Image magnification system and method thereof

Abstract

An image magnification system and method thereof for selectively perform either a low-rating magnification process or a high-rating magnification process for an image captured by a digital camera is disclosed. The method of the invention comprises the steps of: reducing the image to reduced image data, performing a pre-magnification process for the reduced image data to generate pre-magnified image data, and selectively perform either the lowing-rating magnification process for the reduced image data or the high-rating magnification process for the pre-magnified image data.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a structural block diagram of an image magnification system in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a path diagram of a high-rating magnification process for an image magnification system in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a path diagram of a low-rating magnification process for an image magnification system in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a high-rating magnification process for an image magnification method in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a low-rating magnification process for an image magnification method in accordance with the present invention.

Claims

1. An image magnification system, which can selectively perform a low-rating magnification process or a high-rating magnification process for an image captured by a digital camera, the image magnification system comprising: an image capturing module for capturing an original image;an image reducing control module which reduces the original image by converting it into reduced image data;a pre-magnification module which performs a pre-magnification process on the reduced image data to generate pre-magnified image data;a magnification module for selectively magnifying the reduced image data or the pre-magnified image data to ultimately generate magnified image data;a temporary image storage module for temporarily storing the pre-magnified image data or the magnified image data;an image displaying module that displays the magnified image data; wherein, when performing the low-rating magnification process, the magnification module magnifies the reduced image data; when performing the high-rating magnification process, the magnification module magnifies the pre-magnified image data; and the image capturing module, the image reducing control module, the pre-magnification module, the magnification module, the image displaying module and the temporary image storage module are electronically coupled with each other.

2. The image magnification system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pre-magnification module comprises: a first window of interest (WOI) module used for selecting a predetermined area from the reduced image data, and converting the selected pre-determined area of the reduced image data into the pre-magnified image data; andan image data downloading module which is electronically coupled with the first WOI for downloading the pre-magnified image data to the temporary image storage module.

3. The image magnification system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the magnification module comprises: a selection module enabling the selection for magnifying the reduced image data or the pre-magnified image data;an image magnification module capable of generating magnified images for the reduced image data or the pre-magnified image data; anda second WOI module for selecting a predetermined displaying area from the magnified image data, and transmitting the predetermined displaying area of the magnified image data to the temporary image storage module to be displayed by the image displaying module; wherein, the selection module, the image magnification module and the second WOI module are electronically coupled with each other.

4. The image magnification system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising: a post-processing module which is electronically coupled with the temporary image storage module for the transmission of the pre-magnified image data to the magnification module.

5. The image magnification system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the low-rating magnification process achieves image magnification of substantially up to 4 times the original image.

6. The image magnification system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the high-rating magnification process achieves image magnification of substantially at least 5 times the original image.

7. An image magnification method for selectively perform a low-rating magnification process or a high-rating magnification process for an image captured by a digital camera, the method comprising the following steps: capturing an original image;reducing the original image by converting it into reduced image data; performing a pre-magnification process on the reduced image data to convert it into pre-magnified image data;selectively performing the low-rating magnification process for the reduced image data or the high-rating magnification process for the pre-magnified image data to ultimately produce magnified image data; temporarily storing the magnified image data; anddisplaying the magnified image data.

8. The image magnification method as claimed in claim 7 further comprising the following steps: selecting a predetermined area from the reduced image data to convert it into the pre-magnified image data; anddownloading the pre-magnified image data for temporary storage.

9. The image magnification method as claimed in claim 7 further comprising the following step: selecting a predetermined area from the magnified image data.

10. The image magnification method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the low-rating magnification process achieves image magnification of substantially up to 4 times the original image.

11. The image magnification method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the high-rating magnification process achieves image magnification of substantially at least 5 times the original image.