Area recognizing device and gradation level converting device employing area recognizing device

Claim 2

A gradation level converting device for converting an image which is expressed by an N gradation level into an image which is expressed by an M gradation level (N<M), the gradation level converting device comprising: a first smoothing filter which comprises a scanning aperture which includes a pixel in concern and pixels which are located around the pixel in concern of the N-level gradation image and converts the N-level gradation image into the M-level gradation image by multiplying each of the pixels within the scanning aperture by a certain weighing coefficient and adding the multiplied pixels; a second smoothing filter possessing the degree of smoothness which is greater than the first smoothing filter since an aperture size and a weighing coefficient are different from the first smoothing filter, and converting each of the pixels from the N gradation level into the M gradation level according to the degree of smoothness; an edge detecting means for detecting an edge component of the pixel in concern according to each of the first smoothing filter and the second smoothing filter; a mixing ratio calculating means for calculating a mixing ratio from the detected result of the edge detecting means; a mixing means for mixing the converted result outputted from the first smoothing filter and the converted result outputted from the second smoothing filter based on the calculated mixing ratio; an area recognizing means for recognizing the edge area and the non-edge area of the N-level gradation image; and a selecting means for selecting the mixed result outputted from the mixing means for the non-edge area of the N-level gradation image and selecting the converted result from the first smoothing filter for the edge area as referring to the recognized result from the area recognizing means.

Claim 3

The gradation level converting device of claim 1, wherein the area recognizing means comprises: a plurality of filters each of which detects an edge component of a pixel in concern as referring to a value of a pixel within an area including the pixel in concern, the filters possessing an identical edge detection characteristic and the pixel concern in each of the filters being set at a different location in the N-level gradation image; an adding means for comparing output from each of the plurality of filters with a certain value, and adding the output only when it is greater than the certain value; a judging means for comparing the added result from the adding means with a certain judgement level, and outputs the compared result as a judgement; and a recognizing means for recognizing a part of the image at which each of the filters is located as the edge area when the judgement outputted from the judging means is a first judgement, and recognizing it as the non-edge area when the judgement is a second judgement level.

Claim 4

The gradation level converting device of claim 2 further comprising: a setting means for setting a plurality of processing modes, or an image quality adjustment value; and a first controlling means for controlling the certain judgement level according to a setting by the setting means.

Claim 5

The gradation level converting device of claim 1, wherein the area recognizing means comprises: a plurality of first filters each of which detects an edge component of a pixel in concern as referring to a value of a pixel within an area including the pixel in concern, the filters possessing an identical edge detection characteristic and the pixel concern in each of the filters being set at a different location in the N-level gradation image; a plurality of second filters which possess an identical edge detection characteristic which is different from the plurality of first filters, and the pixel in concern in each of the filters is set at a different location in the N-level gradation image; a first adding means for adding the detected result outputted from each of the plurality of first filters; a second adding means for adding output from each of the plurality of second filters; a first judging means for comparing the added result outputted from the first adding means with a first judgement level, and outputs the compared result as a judgement; a second judging means for comparing the added result from the second adding means with a second judgement level, and outputs the compared result as a judgement; and an area recognizing means for recognizing whether a part of the image where the filter is located is the edge area or the non-edge area according to the judgements from the first judging means and the second judging means.

Claim 6

The gradation level converting device of claim 4 further comprising: a setting means for setting a plurality of processing modes, or an image quality adjustment value; and a second control means for controlling validity of the judgement from one of the first judging means and the second judging means according to a setting by the setting means.

Claim 7

A gradation level converting device for converting an image which is expressed by an N gradation level into an image which is expressed by an M gradation level (N<M), the gradation level converting device comprising: a first smoothing filter which comprises a scanning aperture which includes a pixel in concern and pixels which are located around the pixel in concern of the N-level gradation image and converts the N-level gradation image into the M-level gradation image by multiplying each of the pixels within the aperture by a certain weighing coefficient and adding the multiplied pixels; a second smoothing filter possessing the degree of smoothness which is greater than the first smoothing filter since an aperture size and a weighing coefficient are different from the first smoothing filter, and converting each of the pixels from the N gradation level into the M gradation level according to the degree of smoothness; an edge detecting means for detecting an edge component of the pixel in concern according to each of the first smoothing filter and the second smoothing filter; a mixing ratio calculating means for calculating a mixing ratio from the detected result of the edge detecting means; a mixing means for mixing the converted result outputted from the first smoothing filter and the converted result outputted from the second smoothing filter based on the calculated mixing ratio; an enhancing means for enhancing the M-level gradation image outputted from the first smoothing filter, and outputting the enhanced image; an area recognizing means for recognizing the edge area and the non-edge area of the N-level gradation image; and a selecting means for selecting the mixed result outputted from the mixing means for the non-edge area of the N-level gradation image and selecting the converted result from the enhancing means for the edge area as referring to the recognized result from the area recognizing means.

