Image processing apparatus and method, program, and recording medium

An image processing method for an image processing apparatus configured to generate, on the basis of an image of a first frame of a moving image and an image of a second frame which comes after the first frame in terms of time, an image of an interpolation frame which comes after the first frame in terms of time and comes before the second frame in terms of time, the image processing method comprising the steps of:

• allocating, on the basis of the image of the first frame and the image of the second frame, a motion vector to a pixel of the interpolation frame;
• allocating, through a compensation of the motion vector, a motion vector to a pixel of the interpolation frame to which the motion vector is not allocated;
• determining, regarding an area containing a target pixel in the image of the interpolation frame,
• whether a background displayed in the image of the first frame is a C (Covered) area which is an area covered by a foreground in the second frame,
• whether the background covered by the foreground in the image of the first frame is a UC (UnCovered) area which is an area displayed in the second frame, or
• whether the foreground or background displayed in the image of the first frame is a normal area which is an area displayed also in the second frame;
• and
• deciding a computation method for a pixel value of the target pixel by computing a plurality of evaluation values for evaluating a reliability of the motion vector allocated to the target pixel and comparing magnitudes of the plurality of evaluation values in a case where it is determined that the target pixel is the pixel in the C area or the pixel in the UC area.

A program for allowing a computer to function as an image processing apparatus configured to generate, on the basis of an image of a first frame of a moving image and an image of a second frame which comes after the first frame in terms of time, an image of an interpolation frame which comes after the first frame in terms of time and comes before the second frame in terms of time, the image processing apparatus including:

• motion vector allocation means adapted to allocate, on the basis of the image of the first frame and the image of the second frame, a motion vector to a pixel of the interpolation frame;
• motion vector compensation means adapted to compensate a motion vector of a pixel of the interpolation frame to which the motion vector is not allocated by the motion vector allocation means;
• area determination means adapted to determine, regarding an area containing a target pixel in the image of the interpolation frame,
• whether a background displayed in the image of the first frame is a C (Covered) area which is an area covered by a foreground in the second frame,
• whether the background covered by the foreground in the image of the first frame is a UC (UnCovered) area which is an area displayed in the second frame, or
• whether the foreground or background displayed in the image of the first frame is a normal area which is an area displayed also in the second frame;
• and
• computation method decision means adapted to decide a computation method for a pixel value of the target pixel by computing a plurality of evaluation values for evaluating a reliability of the motion vector allocated to the target pixel by the motion vector allocation means or the motion vector compensation means and comparing magnitudes of the plurality of evaluation values in a case where the area determination means determines that the target pixel is the pixel in the C area or the pixel in the UC area.

An image processing apparatus configured to generate, on the basis of an image of a first frame of a moving image and an image of a second frame which comes after the first frame in terms of time, an image of an interpolation frame which comes after the first frame in terms of time and comes before the second frame in terms of time, the image processing apparatus comprising:

• a motion vector allocation unit adapted to allocate, on the basis of the image of the first frame and the image of the second frame, a motion vector to a pixel of the interpolation frame;
• a motion vector compensation unit adapted to compensate a motion vector of a pixel of the interpolation frame to which the motion vector is not allocated by the motion vector allocation unit;
• an area determination unit adapted to determine, regarding an area containing a target pixel in the image of the interpolation frame,
• whether a background displayed in the image of the first frame is a C (Covered) area which is an area covered by a foreground in the second frame,
• whether the background covered by the foreground in the image of the first frame is a UC (UnCovered) area which is an area displayed in the second frame, or
• whether the foreground or background displayed in the image of the first frame is a normal area which is an area displayed also in the second frame;
• and
• a computation method decision unit adapted to decide a computation method for a pixel value of the target pixel by computing a plurality of evaluation values for evaluating a reliability of the motion vector allocated to the target pixel by the motion vector allocation unit or the motion vector compensation unit and comparing magnitudes of the plurality of evaluation values in a case where the area determination unit determines that the target pixel is the pixel in the C area or the pixel in the UC area.