Image Processing Device And Method, Storage Medium, And Program

• US 20080122877A1
• Filed: 06/06/2005
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Aoyama, Koji
• Granted Patent: US 8,253,763 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/698
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/203 Drawing of straight lines or curves
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4007 based on interpolation, e.g. bilinear interpolation image demosaicing G06T3/4015; edge-driven or edge-based scaling G06T3/403
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4023 based on decimating pixels or lines of pixels; based on inserting pixels or lines of pixels

Abstract

The present invention relates to an image processing device and method, a storage medium, and a program for performing high-quality enlargement processing. Of input image data, a data buffer 32 holds data of target-pixel neighborhood data necessary for the enlargement processing. A data-position swapping unit 33 swaps the data positions of the target-pixel neighborhood data, as needed. A pixel priority determining unit 34 determines background color or foreground color with respect to each pixel of the target-pixel neighborhood data whose data positions were sapped. A data-selection-flag determining unit 36 determines a data selection flag of the target-pixel neighborhood data, the data selection flag being supplied from the pixel priority determining unit 34. Based on the data selection flag supplied from the data-selection-flag determining unit 36, a data selector 37 selects image data to be fit into the position of the target pixel from the target-pixel neighborhood data supplied from the data-position swapping unit 33. The present invention is applicable to OSD devices.

Claims

1. An information processing device for enlarging an image, comprising:

holding means for holding neighborhood pixels in the image, the neighborhood pixels including a target pixel;

dividing means for dividing the target pixel;

discriminating means for discriminating between subject color and background color with respect to each pixel held by the holding means;

first-pattern determining means for determining whether or not an arrangement pattern of the subject color and the background color, the arrangement pattern being obtained based on a result of the discrimination performed by the discriminating means, matches a first pattern for expanding the subject color;

second-pattern determining means for determining whether or not an arrangement pattern of the subject color and the background color, the arrangement pattern being obtained based on a result of the discrimination performed by the discriminating means, matches a second pattern for expanding the background color; and

selecting means for selecting data to be fit into the target pixel, divided by the dividing means, from the neighborhood pixels based on results of the determination performed by the first-pattern and second-pattern determining means.

2. The information processing device according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining means for determining whether or not to change a pixel distribution of the neighborhood pixels including the target pixel, the neighborhood pixels being held by the holding means; and

data swapping means for changing the pixel distribution of the neighborhood pixels including the target pixel, based on a result of the determination performed by the determining means.

3. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the image is a character, and

each of the first and the second patterns comprises a multi-level pattern determined in accordance with a type of the character.

4. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the discriminating means discriminates between the subject color and the foreground color by comparing the target pixel with the neighborhood pixels.

5. An information processing method for an image processing device for enlarging an image, the method comprising:

a holding step of holding neighborhood pixels in the image, the neighborhood pixels including a target pixel;

a dividing step of dividing the target pixel;

a discriminating step of discriminating between subject color and background color with respect to each pixel held in the holding step;

a first-pattern determining step of determining whether or not an arrangement pattern of the subject color and the background color, the arrangement pattern being obtained based on a discrimination result obtained by the processing performed in the discriminating step, matches a first pattern for expanding the subject color;

a second-pattern determining step of determining whether or not an arrangement pattern of the subject color and the background color, the arrangement pattern being obtained based on a discrimination result obtained in the processing performed by the discriminating step, matches a second pattern for expanding the background color; and

a selecting step of selecting data to be fit into the target pixel, divided by the processing performed in the dividing step, from the neighborhood pixels based on determination results obtained by the processing performed in the first-pattern and second-pattern determining steps.

6. A storage medium on which a computer-readable program for causing a computer to perform image processing for an image processing device for enlarging an image is recorded, the program comprising:

a holding step of holding neighborhood pixels in the image, the neighborhood pixels including a target pixel;

a dividing step of dividing the target pixel;

a discriminating step of discriminating between subject color and background color with respect to each pixel held in the holding step;

a first-pattern determining step of determining whether or not an arrangement pattern of the subject color and the background color, the arrangement pattern being obtained based on a discrimination result obtained by the processing performed in the discriminating step, matches a first pattern for expanding the subject color;

a second-pattern determining step of determining whether or not an arrangement pattern of the subject color and the background color, the arrangement pattern being obtained based on a discrimination result obtained in the processing performed by the discriminating step, matches a second pattern for expanding the background color; and

a selecting step of selecting data to be fit into the target pixel, divided by the processing performed in the dividing step, from the neighborhood pixels based on determination results obtained by the processing performed in the first-pattern and second-pattern determining steps.

7. A program for causing a computer to perform image processing for an image processing device for enlarging an image;

the program comprising;

a holding step of holding neighborhood pixels in the image, the neighborhood pixels including a target pixel;

a dividing step of dividing the target pixel;

a discriminating step of discriminating between subject color and background color with respect to each pixel held in the holding step;

a first-pattern determining step of determining whether or not an arrangement pattern of the subject color and the background color, the arrangement pattern being obtained based on a discrimination result obtained by the processing performed in the discriminating step, matches a first pattern for expanding the subject color;

a second-pattern determining step of determining whether or not an arrangement pattern of the subject color and the background color, the arrangement pattern being obtained based on a discrimination result obtained in the processing performed by the discriminating step, matches a second pattern for expanding the background color; and

a selecting step of selecting data to be fit into the target pixel, divided by the processing performed in the dividing step, from the neighborhood pixels based on determination results obtained by the processing performed in the first-pattern and second-pattern determining steps.