Image acquisition device, image processing device, image processing method, image processing program, and storage medium for generating high resolution image from low resolution images

An image processing device comprising:

• a hierarchical motion-detection circuit that detects a motion vector between images acquired in time series, by using images at two or more levels having different resolutions;
• a memory circuit that stores an image acquired one frame before a current image;
• an arithmetic circuit that calculates a difference between the image stored in the memory circuit and the current image;
• and
• a hierarchical motion-detection setting circuit that increases a number of levels used in the hierarchical motion-detection circuit, for a partial region that includes a detection pixel at which the difference calculated by the arithmetic circuit is larger than a predetermined threshold, in accordance with an increase in the difference.

An image processing method comprising:

• calculating a difference between two images acquired in time series;
• increasing a number of levels set for a partial region that includes a detection pixel at which the calculated difference is larger than a predetermined threshold, in accordance with an increase in the difference;
• and
• detecting, for each partial region, a motion vector between the two images by using the set number of levels.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having recorded thereon an image processing program for causing a computer to execute processes comprising:

• calculating a difference between two images acquired in time series;
• increasing a number of levels set for a partial region that includes a detection pixel at which the calculated difference is larger, than a predetermined threshold, in accordance with an increase in the difference;
• and
• detecting, for each partial region, a motion vector between the two images by using the set number of levels.