Image processing apparatus method of the same and camera apparatus

• US 6,677,994 B1
• Filed: 06/25/1998
• Issued: 01/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Villecco, John M.
• Application Number:
  US09/104,432
• Time in Patent Office: 2,028 Days
• Field of Search: 348/252, 348/625, 348/627, 348/71, 348/65, 382/266, 382/263
• US Class Current: 348/252
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/73 Deblurring; Sharpening
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/142 Edging; Contouring

Abstract

An image processing apparatus having a compensation value calculating unit, wherein an XOR element compares the signs of a difference A with a difference r and output the difference A as a compensation value when the signs are the same, while decides that an edge portion of an image data is detected when the signs are different and wherein a comparator compares the absolute value of the difference A with a value obtained by multiplying a constant a with the absolute value of the difference r in a multiplier and adding a constant b in a second adder. When the result of the comparison is that the former is less than the latter, the input predetermined difference A is output as a compensation value. When the former is larger than the latter, the value obtained by multiplying the complement of 2 of the difference r calculated in the complement calculating unit with a constant c in the first multiplier and further adding a constant d in the first adder is selected by a switching unit, and the selected value is output as a standard compensation value.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus, comprising:

a first image processing means for carrying out image processing on input image data, said image processing being first image enhancing processing;

a pixel detecting means for detecting a change in the relationship of magnitude of values between a pixel before and after said image processing based on the values of pixels of enhanced image data and said input image data;

a second image processing means for carrying out second image enhancing processing with less effect than said first image enhancing processing on said input image data,

wherein a selecting means outputs one of compensated pixel data of said first image processing means and compensated pixel data of said second image processing means,

wherein said pixel detecting means performs primary differentiation on each pixel value of both said enhanced image data and said input image data and detects a change of the sign of the differentiated values to detect a change in the relationship of the two pixel values, and

wherein said selecting means selects a pixel where there is no change in sign of said differentiated value as an enhanced pixel.

2. An image processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said image enhancing processing is processing to enhance the contour of an image.

3. An image processing apparatus, comprising:

a first image processing means for carrying out image processing on input image data, said image processing being first image enhancing processing;

a pixel detecting means for detecting a change in the relationship of magnitude of values between a pixel before and after said image processing based on the values of pixels of enhanced image data and said input image data;

a second image processing means for carrying out second image enhancing processing with less effect than said first image enhancing processing on said input image data,

wherein a selecting means outputs one of compensated pixel data of said first image processing means and compensated pixel data of said second image processing means,

wherein said pixel detecting means carries out subtraction for each pixel value of both said enhanced image data and said input image data from each adjacent pixel of the pixel and detects a change of the sign of the value of the remainder to detect a change in the relationship of the pixel values, and

wherein said selecting means selects a pixel where there is no change in sign of said remainder as an enhanced pixel.

4. An image processing method including the steps of:

carrying out first image processing on input original image data to produce enhanced image data;

comparing values of said enhanced image data and said input original image data for each pixel;

detecting a change in the relationship of magnitude of said values;

selecting a pixel where there is no change in the relationship of magnitude between said enhanced image data and said input original image data based on the results of said step of detecting;

carrying out second image enhancing processing on said input original image data with less effect than said first image enhancing processing; and

outputting, as image data of the result of said image enhancing processing, one of first compensated pixel data of said first image processing and second compensated pixel data of said second image processing,

wherein said step of detecting a change performs primary differentiation on each pixel value of both said enhanced image data and said original input image data and detects a change of the sign of the differentiated values to detect a change in the relationship of said enhanced image data and said input original image data, and

said selecting step selects a pixel where there is no change in sign of said differentiated value as an enhanced pixel.

5. An image processing method as set forth in claim 4, wherein said step of carrying out first image processing comprises:

detecting a compensation value for carrying out image enhancement processing on each pixel of said input original image data, and

adding said detected compensation value to the value of the corresponding pixel of said input original image to produce said compensated pixel data for generatinge said enhanced image data.

6. An image processing method as set forth in claim 4, wherein said image enhancing processing is processing to enhance the contour of an image.

7. An image processing method including the steps of:

carrying out first image processing on input original image data to produce enhanced image data;

comparing values of said enhanced image data and said input original image data for each pixel;

detecting a change in the relationship of magnitude of said values;

selecting a pixel where there is no change in the relationship of magnitude between said enhanced image data and said input original image data based on the results of said step of detecting;

carrying out second image enhancing processing on said input original image data with less effect than said first image enhancing processing; and

outputting, as image data of the result of said image enhancing processing, one of first compensated pixel data of said first image processing and second compensated pixel data of said second image processing,

wherein said step of detecting a change in said pixel carries out subtraction for each pixel value of both said enhanced image data and said input original image data from each adjacent pixel of the pixel and detects a change of the sign of the value of the remainder to detect a change in the relationship of the pixel values, and

said selecting step selects a pixel where there is no change in sign of said remainder as an enhanced pixel.

8. An image processing method as set forth in claim 7, wherein said image enhancing processing is processing to enhance the contour of an image.

9. A camera apparatus, comprising:

an image input means for taking a desired image and inputting the input image data;

an image processing means for carrying out image enhancing processing on said input image data comprising;

a first image processing means for carrying out said image enhancing processing on said input image data,

a pixel detecting means for comparing pixel values of said enhanced image data and said input image data for each pixel and detecting a change of the relationship of magnitude of the pixel value between pixels, said pixel detecting means performing primary differentiation on each pixel value of both said enhanced image data and said input image data,

a selecting means for selecting a pixel where there is no change in the relationship of magnitude as a processed pixel based on the result of said detection;

a coding means for coding said processed image data; and

a recording means for recording said coded image data,

wherein said selecting means of said image processing means outputs one of compensated pixel data from said first image processing means and compensated pixel data from another image processing means.

