Image data processing apparatus having functions of dividing the image data, and method of processing image data

An image data processing apparatus comprising:

• means for continuously receiving an image of a first area to be processed, and for converting the image into a first image data item;
• first dividing means for dividing the first image data item into a plurality of second image data items corresponding to a plurality of second areas, each of the second area being smaller than the first area;
• first detecting means for detecting a time-based change amount in a characteristic amount for each of the second image data items;
• second dividing means for dividing the second image data items into third image data items corresponding to a plurality of third areas, each of the third areas being smaller than each of the second areas, when the first detecting means detects the time-based change amount being more than a predetermined value for a number of times exceeding a predetermined number and continuing for at least a predetermined period;
• second detecting means for detecting a time-based change amount in a characteristic amount for the third image data items;
• and
• means for determining that the first area is in abnormal state corresponding to the time-based change amounts detected by the first and the second detecting means.

An image data processing apparatus comprising:

• means for continuously receiving an image of a first area to be processed, and for converting the image into a first image data item;
• first dividing means for dividing the first image data item into a plurality of second image data items corresponding to a plurality of second areas, each of the second areas being smaller than the first area;
• first detecting means for detecting a time-based change amount in a characteristic amount for each of the second image data items;
• means for finding those plain image data items from the second image data items which have the time-based change amount in the characteristic amount which is smaller than a predetermined value for at least a predetermined period and are adjacent to other plain image data items having the same characteristics;
• means for combining the plain image data items found by the finding means into a combined image data item;
• second detecting means for detecting a time-based change amount in a characteristic amount for the combined image data item;
• and
• means for determining that the first area is in an abnormal state based on the time-based change amounts detected by the first and the second detecting means.

An image data processing apparatus comprising:

• means for continuously receiving an image of a first area to be processed, and for converting the image into a first image data item;
• first dividing means for dividing the first image data item into a plurality of second image data items corresponding to a plurality of second areas, each of the second areas being smaller than the first area;
• first detecting means for detecting a time-based change amount in a characteristic amount for each of the second image data items;
• second dividing means for dividing the second image data items into third image data items corresponding to a plurality of third areas, each of the third areas being smaller than the second area, when the first detecting means detects the time-based change amount is more than a predetermined value for a number of times exceeding a predetermined number and continues for at least a predetermined period;
• means for finding those plain image data items from the second image data items which have the time-based change amount in the characteristic which is smaller than a second predetermined value for at least a second predetermined period and are adjacent to other plain image data items having the same characteristics;
• means for combining the plain image data items found by the finding means into a combined image data item;
• second detecting means for detecting a time-based change amount in a characteristic amount for the third image data items and the combined image data item;
• and
• means for determining that the first area is in an abnormal state corresponding to the time-based change amounts detected by the first and the second detecting means.

An image data processing method, comprising:

• continuously receiving an image of a first area to be processed and converting the image into a first image data item;
• dividing the first image data item into a plurality of second image data items corresponding to a plurality of second areas, each one of the plurality of second areas being smaller than the first area;
• detecting ones of the plurality of second image data items indicating an abnormal state;
• combining adjacent ones of the plurality of the second image data items indicating the abnormal state, so as to form a combined second image item;
• and
• determining that the first area is in an abnormal state when a number of the second image data items in the combined second image data item is greater than a predetermined amount.

An image data processing method, comprising:

• continuously receiving an image of a first area to be processed, and converting the image into a first image data item;
• dividing the first image data item into a plurality of second image data items corresponding to a plurality of second areas, each of the second areas being smaller than the first area;
• detecting a time-based change amount in a characteristic amount for each of the second image data items;
• dividing the second image data items into third image data items corresponding to a plurality of third areas, each of the third areas being smaller than each of the second areas, when the step of detecting the time-based change amount in the characteristic amount for the each of the second image data items detects that the time-based change amount is more than a predetermined value for a number of times exceeding a predetermined number and continuing for at least a predetermined period;
• detecting a time-based change amount in a characteristic amount for the third image data items;
• and
• determining that the first area is in an abnormal state corresponding to the time-based change amount detected by the step of detecting the time-based change amount in the characteristic amount for the each of the second image data items and the step of detecting the time-based change amount in the characteristic amount for the third image data items.

An image data processing method, comprising:

• continuously receiving an image of a first area to be processed, and converting the image into a first image data item;
• dividing the first image data item into a plurality of second image data items corresponding to a plurality of second areas, each of the second areas being smaller than the first area;
• detecting a time-based change amount in a characteristic amount for each of the second image data items;
• finding those plain image data items from the second image data items, which have the time-based change amount in the characteristic amount being smaller than a predetermined value for at least a predetermined period and are adjacent to other plain image data items having the same characteristics;
• combining the plain image data items found by the step of finding plain image data items into a combined image data item;
• detecting a time-based change amount in a characteristic amount for the combined image data item;
• and
• determining that the first area is in an abnormal state based on the time-based change amounts detected by the step of detecting the time-based change amount in the characteristic amount for the each of the second image data items and the step of detecting the time-based change amount in the characteristic amount for the combined image data item.

An image data processing method, comprising:

• continuously receiving an image of a first area to be processed, and converting the image into a first image data item;
• dividing the first image data item into a plurality of second image data items corresponding to a plurality of second areas, each of the second areas being smaller than the first area;
• detecting a time-based change amount in a characteristic amount for each of the second image data items;
• dividing the second image data items into third image data items corresponding to a plurality of third areas, each of the third areas being smaller than the second area, when the step of detecting the time-based change amount in the characteristic amount for each of the second image data items detects the time-based change amount being more than a predetermined value for a number of times exceeding a predetermined number for at least a predetermined period;
• finding those plain image data items from the second image data items, which have the time-based change amount in the characteristic amount being smaller than a second predetermined value for at least a second predetermined period and are adjacent to other plain image data items having the same characteristics;
• combining the plain image data items found during the step of finding plain image data items into a combined image data item;
• detecting a time-based change amount in a characteristic amount for the third image data items and the combined image data item;
• and
• determining that the first area is in an abnormal state corresponding to the time-based change amount detected in the step of detecting the time-based change amount in the characteristic amount for the each of the second image data items and the step of detecting the time-based change amount in the characteristic amount for the third image data items and the combined image data item.