Image evaluation method, image evaluation device, and storage medium having program stored thereon

1. An image evaluation method comprising:

(a) a step of acquiring, by a controller, image information to be evaluated;

(b) a step of setting, by the controller, an evaluation area for the acquired image information, the evaluation area being smaller than an area corresponding to the image information;

(c) a step of obtaining, by the controller, an individual evaluation on the acquired image information, the individual evaluation being obtained by individually evaluating a predetermined item in the set evaluation area;

(d) a step of obtaining, by the controller, an other individual evaluation on the acquired image information, the other individual evaluation being obtained by individually evaluating an other predetermined item; and

(e) a step of obtaining, by the controller, a comprehensive evaluation based on the individual evaluation and the other individual evaluation,

wherein:

the predetermined item is one selected from between an item indicating a degree of defocus and an item indicating a degree of a motion blur; and

the other predetermined item includes at least one item out of the item indicating the degree of defocus, the item indicating the degree of a motion blur, and an item indicating a degree of noise occurring at compression time, the at least one item being an item other than the one selected as the predetermined item.

2. An image evaluation method according to claim 1 ,

wherein in the step of setting the evaluation area, the acquired image information is divided into a plurality of blocks, and the evaluation area is set based on a block having a maximum number of edges.

3. An image evaluation method according to claim 1 ,

wherein in the step of setting the evaluation area, a luminance of each pixel is acquired from the acquired image information, and the evaluation area is set so that a section in which a difference in the luminance of adjacent pixels is largest is located at the center.

4. An image evaluation method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the other predetermined item includes two items out of the item indicating the degree of defocus, the item indicating the degree of a motion blur, and the item indicating the degree of noise occurring at compression time, the two items being items other than the one selected as the predetermined item.

5. An image evaluation method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the other individual evaluation is obtained by individually evaluating the other predetermined item in the set evaluation area.

6. An image evaluation method comprising:

(a) a step of acquiring, by a controller, image information to be evaluated;

(b) a step of setting, by the controller, an evaluation area for the acquired image information, the evaluation area being smaller than an area corresponding to the image information;

(c) a step of obtaining, by the controller, an individual evaluation on the acquired image information, the individual evaluation being obtained by individually evaluating a predetermined item in the set evaluation area;

(d) a step of obtaining, by the controller, an other individual evaluation on the acquired image information, the other individual evaluation being obtained by individually evaluating an other predetermined item; and

(e) a step of obtaining, by the controller, a comprehensive evaluation based on the individual evaluation and the other individual evaluation,

wherein:

the other individual evaluation is obtained by individually evaluating the other predetermined item in the set evaluation area; and

in the step of setting the evaluation area, the acquired image information is divided into a plurality of blocks, and the evaluation area is set based on a block having a maximum number of edges.

7. An image evaluation method comprising:

(a) a step of acquiring, by a controller, image information to be evaluated;

(b) a step of setting, by the controller, an evaluation area for the acquired image information, the evaluation area being smaller than an area corresponding to the image information;

(c) a step of obtaining, by the controller, an individual evaluation on the acquired image information, the individual evaluation being obtained by individually evaluating a predetermined item in the set evaluation area;

(d) a step of obtaining, by the controller, an other individual evaluation on the acquired image information, the other individual evaluation being obtained by individually evaluating an other predetermined item; and

(e) a step of obtaining, by the controller, a comprehensive evaluation based on the individual evaluation and the other individual evaluation,

wherein:

the other individual evaluation is obtained by individually evaluating the other predetermined item in the set evaluation area; and

in the step of setting the evaluation area, a luminance of each pixel is acquired from the acquired image information, and the evaluation area is set so that a section in which a difference in the luminance of adjacent pixels is largest is located at the center.

8. An image evaluation method according to claim 1 ,

wherein in the step of obtaining the comprehensive evaluation, the comprehensive evaluation is obtained based on the individual evaluation and the other individual evaluation given weights, respectively.

9. An image evaluation method comprising:

(a) a step of acquiring, by a controller, image information to be evaluated;

(b) a step of setting, by the controller, an evaluation area for the acquired image information, the evaluation area being smaller than an area corresponding to the image information;

(c) a step of obtaining, by the controller, an individual evaluation on the acquired image information, the individual evaluation being obtained by individually evaluating a predetermined item in the set evaluation area;

(d) a step of obtaining, by the controller, an other individual evaluation on the acquired image information, the other individual evaluation being obtained by individually evaluating an other predetermined item; and

(e) a step of obtaining, by the controller, a comprehensive evaluation based on the individual evaluation and the other individual evaluation,

wherein:

in the step of obtaining the comprehensive evaluation, the comprehensive evaluation is obtained based on the individual evaluation and the other individual evaluation given weights, respectively; and

in the step of obtaining the comprehensive evaluation, the comprehensive evaluation is obtained based on the individual evaluation and the other individual evaluation given weights, respectively, the weights increasing with increasing impact on image quality.

