Image sensing apparatus and image processing method therefore

Claim 2

The image sensing apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that said pseudo color removing means includes an isolated point removing filter which replaces a value of a pixel of interest with a substantial median pixel value of peripheral pixels of the pixel of interest.

Claim 3

The image sensing apparatus according to claim 2, characterised in that said isolated point removing filter includes a median value filter or median filter.

Claim 4

The image sensing apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that said color interpolation means generates image data in R, G and B planes.

Claim 5

The image sensing apparatus according to claim 1 or 4, characterised in that said color space conversion means converts RGB color space to YUV color space.

Claim 6

The image sensing apparatus according to claim 1 or 4, characterised in that said color space conversion means converts RGB color space to Y, R-Y, B-Y color space.

Claim 7

The image sensing apparatus according to claim 1 or 4, characterised in that said color space conversion means converts RGB color space to G, R-G, B-G color space.

Claim 8

The image sensing apparatus according to any one of claims 1-7, characterised in that said focusing means includes an infrared ray filter, or an infrared ray filter and optical low pass filter.

Claim 9

An image sensing apparatus characterised by comprising: an image sensing device; focusing means for focusing into an image on said image sensing device; A/D conversion means for converting an image signal outputted by said image sensing device into a digital signal; color interpolation means for performing color interpolation on the digital signal converted by said A/D conversion means and generating image data on a plurality of color planes; pseudo color removing means for reducing a color component included in image data, on which color interpolation is performed by said color interpolation means; color space conversion means for converting a color space of the plurality of color planes, where the color component is reduced by said pseudo color removing means, to a color space of another colorimetric system; and compression means for compressing image data where color space is converted by said color space conversion means.

Claim 10

The image sensing apparatus according to claim 9, characterised in that said pseudo color removing means comprises: first color space conversion means for converting a color space of the plurality of color planes to a color space of another colorimetric system; isolated point removing means for reducing an isolated pseudo color component by controlling signals except a luminance component signal of the colorimetric system converted by said first color space conversion means; and second color space conversion means for converting the color space, converted by said first color space conversion means, to an original color space.

Claim 11

The image sensing apparatus according to claim 10, characterised in that said isolated point removing means includes an isolated point removing filter which replaces a value of a pixel of interest with a substantial median pixel value of peripheral pixels of the pixel of interest.

Claim 12

The image sensing apparatus according to claim 11, characterised in that said isolated point removing filter includes a median value filter or median filter.

Claim 13

The image sensing apparatus according to claim 10, characterised in that said color interpolation means generates image data in R, G and B planes.

Claim 14

The image sensing apparatus according to claim 11, characterised in that said first color space conversion means converts RGB color space to L*a*b* color space, and said isolated point removing means causes the isolated point removing filter to filter a frequency range of a* and b* signals.

Claim 15

The image sensing apparatus according to any one of claims 10-14, characterised in that said color space conversion means converts RGB color space to YUV color space.

Claim 16

An image sensing apparatus characterised by comprising: an image sensing device; focusing means for focusing into an image on said image sensing device; A/D conversion means for converting an image signal outputted by said image sensing device into a digital signal; color interpolation means for performing color interpolation on the digital signal converted by said A/D conversion means and generating image data on a plurality of color planes; separation means for separating the image data in the plurality of color planes into luminance data and color difference data; extraction means for extracting a high frequency component from the luminance data separated by said separation means; and pseudo color removing means for reducing a color component generated by said color interpolation means, in accordance with the high frequency component of the luminance data extracted by said extraction means and hue data obtained from the color difference data.

Claim 17

The image sensing apparatus according to claim 16, characterised in that said pseudo color removing means comprises: determination means for determining whether or not the high frequency component of the luminance data and the hue data fall within a color range of the pseudo color; and means for reducing a value of the color difference data, determined to be within the color range by said determination means.

