Image processing apparatus using correlation among images

An image processing method comprising:

• an image input step for inputting a plurality of two-dimensional color images acquired from a subject at a plurality of different viewing points;
• a corresponding point detecting step for detecting positions of a set of points in one image among said plurality of images with respect to a corresponding set of points in another image among said plurality of images;
• an image matching step for matching at least two of said plurality of images by deforming a region in said one image formed by said set of points in said one image detected at said corresponding point detecting step so that its configuration may coincide with that of a region in said another image formed by said corresponding set of points in said another image;
• and
• an image synthesizing step for replacing at least one portion of at least said one image matched at said image matching step with image information of a corresponding portion of said another image matched at said image matching step so as to form a single two-dimensional image.

An image processing method comprising:

• an image input step for inputting a plurality of images acquired from a subject at a plurality of different viewing points, and having a different imaging distance from a subject;
• a corresponding point detecting step for detecting positions of a set of points in one image among said plurality of images with respect to a corresponding set of points in another image among said plurality of images;
• an image matching step for matching at least two of said plurality of images by deforming a region in said one image formed by said set of points in said one image detected at said corresponding point detecting step so that its configuration may coincide with that of a region in said another image formed by said corresponding set of points in said another image;
• and
• an image synthesizing step for replacing part of an image acquired with a wider imaging field and at a larger imaging distance from the subject of at least said two images matched at said image matching step, with image information of a corresponding portion of said another image matched at said image matching step and acquired with a narrower imaging field and at a smaller imaging distance from the subject so as to form a single two-dimensional image.

An image processing method comprising:

• an image input step for inputting a plurality of two-dimensional images acquired by a stereo endoscope from a subject at a plurality of different viewing points;
• a corresponding point detecting step for detecting positions of a set of points in one image among said plurality of images with respect to a corresponding set of points in another image among said plurality of images;
• an image matching step for matching at least two of said plurality of images by deforming a region in said one image formed by said set of points in said one image detected at said corresponding point detecting step so that its configuration may coincide with that of a region in said another image formed by said corresponding set of points in said another image;
• and
• an image synthesizing step for matching at least one portion of at least said one image matched at said image matching step with image information of a corresponding portion of said another image matched at said image matching step, so as to form a single two-dimensional image.

An image processing method comprising:

• an image input step for inputting a plurality of time-series endoscopic images in two dimensions acquired from a subject at a plurality of different viewing points;
• an input image storage step for storing at least one of said plurality of time-series endoscopic images entered in said image input step;
• a fault detecting step for detecting a fault in an image entered at said image input step;
• a fault corresponding point detecting step for detecting positions of sets of points relative to one image containing said fault detected in said image at said fault detecting step with a corresponding set of points in a stored image;
• an image matching step for matching said one image containing said fault with said stored image at a preceding step by deforming a region in said one image formed by said set of points in said one image detected at said fault corresponding point detecting step so that its configuration may coincide with that of a region in said stored image formed by said corresponding set of points in said stored image;
• and
• an image synthesizing step for eliminating said fault of at least one portion of at least said one image matched at said image matching step with image information of said stored image from a preceding step to form a single two-dimensional image.

An image processing method comprising:

• an image input step for inputting a plurality of time-series color images in two dimensions acquired from a subject at a plurality of different viewing points;
• an input image storage step for storing at least one of said plurality of time-series color images entered in said image input step;
• a fault detecting step for detecting a fault in an image entered at said image input step;
• a fault corresponding point detecting step for detecting positions of sets of points relative to one image containing said fault detected in said image at said fault detecting step with a corresponding set of points in a stored image;
• an image matching step for matching an image containing said fault with said image at a preceding step by deforming a region in said one image formed by said set of points in said one image detected at said fault corresponding point detecting step so that its configuration may coincide with that of a region in said stored image formed by said corresponding set of points in said stored image;
• and
• an image synthesizing step for eliminating said fault of at least one portion of at least one image matched at said image matching step with image information of said stored image from a preceding step to form a single two-dimensional image.

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• an image input means for inputting a plurality of two-dimensional endoscopic images acquired from a subject at a plurality of different viewing points;
• a corresponding point detecting means for detecting positions of a set of points in one image among said plurality of images with respect to a corresponding set of points in another image among said plurality of images;
• an image matching means for matching at least two of said plurality of images by deforming a region in said one image formed by said set of points in said one image detected by said corresponding point detecting means so that its configuration may coincide with that of a region in said another image formed by said corresponding set of points in said another image;
• and
• an image synthesizing means for replacing at least one portion of said image matched by said image matching means with image information of a corresponding portion of said another image matched by said image matching means, so as to form a single two-dimensional image.

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• an image input means for inputting a plurality of two-dimensional color images acquired from a subject at a plurality of different viewing points;
• a corresponding point detecting means for detecting positions of a set of points in one image among said plurality of images with respect to a corresponding set of points in another image among said plurality of images;
• an image matching means for matching at least two of said plurality of images by deforming a region in said one image formed by said set of points in said one image detected by said corresponding point detecting means so that its configuration may coincide with that of a region in said another image formed by said corresponding set of points in said another image;
• and
• an image synthesizing means for replacing at least one portion of said image matched by said image matching means with image information of a corresponding portion of said another image matched by said image matching means, so as to form a single two-dimensional image.

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• an image input means for inputting a plurality of time-series endoscopic images in two-dimensions acquired from a subject at a plurality of different viewing points;
• an input image storage means for storing at least one image of said plurality of time-series endoscopic images entered by said image input means;
• a fault detecting step for detecting a fault in an image entered at said image input step;
• a fault corresponding point detecting means for detecting positions of sets of points relative to one image containing said fault detected by said fault detecting means with a corresponding set of points in at least another image stored in said storage means;
• an image matching means for matching an image containing said fault with at least said image stored in said storage means by deforming a region in said one image formed by said set of points in said one image detected by said fault corresponding point detecting means so that its configuration may coincide with that of a region in said another image formed by said corresponding set of points in said another image;
• and
• an image synthesizing means for eliminating said fault of at least one portion of said one image matched by said image matching means with image information of at least a portion of said another image stored in said storage means to form a single two-dimensional image.

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• an image input means for inputting a plurality of time-series color images in two dimensions acquired from a subject at a plurality of different viewing points;
• an input image storage means for storing at least one image of said plurality of time-series color images entered by said image input means;
• a fault detecting means for detecting a fault in an image entered by said image input means;
• a fault corresponding point detecting means for detecting positions of sets of points relative to one image containing said fault detected by said fault detecting means in a corresponding set of points in at least another image stored in said storage means;
• an image matching means for matching an image containing said fault with at least said image stored in said storage means by deforming a region in said one image formed by said set of points in said one image detected by said corresponding point detecting means so that its configuration may coincide with that of a region in said another image formed by said corresponding set of points in said another image;
• and
• an image synthesizing means for eliminating at least said fault of at least one portion of said one image matched by said image matching means with image information of at least said another image stored in said storage means to form a single two-dimensional image.