10. An image evaluation method according to claim 9 ,

wherein in the step of obtaining the comprehensive evaluation, the comprehensive evaluation is obtained by using a Gaussian function.

11. An image evaluation method according to claim 1 , further comprising

an evaluation attachment step of attaching the individual evaluation, the other individual evaluation, and the comprehensive evaluation to the acquired image information.

12. An image evaluation method according to claim 1 , further comprising

a step of obtaining an individual evaluation not to be included in the comprehensive evaluation by individually evaluating the acquired image information for a nontarget item that is not to be included in the comprehensive evaluation.

13. An image evaluation method comprising:

(a) a step of acquiring, by a controller, image information to be evaluated;

(b) a step of setting, by the controller, an evaluation area for the acquired image information, the evaluation area being smaller than an area corresponding to the image information;

(c) a step of obtaining, by the controller, an individual evaluation on the acquired image information, the individual evaluation being obtained by individually evaluating a predetermined item in the set evaluation area;

(d) a step of obtaining, by the controller, an other individual evaluation on the acquired image information, the other individual evaluation being obtained by individually evaluating an other predetermined item;

(e) a step of obtaining, by the controller, a comprehensive evaluation based on the individual evaluation and the other individual evaluation; and

a step of obtaining, by the controller, an individual evaluation not to be included in the comprehensive evaluation by individually evaluating the acquired image information for a nontarget item that is not to be included in the comprehensive evaluation,

wherein in the step of obtaining the individual evaluation not to be included in the comprehensive evaluation, an item indicating a degree of focus on an area different from a subject intended for shooting is evaluated as the nontarget item.

14. An image evaluation method comprising:

(a) a step of acquiring, by a controller, image information to be evaluated;

(b) a step of setting, by the controller, an evaluation area for the acquired image information, the evaluation area being smaller than an area corresponding to the image information;

(c) a step of obtaining, by the controller, an individual evaluation on the acquired image information, the individual evaluation being obtained by individually evaluating a predetermined item in the set evaluation area;

(d) a step of obtaining, by the controller, an other individual evaluation on the acquired image information, the other individual evaluation being obtained by individually evaluating an other predetermined item;

(e) a step of obtaining, by the controller, a comprehensive evaluation based on the individual evaluation and the other individual evaluation;

a step of obtaining, by the controller, an individual evaluation not to be included in the comprehensive evaluation by individually evaluating the acquired image information for a nontarget item that is not to be included in the comprehensive evaluation; and

another evaluation attachment step of attaching, by the controller, the individual evaluation not to be included in the comprehensive evaluation to the acquired image information.

15. An image evaluation device comprising:

a memory for storing image information to be evaluated; and

a controller that performs:

a step of acquiring the image information to be evaluated;

a step of setting an evaluation area for the acquired image information;

a step of obtaining an individual evaluation on the acquired image information, the individual evaluation being obtained by individually evaluating a predetermined item in the set evaluation area;

a step of obtaining an other individual evaluation on the acquired image information, the other individual evaluation being obtained by individually evaluating an other predetermined item; and

a step of obtaining a comprehensive evaluation based on the individual evaluation and the other individual evaluation;

wherein:

the predetermined item is one selected from between an item indicating a degree of defocus and an item indicating a degree of a motion blur; and

the other predetermined item includes at least one item out of the item indicating the degree of defocus, the item indicating the degree of a motion blur, and an item indicating a degree of noise occurring at compression time, the at least one item being an item other than the one selected as the predetermined item.

16. An image evaluation device according to claim 15 , wherein: the memory stores image information to be printed as the image information to be evaluated; and

the controller further performs a step of attaching the individual evaluation, the other individual evaluation, and the comprehensive evaluation to the image information to be evaluated to generate image information intended for printing.

17. A computer-readable medium having a program stored thereon, the program comprising:

a code for making an image evaluation device perform a step of acquiring image information to be evaluated;

a code for making the image evaluation device perform a step of setting an evaluation area for the acquired image information, the evaluation area being smaller than an area corresponding to the image information;

a code for making the image evaluation device perform a step of obtaining an individual evaluation on the acquired image information, the individual evaluation being obtained by individually evaluating a predetermined item in the set evaluation area;

a code for making the image evaluation device perform a step of obtaining an other individual evaluation on the acquired image information, the other individual evaluation being obtained by individually evaluating an other predetermined item; and

a code for making the image evaluation device perform a step of obtaining a comprehensive evaluation based on the individual evaluation and the other individual evaluation,

wherein:

the predetermined item is one selected from between an item indicating a degree of defocus and an item indicating a degree of a motion blur; and

the other predetermined item includes at least one item out of the item indicating the degree of defocus, the item indicating the degree of a motion blur, and an item indicating a degree of noise occurring at compression time, the at least one item being an item other than the one selected as the predetermined item.