Claim 8

A gradation level converting device for converting an image which is expressed by an N gradation level into an image which is expressed by an M gradation level (N<M), the gradation level converting device comprising: a first smoothing filter which comprises a scanning aperture which includes a pixel in concern and pixels which are located around the pixel in concern of the N-level gradation image and converts the N-level gradation image into the M-level gradation image by multiplying each of the pixels within the aperture by a certain weighing coefficient and adding the multiplied pixels; a second smoothing filter possessing the degree of smoothness which is greater than the first smoothing filter since an aperture size and a weighing coefficient are different from the first smoothing filter, and converting each of the pixels from the N gradation level into the M gradation level according to the degree of smoothness; an edge detecting means for detecting an edge component of the pixel in concern according to each of the first smoothing filter and the second smoothing filter; a mixing ratio calculating means for calculating a mixing ratio from the detected result of the edge detecting means; a mixing means for mixing the converted result outputted from the first smoothing filter and the converted result outputted from the second smoothing filter based on the calculated mixing ratio; an enhancing means for enhancing the M-level gradation image outputted from the first smoothing filter, and outputting the enhanced image; an area recognizing means for recognizing the edge area and the non-edge area of the N-level gradation image; and a selecting means for selecting the mixed result outputted from the mixing means for the non-edge area of the N-level gradation image and selecting the converted result from the enhancing means for the edge area as referring to the recognized result from the area recognizing means.

Claim 9

The gradation level converting device of claim 6, wherein the area recognizing means comprises: a plurality of filters each of which detects an edge component of a pixel in concern as referring to a value of a pixel within an area including the pixel in concern, the filters possessing an identical edge detection characteristic and the pixel concern in each of the filters being set at a different location in the N-level gradation image; an adding means for comparing output from each of the plurality of filters with a certain value, and adding the output only when it is greater than the certain value; a judging means for comparing the added result from the adding means with a certain judgement level, and outputs the compared result as a judgement; and a recognizing means for recognizing a part of the image at which each of the filters is located as the edge area when the judgement outputted from the judging means is a first judgement, and recognizing it as the non-edge area when the judgement is a second judgement level.

Claim 10

The gradation level converting device of claim 7 further comprising: a setting means for setting a plurality of processing modes, or an image quality adjustment value; and a first controlling means for controlling the certain judgement level according to a setting by the setting means.

Claim 11

The gradation level converting device of claim 6, wherein the area recognizing means comprises: a plurality of first filters each of which detects an edge component of a pixel in concern as referring to a value of a pixel within an area including the pixel in concern, the filters possessing an identical edge detection characteristic and the pixel concern in each of the filters being set at a different location in the N-level gradation image; a plurality of second filters which possess an identical edge detection characteristic which is different from the plurality of first filters, and the pixel in concern in each of the filters is set at a different location in the N-level gradation image; a first adding means for adding the detected result outputted from each of the plurality of first filters; a second adding means for adding output from each of the plurality of second filters; a first judging means for comparing the added result outputted from the first adding means with a first judgement level, and outputs the compared result as a judgement; a second judging means for comparing the added result from the second adding means with a second judgement level, and outputs the compared result as a judgement; and an area recognizing means for recognizing whether a part of the image where the filter is located is the edge area or the non-edge area according to the judgements from the first judging means and the second judging means.

Claim 12

The gradation level converting device of claim 9 further comprising: a setting means for setting a plurality of processing modes, or an image quality adjustment value; and a second control means for controlling validity of the judgement from one of the first judging means and the second judging means according to a setting by the setting means.

Claim 13

A gradation level converting device for converting an image which is expressed by an N gradation level into an image which is expressed by an M gradation level (N<M), the gradation level converting device comprising: a first smoothing filter which comprises a scanning aperture which includes a pixel in concern and pixels which are located around the pixel in concern of the N-level gradation image and converts the N-level gradation image into the M-level gradation image by multiplying each of the pixels within the scanning aperture by a certain weighing coefficient and adding the multiplied pixels; a second smoothing filter possessing the degree of smoothness which is greater than the first smoothing filter since an aperture size and a weighing coefficient are different from the first smoothing filter, and converting each of the pixels from the N gradation level into the M gradation level according to the degree of smoothness; an edge detecting means for detecting an edge component of the pixel in concern according to each of the first smoothing filter and the second smoothing filter; a mixing ratio calculating means for calculating a mixing ratio from the detected result of the edge detecting means; a mixing means for mixing the converted result outputted from the first smoothing filter and the converted result outputted from the second smoothing filter based on the calculated mixing ratio; a first filter output changing means for changing the converted result outputted from the first smoothing filter based on a sum of preset weighing coefficients corresponding to pixels located in one end in a row direction or in a column direction within the scanning aperture including the pixel in concern and a sum of preset weighing coefficients corresponding to pixels located in one end in a row direction or in a column direction within an aperture excluding the pixel in concern; an area recognizing means for recognizing the edge area and the non-edge area of the N-level gradation image; and a selecting means for selecting the mixed result outputted from the mixing means for the non-edge area of the N-level gradation image and selecting the converted result from the first filter output changing means for the edge area as referring to the recognized result from the area recognizing means.

