Abstract: An image determination apparatus includes a frequency band signal detecting unit, an average value calculating unit, a relative value calculating unit, and an image determination unit. The frequency band signal detecting unit detects signals belonging to a plurality of frequency bands, from an image signal. The average value calculating calculates average values for respective ones of the signals belonging to the plurality of frequency bands detected by the frequency band signal detecting unit. Each of the average values is a characteristic value equivalent to an amplitude. The relative value calculating unit calculates a relative value of one of the average values to another of the average values, among the average values calculated for respective ones of the plurality of frequency bands. The image determination unit for determining an image based on the relative value calculated by the relative value calculating unit. The image determined is subject to image-processing.

Abstract: An image-processing device including a pulverization-core unit configured to divide input-image data into blocks, generate basic blocks by reducing each of the blocks in size, and arrange the basic blocks into the blocks so that processed-image data including at least one noise particle of the input-image data is generated, where the noise particle included in the processed-image data is reduced in size, an edge-detection unit configured to detect an edge degree from the input-image data, and an edge-blend unit configured to subject a pixel value of the input-image data and a pixel value of the processed-image data to load addition and output output-image data based on the detection result so that a weight to the pixel value of the input-image data increases as the edge degree increases is provided.

Abstract: The present invention is applied, for example, to resolution conversion. An edge gradient direction v1 with the largest gradient of pixel values and an edge direction v2 orthogonal to the edge gradient direction v1 are detected. Edge enhancement and smoothing processing are performed in the edge gradient direction v1 and in the edge direction v2, respectively, to generate output image data D2.

Abstract: A video-signal processing method for measuring a noise level of an input video signal includes the steps of detecting an intra-field or intra-frame feature for each region that, is set in the input video signal, the intra-field or intra-frame feature representing a noise level in the input video signal within a field or frame; checking the intra-field or intra-frame feature against a noise-free-region threshold, and excluding regions with which the infra-field or intra-frame feature is less than the noise-free-region threshold from subjects of noise-level measurement; and outputting a result of noise-level measurement by statistically processing the intra-field or intra-frame features of regions remaining without being excluded.

Abstract: A noise reduction method for reducing noise in an input video signal to output an output video signal includes the steps of generating a motion-compensated reference video signal from the output video signal; delaying the output video signal to generate a non-motion-compensated reference video signal; mixing the motion-compensated reference video signal with the non-motion-compensated reference video signal to generate a reference video signal; subtracting the generated reference video signal from the input video signal to generate a differential signal; compensating the differential signal to generate a noise reduction signal; and subtracting the noise reduction signal from the input video signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for suppressing noise of a video signal. The apparatus includes: a difference-signal generation section generating a difference signal being a field or frame difference between the input and the output video signals; a noise compensation-signal generation section generating a noise compensation signal; a noise-compensation signal subtraction section; and a feedback-ratio control section, wherein the feedback-ration control section includes a signal-level determination section determining a signal level of the difference signal for each area and detecting an abrupt change in an input signal, a count section counting the number of input fields or frames from the time of an abrupt change in a signal level to the subsequent abrupt change, and a feedback-ration setting section setting a feedback ration for the area in accordance with a count value, wherein the feedback-ratio setting section sets the feedback ratio such that the ratio gradually increases as the count value increases.

Abstract: In an image pickup apparatus, a level compensator compensates the level of an image xL (i, j) sensed by an image sensor by exposure for a long time on the basis of the exposure of the image to produce a compensated image xL? (i, j), while another level compensator compensates the level of an image xS (i, j) sensed by the image sensor by exposure for a short time on the basis of the exposure of the image to produce a compensated image xS? (i, j). The image pickup apparatus also includes an image synthesizer to synthesize these compensates images xL? (i, j) and xS? (i, j) to produce a single synthetic image x (i, j). A dynamic range compressor also included in the image pickup apparatus compresses the synthetic image x (i, j) to produce a compressed image y (i, j) for delivery to outside.

Abstract: A image processing apparatus includes a first image converting section for converting an original image into an output resolution image, a second image converting section for converting the original image into an intermediate resolution image, a similarity information generating section for detecting a plurality of similar areas, in a block in the intermediate resolution image corresponding to a predetermined partial area in the output resolution image, that resemble the partial area, and for generating similarity information including a position of each of the plurality of similar areas in the intermediate resolution image and a weight of the position, a texture generating section for generating a texture image by combining high-frequency components of the intermediate resolution image at the position according to the weight, and a texture blending section for blending the output resolution image and the texture image to generate output image.

Abstract: The invention provides an image processing apparatus and an image processing method. An area to which image data belongs is discriminated, and a correction coefficient to be used for correction of a pixel value of the image data is produced based on a result of the discrimination. Then, the pixel value of the image data is corrected with the correction coefficient. The relationship in magnitude among pixel values in the same area is maintained because the same coefficient is used, but pixel values which belong to different areas can be varied or even reversed. This allows the gradation of an entire image to be corrected while preventing partial deterioration of the contrast.

Abstract: In an image pickup apparatus, a level compensator compensates the level of an image xL (i, j) sensed by an image sensor by exposure for a long time on the basis of the exposure of the image to produce a compensated image xL? (i, j), while another level compensator compensates the level of an image xS (i, j) sensed by the image sensor by exposure for a short time on the basis of the exposure of the image to produce a compensated image xS? (i, j). The image pickup apparatus also includes an image synthesizer to synthesize these compensates images xL? (i, j) and xS? (i, j) to produce a single synthetic image x (i, j). A dynamic range compressor also included in the image pickup apparatus compresses the synthetic image x (i, j) to produce a compressed image y (i, j) for delivery to outside.

