Abstract: An image display device and an image display method are provided so as to suppress consumption power and provide a more brightly colored display image. The image display device is provided with a light modulating means wherein image data is inputted and an image is formed by modulating light from a light source based on the image data. The image display device is also provided with a color information detecting means for detecting a quantity of a chromatic color component of an image expressed by the image data; a light source control data generating means for generating light source control data for controlling brightness of the light source; and a light source control means for controlling the brightness of the light source based on the light source control data.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus has an image analyzer including a feature detector, a feature combiner, and a resolution discrimination signal generator. For each pixel in a prescribed area of an input image, the feature detector outputs a representative difference value obtained from the pixel values of pixels positioned, with reference to that pixel, at prescribed intervals. The feature combiner outputs a combined feature value obtained from the representative difference values obtained for each pixel in the described area. The resolution discrimination signal generator outputs a resolution discrimination signal obtained from the combined feature value. The resolution discrimination signal has a monotonic non-decreasing relationship to the combined feature value. The resolution discrimination signal indicates an extent to which the input image includes signal components with frequencies equal to or greater than a particular frequency determined by the prescribed intervals.

Abstract: A maximum and minimum color information detector detects a maximum color-signal gradation level or a value equivalent to the maximum gradation level and a minimum color-signal gradation level or a value equivalent to the minimum gradation level as color information for an image signal input to the image processing apparatus, a correction parameter generator sets correction parameters according to the color information about the input image signal, and a gradation corrector corrects the gradation scale of each color component of the input image signal according to the correction parameters. Contrast can thereby be improved without excessive color collapse.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus enhances contrast without producing color balance distortion or color collapse by generating a gradation-scale correction table from a distribution of a characteristic quantity of an input image signal, using the gradation-scale correction table to derive a gradation correction parameter for each pixel from a maximum component value of the pixel, and multiplying all components of the pixel by the gradation correction parameter.

Abstract: A heat pump water heater in which the number of components is small, a measure against drain pan freezing is realized with a simple structure, and a drain reservoir is difficult to be generated in the drain pan is obtained.

Abstract: A block noise detector has a spatial difference calculator that calculates differences between values of adjacent pixels. A spatial difference comparator detects edges by comparing the calculated differences. Eight counters count edges detected at different groups of positions spaced eight pixels apart in each horizontal line. The maximum count and the group of positions at which it occurs are detected at the end of each horizontal line to detect block noise and the positions of the block boundaries. The block noise detector is small in size because it only has to count edges in one line at a time, and detects edges accurately by comparing the difference at a given position separately with differences to the left and differences to the right.

Abstract: A delay element generates a delayed clock signal which transitions with a delay from a rising (or falling) of a reference clock signal by a delay amount determined based on an output of a loop filter. A signal generation circuit generates two signals which complementarily change according to rising and falling of the reference clock signal and a transition of the delayed clock signal. A charge pump circuit performs on the loop filter, according to these two signals, a push (or pull) operation during an interval extending from a rising (or falling) of the reference clock signal to the transition of the delayed clock signal and a pull (or push) operation during an interval extending from the transition of the delayed clock signal to a falling (or rising) of the reference clock signal.

Abstract: A luminance information detector (3) detects a maximum luminance-signal gradation information value and a minimum luminance-signal gradation information value from one frame of a luminance signal obtained from an image signal (Db) and outputs the values as luminance information values (Yi). A color information detector (20) detects a maximum color-signal gradation information value of the three color signals (RGB) obtained from the image signal (Db) for one frame and a minimum color-signal gradation information value of the three color signals (RGB) obtained from the image signal (Db) for one frame and outputs the values as color information values (Ci). A correction controller (45) calculates parameters (Pa) based on the luminance information value (Yi) and the color information values (Ci); a gradation corrector (5) processes negative color signals point-symmetrically with respect to the origin, according to the parameters (Pa), in the same way as it processes positive color signals.

Abstract: An image display apparatus includes a light source for emitting a plurality of light beams arranged in a direction corresponding to a sub-scanning direction, a light source driver for individually modulating intensities of the plurality of light beams; a light scanning unit for performing main scanning and sub-scanning; an image display screen for receiving the plurality of light beams scanned in the main and sub-scanning directions; and a controller, wherein, in one frame period, a distance of movement of the light irradiation positions on the image display screen moved by one sub-scanning is a distance obtained by multiplying an interval between adjacent two scanning lines in the sub-scanning direction on the image display screen by a predetermined integer which is an integer smaller than number of the plurality of light beams arranged in the direction corresponding to the sub-scanning direction.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus enhances contrast without producing color balance distortion or color collapse by generating a gradation-scale correction table from a distribution of a characteristic quantity of an input image signal, using the gradation-scale correction table to derive a gradation correction parameter for each pixel from a maximum component value of the pixel, and multiplying all components of the pixel by the gradation correction parameter.

