Apparatus and method for image processing and storage medium for the same

• US 6,996,271 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2001
• Issued: 02/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ono, Hiroaki, Kobayashi, Seiji, Sato, Nobuyuki, Mitsunaga, Tomoo, Nakajima, Ken, Sano, Chikako
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Kanjibhai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bayat, Ali
• Application Number:
  US09/970,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20020110277A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,587 Days
• Field of Search: 382/167, 382/168, 382/169, 382/274, 382/162, 358/521, 358/522, 358/515, 358/3.01, 358/1.9, 358/520, 358/504, 358/518, 345/600, 345/589, 345/597, 345/601
• US Class Current: 382/167
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/40 using histogram techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/92 based on global image properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/407 Control or modification of tonal gradation or of extreme levels, e.g. background level
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4074 using histograms

Abstract

An apparatus and a method as well as a storage device of the present invention transform intensity levels with consideration of both features of the intensity levels in an input image and human visual characteristics, wherein the present invention includes the steps of inputting wider dynamic range digital image data, generating a histogram of intensity levels of the image data, generating a histogram equalization LUT by cumulating the histogram, generating a visual characteristics LUT with reference to the histogram equalization LUT, generating a combined LUT by combining the histogram equalization LUT and the visual characteristics LUT, and correcting the image data.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus for correcting a gradation of an input image data, comprising:

a first generating section for generating a first look up table using the input image data;

a second generating section for generating a second look up table based on the first look up table and human visual characteristics;

a combining section for generating a third look up table by combining the first and second look up tables according to a predetermined combining ratio; and

a transforming section for transforming the image data using the third look up table.

2. An image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first generating section generates the first look up table based on a histogram of intensity levels of the image data.

3. An image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second generating section generates the second look up table using a predetermined logarithm curve as the human visual characteristics.

4. An image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an input section for inputting the combining ratio.

5. An image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a setting section for setting the combining ratio based on the first and second look up tables.

6. An image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transforming section transform a dynamic range of the intensity levels of the image data using the third look up table.

7. An image processing method for correcting a gradation of an input image data, the method comprising the steps of:

generating a first look up table using the input image data;

generating a second look up table based on the first look up table and human visual characteristics;

generating a third look up table by combining the first and second look up tables according to a predetermined combining ratio; and

transforming the image data using the third look up table.

8. An image processing method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first look up table is generated based on a histogram of intensity levels of the image data.

9. An image processing method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second look up table is generated using a predetermined logarithm curve as the human visual characteristics.

10. An image processing as claimed in claim 7, the method of further comprising the step of inputting the combining ratio.

11. An image processing method as claimed in claim 7, the method further comprising the step of setting the combining ratio based on the first and second look up tables.

12. An image processing method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the transforming step transforms a dynamic range of intensity levels of the image data using the third look up table.

13. A storage medium for storing a computer readable program for image processing to correct a gradation of input image data, the program comprising:

a first generating step of generating a first look up table using the input image data;

a second generating step of generating a second look up table based on the first look up table and human visual characteristics;

a combining step of generating a third look up table by combining the first and second look up tables according to a predetermined combining ratio; and

a transforming step of transforming the image data using the third look up table.

14. A storage medium as claimed in claim 13, wherein the first generating step generates the first look up table based on a histogram of intensity levels of the image data.

15. A storage medium according as claimed in claim 13, wherein the second generating step generates the second look up table using a predetermined logarithm curve as the human visual characteristics.

16. A storage medium as claimed in claim 13, further comprising an input step of inputting the combining ratio.

17. A storage medium as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a setting step of setting the combining ratio based on the first and second look up tables.

18. A storage medium as claimed in claim 13, wherein the transforming step transforms a dynamic range of the intensity levels of the image data using the third look up table.