Image processing method and system

An image processing system which utilizes shutting light processing, the system comprising:

• i) a first image processing apparatus including:
• forming means for forming an unsharp image signal, which represents the unsharp mask image to be used for the shutting light processing, wherein the unsharp image signal is obtained from a digital image signal of an original digital image,
• wherein said digital image signal represents the original digital image before being subjected to shutting light processing, and has gradation characteristics such that details of the image are maintained both in a highlight and shadow side of said digital image;
• compression processing means for performing compression processing on the unsharp image signal to form a compressed unsharp image;
• and
• ii) a second image processing apparatus including:
• reproducing means for reproducing the digital image signal and said compressed unsharp image signal;
• decompression processing means for performing decompression processing on the compressed unsharp image signal to obtain a decompressed unsharp image signal;
• and
• processing means for performing shutting light processing by using the decompressed unsharp image signal.

An image processing method for use in shutting light processing, comprising the steps of:

• forming an unsharp image signal in a first image processing apparatus that represents an unsharp mask image to be used for the shutting light processing, wherein said unsharp image signal is formed from a digital image signal of an original digital image to be used in the shutting light processing,
• wherein said digital image signal represents the original digital image before being subjected to shutting light processing, and has gradation characteristics such that details of the image are maintained both in a highlight and shadow side of said digital image;
• performing compression processing on said unsharp image signal, a compressed unsharp image signal being thereby formed in said first image processing apparatus;
• storing said digital image signal and said compressed unsharp image signal on an independent deliverable storage medium;
• reproducing said compressed unsharp image signal and said digital image signal in a second image processing apparatus;
• performing decompression processing on said compressed unsharp image signal, a decompressed unsharp image signal and said digital image signal being thereby obtained in said second image processing apparatus;
• and
• performing shutting light processing by using said decompressed unsharp image signal, and said digital image signal of said second image processing apparatus.

An image processing method for use in shutting light processing, comprising the steps of:

• forming unsharp image signals in a first image processor, wherein the unsharp image signals are obtained from digital image signals used for said shutting light processing,
• wherein said digital image signals represent digital images before being subjected to shutting light processing, and have gradation characteristics such that details of the images are maintained both in a highlight and shadow side of said digital images;
• performing image compressing of the unsharp image signals;
• accessing the compressed unsharp image signals with a reproducing section of a second image processor;
• decompressing the compressed unsharp image signals with a decompression section;
• and
• processing the decompressed unsharp image signals received from said decompression section with a shutting light processing section.

A method of producing a compressed unsharp image, comprising the steps of:

• forming an unsharp image signal from an input digital image signal of an original digital image, wherein a mask image representing the unsharp image signal is to be combined with said input digital image signal in the reproduction of the original digital image,
• wherein said digital image signal represents the original digital image before being subjected to shutting light processing, and has gradation characteristics such that details of the image are maintained both in a highlight and shadow side of said original digital image;
• compressing the unsharp image signal;
• and
• storing the compressed unsharp image signal, wherein the compressing step is performed after the forming step so that information carried by said unsharp image signal will not be lost during compression.

An image processing system which utilizes shutting light processing, comprising:

• a first image processing apparatus including:
• a forming section for forming an unsharp image signal which represents an unsharp mask image to be used for the shutting light processing, wherein said unsharp image signal is obtained from a digital image signal,
• wherein said digital image signal represents a digital image before being subjected to shutting light processing, and has gradation characteristics such that details of the image are maintained both in a highlight and shadow side of the digital image;
• a compression processing section for performing compression processing on said unsharp image signal to form a compressed unsharp image signal;
• and
• an independent deliverable storage medium for storing said digital image signal and said compressed unsharp image signal;
• and
• a second image processing apparatus including:
• a reproducing section for reproducing said digital image signal and said compressed unsharp image signal;
• a decompression processing section for performing decompression processing on said compressed unsharp image signal to obtain a decompressed unsharp image signal;
• and
• a shutting light processing section for performing shutting light processing by using said decompressed unsharp image signal and said digital image signal.