Image Processing Apparatus, Image Processing Method, and Program

• US 20100033554A1
• Filed: 08/04/2009
• Published: 02/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: KOBAYASHI, Seiji
• Granted Patent: US 8,860,784 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/43
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/261 with monoscopic-to-stereoscopic image conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/324 Colour aspects

Abstract

A image processing apparatus including: an image input section inputting a two-dimensional image signal; an image conversion section inputting an image signal output from the image input section, and generating and outputting images for right and left eyes for allowing binocular stereovision; and an image output section outputting the images for right and left eyes output from the image conversion section, wherein the image conversion section extracts a spatial feature quantity of the input image signal, and performs image conversion processing conducting enhancement processing applying the feature quantity to the input image signal so that either an image for a right eye or an image for a left eye is generated.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

an image input section inputting a two-dimensional image signal;

an image conversion section inputting an image signal output from the image input section, and generating and outputting images for right and left eyes for allowing binocular stereovision; and

an image output section outputting the images for right and left eyes output from the image conversion section,

wherein the image conversion section extracts a spatial feature quantity of the input image signal, and performs image conversion processing conducting enhancement processing applying the feature quantity to the input image signal so that either an image for a right eye or an image for a left eye is generated.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the image conversion section extracts a differential luminance signal of the input image signal, sets the differential luminance signal as the feature quantity, generates a converted signal produced either by adding the feature quantity to the input image signal or by subtracting the feature quantity from the input image signal as an image signal for a right eye or an image signal for a left eye, and outputs a non-converted signal being the direct input image signal as an image signal for a different one of the eyes from the eye for which the converted signal is produced.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the image conversion section extracts a differential luminance signal of the input image signal, sets the differential luminance signal as the feature quantity, generates signals by adding the feature quantity to the input image signal and by subtracting the feature quantity from the input image signal, respectively, and generates a pair of the two signals as a pair of images for a right eye and for a left eye.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the image conversion section extracts a differential luminance signal of the input image signal, sets a signal produced by non-linearly converting the differential luminance signal as the feature quantity, generates a signal by adding the feature quantity to the input image signal or by subtracting the feature quantity from the input image signal, and produces either of the signals as an image signal for a right eye or an image signal for a left eye.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the image conversion section includes

an edge-area detection section detecting an edge area of the input image signal,

an enhancement control section performing feature quantity modification reducing the feature quantity on the edge area detected by the edge-area detection section, and

an image combining section applying the modified feature quantity generated by the enhancement control section and conducting enhancement processing reducing an enhancement processing level of the edge area.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the image conversion section includes

a flesh-colored area detection section detecting a flesh-colored area of the input image signal,

an enhancement control section performing feature quantity modification reducing the feature quantity on the flesh-colored area detected by the flesh-colored area detection section, and

an image combining section applying the modified feature quantity generated by the enhancement control section and conducting enhancement processing reducing an enhancement processing level of the flesh-colored area.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the image conversion section extracts a differential luminance signal of the input image signal, sets the differential luminance signal as a first feature quantity, generates a converted signal produced either by adding the first feature quantity to the input image signal or by subtracting the first feature quantity from the input image signal as a luminance image signal for a right eye or an image signal for a left eye,

extracts a differential color-difference signal of the input image signal, sets the differential color-difference signal as a second feature quantity, generates a converted signal produced either by adding the second feature quantity to the input image signal or by subtracting the second feature quantity from the input image signal as a color-difference signal for a right eye or an image for a left eye, and

outputs a non-converted signal being the direct input image signal as an image for a different one of the eyes from the eye for which the converted signal is produced.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the image conversion section extracts a differential luminance signal of the input image signal, sets the differential luminance signal as a first feature quantity, generates signals by adding the first feature quantity to the input image signal and by subtracting the first feature quantity from the input image signal, respectively, produces a pair of the two signals as a pair of luminance signals of an image for a right eye and an image for a left eye,

extracts a differential color-difference signal of the input image signal, sets the differential color-difference signal as a second feature quantity, generates signals by adding the second feature quantity to the input image signal and by subtracting the second feature quantity from the input image signal, and produces a pair of the two signals as a pair of color difference signals of an image for a right eye and an image for a left eye.

9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the image conversion section performs processing generating an image for a right eye and an image for a left eye for each frame included in a moving image.

10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising an image output section outputting the images for right and left eyes, generated by the image conversion section,

wherein the image output section outputs the image for a right eye and the image for a left eye, generated by the image conversion section alternately at a speed two times an input-image frame rate.

11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the image conversion section alternately generates either an image for a right eye or an image for a left eye for each frame included in a moving image.

12. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the image conversion section generates an image for a right eye and an image for a left eye for each frame included in a moving image, and

performs generation processing of a binocular disparity image alternately including line data included in the generated images for right and left eyes.

13. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the image conversion section performs generation processing of an image for a right eye and an image for a left eye so as to set a sum signal of the image for a right eye and the image for a left eye equal to, or substantially equal to, the input signal.

14. The image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 13, further comprising

an image display section displaying the image generated by the image conversion section.

15. The image processing apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein the image display section performs time-division stereoscopic display processing alternately outputting the image for a right eye and the image for a left eye.

16. The image processing apparatus according to claim 15,

wherein, when the image display section performs time-division stereoscopic display processing alternately outputting the image for a right eye and the image for a left eye, the image display section switches the display such that switching timing of outputting the image for a right eye and the image for a left eye is synchronized with switching of shutters of right and left glasses worn by an observer of the image.

17. The image processing apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein the image display section has a configuration in which a polarizing filter whose polarization direction is set different for each horizontal line is attached on a front surface of the display section, and displays a binocular disparity image including line data alternately forming the image for a right eye and the image for a left eye generated by the image conversion section.

18. An image processing apparatus comprising:

an image input section inputting a two-dimensional image signal;

an image conversion section inputting an image signal output from the image input section, and generating and outputting an image for a right eye or an image for a left eye for allowing stereoscopic vision; and

an image output section outputting the images for right and left eyes output from the image conversion section,

wherein the image conversion section performs generation processing of the image for a right eye and the image for a left eye so as to set a sum signal of the image for a right eye and the image for a left eye equal to, or substantially equal to, the input signal.

19. A method of processing an image in an image processing apparatus, comprising the steps of:

inputting the image by an image input section inputting a two-dimensional image signal;

converting the image by an image conversion section inputting the image signal output from the image input section, and generating and outputting images for right and left eyes for allowing binocular stereovision; and

outputting the image by an image output section outputting the images for right and left eyes output from the image conversion section,

wherein the step of converting the image extracts a spatial feature quantity of the input image signal, and performs image conversion processing conducting enhancement processing applying the feature quantity to the input image signal so that either the image for a right eye or the image for a left eye is generated.

20. A program for causing an image processing apparatus to perform image processing comprising the steps of:

inputting an image by an image input section inputting a two-dimensional image signal;

converting the image by an image conversion section inputting the image signal output from the image input section, and generating and outputting images for right and left eyes for allowing binocular stereovision; and

outputting the image by an image output section outputting the images for right and left eyes output from the image conversion section,

wherein the step of converting the image extracts a spatial feature quantity of the input image signal, and performs image conversion processing conducting enhancement processing applying the feature quantity to the input image signal so that either the image for a right eye or the image for a left eye is generated.