Image processing apparatus, method of same, and program for same

Abstract

An image processing apparatus is configured to carry out image processing on image data including pixel values of a plurality of pixels disposed on a plane defined in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction. The apparatus includes horizontal-direction image-processing means for carrying out image processing in the horizontal direction on a pixel value of a target pixel that is included in the image data; vertical-direction image-processing means for carrying out image processing in the vertical direction on the pixel value of the target pixel; diagonal-direction image-processing means carrying out image processing in a predetermined diagonal direction on the pixel value of the target; correction-value determination means for determining the correction value of the pixel value on the basis of processing results obtained by each means; and correction means correcting the pixel value of the target pixel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the functional structure of a known image processing apparatus;

FIG. 2 illustrates a frame on which image processing is to be carried out;

FIG. 3 illustrates a frame on which image processing is to be carried out;

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of the processing results of known one-dimensional image processing carried out on the frame illustrated in FIG. 3 in the horizontal direction;

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of the processing results of known one-dimensional image processing carried out on the frame illustrated in FIG. 3 in the vertical direction;

FIG. 6 illustrates an example of the processing results of one-dimensional image processing according to an embodiment of the present invention carried out on the frame illustrated in FIG. 3 in a diagonal direction;

FIG. 7 illustrates an image processing method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating the functional structure of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a correction process carried out by the image processing apparatus illustrated in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating the functional structure of an image processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating the functional structure of an image processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating the details of the functional structure of an overall correction unit of the image processing illustrated in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating the functional structure of an image processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating the total or partial hardware structure of an image processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a block diagram illustrating the total or partial hardware structure of an image processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a block diagram illustrating the detailed functional structure of a VLPF unit of the image processing apparatus illustrated in FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 illustrates the characteristic of a function held by a gain determining unit illustrated in FIG. 16; and

FIG. 18 is a block diagram illustrating the total or partial hardware structure of an image processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus configured to carry out image processing on image data including pixel values of a plurality of pixels disposed on a plane defined in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction, the apparatus comprising: horizontal-direction image-processing means for carrying out image processing on a pixel value of a target pixel to be processed, the target pixel being included in the pixels values included in the image data, the image processing being carried out by using pixel values of a plurality of pixels, including the target pixel, disposed in the horizontal direction;vertical-direction image-processing means for carrying out image processing on the pixel value of the target pixel by using pixels values of a plurality of pixels, including the target pixel, disposed in the vertical direction;diagonal-direction image-processing means for carrying out image processing on the pixel value of the target pixel by using pixels values of a plurality of pixels, including the target pixel, disposed in a predetermined diagonal direction different from the horizontal direction and the vertical direction;correction-value determination means for determining the correction value of the pixel value of the target pixel on the basis of processing results obtained by the horizontal-direction image-processing means, the vertical-direction image-processing means, and the diagonal-direction image-processing means; andcorrection means for correcting the pixel value of the target pixel by adding the correction value determined by the correction-value determination means to the pixel value of the target pixel.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the diagonal-direction image-processing means includes 45-degree left diagonal-direction image processing means for carrying out image processing on the pixel value of the target pixel by using pixels values of a plurality of pixels, including the target pixel, disposed in a 45-degree left diagonal direction with respect to the horizontal direction, and45-degree right diagonal-direction image processing means for carrying out image processing on the pixel value of the target pixel by using pixels values of a plurality of pixels, including the target pixel, disposed in a 45-degree right diagonal direction with respect to the horizontal direction.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: changing means for changing processing results obtained by the horizontal-direction image-processing means, the vertical-direction image-processing means, the 45-degree left diagonal-direction image processing means, and the 45-degree right diagonal-direction image processing means on the basis of a correction direction of the target pixel and a correction index value used as an index for the correction value,wherein the correction-value determination means determines the correction value of the pixel value of the target pixel on the basis of the processing results obtained by the horizontal-direction image-processing means, the vertical-direction image-processing means, the 45-degree left diagonal-direction image processing means, and the 45-degree right diagonal-direction image processing means, the processing results being changed by the changing means.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the changing means sets a vector in the correction direction of the target pixel having a length corresponding to the correction index value as a correction index vector,resolves the correction index vector into vectors in the horizontal direction, the vertical direction, the 45-degree left diagonal direction, and the 45-degree right diagonal direction, andchanges processing results obtained by the horizontal-direction image-processing means, the vertical-direction image-processing means, the 45-degree left diagonal-direction image processing means, and the 45-degree right diagonal-direction image processing means on the basis of the vectors in the horizontal direction, the vertical direction, the 45-degree left diagonal direction, and the 45-degree right diagonal direction, the vectors being obtained by resolving the correction index vector.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising: movement vector detection means for detecting a movement vector of the target pixel,wherein the image data is image data on a predetermined access unit of a plurality of access units constituting a moving image, andwherein the changing means uses the movement vector detected by the movement vector detection means as the correction index vector of the target pixel.

6. A method of image processing for processing image data including pixel values of a plurality of pixels disposed on a plane defined in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction, the method comprising the steps of: carrying out image processing on a pixel value of a target pixel to be processed, the target pixel being included in the pixels values included in the image data, the image processing being carried out by using pixel values of a plurality of pixels, including the target pixel, disposed in the horizontal direction;carrying out image processing on the pixel value of the target pixel by using pixels values of a plurality of pixels, including the target pixel, disposed in the vertical direction;carrying out image processing on the pixel value of the target pixel by using pixels values of a plurality of pixels, including the target pixel, disposed in a predetermined diagonal direction different from the horizontal direction and the vertical direction;determining the correction value of the pixel value of the target pixel on the basis of processing results obtained by the horizontal-direction image-processing means, the vertical-direction image-processing means, and the diagonal-direction image-processing means; andcorrecting the pixel value of the target pixel by adding the correction value determined by the correction-value determination means to the pixel value of the target pixel.

7. A program executed by a computing controlling image processing on data including pixel values of a plurality of pixels disposed on a plane defined in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction, the program comprising the steps of: carrying out image processing on a pixel value of a target pixel to be processed, the target pixel being included in the pixels values included in the image data, the image processing being carried out by using pixel values of a plurality of pixels, including the target pixel, disposed in the horizontal direction;carrying out image processing on the pixel value of the target pixel by using pixels values of a plurality of pixels, including the target pixel, disposed in the vertical direction;carrying out image processing on the pixel value of the target pixel by using pixels values of a plurality of pixels, including the target pixel, disposed in a predetermined diagonal direction different from the horizontal direction and the vertical direction;determining the correction value of the pixel value of the target pixel on the basis of processing results obtained by the horizontal-direction image-processing means, the vertical-direction image-processing means, and the diagonal-direction image-processing means; andcorrecting the pixel value of the target pixel by adding the correction value determined by the correction-value determination means to the pixel value of the target pixel.