Claim 14

A gradation level converting device for converting an image which is expressed by an N gradation level into an image which is expressed by an M gradation level (N<M), the gradation level converting device comprising: a first smoothing filter which comprises a scanning aperture which includes a pixel in concern and pixels which are located around the pixel in concern of the N-level gradation image and converts the N-level gradation image into the M-level gradation image by multiplying each of the pixels within the scanning aperture by a certain weighing coefficient and adding the multiplied pixels; a second smoothing filter possessing the degree of smoothness which is greater than the first smoothing filter since an aperture size and a weighing coefficient are different from the first smoothing filter, and converting each of the pixels from the N gradation level into the M gradation level according to the degree of smoothness; an edge detecting means for detecting an edge component of the pixel in concern according to each of the first smoothing filter and the second smoothing filter; a mixing ratio calculating means for calculating a mixing ratio from the detected result of the edge detecting means; a mixing means for mixing the converted result outputted from the first smoothing filter and the converted result outputted from the second smoothing filter based on the calculated mixing ratio; a first filter output changing means for changing the converted result outputted from the first smoothing filter based on a sum of preset weighing coefficients corresponding to pixels located in one end in a row direction or in a column direction within the scanning aperture including the pixel in concern and a sum of preset weighing coefficients corresponding to pixels located in one end in a row direction or in a column direction within an aperture excluding the pixel in concern; an area recognizing means for recognizing the edge area and the non-edge area of the N-level gradation image; and a selecting means for selecting the mixed result outputted from the mixing means for the non-edge area of the N-level gradation image and selecting the converted result from the first filter output changing means for the edge area as referring to the recognized result from the area recognizing means.

Claim 15

The gradation level converting device of claim 11, wherein the area recognizing means comprises: a plurality of filters each of which detects an edge component of a pixel in concern as referring to a value of a pixel within an area including the pixel in concern, the filters possessing an identical edge detection characteristic and the pixel concern in each of the filters being set at a different location in the N-level gradation image; an adding means for comparing output from each of the plurality of filters with a certain value, and adding the output only when it is greater than the certain value; a judging means for comparing the added result from the adding means with a certain judgement level, and outputting the compared result as a judgement; and a recognizing means for recognizing a part of the image at which each of the filters is located as the edge area when the judgement outputted from the judging means is a first judgement, and recognizing it as the non-edge area when the judgement is a second judgement level.

Claim 16

The gradation level converting device of claim 12 further comprising: a setting means for setting a plurality of processing modes, or an image quality adjustment value; and a first controlling means for controlling the certain judgement level according to a setting by the setting means.

Claim 17

The gradation level converting device of claim 11, wherein the area recognizing means comprises: a plurality of first filters each of which detects an edge component of a pixel in concern as referring to a value of a pixel within an area including the pixel in concern, the filters possessing an identical edge detection characteristic and the pixel concern in each of the filters being set at a different location in the N-level gradation image; a plurality of second filters which possess an identical edge detection characteristic which is different from the plurality of first filters, and the pixel in concern in each of the filters is set at a different location in the N-level gradation image; a first adding means for adding the detected result outputted from each of the plurality of first filters; a second adding means for adding output from each of the plurality of second filters; a first judging means for comparing the added result outputted from the first adding means with a first judgement level, and outputting the compared result as a judgement; a second judging means for comparing the added result from the second adding means with a second judgement level, and outputting the compared result as a judgement; and an area recognizing means for recognizing whether a part of the image where the filter is located is the edge area or the non-edge area according to the judgements from the first judging means and the second judging means.

Claim 18

The gradation level converting device of claim 14 further comprising: a setting means for setting a plurality of processing modes, or an image quality adjustment value; and a second control means for controlling validity of the judgement from one of the first judging means and the second judging means according to a setting by the setting means.

Claim 21

The device of claim 16, wherein the extracting means calculates the mixing ratio from the detected edge amounts from the plurality of edge detecting means, and generates the edge extraction amount by mixing the edge amounts based on the calculated mixing ratio.

Claim 22

The device of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of spatial filters has an adding unit for adding a pixel in concern and pixels which are located around the pixel in concern of the N-level image based on the weighing coefficient or the size of the smoothing area.

Claim 23

The device of claim 16, wherein the mixing means has a normalizing unit for normalizing the outputs according to a sum of the weighing coefficients and the gradation level N.