Claim 18

An image sensing apparatus characterised by comprising: an image sensing device; focusing means for focusing into an image on said image sensing device; A/D conversion means for converting an image signal outputted by said image sensing device into a digital signal; color interpolation means for performing color interpolation on the digital signal converted by said A/D conversion means and generating image data on a plurality of color planes; color space conversion means for converting a color space of the plurality of color planes to a color space of another colorimetric system; separation means for separating image data in the color space of another colorimetric system into luminance data and hue data; extraction means for extracting a high frequency component from the luminance data separated by said separation means; and pseudo color removing means for reducing a color component generated by said color interpolation means, in accordance with the high frequency component of the luminance data extracted by said extraction means and the hue data.

Claim 19

The image sensing apparatus according to claim 18, characterised in that said pseudo color removing means comprises: determination means for determining whether or not the high frequency component of the luminance data and the hue data fall within a color range of the pseudo color; and means for reducing a value of the color difference data, determined to be within the color range by said determination means.

Claim 20

The image sensing apparatus according to claim 18 or 19, characterised in that said color space conversion means converts the color space to YUV, or Y, R-Y, B-Y, or G, R-G, B-G color space.

Claim 21

The image sensing apparatus according to any one of claims 18-20, characterised by further comprising a low pass filter for removing a high frequency component from a color signal, from which a pseudo color is removed by said pseudo color removing means.

Claim 22

The image sensing apparatus according to any one of claims 18-21, characterised in that the color range of a pseudo color includes a color area from red to yellow, and a color area from blue to cyan.

Claim 23

The image sensing apparatus according to any one of claims 18-22, characterised by further comprising isolated point removing means for removing an isolated pixel from a hue signal, from which the pseudo color is removed by said pseudo color removing means.

Claim 24

The image sensing apparatus according to claim 23, characterised in that said isolated point removing means includes a median filter.

Claim 25

An image sensing apparatus characterised by comprising: an image sensing device; focusing means for focusing into an image on said image sensing device; A/D conversion means for converting an image signal outputted by said image sensing device into a digital signal; color interpolation means for performing color interpolation on the digital signal converted by said A/D conversion means and generating image data on a plurality of color planes; color space conversion means for converting a color space of the plurality of color planes to a color space of another colorimetric system; separation means for separating image data in the color space of another colorimetric system into luminance data and hue data; extraction means for extracting a high frequency component from the luminance data separated by said separation means; isolated point removing means for removing an isolated pixel based on the hue data separated by said separation means; and pseudo color removing means for reducing a color component generated by said color interpolation means, in accordance with the high frequency component of the luminance data extracted by said extraction means and the hue data from which an isolated pixel is removed by said isolated point removing means.

Claim 26

The image sensing apparatus according to claim 25, characterised in that said pseudo color removing means comprises: determination means for determining whether or not the high frequency component of the luminance data and the hue data fall within a color range of the pseudo color component; and means for reducing a value of the color difference data, determined to be within the color range by said determination means.

Claim 27

The image sensing apparatus according to claim 25 or 26, characterised in that said color space conversion means converts the color space to YUV, or Y, R-Y, B-Y, or G, R-G, B-G color space.

Claim 28

The image sensing apparatus according to any one of claims 25-27, characterised by further comprising a low pass filter for removing a high frequency component from a color signal, from which a pseudo color is removed by said pseudo color removing means.

Claim 29

The image sensing apparatus according to any one of claims 25-28, characterised in that the color range of the pseudo color includes a color area from red to yellow, and a color area from blue to cyan.

Claim 30

An image processing method for an image sensing apparatus which includes an image sensing device and generates an image signal corresponding to an image formed on the image sensing device, characterised by comprising: an A/D conversion step of converting an image signal outputted by the image sensing device into a digital signal; a color interpolation step of performing color interpolation on the digital signal converted in said A/D conversion step and generating image data on a plurality of color planes; a color space conversion step of converting a color space of the plurality of color planes to a color space of another colorimetric system; and a pseudo color removing step of reducing a color component, generated in said color interpolation step, by controlling a color difference signal converted in said color space conversion step.

Claim 31

The image processing method according to claim 30, characterised in that in said pseudo color removing step, a value of a pixel of interest is replaced with a substantial median pixel value of peripheral pixels of the pixel of interest.

Claim 32

The image processing method according to claim 30, characterised in that in said pseudo color removing step, filtering is performed by a median value filter or median filter.

