Image processing method and image processing apparatus

An image processing method of using a first still image, a second still image, and a third still image which are chronologically successive and outputting an image from which noise has been reduced, comprising the steps of:

• compensating a motion of the second still image block by block;
• determining reliability of addition of the first still image and the motion-compensated second still image pixel by pixel and setting a first weighting factor corresponding thereto;
• adding or averaging the first still image and the motion-compensated second still image with the first weighting factor and obtaining a processed image;
• compensating a motion of the third still image block by block;
• determining reliability of addition of the processed image and the motion-compensated third still image pixel by pixel and setting a second weighting factor corresponding thereto;
• and
• adding or averaging the processed image and the motion-compensated third still image with the second weighting factor and obtaining a processed image.

An image processing method of reducing noise from moving images which are input at intervals of a predetermined time unit, comprising the steps of:

• compensating a motion of an image that has been processed one predetermined time unit before block by block;
• determining reliability of addition of a current moving image and the motion-compensated image processed the one predetermined time unit before pixel by pixel and setting a weighting factor corresponding thereto;
• and
• adding or averaging the current moving image and the motion-compensated image processed the one predetermined time unit before with the weighting factor and obtaining a processed image corresponding to the current moving image.

An image processing method of reducing noise from moving images which are input at intervals of a predetermined time unit, comprising the steps of:

• obtaining a moving vector of a current moving image and an image which has been processed one predetermined time unit before block by block;
• compensating a motion of the image which has been processed the one predetermined time unit before and an image which has been processed two predetermined time units before with the moving vector;
• determining reliability of addition of the current moving image and the motion-compensated image which has been processed the one predetermined time unit before pixel by pixel and setting a first weighting factor corresponding thereto;
• adding or averaging the current moving image and the motion-compensated image which has been processed the one time unit before and obtaining a first processed image;
• determining reliability of addition of the motion-compensated image which has been processed the two predetermined time units before and the first processed image pixel by pixel and setting a second weighting factor corresponding thereto;
• and
• adding or averaging the motion-compensated image which has been processed the two predetermined time units before and the first processed image with the second weighting factor and obtaining a second processed image corresponding to the current moving image.

An image processing apparatus which uses a first still image and a second still image which are chronologically successive and which outputs an image from which noise has been reduced, comprising:

• a motion compensation device which compensates a motion of the second still image block by block;
• a determination device which determines reliability of addition of the first still image and the motion-compensated second still image pixel by pixel and which sets a weighting factor corresponding thereto;
• and
• an addition device which adds or averages the first still image and the motion-compensated second still image with the weighting factor and which obtains a processed image.

An image processing apparatus which uses a first still image, a second still image, and a third still image which are chronologically successive and which outputs an image from which noise has been reduced, comprising:

• a motion compensation device,
• a determination device;
• and
• an addition device,
• wherein the motion compensation device compensates a motion of the second still image block by block,
• the determination device determines reliability of addition of the first still image and the motion-compensated second still image pixel by pixel and sets a first weighting factor corresponding thereto,
• the addition device adds or averages the first still image and the motion-compensated second still image with the first weighting factor and obtains a processed image,
• the motion compensation device compensates a motion of the third still image block by block,
• the determination device determines reliability of addition of the processed image and the motion-compensated third still image pixel by pixel and sets a second weighting factor corresponding thereto, and
• the addition device adds or averages the processed image and the motion-compensated third still image with the second weighting factor and obtains a processed image.

An image processing apparatus which reduces noise from moving images which are input at intervals of a predetermined time unit, comprising:

• a motion compensation device;
• a determination device;
• and
• an addition device,
• wherein the motion compensation device compensates a motion of an image that has been processed one predetermined time unit before block by block,
• the determination device determines reliability of addition of a current moving image and the motion-compensated image processed the one predetermined time unit before pixel by pixel and sets a weighting factor corresponding thereto, and
• the addition device adds or averages the current moving image and the motion-compensated image processed the one predetermined time unit before with the weighting factor and obtains a processed image corresponding to the current moving image.

An image processing apparatus which reduces noise from moving images which are input at intervals of a predetermined time unit, comprising:

• a motion compensation device;
• a determination device;
• and
• an addition device,
• wherein the motion compensation device obtains a moving vector of a current moving image and an image which has been processed one predetermined time unit before block by block and compensates a motion of the image which has been processed the one predetermined time unit before and an image which has been processed two predetermined time units before with the moving vector,
• the determination device determines reliability of addition of the current moving image and the motion-compensated image which has been processed the one predetermined time unit before pixel by pixel and sets a first weighting factor corresponding thereto,
• the addition device adds or averages the current moving image and the motion-compensated image which has been processed the one time unit before and obtains a first processed image,
• the determination device determines reliability of addition of the motion-compensated image which has been processed the two predetermined time units before and the first processed image pixel by pixel and sets a second weighting factor corresponding thereto, and
• the addition device adds or averages the motion-compensated image which has been processed the two predetermined time units before and the first processed image with the second weighting factor and obtains a second processed image corresponding to the current moving image.