Abstract: A maximum and minimum color information detection means (3, 51, 52) detects a maximum color-signal gradation level or a value equivalent to the maximum gradation level (CMAX) and a minimum color-signal gradation level or a value equivalent to the minimum gradation level (CMIN) as color information for an image signal input to the image processing apparatus, a correction parameter generating means (53) sets correction parameters (Pa) according to the color information (CMAX, CMIN) about the input image signal, and a gradation correction means (6) corrects the gradation scale of each color component of the input image signal according to the correction parameters (Pa). Contrast can thereby be improved without excessive color collapse.

Abstract: A block noise reducer detects block boundaries in all components of an input video signal and smoothes the different components selectively on the basis of the detected block boundaries and their periodic locations. By removing block noise on the basis of block boundaries detected in color difference signals, the block noise reducer removes block noise from scenes with gradual changes in color but little or no change in luminance.

Abstract: A delay element generates a delayed clock signal which transitions with a delay from a rising (or falling) of a reference clock signal by a delay amount determined based on an output of a loop filter. A signal generation circuit generates two signals which complementarily change according to rising and falling of the reference clock signal and a transition of the delayed clock signal. A charge pump circuit performs on the loop filter, according to these two signals, a push (or pull) operation during an interval extending from a rising (or falling) of the reference clock signal to the transition of the delayed clock signal and a pull (or push) operation during an interval extending from the transition of the delayed clock signal to a falling (or rising) of the reference clock signal.

Abstract: A method of changing edge sharpness of an input image being formed from input pixels having intensity levels, the method including detecting pixel-to-pixel variations in the intensity levels in at least one direction in the input image, thereby generating local pixel variation patterns; determining a localized zoom ratio based on the local pixel variation patterns; controlling edge sharpness by changing the localized zoom ratio setting interpolation points with spacing between the interpolation points varying based on the localized zoom ratio and a basic zoom ratio; and generating output pixels from the input pixel by interpolation at the interpolating points.

Abstract: A block noise detector has a spatial difference calculator that calculates differences between values of adjacent pixels. A spatial difference comparator detects edges by comparing the calculated differences. Eight counters count edges detected at different groups of positions spaced eight pixels apart in each horizontal line. The maximum count and the group of positions at which it occurs are detected at the end of each horizontal line to detect block noise and the positions of the block boundaries. The block noise detector is small in size because it only has to count edges in one line at a time, and detects edges accurately by comparing the difference at a given position separately with differences to the left and differences to the right.

Abstract: In the image processors and the image processing methods of the present invention, the number of bits for quantizing image data is adjusted on the basis of a dynamic range of each block. Therefore, the error introduced by encoding is reduced without increasing the data amount of the encoded image data, and the response speed of a liquid crystal can be controlled appropriately by preventing unnecessary voltages from being applied due to the error introduced by encoding.

Abstract: An image is processed by detecting pixel-to-pixel variations in brightness level, generating high spatial frequency information related to the variations, setting interpolation points with a spacing that varies according to the high spatial frequency information, and generating new pixels by interpolation at the interpolation points. By increasing the zoom ratio in one part and reducing the zoom in another part of each edge in a continuous manner, this method can mitigate edge degradation when an image is enlarged or reduced, without introducing discontinuities or other image artifacts. It also provides a convenient way to adjust edge sharpness in an image.

Abstract: An image display apparatus includes a light source for emitting a plurality of light beams arranged in a direction corresponding to a sub-scanning direction, a light source driver for individually modulating intensities of the plurality of light beams; a light scanning unit for performing main scanning and sub-scanning; an image display screen for receiving the plurality of light beams scanned in the main and sub-scanning directions; and a controller, wherein, in one frame period, a distance of movement of the light irradiation positions on the image display screen moved by one sub-scanning is a distance obtained by multiplying an interval between adjacent two scanning lines in the sub-scanning direction on the image display screen by a predetermined integer which is an integer smaller than number of the plurality of light beams arranged in the direction corresponding to the sub-scanning direction.

Abstract: In the case where an input signal is an interlace signal such as NTSC signal, a flicker interference as aliasing interference brought about by the sampling theorem is contained in a region where a vertical frequency component is high. Accordingly, in the conventional processing in which rate of change in gradation is improved by making a drive voltage of liquid crystal at the time of change in gradation larger than normal liquid crystal drive voltage to increase response rate of the liquid crystal panel, interference component is also emphasized. As a result, quality level of a video picture to be displayed on the liquid crystal panel is deteriorated. The invention provides a compensation device capable of improving rate-of-change in gradation at a part where there is no flicker interference and changing rate-of-change in gradation to suppress the flicker at a part where there is any flicker interference.

Abstract: An image display device and an image display method are provided so as to suppress consumption power and provide a more brightly colored display image. The image display device is provided with a light modulating means wherein image data is inputted and an image is formed by modulating light from a light source based on the image data. The image display device is also provided with a color information detecting means for detecting a quantity of a chromatic color component of an image expressed by the image data; a light source control data generating means for generating light source control data for controlling brightness of the light source; and a light source control means for controlling the brightness of the light source based on the light source control data.