and camera > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0165137 A1 - Document ID: US20100165137A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/311,933 - Filed: 2007-10-23 - Published: 2010-07-01 - Earliest claimed: 2006-10-23 - Assignees: Nikon Corporation - Inventors: Erika Koishi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100165137A1 ## CPC - H04N 9/643: {Hue control means, e.g. flesh tone control} - G02B 21/365: {Control or image processing arrangements for digital or video microscopes (G02B21/361, G02B21/362 take precedence)} - G06T 7/90: Determination of colour characteristics - H04N 1/46: Colour picture communication systems - H04N 1/6086: {by scene illuminant, i.e. conditions at the time of picture capture, e.g. flash, optical filter used, evening, cloud, daylight, artificial lighting, white point measurement, colour temperature} - H04N 1/6088: {by viewing conditions, i.e. conditions at picture output} - H04N 23/85: for matrixing - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL ## Abstract An image processing method for executing color conversion processing on input image data by taking into consideration chromatic adaptation, includes: executing color conversion processing by taking into consideration an adaptation factor indicating an extent of adaptation to an illumination condition under which a scene where an input image is obtained is illuminated or an adaptation factor indicating an extent of adaptation to a viewing condition where the input image is observed; and altering the adaptation factor in correspondence to a color of a conversion target pixel. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-46. (canceled) ### Claim 47 An image processing method for executing color conversion processing on input image data by taking into consideration chromatic adaptation, comprising: executing color conversion processing by taking into consideration at least one of an adaptation factor indicating an extent of adaptation to an illumination condition under which a scene where an input image is obtained is illuminated, an adaptation factor indicating an extent of adaptation to a viewing condition where the input image is observed and an adaptation factor indicating an extent of adaptation to a viewing condition where an output image is observed; and altering the adaptation factor based upon a color of the input image. ### Claim at position 3 48-54. (canceled) ### Claim 55 (depends on 47) An image processing method according to claim 47, wherein: the color conversion processing is executed by taking into consideration an adaptation factor indicating an extent of adaptation to an illumination condition under which a scene where an input image is obtained is illuminated or an adaptation factor indicating an extent of adaptation to a viewing condition where the input image is observed; and the adaptation factor is altered in correspondence to a color of a conversion target pixel. ### Claim 56 (depends on 47) An image processing method according to claim 47, wherein: the color conversion processing is executed by taking into consideration an adaptation factor indicating an extent of adaptation to a viewing condition where an output image is observed; and the adaptation factor is altered in correspondence to a color of a conversion target pixel. ### Claim 57 (depends on 47) An image processing method according to claim 47, wherein: the color conversion processing is executed by taking into consideration an adaptation factor indicating an extent of adaptation to an illumination condition under which a scene where an input image is obtained is illuminated or an adaptation factor indicating an extent of adaptation to a viewing condition where the input image is observed and an adaptation factor indicating an extent of adaptation to a viewing condition where an output image is observed; and each of the adaptation factors is altered in correspondence to a color of a conversion target pixel. ### Claim 58 (depends on 55) An image processing method according to claim 55, wherein: the adaptation factor is altered in correspondence to a hue of the conversion target pixel. ### Claim 59 (depends on 55) An image processing method according to claim 55, wherein: the adaptation factor is altered in correspondence to a saturation level of the conversion target pixel. ### Claim 60 (depends on 47) An image processing method according to claim 47, wherein: the color conversion processing is executed by taking into consideration an adaptation factor indicating an extent of adaptation to an illumination condition under which a scene where an input image is obtained is illuminated or an adaptation factor indicating an extent of adaptation to a viewing condition where the input image is observed; and the adaptation factor is altered based upon a color distribution in the input image, ascertained through color distribution analysis executed on the input image. ### Claim 61 (depends on 47) An image processing method according to claim 47, wherein: the color conversion processing is executed by taking into consideration an adaptation factor indicating an extent of adaptation to a viewing condition where an output image is observed; and the adaptation factor is altered based upon a color distribution in the input image, ascertained through color distribution analysis executed on the input image. ### Claim 62 (depends on 47) An image processing method according to claim 47, wherein: the color conversion processing is executed by taking into consideration an adaptation factor indicating an extent of adaptation to an illumination condition under which a scene where an input image is obtained is illuminated or an adaptation factor indicating an extent of adaptation to a viewing condition where the input image is observed and an adaptation factor indicating an extent of adaptation to a viewing condition where an output image is observed; and each of the adaptation factors is altered based upon a color distribution in the input image, ascertained through color distribution analysis executed on the input image. ### Claim 63 (depends on 60) An image processing method according to claim 60, wherein: the input image is divided into a plurality of areas, a representative color is determined in correspondence to each of the areas and the adaptation factor is altered based upon the representative color. ### Claim 64 (depends on 60) An image processing method according to claim 60, wherein: an adaptation factor applicable to an entire image is determined based upon the color distribution resulting from the color distribution analysis. ### Claim 65 (depends on 60) An image processing method according to claim 60, wherein: the adaptation factor for each area is altered based upon the color distribution resulting from the analysis. ### Claim 66 (depends on 60) An image processing method according to claim 60, wherein: a hue distribution is determined based upon the color distribution resulting from the color distribution analysis and the adaptation factor is altered based upon the hue distribution. ### Claim 67 (depends on 60) An image processing method according to claim 60, wherein: a saturation distribution is determined based upon the color distribution resulting from the analysis and the adaptation factor is altered based upon the saturation distribution. ### Claim 68 (depends on 47) An image processing method according to claim 47, wherein: the color conversion processing is executed by taking into consideration at least one of an adaptation factor indicating an extent of adaptation to an illumination condition under which a scene where an input image is obtained is illuminated, an adaptation factor indicating an extent of adaptation to a viewing condition where the input image is observed and an adaptation factor indicating an extent of adaptation to a viewing condition where an output image is observed; and a switch is made based upon the current viewing condition or the input image, to alter or not to alter the adaptation factor in correspondence to a representative color determined based upon a conversion target pixel or based upon a conversion target pixel and surrounding pixels. ### Claim 69 (depends on 68) An image processing method according to claim 68, wherein: the switch is made by allowing or disallowing the adaptation factor to be hue-dependent. ### Claim 70 (depends on 47) A computer-readable computer program product containing an image processing program enabling a computer to execute an image processing method according to claim 47. ### Claim 71 (depends on 47) An image processing device, comprising a control unit that executes an image processing method according to claim 47. ### Claim 72 (depends on 47) A camera, comprising: an imaging unit that captures a subject image; a display unit; and a control unit, wherein: the control unit executes color conversion processing on image data generated by capturing an image via the imaging unit through an image processing method according to claim 47, and displays the image data having undergone the color conversion processing at the display unit. ### Claim 73 (depends on 72) A camera according to claim 72, further comprising: a photometering unit, wherein: the control unit sets a viewing condition, where an output image is observed, based upon photometering data obtained via the photometering unit and an illumination condition at the image display unit.