US 7,257,270 B2 · Image processing device and method, and recording medium

Abstract

In an image processing device which carries out processing for detecting and correcting defective portions of an image, it is possible to pre-emptively prevent the defective portion detecting and correcting processing from causing a deterioration in image quality or an excessive processing requiring time requirement. In cases in which a film type of a photographic film on which the image is recorded is a film type known to have a characteristic that an IR image is also formed at a time of image exposure and recording, and in cases in which a density distribution width of IR data is a predetermined value or more, defect detection-correction processing is cancelled. Further, in cases in which a non-image region is included in the image, either defect detection-correction is carried out only on regions other than the non-image region, or defective portion detection-correction is cancelled.

Claims34

Dependent claims

An image processing device, comprising:

detection-correction means for carrying out detection of one or more defective portions of an image represented by image information and carrying out correction for the one or more defective portions;
judgment means for carrying out determination of whether or not the image is suited for detection and correction by the detection-correction means;
and
control means for controlling the detection-correction means such that if the judgment means determines that the image is not suited for detection and correction by the detection-correction means, then either said detection and correction is cancelled or said detection and correction is performed only for a region of the image other than a region which is determined by the judgment means to be unsuited for said detection and correction,
wherein the one or more defective portions are caused by a scratch or foreign matter on an image recording material,
wherein the image processing device further comprises a memory for registering types of image recording media, and
wherein the judgment means receives information representing a type of an image recording medium on which the image is recorded and, if the type matches a type in the register, determines that the image is not suited for said detection and correction.

4 more elements

An apparatus for correcting an image defect due to a defect of an image recording medium, comprising:

a judgment device configured for determining whether the defect of the image recording medium can be detected;
a defective portion detector configured for detecting the defect of the image recording medium;
and
a defect corrector configured for correcting the image defect due to the defect of the image recording medium,
wherein the defective portion detector detects the defect of the image recording medium based on the judgment device determining that the defect of the image recording medium can be detected,
wherein the defect corrector corrects the image defects based on the defective portion detector detecting the defect of the image recording medium,
wherein the defect comprises a scratch or foreign matter on the image recording medium, and
wherein the judgment device is configured for:
determining whether the image recording medium includes a non-image region:
determining a region of processing to be an entire image surface of the image recording medium if it is determined that the image recording medium does not include the non-image region;
determining whether detection and correction of the image defect should be canceled based on a user's preference when it is determined that the image recording medium includes the non-image region:
determining the region of processing is the image surface of the image recording medium other than the non-image region if it is determined that the detection and correction of defects should not be canceled;
and
determining whether the defect of the image recording medium can be detected based on characteristics of the region of processing.

11 more elements

An apparatus for correcting an image defect due to a defect of an image recording medium, comprising:

a judgment device configured for determining whether the defect of the image recording medium can be detected;
a defective portion detector configured for detecting the defect of the image recording medium;
and
a defect corrector configured for correcting the image defect due to the defect of the image recording medium,
wherein the defective portion detector detects the defect of the image recording medium based on the judgment device determining that the defect of the image recording medium can be detected,
wherein the defect corrector corrects the image defects based on the defective portion detector detecting the defect of the image recording medium,
wherein the defect comprises a scratch or foreign matter on the image recording medium, and
wherein the defective portion detector is configured for:
detecting a change in an amount of transmitted infrared light in a region of processing, wherein the region of processing is a region of the image recording medium where visible light image data is recorded;
and
determining that the defect of the recording image is detected in a portion of the region of processing when the change in the amount of transmitted infrared light in the portion is greater than or equal to an allowed change amount of the transmitted infrared light.

8 more elements

A method for correcting an image defect due to a defect of an image recording medium, comprising:

determining whether the defect of the image recording medium can be detected;
detecting the defect of the image recording medium if it is determined that the defect of the image recording medium can be detected;
and
correcting the image defect due to the defect of the image recording medium based on the detected defect,
wherein the defect comprises a scratch or foreign matter on the image recording medium, and
wherein the step for determining whether the defect of the image recording medium can be detected comprises:
determining whether the image recording medium includes a non-image region;
determining a region of processing to be an entire image surface of the image recording medium if it is determined that the image recording medium does not include the non-image region;
determining whether detection and correction of the image defect should be canceled based on a user's preference when it is determined that the image recording medium includes the non-image region;
determining the region of processing is the image surface of the image recording medium other than the non-image region if it is determined that the detection and correction of defects should not be canceled;
and
determining whether the defect of the image recording medium can be detected based on characteristics of the region of processing.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Image processing device and method, and recording medium

Life of this patent

Image processing device and method, and recording medium

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims34