Image processing method and apparatus

• US 8,320,703 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2007
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Mizuno, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Jayesh A
• Application Number:
  US11/945,729
• Publication Number:
  US 20080137980A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,827 Days
• Field of Search: 382/275, 382/312, 382/300, 382/260, 348/252, 348/199, 348/806
• US Class Current: 382/275
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/80 Geometric correction

Abstract

An image processing method executes image processing to correct a non-uniform perceived resolution caused by image distortion correction, thereby achieving a uniform perceived resolution over an entire displayed image. The image processing method includes the step of adjusting an aperture compensation signal using distortion correcting data to correct a non-uniform perceived resolution caused in an image through partial conversion of magnification ratio by image distortion correction, thereby achieving a uniform perceived resolution.

Claims

1. A method of executing image processing to correct a non-uniform perceived resolution caused by image distortion correction with different magnification ratios in an image, thereby achieving a uniform perceived resolution over the image, the method comprising:

adding a variable-frequency-band aperture compensation signal to a mainline signal at a stage prior to the image distortion correction, the variable-frequency-band aperture compensation signal corresponding to a frequency band in which an aperture compensation signal is lost by the image distortion correction;

calculating distortion correcting data when a partial conversion of magnification ratio is applied to the image caused by the image distortion correction; and

executing image processing on the image at a stage subsequent to the image distortion correction, using the aperture compensation signal generated on the basis of a step-valued aperture compensation gain calculated using the calculated distortion correcting data used in the image distortion correction,

wherein,

the step of adding a variable-frequency-band aperture compensation signal comprises calculating coefficients for shifting the frequency band of the aperture compensation signal on the basis of the distortion correcting data used in the image distortion correction.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of executing image processing on the image comprises:

calculating the step-valued aperture compensation gain using the distortion correcting data used in the image distortion correction,

multiplying the step-valued aperture compensation gain by the aperture compensation signal generated from the image obtained through the image distortion correction, and

adding the aperture compensation signal multiplied by the step-valued aperture compensation gain to the mainline signal.

2. An image processing apparatus for executing image processing according to distortion correcting data to correct a non-uniform perceived resolution caused by image distortion correction with different magnification ratios in an image, thereby achieving a uniform perceived resolution over the image, the image processing apparatus comprising:

an aperture-compensation-signal adder configured to add a variable-frequency-band aperture compensation signal to a mainline signal at a stage prior to the image distortion correction, the variable-frequency-band aperture compensation signal corresponding to a frequency band in which an aperture compensation signal is lost by the image distortion correction;

a distortion-correcting-data-preparing circuit configured to calculate the distortion correcting data when a partial conversion of magnification ratio is applied to the image caused by the image distortion correction; and

a step-valued aperture-compensation-gain adjusting unit configured to execute image processing on the image at a stage subsequent to the image distortion correction, using the aperture compensation signal generated on the basis of a step-valued aperture compensation gain calculated using the calculated distortion correcting data used in the image distortion correction,

wherein;

the aperture-compensation-signal adder is configured to calculate coefficients for shifting the frequency band of the aperture compensation signal on the basis of the distortion correcting data used in the image distortion correction, and

the step-valued aperture-compensation-gain adjusting unit is configured to

calculate the step-valued aperture compensation gain using the distortion correcting data used in the image distortion correction,

multiply the step-valued aperture compensation gain by the aperture compensation signal generated from the image obtained through the image distortion correction, and

add the aperture compensation signal multiplied by the step-valued aperture compensation gain to the mainline signal.