Abstract: An image processing device and an image processing method according to the present invention, by dividing an image into a plurality of blocks, generates a control signal denoting a change in the image data, based on a result of comparing first encoded image data that is quantized from image data in each of the blocks based on representative values of the image data in each of the blocks with second encoded image data that is obtained by delaying the first encoded image data for a period equivalent to one frame, and generates one-frame-preceding image data by choosing on a pixel to pixel basis either the current-frame image data or second decoded image data that is obtained by decoding the second encoded image data, based on the control signal.

Abstract: Consecutive frames of image data are processed for display by, for example, a liquid crystal display. The image data are compressed, delayed, and decompressed to generate primary reconstructed data representing the preceding frame, and the amount of change from the preceding frame to the current frame is determined. Secondary reconstructed data are generated from the current frame image data according to the amount of change. Compensated image data are generated from the current frame image data and the primary and secondary reconstructed data; in this process, either the primary or the secondary reconstructed data may be selected according to the amount of change, or the primary and secondary reconstructed data may be combined according to the amount of change. The amount of memory needed to delay the image data can thereby be reduced without introducing compression artifacts when the amount of change is small.

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 display apparatus has a light valve that spatially modulates light emitted by a light source according to a gamma-corrected video signal consisting of successive video fields, by modulating the light pulse widths of individual picture elements in each field. The spatially modulated light is projected onto a screen. A light source driver changes the intensity of the light source as a function of elapsed time in each video field so as to approximately cancel the effect of the gamma correction. Only a slight reverse gamma correction is then needed to produce the correct brightness relationship between the video signal and the projected image. Consequently, fewer gradation levels are lost than in a conventional reverse gamma correction, and the picture quality in low-brightness areas of the projected image is improved.

Abstract: A projection display uses a light modulating device to modulate, in accordance with image data, light radiated from a light source, project the modulated light onto a screen, and display an image. The projection display separates a unit of time configuring the image data into an effective light time when the light modulating device can express the light as an image on the screen and an ineffective light time when the light modulating device cannot express the light as an image on the screen. The projection display increases the power supplied to the light source during the effective light time over the power supplied to the light source during the ineffective light time.

Abstract: A light diffusion element includes a light diffusion layer that contains at least two types of liquid crystal molecules each having a different light scattering characteristic defined by a voltage and a refractive index. A pair of electrodes sandwiches the light diffusion layer, an applying unit generates and applies a variable voltage to the pair of electrodes, and a voltage changing unit varies the voltage generated by the applying unit. The voltage changing unit varies the voltage such that each of the refractive indexes of the liquid crystal molecules in the light diffusion layer changes temporally.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus processes an input color image, combines the input color image with the processed color image in a ratio that varies from picture element to picture element according to the hue of the picture element, and outputs the combined image. The output image can accordingly be selectively processed to give desired qualities in suitable degrees to particular hues.

Abstract: An MPU storage device 114 stores a device address of an image display device 11, and an MPU identification processing device 113 acquires and retains the device address stored in the MPU storage device 114. The MPU identification processing device 113 acquires the device address from a device information storage device 122 or an MPU identification processing device 123 according to a DDC communication protocol, using an output side data sending and receiving device 115. The device information storage device 122 stores EDID, and the MPU identification processing device 113 acquires EDID stored in the device information storage device 112, compares it with the EDID acquired from the image display device 12, extracts common data, and stores it in the device information storage device 112 as common EDID data of the image display device 11 and the image display device 12.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image processing device including pixel interpolation, such as a pixel interpolation device, a line interpolation device, an image size conversion device and an image interpolation device. The pixel interpolation device according to the present invention includes an interpolation pattern table, which outputs an interpolation direction data designating interpolation directions including directions joining intermediate points of pixels. The interpolation pixel data is calculated based on the pixel data located in the interpolation direction designated by the interpolation direction data. The image interpolation device, the pixel number conversion device and the line interpolation device according to the present invention includes the pixel interpolation device described above.