Abstract: The invention provides an image processing apparatus and an image processing method. An area to which image data belongs is discriminated, and a correction coefficient to be used for correction of a pixel value of the image data is produced based on a result of the discrimination. Then, the pixel value of the image data is corrected with the correction coefficient. The relationship in magnitude among pixel values in the same area is maintained because the same coefficient is used, but pixel values which belong to different areas can be varied or even reversed. This allows the gradation of an entire image to be corrected while preventing partial deterioration of the contrast.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus for processing input-image data to output output-image data. The apparatus includes a plurality of image processing units operable to detect an edge-gradient direction having a largest gradient of a pixel value and an edge direction orthogonal to the edge-gradient direction for each pixel of the input-image data, to perform edge-enhancement processing on the input-image data in the edge-gradient direction, and to perform smoothing processing on the input-image data in the edge direction; and an integration unit operable to integrate the image data output from the plurality of image processing units to generate the output-image data. The plurality of image processing units have different characteristics set for use with detecting the edge-gradient direction and the edge direction.

Abstract: By the use of an epsilon filter, in the case where a plurality of different illuminations exist, a boundary between the illuminations can be appropriately extracted, and an unnatural image pattern can be prevented from being generated, therefore subjectively preferable compression of a dynamic range can be achieved. An edge strength G(x, y) is calculated per position on an input image, and a threshold E(x, y) of an epsilon filter (12) is controlled on the basis of the edge strength G(x, y). The epsilon filter (12) filters the input image on the basis of the controlled threshold E(x, y). On the basis of the edge strength G(x, y), the threshold E of the epsilon filter (12) is adaptively changed according to a local gradient of a pixel value I(x, y), so in the case of using a linear lowpass filter or a fixed threshold epsilon filter, an illumination boundary can be more accurately extracted.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus and a method therefor are proposed for the production of a natural composite image corresponding to an object to be imaged. A misregistration amount (d) of each image (xS1) except for a reference image (xL1) is detected with respect to the reference image, misregistration of each image except for the reference image with respect to the reference image is corrected on the basis of the misregistration amount, and then the reference image and each misregistration corrected image (xS4) except for the reference image are composed, thereby making it possible to avoid a degraded image quality which would otherwise be produced when a plurality of images are composed without correction, and consequently produce a natural composite image corresponding to an object to be imaged.

Abstract: Each of a plurality of input images is smoothed. A plurality of smoothed images different from each other in the degree of smoothing thus results. Each of first and second synthesizers calculate an edge intensity based on an intermediate synthesized image generated from at least one smoothed image and having a relatively large degree of smoothing and another smoothed image having a relatively small degree of smoothing, and synthesizes the intermediate synthesized image and the smoothed image based on the edge intensity, thereby generating a synthesized smoothed image. A second synthesized smoothed image generated by the second synthesizer is output as a final synthesized smoothed image representing an illumination component, and is then used as a coefficient for converting a pixel value.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image processing circuit and an image processing method, and is applied to, for example, a video camera, an electronic still camera and the like, for compressing the dynamic range at a high compression rate with evading the lowering of an impression concerning the contrast and the unnatural edge emphasis. The present invention smoothes an input image X while preserving the edge to obtain a gain correction coefficient, and corrects the pixel value x(i, j) of the input image X with the gain correction coefficient.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image processor and an image processing method for compensating gradation by effectively avoiding drop of partial contrast through application to an image processor such as television receiver, video tape recorder, television camera and printer or the like. A domain to which an input image data belongs is judged, for example, with reference to the low frequency element r (i, j) of the pixel value x (i, j) and the signal level x (i, j) of the image data forming an input image VT is compensated on the basis of the result of judgment r(i, j).

Abstract: A histogram section determines as a motion vector at a pixel of interest the candidate motion vector with highest frequency from among a candidate motion vector at the pixel of interest and candidate motion vectors at pixels neighboring the pixel of interest supplied by a template matching section, and supplies it to a motion-vector correcting section. The motion-vector correction section evaluates the confidence level of the motion vector supplied by the histogram section based on the luminance gradient around the pixel of interest detected by a luminance-gradient detecting section and a control signal indicating whether correction should be carried out supplied by the template matching section. If it is determined that the confidence level of the motion vector is low, the motion vector is corrected.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus for performing a tracking of a moving object by setting a tracking area corresponding to a moving object appearing in a video image, by setting a plurality of feature points in the tracking area, and by tracking the plurality of feature points, comprises a tracking processing unit for tracking each of the plurality of feature points from the preceding frame to the present frame, and a motion calculation processing unit for specifying a position of the tracking area in the present frame by estimating the motion of the tracking area based the tracking result of each of the feature points, wherein the tracking processing unit calculates reliability indicating the height of the possibility that a feature point exists in the moving object to each of the feature points, and the motion calculation processing unit calculates the motion of the tracking area by using the reliability.

Abstract: The invention provides an image processing apparatus and an image processing method. An area to which image data belongs is discriminated, and a correction coefficient to be used for correction of a pixel value of the image data is produced based on a result of the discrimination. Then, the pixel value of the image data is corrected with the correction coefficient. The relationship in magnitude among pixel values in the same area is maintained because the same coefficient is used, but pixel values which belong to different areas can be varied or even reversed. This allows the gradation of an entire image to be corrected while preventing partial deterioration of the contrast.