Image processing apparatus and method

Abstract

An image processing method mixing a first image and a second image, each formed of a plurality of pixels. The image processing method includes determining whether pixels forming the first image are transparent or not; selecting a pixels of the second image corresponding to a transparent pixels of the first image; color mixing pixels of the first image which are determined not to be transparent and the corresponding pixels of the second image; and creating a final image formed of the selected pixels of the second image and the color mixed pixels. An image processing apparatus and an image processing method thus perform a fast mixing process for a plurality of layers.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and/or other aspects and advantages of the prevent invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompany drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows the mixing of a plurality of layers according to the prior art.

FIG. 2 shows a double buffering process according to the prior art.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an image processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows the mixing of a plurality of layers performed by the image processing apparatus in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a signal processing apparatus of the image processor in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 shows a transparency determiner of the image processor of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an image processing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. An image processing method mixing a first image and a second image each formed with a plurality of pixels the image processing method comprising: determining whether the plurality of pixels forming the first image are transparent or not;selecting pixels of the second image corresponding to pixels of the first image which is determined to be transparent;color mixing pixels of the first image which is determined not to be transparent and the corresponding pixels of the second image; andcreating a final image formed of the selected pixels of the second image and the color mixed pixels.

2. The image processing method of claim 1, wherein when determining transparency, transparency of at least one pixel in an area formed of a plurality of pixels is checked and it is determined that all pixels forming the area are transparent when the at least one pixel is determined to be transparent.

3. The image processing method of claim 2, wherein the area formed of the plurality of pixels comprises a unit area of an image displayed in the form of an on screen display (OSD).

4. The image processing method of claim 1, wherein the area formed of the plurality of pixels comprises a unit area of an image displayed on the basis of a data broadcasting signal.

5. The image processing method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a digital television (DTV) broadcasting signal that includes information on at least one of the first image and the second image.

6. The image processing method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the final image.

7. An image processing apparatus mixing a first image and a second image each formed with a plurality of pixels, the image processing apparatus comprising: a transparency determiner for determining whether the plurality of pixels forming the first image are transparent or not;a color mixer for color mixing a plurality of pixels, anda mixing controller for selecting pixels of the second image corresponding to pixels of the first image when the pixels of the first image are determined to be transparent, performing color mixing for the pixels of the first image determined not to be transparent and the corresponding pixels of the second image when the pixels in the first image are determined not to be transparent, and creating a final image formed of the selected pixels of the second image and the color mixed pixels.

8. The image processing apparatus of claim 7, wherein the transparency determiner checks at least one pixel for each area formed of a plurality of pixels and determines all pixels forming the area to be transparent when the at least one pixel is determined to be transparent.

9. The image processing apparatus of claim 8, wherein the area formed of the plurality of pixels comprises a unit area of an image displayed in the form of an on screen display (OSD).

10. The image processing apparatus of claim 7, wherein the area formed of the plurality of pixels comprises a unit area of an image displayed on the basis of a data broadcasting signal.

11. The image processing apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a signal receiver for receiving a digital television (DTV) broadcasting signal that includes information on at least one of the first image and the second image.

12. The image processing apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a display for displaying the final image.