Image quality evaluation device, terminal device, image quality evaluation system, image quality evaluation method and computer-readable recording medium for storing programs

• US 8,717,446 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2011
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC CASIO Mobile Communications Limited (NEC Corporation)
• Inventors: Masuda, Kozo
• Primary Examiner(s): DIEP, TRUNG T
• Application Number:
  US13/004,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20110169977A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,211 Days
• Field of Search: 3482081-2084, 348/208.99, 348/222.1, 348/333.11, 348/333.12, 348/342, 348/354, 345/629, 382/165, 382/191
• US Class Current: 348/208.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/993 Evaluation of the quality of the acquired pattern
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/002 for television cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 Control of cameras or camera modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/80 Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/134 based on three different wavelength filter elements

Abstract

The present invention evaluates the quality of an image shot by a terminal device in a state closer to that seen with the eye. A computer evaluates the quality of an image obtained by shooting a photographic subject including a periodic pattern that fluctuates periodically in one direction. A Fourier transform unit accomplishes a two-dimensional Fourier transform on the image to obtain two-dimensional spatial frequency spectrum components. An analysis unit analyzes the resolution of the image on the basis of spectrum components of spatial frequencies included in the periodic pattern, among the two-dimensional spatial frequency spectrum components obtained by the Fourier transform unit, and analyzes the deterioration of the image on the basis of spectrum components other than these.

Claims

1. An image quality evaluation device for evaluating the quality of an image obtained by shooting a photographic subject including a square-wave-shaped periodic pattern that fluctuates periodically in one direction, wherein the image quality evaluation device includes:

a Fourier transform unit that accomplishes a two-dimensional Fourier transform on the image to obtain two-dimensional spatial frequency spectrum components; and

an analysis unit that, among the two-dimensional spatial frequency spectrum components obtained by the Fourier transform unit, analyzes the resolution of the image on the basis of spectrum components relating to a first direction corresponding to the direction in which the periodic pattern periodically fluctuates, and analyzes the deterioration of the image on the basis of spectrum components relating to a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

2. The image quality evaluation device according to claim 1, wherein:

the image is an image enlarged by digital zoom, and

the analysis unit determines whether or not jaggies have occurred on the basis of the spectrum components of spatial frequencies corresponding to the enlargement ratio of the image.

3. The image quality evaluation device according to claim 1, wherein:

the image is an image in which various pixels in the original image have been periodically thinned, or an image in which multiple pixels in the original image have been periodically summed on brightness; and

the analysis unit determines whether or not jaggies have occurred on the basis of the spectrum components of spatial frequencies corresponding to the period of the thinning or the brightness summing.

4. The image quality evaluation device according to claim 1, wherein:

the image is R, G and B images that make up a color image;

the Fourier transform unit obtains the two-dimensional spatial frequency spectrum components by performing a two-dimensional Fourier transform on each of the R, G and B images; and

the analysis unit analyzes the resolution of the image and the deterioration of the image on the basis of the spectrum components of the two-dimensional spatial frequencies of each of the R, G and B images.

5. The image quality evaluation device according to claim 1, wherein:

the image is an image digitally compressed by a prescribed method; and

the analysis unit determines whether or not the image has deteriorated through the digital compression process on the basis of the spectrum components of the spatial frequencies corresponding to blocks that are compression units of the digital compression.

6. The image quality evaluation device according to claim 1, wherein:

the analysis unit analyzes the resolution of the image and deterioration of the image on the basis of the peaks of all spectrum components, peaks having a spectral intensity above a predetermined threshold value, or the average value, the sum or the maximum value of the peak values of all or a portion of the spectrum components.

7. The image quality evaluation device according to claim 1, further comprising a photography device.

8. The image quality evaluation device according to claim 7, further comprising a display device for displaying the periodic pattern to enable shooting.

9. The image quality evaluation device according to claim 8, wherein the display device displays a pattern with a moving background superimposed on the periodic pattern.

10. The image quality evaluation device according to claim 1, further comprising a display device for displaying the periodic pattern to enable shooting.

11. The image quality evaluation device according to claim 10, wherein the display device displays a pattern with a moving background superimposed on the periodic pattern.

12. An image quality evaluation method for evaluating the quality of an image obtained by shooting a photographic subject including a square-wave-shaped periodic pattern that fluctuates periodically in one direction, wherein the image quality evaluation method includes:

a Fourier transform process that accomplishes a two-dimensional Fourier transform on the image to obtain two-dimensional spatial frequency spectrum components; and

an analysis process that, among the two-dimensional spatial frequency spectrum components obtained in the Fourier transform process, analyzes the resolution of the image on the basis of the spectrum components relating to a first direction corresponding to the direction in which the periodic pattern periodically fluctuates, and analyzes the deterioration of the image on the basis of spectrum components relating to a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium for storing a program for evaluating the quality of an image obtained by shooting a photographic subject including a square-wave-shaped a periodic pattern that fluctuates periodically in one direction, this program causing a computer to function as:

a Fourier transform means that accomplishes a two-dimensional Fourier transform on the image to obtain two-dimensional spatial frequency spectrum components; and

an analysis means that, among the two-dimensional spatial frequency spectrum components obtained by the Fourier transform means, analyzes the resolution of the image on the basis of spectrum components relating to a first direction corresponding to the direction in which the periodic pattern periodically fluctuates, and analyzes the deterioration of the image on the basis of spectrum components relating to a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.