Image processing apparatus, image processing method and recording medium with color image compacting

An image processing apparatus for converting color image data described in control language of an output unit to a color image adapted for said output unit, said image processing apparatus comprising:

• object image separating means for separating said color image data into a command image generated by the a drawing command as a control language for every graphic or text and a photo image having color information of each pixel on the basis of information contained in said outputting control language;
• command image processing means for generating a first pixel image by performing said color-processing on the color data of said command image on the basis of color palette information given to a region specified by the drawing command;
• photo image processing means for generating a second pixel image;
• and
• image synthesizing means for generating said outputting image by synthesizing said first pixel image and said second pixel image;
• wherein
• the photo image processing means comprises
• color number compacting means for compacting the color image data of a photo image by clustering pixels within a specific area according to the color information of each pixel and deciding at least one representative color of the clustered pixel group,
• representative color processing means for color-processing of the representative color, and
• image restoring means for converting the photo image to a pixel image on the basis of the color-processed representative color.

An image processing apparatus for converting color image data described in control language of an output unit to a color image adapted for said output unit, image processing apparatus comprising:

• object image separating means for separating the color image data into a command image generated by a drawing command as a control language for every graphic or text and a photo image having color information of each pixel on the basis of information contained in the outputting control language;
• command image processing means for generating a first pixel image by performing said color-processing on the color data of the command image on the basis of color palette information given to a region specified by the drawing command;
• photo image processing means for generating a second pixel image;
• and
• image synthesizing means for generating the outputting image by synthesizing the first pixel image and the second pixel image, wherein
• the command image processing means comprises
• color palette information extracting means for extracting color palette information on said command image;
• extracted palette color processing means for performing said color-processing on the basis of said color palette information;
• and
• image drawing means for converting said command image into said first pixel image on the basis of said color-processed color palette information, and wherein the photo image processing means comprises
• color number compacting means for compacting the color image data of a photo image by clustering pixels within a specific area according to the color information of each pixel and deciding at least one representative color of the clustered pixel group,
• representative color processing means for color-processing of the representative color, and
• image restoring means for converting the photo image into the second pixel image on the basis of said color-processed representative color.

An image processing apparatus for converting color image data described in control language of an output unit to a color image adapted for said output unit, said image processing apparatus comprising:

• object image separating means for separating said color image data into a command image generated by a drawing command as a control language for every graphic and text and a photo image having color information of each pixel on the basis of information contained in the color image data;
• color number compacting means for compacting the color image data of a photo image by clustering pixels within a specific area according to the color information of each pixel and deciding at least one representative color of the clustered pixel group;
• and
• outputting control language converting means for converting to the control language of the output unit from the photo image data having the decided representative colors.

An image processing method for converting color image data described in control language of an output unit to a color image adapted for said output unit, the image processing method comprising the steps of:

• compacting the color image data of a photo image by clustering pixels within a specific area according to the color information of each pixel and deciding on at least one representative color of the clustered pixel group;
• color-processing said representative colors;
• and
• restoring an image by converting said photo image into a pixel image on the basis of said color-processed representative colors.

An image processing method for converting color image data described in control language of an output unit to a color image adapted for said output unit, said image processing method comprising the steps of:

• separating said color image data into a command image generated by a drawing command as a control language for every graphic or text and a photo image having color information of each pixel on the basis of information contained in said outputting control language;
• processing the command image to generate a first pixel image by performing the steps of
• extracting color palette information on the command image,
• color-processing on the basis of the color palette information, and
• converting the command image into the first pixel image on the basis of the color-processed color palette information;
• and
• processing the photo image for generating a second pixel image by performing the steps of
• compacting the color image data of the photo image by clustering pixels within a specific area according to the color information of each pixel and deciding at least one representative color of the clustered pixel group,
• color-processing the representative color, and
• converting the photo image into the second pixel image on the basis of the color-processed representative color;
• and
• generating said outputting image by synthesizing said first pixel image and said second pixel image.

An image processing method for converting color image data described in control language of an output unit to a color image adapted for said output unit, said image processing method comprising the steps of:

• separating said color image data into a command image generated by a drawing command as a control language for every graphic or text and a photo image having color information of each on the basis of information contained in said outputting control language;
• compacting the color data of the photo image by clustering pixels within a specific area according to the color information of each pixel and deciding at least one representative color from color information of the clustered pixels;
• and
• converting to the control language of the output unit from said photo image data having the decided representative colors.

A recording medium in which an image processing procedure for generating an outputting image by color-processing for converting a color image described in an outputting control language adapted for the output unit being used into color data adapted for the output unit is recorded as computer program wherein the following steps are recorded as the photo image processing procedure for processing a photo image having color information by a pixel generated from a pixel image:

• compacting the color data of the photo image to decide on at least one kind of representative color;
• color-processing said representative colors;
• and
• restoring an image by converting said photo image into a pixel image on the basis of said color processed representative color.

A recording medium in which an image processing procedure for generating an outputting image by color-processing for converting a color image described in an outputting control language adapted for the output unit being used into color data adapted for the output unit is recorded as computer program wherein the following steps are recorded:

• object image separating step for separating said color data into a command image generated by a drawing command and a photo image having color information by a pixel generated by the bit map data on the basis of information contained in said outputting control language;
• command image processing step for generation of the first bit map image by color-processing the color data of said command image on the basis of color palette information given to bits belonging to a region specified by said drawing command;
• photo image processing step for generation of the second pixel image by performing said color-processing on the color data of said photo image;
• and
• image synthesizing step for generating said outputting image by synthesizing said first pixel image and said second pixel image.

A recording medium in which an image processing procedure for generation of an outputting image by converting color image data prepared by application into an outputting control language and holding the data in a memory storage and at the same time by color-processing for conversion into color data adapted for said output unit is recorded as computer program wherein the following steps are recorded:

• object image separating step for separating said color image data into a command image generated by a drawing command and a photo image having color information by a pixel generated by the bit map data on the basis of information contained in said color image data;
• color number compacting step for deciding on at least one representative color by compacting the color data of said photo image;
• and
• outputting control language converting step for converting into the outputting control language said command image and said photo image of which said representative color is decided on.