Sony Corporation

Xavier Michel

Koji Aoyama

Masuyoshi Kurokawa

Kazuhiko Ueda

Kazuhiko Nishibori

Shiro Oomori

With regard to a subject block including a subject pixel and four adjacent blocks vertically and horizontally adjacent to the subject block, respective motion vectors of these blocks are considered as candidates of a pixel motion vector of the subject pixel. The block motion vectors are actually applied to the subject pixel, and one of the motion vectors that minimizes difference between pixel values of pixels used for inter-field interpolation is selected as the pixel motion vector of the subject pixel.

Image processing apparatus and method, recording medium, and program

A setting information database associates setting information used to output a video signal or an audio signal with a corresponding viewing condition. A setting information registration unit registers setting information and a corresponding viewing condition which have been received by a setting information reception unit so as to store them in the setting information database. An adequacy determination unit determines the adequacy of recommended setting information to be stored in the setting information database. A condition extraction unit extracts pieces of setting information stored in the setting information database on the basis of a viewing condition supplied from an extraction condition reception unit. A recommendable setting derivation unit derives recommendable setting information from the extracted pieces of setting information.

Apparatus and method for managing video audio setting information and program

An image processing apparatus includes a ridge strength detecting unit for detecting a ridge strength that is the strength of a ridge included in an image. When a pixel value is changed in the form of a pulse in accordance with a positional change in a region that includes a plurality of pixels, the ridge strength is represented by a gradient and height of the pulse.

Image processing apparatus, image processing method, recording medium, and program

An image processing apparatus includes an edge-direction detector that detects an edge direction in an original image; a confidence detector that detects a confidence of the edge direction; a contrast detector that detects a contrast intensity; a texture-contrast-weight setter that sets a texture-contrast weight; an edge-contrast-weight setter that sets an edge-contrast weight; a texture-weight setter that sets a texture weight; an edge-weight setter that sets an edge weight; a texture filter that performs texture filtering to generate a texture-filter image; an edge filter that performs edge filtering to generate an edge-filter image; a texture combiner that combines the original image and the texture-filter image to generate a texture-combination image; and an edge combiner that combines the texture-combination image and the edge-filter image to generate an edge-combination image.

An image processing apparatus including a contrast detector that detects a contrast intensity of a pixel in a first image; a flat-intensity detector that detects a flat intensity of the pixel; an edge-intensity detector that detects an edge intensity of the pixel; a flat-weight setter that sets a flat weight for the pixel; an edge-weight setter that sets an edge weight for the pixel; an attenuator that attenuates components in a predetermined frequency band of the first image to form a second image; a first combiner that combines the first and second images to form a third image using weights based on the flat weight; an edge enhancer that enhances edges in the third image to form a fourth image; and a second combiner that combines the first and fourth images using weights based on the edge weight.

In an image processing apparatus for converting resolution of an image, a weight for a statistical diagonal interpolation pixel is set based on a slope having the statistically highest confidence level, the statistical diagonal interpolation pixel is combined with a different pixel interpolated by a different interpolation so as to generate a combined interpolated pixel based on the set weight, information is generated for quantitatively evaluating the strength of an edge and the strength of texture, a texture mixed pixel is generated by combining the combined interpolated pixel with a texture pixel generated by performing texture filtering on the pixel of interest based on the texture strength information, and an edge mixed pixel is generated as a pixel at the position of interest by combining an edge pixel generated by performing filtering on the pixel of interest with the generated texture mixed pixel based on the edge strength information.

Information processing apparatus, information processing method, recording medium, and program

Inter-field-interpolation spatial transition is calculated based on the sum of absolute values of differences between pixel values of an inter-field-interpolated pixel and adjacent pixels on the same field. Inter-field-interpolation temporal transition is calculated based on the sum of absolute values of differences between pixel values of the inter-field-interpolated pixel and pixels at corresponding positions on previous delayed field and present field. Intra-field-interpolation temporal transition is calculated based on the sum of absolute values of differences between pixel values of an intra-field-interpolated pixel and the pixels at the corresponding positions on the previous delayed field and the present field. The amounts of error in the interpolated pixels are calculated based on information of the inter-field-interpolation spatial transition, inter-field-interpolation temporal transition, and intra-field-interpolation temporal transition, and a pixel is generated by switching between inter-field interpolation and intra-field interpolation accordingly.

The resolution of an image is converted effectively using a simple process which needs a small amount of calculation. Local energy is determined from the differences between pixel values of N pixels lying at diagonal locations in an upper and lower rows. When the local energy is greater than a threshold value, a diagonal line given by two pixels having the smallest difference is employed as an edge direction. An image is interpolated between the two pixels in the edge direction by employing the mean value of the two pixel values of those two pixels. Thereafter, it is determined whether consistency is achieved between the interpolated image and the upper and lower pixels. If consistency is not achieved, linear interpolation is performed as in the case where the energy is lower than the threshold value.

Method and apparatus for increasing spatial resolution of an image

Image refreshers enhance edge portions of field data stored in field memories, and then store the result in field memories. An intra-field interpolating unit interpolates a moving image pixel using a single piece of field data stored in the field memory, and then stores the moving image pixel in an interpolation memory. An inter-field interpolating unit interpolates a still image pixel using two pieces of field data stored in the field memories, and then stores the still image pixel in an interpolation memory. A still/moving image area determining unit determines whether each pixel of a progressive picture is a still image pixel or a moving image pixel. On the basis of a result of the determination by the still/moving image area determining unit, a selector reads a pixel value in the interpolation memory for a moving image pixel, and reads a pixel value from the interpolation memory for a still image pixel.

Image processing apparatus and method, program, and recording medium

In a picture enlarging processing employing a MAP method, the processing volume is to be decreased to obtain a clear picture without producing blocked distortion without deteriorating the picture quality from that in the conventional practice. An energy function of a picture varied in dependence upon the input picture is defined in advance and stored. An input picture is enlarged, that is the number of pixels is increased, and a value which decreases the energy in a pixel of the enlarged picture is calculated. This energy decreasing value is added to the pixel and the pixel value is updated to adjust the picture quality to raise the resolution. The pixel value is updated a number of times to adjust the picture quality to raise the resolution.

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Chiba, Japan

Xavier Michel