IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD, AND RELATED COMPUTER PROGRAM

• US 20140092221A1
• Filed: 09/24/2013
• Published: 04/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JVC Kenwood Corporation
• Original Assignee: JVC Kenwood Corporation
• Inventors: Nagai, Katsuyuki
• Granted Patent: US 9,549,164 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/106 Processing image signals for multi-view video sequence encoding H04N19/597
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/128 Adjusting depth or disparity
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/261 with monoscopic-to-stereoscopic image conversion

Abstract

Externally-set mask patterns are corrected into corrected mask patterns in a variable correction degree. A depth map is processed for each of areas designated by the corrected mask patterns respectively. The depth map is for an input image. A different-viewpoint image is generated on the basis of the input image and the processed depth map. The different-viewpoint image relates to a viewpoint different from the viewpoint concerning the input image. A texture in the input image is analyzed to obtain an analyzation result. The correction of the externally-set mask patterns into the corrected mask patterns includes varying the correction degree in response to the obtained analyzation result.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a mask correcting section configured to correct externally-set mask patterns into corrected mask patterns in a variable correction degree;

a depth map processing section configured to process a depth map for each of areas designated by the corrected mask patterns respectively, the depth map being for an input image;

an image generating section configured to generate a different-viewpoint image on the basis of the input image and the depth map processed by the depth map processing section, the different-viewpoint image relating to a viewpoint different from the viewpoint concerning the input image; and

a texture analyzing section configured to analyze a texture in the input image to obtain an analyzation result;

wherein the mask correcting section varies the correction degree in response to the analyzation result obtained by the texture analyzing section.

2. An image processing apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the mask correcting section comprises:

filters each having a settable number of taps and configured to filter the externally-set mask patterns to obtain the corrected mask patterns; and

means for setting the number of taps in each of the filters in response to the analyzation result.

3. An image processing apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein the mask correcting section subjects a value of the analyzation result to a prescribed computation process to calculate a desired tap number, and sets the number of taps in each of the filters to the calculated desired tap number.

4. An image processing apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein the mask correcting section compares a value of the analyzation result with a prescribed threshold value, and fixes the number of taps in each of the filters to a prescribed number when the value of the analyzation result is less than the prescribed threshold value.

5. An image processing apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein the mask correcting section normalizes a value of the analyzation result into a normalization range to obtain a normalized value and replaces the value of the analyzation result with the obtained normalized value, and sets the obtained normalized value to a prescribed minimum value when the value of the analyzation result is smaller than the normalization range and sets the obtained normalized value to a prescribed maximum value when the value of the analyzation result is greater than the normalization range.

6. An image processing apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein the mask correcting section comprises:

a prescribed conversion table for conversion of a value of the analyzation result into a desired tap number;

means for accessing the prescribed conversion table in response to the value of the analyzation result to read out a corresponding desired tap number therefrom; and

means for setting the number of taps in each of the filters to the read-out desired tap number.

7. An image processing apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the mask correcting section filters a value of the analyzation result into a filtered value and replaces the value of the analyzation result by the filtered value.

8. An image processing apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the texture analyzing section differentiates at least one of luminance, hue, brightness, and chroma in the input image to obtain a differentiation result, and labels the obtained differentiation result as the analyzation result.

9. A method of processing an image, comprising the steps of:

correcting externally-set mask patterns into corrected mask patterns in a variable correction degree;

processing a depth map for each of areas designated by the corrected mask patterns respectively, the depth map being for an input image;

generating a different-viewpoint image on the basis of the input image and the processed depth map, the different-viewpoint image relating to a viewpoint different from the viewpoint concerning the input image; and

analyzing a texture in the input image to obtain an analyzation result;

wherein said correcting includes varying the correction degree in response to the obtained analyzation result.

10. An image processing program for enabling a computer to implement processes comprising the processes of:

correcting externally-set mask patterns into corrected mask patterns in a variable correction degree;

processing a depth map for each of areas designated by the corrected mask patterns respectively, the depth map being for an input image;

generating a different-viewpoint image on the basis of the input image and the processed depth map, the different-viewpoint image relating to a viewpoint different from the viewpoint concerning the input image; and

analyzing a texture in the input image to obtain an analyzation result;

wherein said correcting includes varying the correction degree in response to the obtained analyzation result.