Abstract: A field sequential color display is obtained by successive display of a sequence of monochrome images of different colors. Monochrome images in at least one of the colors are displayed with light of two different brightness levels, the light of the lower brightness being used to display comparatively low gray levels, the light of both the lower and higher brightness levels being used to display comparatively high gray levels. This scheme provides extra resolution at the low end of the gray scale, and increases the number of displayable gray levels by counteracting the loss of gray levels that occurs due to gamma correction.

Abstract: A first edge width correction process (2) is carried out in which edge widths are corrected by an interpolation process using zoom ratio control values (RZC) generated according to the edge widths in image data; an enlargement processing process (3) that enlarges the image data with edge widths corrected by the first edge width correction process (2) is carried out; a second edge width correction process (4) similar to the first edge width correction process is carried out on the enlarged image data; and an edge enhancement process that enhances edges in the image data with edge widths corrected by the second edge width correction process is carried out. An image processing apparatus is obtained that mitigates the loss of sharpness in an enlarged image and accordingly makes it possible to provide better picture quality.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus and image processing method capable of obtaining better picture quality by appropriately improving the sharpness of edges of an image. In order to achieve the object, the image processing apparatus comprises a zoom ratio control means for detecting edges in image data and generating zoom ratio control values according to the widths of the detected edges; an edge width correction means for correcting the edge widths by carrying out an interpolation process on the image data according to the zoom ratio control values; an enhancement value calculation means for detecting high frequency components of the image data with the corrected edge widths, and calculating enhancement values for enhancing the edges of the image data according to the detected high frequency components; and an edge enhancement means for enhancing the edges of the image data by adding the enhancement values to the image data with the corrected edge widths.

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: A liquid-crystal driving circuit has an image data processor that, for example, encodes the present image, decodes the encoded image, delays the encoded image by one frame interval, decodes the delayed encoded image, and uses the two decoded images to generate compensation data for adjusting the gray-scale values in the present image. The encoding process reduces the amount of image data, thereby reducing the size of the frame memory needed to delay the image. The compensation data preferably cause the liquid crystal to reach transmissivity values corresponding to the gray-scale values of the present image within substantially one frame interval. This enables the response speed of the liquid crystal to be controlled accurately.

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: A field sequential color display is obtained by successive display of a sequence of monochromatic images. Each monochromatic image is displayed with light occupying a different wavelength region, but one of the wavelength regions includes part or all of another one of the wavelength regions. These two wavelength regions are used to display one of the original primary colors of the color image, the included or partially included wavelength region being used for comparatively low gray levels and both wavelength regions being used for comparatively high gray levels. This scheme provides a way to increase the number of gray levels that can be displayed following a gamma correction, as well as broadening the gamut of reproducible colors.

Abstract: An image processing circuit for driving a liquid crystal that encodes and decodes image data to reduce the size of the frame memory that, when it quantizes (45) each block of image data in the current frame and outputs encoded data, selects (44) a mean value on the basis of the dynamic range of each unit block and adjusts the amount by which the image data is reduced (53). This type of control enables it to reduce the amount of image data that must be temporarily stored in the delay circuit (5), so the size of the frame memory constituting the delay circuit can be reduced while minimizing the encoding error that occurs in the encoder (4). Consequently, the image data can be corrected accurately and appropriate voltage corrections can be applied to the liquid crystal without the effects of coding and decoding errors.

Abstract: Interpolation data for a missing pixel are obtained (4) after a correction (3) for variations in the characteristics of the imaging devices (8(1), 8(2)). The correction for variations in characteristics includes, for example, a black level correction (9) and a sensitivity correction (10). The interpolation includes, for example, interpolation calculations (14(1), 14(2)) such that a mean value of a plurality of pixels including the missing pixel and a mean value of a plurality of pixels not including the missing pixel become equal and an interpolation calculation (14(0)) that takes the mean of the pixels to the right and left of the missing pixel, the calculation with the least error being selected (13, 15). Thus missing pixels in highly periodic images can be properly interpolated, and interpolation can be performed with high precision even when there are variations in the sensitivity characteristics of the individual imaging devices constituting the contact image sensor.

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.