Claim 33

The image processing method according to any one of claims 30-32, characterised in that in said color interpolation step, image data is generated in R, G and B planes.

Claim 34

The image processing method according to any one of claims 30-32, characterised in that in said color space conversion step, RGB color space is converted to YUV color space.

Claim 35

The image processing method according to any one of claims 30-32, characterised in that in said color space conversion step, RGB color space is converted to Y, R-Y, B-Y color space.

Claim 36

The image processing method according to any one of claims 30-32, characterised in that in said color space conversion step, RGB color space is converted to G, R-G, B-G color space.

Claim 37

An image processing method for an image sensing apparatus which includes an image sensing device and generates an image signal corresponding to an image formed on the image sensing device, characterised by comprising: an A/D conversion step of converting an image signal outputted by the image sensing device into a digital signal; a color interpolation step of performing color interpolation on the digital signal converted in said A/D conversion step and generating image data on a plurality of color planes; a pseudo color removing step of reducing a color component included in image data, on which color interpolation is performed in said color interpolation step; a color space conversion step of converting a color space of the plurality of color planes, where a pseudo color component is reduced in said pseudo color removing step, to a color space of another colorimetric system; and a compression step of compressing image data where color space is converted in said color space conversion step.

Claim 38

The image processing method according to claim 37, characterised in that in said pseudo color removing step, a value of a pixel of interest is replaced with a substantial median pixel value of peripheral pixels of the pixel of interest.

Claim 39

The image processing method according to claim 37, characterised in that in said pseudo color removing step, filtering is performed by a median value filter or median filter.

Claim 40

The image processing method according to any one of claims 37-39, characterised in that in said color interpolation step, image data is generated in R, G and B planes.

Claim 41

The image processing method according to any one of claims 37-40, characterised in that in said color space conversion step, RGB color space is converted to L*a*b* color space, and filtering is performed to a* and b* signals in said pseudo color removing step.

Claim 42

The image processing method according to any one of claims 37-41, characterised by further comprising a conversion step of converting the signal, processed in said pseudo color removing step, into YUV color space.

Claim 43

The image processing method according to any one of claims 37-42, characterised in that in said compression step, image data converted to YUV color space is compressed.

Claim 44

An image processing method for an image sensing apparatus which includes an image sensing device and generates an image signal corresponding to an image formed on the image sensing device, characterised by comprising: an A/D conversion step of converting an image signal outputted by the image sensing device into a digital signal; a color interpolation step of performing color interpolation on the digital signal converted in said A/D conversion step and generating image data on a plurality of color planes; a separation step of separating the image data in the plurality of color planes into luminance data and color difference data; an extraction step of extracting a high frequency component from the luminance data separated in said separation step; and a pseudo color removing step of reducing a color component generated in said color interpolation step, in accordance with the high frequency component of the luminance data extracted in said extraction step and hue data obtained from the color difference data.

Claim 45

The image processing method according to claim 44, characterised in that said pseudo color removing step comprises: a determination step of determining whether or not the high frequency component of the luminance data and the hue data fall within a color range of the pseudo color; and a step of reducing a value of the color difference data, determined to be within the color range in said determination step.

Claim 46

The image processing method according to claim 44 or 45, characterised by further comprising a step of removing a high frequency component from a color signal, from which the pseudo color is removed in said pseudo color removing step.

Claim 47

The image processing method according to any one of claims 44-46, characterised in that the color range of a pseudo color includes a color area from red to yellow, and a color area from blue to cyan.

Claim 48

An image processing method for an image sensing apparatus which includes an image sensing device and generates an image signal corresponding to an image formed on the image sensing device, characterised by comprising: an A/D conversion step of converting an image signal outputted by the image sensing device into a digital signal; a color interpolation step of performing color interpolation on the digital signal converted in said A/D conversion step and generating image data on a plurality of color planes; a color space conversion step of converting a color space of the plurality of color planes to a color space of another colorimetric system; a separation step of separating image data in the color space of another colorimetric system into luminance data and hue data; an extraction step of extracting a high frequency component from the luminance data separated in said separation step; and a pseudo color removing step of reducing a color component generated in said color interpolation step, in accordance with the high frequency component of the luminance data extracted in said extraction step and the hue data.

