Image Processing Apparatus and Image Processing Method

An image processing method of carrying out a modification process on a pre-modification image to generate a post-modification image within an image modification area, the image processing method comprising:

• (a) establishing a target block as a destination of the modification process, the target block constituting the image modification area;
• (b) generating an image within the target block by storing an image included in a referent block, which is associated with the target block, into a source memory area, and by referring the image included in the referent block stored in the source memory area as a source of the modification process;
• (c) sequentially shifting the target block to a different position within the transformed image area, the step (b) generating an image within the target block after each shift to generate entirety of the post-modification image;
• (d) prior to generation of an image of the target block in the step (b), computing the maximum block size of the referent block associated with the target block situated in any available position;
• and
• (e) allocating the source memory area capable of storing an image of a size equal to the maximum block size computed in the step (d).

A computer program product for carrying out a modification process on a pre-modification image to generate a post-modification image within an image modification area, the computer program product comprising:

• a computer-readable medium;
• and
• a computer program stored on the computer-readable medium includes:
• a first computer program for causing a computer to establish a target block as a destination of the modification process, the target block constituting the image modification area;
• a second computer program for causing the computer to generate an image within the target block by causing the computer to store an image included in a referent block, which is associated with the target block, into a source memory area, and to refer the image included in the referent block stored in the source memory area as a source of the modification process;
• a third computer program for causing the computer to shift the target block to a different position within the transformed image area sequentially, the computer executing the second computer program generating an image within the target block after each shift to generate entirety of the post-modification image;
• a fourth computer program for causing the computer to compute the maximum block size of the referent block associated with the target block situated in any available position, prior to generation of an image of the target block by the computer executing the second computer program;
• and
• a fifth computer program for causing the computer to allocate the source memory area capable of storing an image of a size equal to the maximum block size computed by the computer executing the fourth computer program.