Method and apparatus for mapping a multi-dimensional signal from one space to another space

1. A method operating within a processor of mapping data from a source space to a target space, the method comprising:

maintaining a space transformation look-up table (LUT) that contains a plurality of locations storing information, wherein each of the plurality of locations includes information specifying a function to be evaluated and an index to a separate LUT that contains a plurality of locations, each of which includes a derivate of a second-order or higher polynomial function;

inputting first data defined according to a multi-dimensional source space; and

generating second data defined according to a multi-dimensional target space, by applying information contained in the LUT to the first data.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a function from the information contained in a location of the LUT;

wherein generating the second data includes applying the first data to said function.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the information in each location of the LUT comprises information which defines a function completely.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the space transformation LUT is a color space conversion LUT, and wherein the source space is a first color space and the target space is a second color space.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of locations further includes information specifying an interpolation type.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of locations includes information specifying a plurality of functions and a type of interpolation to be performed between the plurality of functions.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of locations includes information specifying a parameter of the function.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of locations includes information representing a second-order or higher polynomial function.

9. A method as recited in claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of locations includes a signal output value and information representing a derivative of a second-order or higher polynomial function.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the LUT has a plurality of dimensions, each corresponding to a different one of a plurality of color signal components.

11. A method as recited in claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of locations includes, for each of the plurality of dimensions, a signal output value and information representing a derivative of a second-order or higher polynomial function.

12. A method as recited in claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of locations includes:

information representing a second-order or higher polynomial function for a most-influencing one of the plurality of color signal components; and

information representing a first-order polynomial function for each of the plurality of color signal components other than the most-influencing one.

13. A method operating on a processor of performing color space conversion, the method comprising:

maintaining a color space look-up table (LUT) that contains a plurality of locations storing information, wherein each of the plurality of locations includes information specifying a function to be evaluated, and an index to a separate LUT that contains a plurality of locations, each of which includes a derivative of a second-order or higher polynomial function;

inputting first data defined according to a first color space;

generating second data defined according to a second color space, by applying information contained in the LUT to the first data; and

employing the second data to at least one of display or print an image.

14. A method as recited in claim 13 , further comprising:

determining a function from the information contained in a location of the LUT;

wherein generating the second data includes applying the first data to said function.

15. A method as recited in claim 13 , wherein the information in each location of the LUT comprises information which defines a function completely.

16. A method as recited in claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of locations further includes information specifying an interpolation type.

17. A method as recited in claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of locations includes information specifying a plurality of functions and a type of interpolation to be performed between the plurality of functions.

18. A method as recited in claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of locations includes information specifying a parameter of the function.

19. A method as recited in claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of locations includes information representing a second-order or higher polynomial function.

20. A method as recited in claim 19 , wherein each of the plurality of locations includes a signal output value and information representing a derivative of a second-order or higher polynomial function.

21. A method as recited in claim 13 , wherein the LUT has a plurality of dimensions, each corresponding to a different one of a plurality of color signal components.

22. A method as recited in claim 21 , wherein each of the plurality of locations includes, for each of the plurality of dimensions, a signal output value and information representing a derivative of a second-order or higher polynomial function.

23. A method as recited in claim 21 , wherein each of the plurality of locations includes:

information representing a second-order or higher polynomial function for a most-influencing one of the plurality of color signal components; and

information representing a first-order polynomial function for each of the plurality of color signal components other than the most-influencing one.

24. An apparatus comprising:

an input device to receive first data defined according to a first color space;

a memory having stored therein a color space look-up table (LUT) that contains a plurality of locations storing information, wherein each of the plurality of locations includes information specifying a function and an index to a separate LUT that contains a plurality of locations, each of which includes a derivative of a second-order or higher polynomial function; and

a processor to generate second data defined according to a second color space, by applying information contained in the LUT to the first data.

25. An apparatus as recited in claim 24 , wherein the apparatus is a digital camera.

26. An apparatus as recited in claim 24 , wherein the processor further is to:

determine a function from the information contained in a location of the LUT;

wherein the processor generates the second data by applying the first data to said function.

27. An apparatus as recited in claim 24 , wherein the information in each location of the LUT comprises information which defines a function completely.

28. An apparatus as recited in claim 24 , wherein each of the plurality of locations further includes information specifying an interpolation type.

29. An apparatus as recited in claim 24 , wherein each of the plurality of locations includes information specifying a plurality of functions and a type of interpolation to be performed between the plurality of functions.

30. An apparatus as recited in claim 24 , wherein each of the plurality of locations includes information specifying a parameter of the function.

31. An apparatus as recited in claim 24 , wherein each of the plurality of locations includes information representing a second-order or higher polynomial function.

32. An apparatus as recited in claim 31 , wherein each of the plurality of locations includes a signal output value and information representing a derivative of a second order or higher polynomial function.

33. An apparatus as recited in claim 24 , wherein the LUT has a plurality of dimensions, each corresponding to a different one of a plurality of color signal components.

34. An apparatus as recited in claim 33 , wherein each of the plurality of locations includes, for each of the plurality of dimensions, a signal output value and information representing a derivative of a second-order or higher polynomial function.

35. An apparatus as recited in claim 33 , wherein each of the plurality of locations includes:

information representing a second-order or higher polynomial function for a most-influencing one of the plurality of color signal components; and

information representing a first-order polynomial function for each of the plurality of color signal components other than the most-influencing one.