Claim 49

The image processing method according to claim 48, characterised in that said pseudo color removing step comprises: a determination step of determining whether or not the high frequency component of the luminance data and the hue data fall within a color range of the pseudo color; and a step of reducing a value of the color difference data, determined to be within the color range by said determination step.

Claim 50

The image processing method according to claim 48 or 49, characterised in that in said color space conversion step, the color space is converted to YUV, or Y, R-Y, B-Y, or G, R-G, B-G color space.

Claim 51

The image processing method according to any one of claims 48-50, characterised by further comprising a step of removing a high frequency component from a color signal, from which the pseudo color is removed in said pseudo color removing step.

Claim 52

The image processing step according to any one of claims 48-51, characterised in that the color range of a pseudo color component includes a color area from red to yellow, and a color area from blue to cyan.

Claim 53

An image processing method for an image sensing apparatus which includes an image sensing device and generates an image signal corresponding to an image formed on the image sensing device, characterised by comprising: an A/D conversion step of converting an image signal outputted by the image sensing device into a digital signal; a color interpolation step of performing color interpolation on the digital signal converted in said A/D conversion step and generating image data on a plurality of color planes; a separation step of separating image data in the plurality of color planes into luminance data and color difference data; an extraction step of extracting a high frequency component from the luminance data separated in said separation step; a pseudo color removing step of reducing a color component generated in said color interpolation step, in accordance with the high frequency component of the luminance data extracted in said extraction step and the hue data obtained from the color difference data; and an isolated point removing step of removing an isolated pixel from the hue data, from which a pseudo color component is removed in said pseudo color removing step.

Claim 54

The image processing method according to claim 53, characterised in that said pseudo color removing step comprises: a determination step of determining whether or not the high frequency component of the luminance data and the hue data fall within a color range of a pseudo color component; and a step of reducing a value of the color difference data, determined to be within the color range in said determination step.

Claim 55

The image processing method according to claim 53 or 54, characterised by further comprising a step of removing a high frequency component from a color signal, from which the pseudo color is removed in said pseudo color removing step.

Claim 56

The image processing method according to any one of claims 53-55, characterised in that the color range of the pseudo color component includes a color area from red to yellow, and a color area from blue to cyan.

Claim 57

An image processing method for an image sensing apparatus which includes an image sensing device and generates an image signal corresponding to an image formed on the image sensing device, characterised by comprising: an A/D conversion step of converting an image signal outputted by the image sensing device into a digital signal; a color interpolation step of performing color interpolation on the digital signal converted in said A/D conversion step and generating image data on a plurality of color planes; a color space conversion step of converting a color space of the plurality of color planes to a color space of another colorimetric system; a separation step of separating image data in the color space of another colorimetric system into luminance data and hue data; an isolating point removing step of removing an isolated pixel based on the hue separated in said separation step; an extraction step of extracting a high frequency component from the luminance data separated in said separation step; and a pseudo color removing step of reducing a color component generated in said color interpolation step, in accordance with the high frequency component of the luminance data extracted in said extraction step and the hue data from which an isolated pixel is removed in said isolated point removing step.

Claim 58

The image processing method according to claim 57, characterised in that said pseudo color removing step comprises: a determination step of determining whether or not the high frequency component of the luminance data and the hue data fall within a color range of the pseudo color; and a step of reducing a value of the color difference data, determined to be within the color range in said determination step.

Claim 59

The image processing method according to claim 57 or 58, characterised in that in said color space conversion step, the color space is converted to YUV, or Y, R-Y, B-Y, or G, R-G, B-G color space.

Claim 60

The image processing method according to any one of claims 57-59, characterised by further comprising a step of removing a high frequency component from a color signal, from which the pseudo color is removed in said pseudo color removing step.

Claim 61

The image processing method according to any one of claims 57-60, characterised in that the color range of the pseudo color component includes a color area from red to yellow, and a color area from blue to cyan.

Claim 62

A computer readable recording medium for storing a program for implementing the method according to any one of claims 30-61.