10. A camera apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein said image enhancing processing is processing to enhance the contour of the image.

11. A camera apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein said image input means is a device to take a still picture and

said recording means records said image data in a memory card.

12. A camera apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein

said image input means is a device to take a moving picture and

said recording means records said image data on video tape.

13. A camera apparatus, comprising:

an image input means for taking a desired image and inputting the input image data;

an image processing means for carrying out image enhancing processing on said input image data comprising;

a first image processing means for carrying out said image enhancing processing on said input image data,

a pixel detecting means for comparing pixel values of said enhanced image data and said input image data for each pixel and detecting a change of the relationship of magnitude of the pixel value between pixels, said pixel detecting means performing subtraction for each pixel value of both said enhanced image data and said input image data from each adjacent pixel of the pixel and detects a change of the sign of the value of the remainder to detect a change in the relationship of the pixel values;

a selecting means for selecting a pixel where there is no change in the relationship of magnitude as a processed pixel based on the result of said detection;

a coding means for coding said processed image data; and

a recording means for recording said coded image data,

wherein said image processing means further comprises a second image processing means for carrying out second image enhancing processing with less effect than said first image enhancing processing on said input image data, and

wherein said selecting means outputs one of compensated data of said first image processing means and the compensated pixel data of said second image processing means.

14. A camera apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein said image enhancing processing is processing to enhance the contour of the image.

15. A camera apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein said image input means is a device to take a still picture and

said recording means records said image data in a memory card.

16. A camera apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein

said image input means is a device to take a moving picture and

said recording means records said image data on video tape.

17. An image processing apparatus, comprising:

a first image processing means for carrying out image processing on input image data, said image processing being image enhancement processing;

a pixel detecting means for detecting a change in the relationship of magnitude of values between a pixel before and after said image processing based on the values of pixels of enhanced image data and the input image data;

wherein said first image processing means comprises;

a compensation value detecting means for detecting a compensation value for carrying out said image enhancement processing on each pixel of said input image data,

a pixel generating means for adding a first compensation value to the value of the corresponding pixel of said input image data to produce compensated pixel data for generating said enhanced image data, and

a selecting means for selecting said selected compensation value from one of said first compensated value detected by said compensation value detecting means and another compensated value detected by another compensation value detecting means,

wherein said pixel detecting means performs primary differentiation on each pixel value of both said enhanced image data and said input image data and detects a change of the sign of the differentiated values to detect a change in the relationship of the two pixel values, and

said selecting means selects a pixel where there is no change in sign of said differentiated value as an enhanced pixel.

18. An image processing apparatus as set forth in claim 17, wherein said selecting means outputs said compensation value of said selected pixel.

19. An image processing apparatus as set forth in claim 17, wherein said image enhancing processing is processing to enhance the contour of an image.

20. An image processing apparatus, comprising:

a first image processing means for carrying out image processing on input image data, said image processing being image enhancement processing;

a pixel detecting means for detecting a change in the relationship of magnitude of values between a pixel before and after said image processing based on the values of pixels of enhanced image data and the input image data;

wherein said first image processing means comprises;

a compensation value detecting means for detecting a compensation value for carrying out said image enhancement processing on each pixel of said input image data,

a pixel generating means for adding a first compensation value to the value of the corresponding pixel of said input image data to produce compensated pixel data for generating said enhanced image data, and

a selecting means for selecting said selected compensation value from one of said first compensated value detected by said compensation value detecting means and another compensated value detected by another compensation value detecting means,

wherein said pixel detecting means carries out subtraction for each pixel value of both said enhanced image data and said input image data from each adjacent pixel of the pixel and detects a change of the sign of the value of the remainder to detect a change in the relationship of the pixel values, and

said selecting means selects a pixel where there is no change in sign of said remainder as an enhanced pixel.

21. An image processing method including the steps of:

carrying out image processing on input original image data to produce enhanced image data;

comparing values of said enhanced image data and said input original image data for each pixel;

detecting a change in the relationship of magnitude of said values;

selecting a pixel where there is no change in the relationship of magnitude between said enhanced image data and said input original image data based on the results of said step of detecting; and

outputting compensated pixel data for the selected pixel as image data of the result of image enhancing processing,

wherein said step of detecting a change performs primary differentiation on each pixel value of both said enhanced image data and said input original image data and detects a change of the sign of the differentiated values to detect a change in the relationship of said enhanced image data and said input original image data and,

wherein said selecting step selects a pixel where there is no change in sign of said differentiated value as an enhanced pixel.

22. An image processing method as set forth in claim 21, wherein said step of carrying out image processing comprises:

detecting a compensation value for carrying out said image enhancement processing on each pixel of said input original image data, and

adding said detected compensation value to the value of the corresponding pixel of said input original image to generate compensated pixel data for producing said enhanced image data.

23. An image processing method as set forth in claim 21, wherein said image processing is processing to enhance the contour of an image.

24. An image processing method including the steps of:

carrying out image processing on input original image data to produce enhanced image data;

comparing values of said enhanced image data and said input original image data for each pixel;

detecting a change in the relationship of magnitude of said values;

selecting a pixel where there is no change in the relationship of magnitude between said enhanced image data and said input original image data based on the results of said step of detecting; and

outputting compensated pixel data for the selected pixel as image data of the result of image enhancing processing,

wherein said step of detecting a change carries out subtraction for each pixel value of both said enhanced image data and said input original image data from each adjacent pixel of the pixel and detects a change of the sign of the value of the remainder to detect a change in the relationship of the pixel values, and

wherein said selecting step selects a pixel where there is no change in sign of said remainder as an enhanced pixel.