Image correction device, image correction method and computer program product in memory for image correction

An image correction method, comprising:

• a step to store image information in an image memory;
• a step to subdivide an original image stored in the image memory into a plurality of subdivided image areas;
• a step to make a histogram showing frequency distribution of lightness of pixels contained in each of the subdivided image areas;
• a step to calculate an average lightness of the subdivided image areas;
• a step to make a mapping curve from said histogram based on information relating to said average lightness and on information relating to the original image recorded in said image memory;
• and
• a lightness conversion step to correct the lightness of the pixels constituting the original image based on said mapping curve.

An image correction device, comprising:

• a memory for storing image information of an original image;
• an image area dividing controller for subdividing the original image stored in the memory into a plurality of subdivided image areas;
• a histogram producing controller for creating a histogram showing frequency distribution of lightness for pixels contained in each of the subdivided image areas;
• a most frequent hue calculation controller for calculating a most frequent hue value for each of said subdivided areas;
• a mapping curve generating controller for generating a mapping curve from said histogram based on information relating to the most frequent hue value and on information relating to said original image stored in the memory;
• and
• a lightness conversion controller for correcting the lightness of the pixels constituting the original image stored in the memory based on said mapping curve.

An image correction device, comprising:

• a memory which stores image data;
• a first controller which creates a histogram showing frequency distribution of lightness for pixels contained in the image data stored in the memory;
• a second controller which creates a mapping curve from said histogram based on at least one of a kind of lighting condition, an average lightness, a most frequent hue, and a dispersion value;
• and
• a third controller which converts the lightness of the pixels constituting the image data stored in the memory based on the mapping curve.

An image correction method, comprising:

• a step to store image information in an image memory;
• a step to subdivide an original image stored in the image memory into a plurality of subdivided areas;
• a step to make a histogram showing frequency distribution of lightness for pixels contained in each of the subdivided image areas;
• a step to calculate a most frequent hue value for each of said subdivided areas;
• a step to make a mapping curve from said histogram based on information relating to the most frequent hue value and on information relating to said original image stored in the memory;
• and
• a lightness conversion step to correct the lightness of the pixels constituting the original image based on said mapping curve.

An image correction method, comprising:

• a step to store image data in a memory;
• a step to make histogram showing frequency distribution of lightness for pixels contained in the image data stored in the memory;
• a step to make a mapping curve from said histogram based on at least one of a kind of lighting condition, an average lightness, a most frequent hue, and a dispersion value;
• and
• a lightness conversion step to correct the lightness of the pixels constituting the original image data stored in the memory based on the mapping curve.

A computer program product for providing an image correction, the computer program product having a medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program comprising:

• computer program code for storing image information in an image memory;
• computer program code for subdividing an original image stored in the image memory into a plurality of subdivided areas;
• computer program code for making a histogram showing frequency distribution of lightness for pixels contained in each of the subdivided image areas;
• computer program code for calculating a most frequent hue value for each of said subdivided areas;
• computer program code for making a mapping curve from said histogram based on information relating to the most frequent hue value and on information relating to said original image stored in the memory;
• and
• computer program code for correcting the lightness of the pixels constituting the original image based on said mapping curve.

A computer program product for providing an image correction, the computer program product having a medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program comprising:

• computer program code for storing image data in a memory;
• computer program code for making histogram showing frequency distribution of lightness for pixels contained in the image data stored in the memory;
• computer program code for making a mapping curve from said histogram based on at least one of a kind of lighting condition, an average lightness, a most frequent hue, and a dispersion value;
• and
• computer program code for correcting the lightness of the pixels constituting the original image data stored in the memory based on the mapping curve.