Image processing method and apparatus

An image processing apparatus, wherein predetermined processing is carried out on an original image signal, which is made up of a series of image signal components defining values of pixels constituting an original image, and a processed image signal is thereby obtained, the apparatus comprising:

• i) a graininess suppression processing means for carrying out graininess suppression image processing on the original image signal, a graininess suppression processing image signal being obtained from said graininess suppression image processing,
• ii) a sharpness enhancement processing means for carrying out sharpness enhancement image processing on the original image signal, a sharpness enhancement processing image signal being obtained from said sharpness enhancement image processing, and
• iii) a signal processing means for carrying out processing for obtaining the processed image signal in accordance with said graininess suppression processing image signal, which has been obtained from said graininess suppression processing means, and said sharpness enhancement processing image signal, which has been obtained from said sharpness enhancement processing means, the processed image signal being obtained with operation processing carried out on image signal components of said graininess suppression processing image signal and said sharpness enhancement processing image signal, which image signal components represent corresponding pixels in two images represented by said graininess suppression processing image signal and said sharpness enhancement processing image signal,
• wherein the apparatus further comprises a comparison means for calculating a difference between image signal components of said graininess suppression processing image signal, which has been obtained from said graininess suppression processing means, and the original image signal, which image signal components represent corresponding pixels in two images represented by said graininess suppression processing image signal and the original image fin, and comparing the calculated difference and a predetermined threshold value with each other, and
• said signal processing means carries out processing, which comprises the steps of:
• a) with respect to pixels, which have been found, as a result of said comparison made by said comparison means, to be associated with the difference smaller than said predetermined threshold value, obtaining the processed image signal by carrying out said operation processing on the image signal components of said graininess suppression processing image signal and said sharpness enhancement processing image signal having been obtained from said sharpness enhancement processing means, which image signal components represent corresponding pixels in two images represented by said graininess suppression processing image signal and said sharpness enhancement processing image signal, and
• b) with respect to pixels, which have been found, as a result of said comparison, to be associated with the difference larger than said predetermined threshold value, taking the original image signal, an enhancement processing signal, which is obtained by carrying out enhancement processing on the original image signal, or said sharpness enhancement processing image signal as the processed image signal.

An image processing apparatus, wherein predetermined processing is carried out on an original image signal, which is made up of a series of image signal components defining values of pixels constituting an original image, and a processed image signal is thereby obtained, the apparatus comprising:

• i) a graininess suppression processing means for carrying out graininess suppression image processing on the original image signal, a graininess suppression processing image signal being obtained from said graininess suppression image processing,
• ii) a sharpness enhancement processing means for carrying out sharpness enhancement image processing on the original image signal, a sharpness enhancement processing image signal being obtained from said sharpness enhancement image processing, and
• iii) a signal processing means for carrying out processing for obtaining the processed image signal in accordance with said graininess suppression processing image signal, which has been obtained from said graininess suppression processing means, and said sharpness enhancement processing image signal, which has been obtained from said sharpness enhancement processing means, the processed image signal being obtained with operation processing carried out on image signal components of said graininess suppression processing image signal and said sharpness enhancement processing image signal, which image signal components represent corresponding pixels in two images represented by said graininess suppression processing image signal and said sharpness enhancement processing image signal,
• wherein said graininess suppression processing means comprises:
• a) a morphology operation processing means for carrying out opening processing and closing processing in accordance with a morphology operation, respectively, on the original image signal, an opening processing image signal being obtained from said opening processing, a closing processing image signal being obtained from said closing processing, and
• b) a signal processing means for carrying out processing for obtaining said graininess suppression processing image signal in accordance with said opening processing image signal and said closing processing image signal, which have been obtained from said morphology operation processing means, said graininess suppression processing image signal being obtained with operation processing carried out on image signal components of said opening processing image signal and said closing processing image signal, which image signal components represent corresponding pixels in two images represented by said opening processing image signal and said closing processing image signal, said operation processing being defined with the formula:
• fout = { fopn ( if ⁢ ⁢ fcls = fin ) fcls ( if ⁢ ⁢ fopn = fin ) w1 · fopn + w2 · fcls ( else ) ( 3 )
• wherein w1 and w2 represent weight factors, w1+w2=1 (0<w1<1, 0<w2<1), fin represents the original image signal, fout represents the graininess suppression processing image signal, fopn represents the opening processing image signal, and fcls represents the closing processing image signal.

An image processing apparatus, wherein predetermined processing is carried out on an original image signal, which is made up of a series of image signal components defining values of pixels constituting an original image, and a processed image signal is thereby obtained, the apparatus comprising:

• i) a graininess suppression processing means for carrying out graininess suppression image processing on the original image signal, a graininess suppression processing image signal being obtained from said graininess suppression image processing,
• ii) a sharpness enhancement processing means for carrying out sharpness enhancement image processing on the original image signal, a sharpness enhancement processing image signal being obtained from said sharpness enhancement image processing, and
• iii) a signal processing means for carrying out processing for obtaining the processed image signal in accordance with said graininess suppression processing image signal, which has been obtained from said graininess suppression processing means, and said sharpness enhancement processing image signal, which has been obtained from said sharpness enhancement processing means, the processed image signal being obtained with operation processing carried out on image signal components of said graininess suppression processing image signal and said sharpness enhancement processing image signal, which image signal components represent corresponding pixels in two images represented by said graininess suppression processing image signal and said sharpness enhancement processing image signal,
• wherein said graininess suppression processing means comprises:
• a) a morphology operation processing means for carrying out opening processing and closing processing in accordance with a morphology operation, respectively, on the original image signal, an opening processing image signal being obtained from said opening processing, a closing processing image signal being obtained from said closing processing, and
• b) a signal processing means for carrying out processing for obtaining said graininess suppression processing image signal in accordance with said opening processing image signal and said closing processing image signal, which have been obtained from said morphology operation processing means, said graininess suppression processing image signal being obtained with operation processing carried out on image signal components of said opening processing image signal and said closing processing image signal, which image signal components represent corresponding pixels in two images represented by said opening processing image signal and said closing processing image signal, said operation processing being defined with the formula:
• fout={|fopn−fin|(fopn−fin)+|fcls−fin|(fcls−fin)}/{|fopn−fin|+|fcls−fin|}+fin (4)
• wherein fin represents the original image signal, fout represents the graininess suppression processing image signal, fopn represents the opening processing image signal, and fcls represents the closing processing image signal.

An image processing method, wherein predetermined processing is carried out on an original image signal, which is made up of a series of image signal components defining values of pixels constituting an original image, and a graininess suppression processing image signal is thereby obtained, the method comprising the steps of:

• i) carrying out opening processing in accordance with a morphology operation on the original image signal, an opening processing image signal being obtained from said opening processing,
• ii) carrying out closing processing in accordance with the morphology operation on the original image signal, a closing processing image signal being obtained from said closing processing, and
• iii) carrying out processing for obtaining the graininess suppression processing image signal in accordance with said opening processing image signal and said closing processing image signal, the graininess suppression processing image signal being obtained with operation processing carried out on image signal components of said opening processing image signal and said closing processing image signal, which image signal components represent corresponding pixels in two images represented by said opening processing image signal and said closing processing image signal, said operation processing being defined with the formula:
• fout = { fopn ( if ⁢ ⁢ fcls = fin ) fcls ( if ⁢ ⁢ fopn = fin ) w1 · fopn + w2 · fcls ( else ) ( 3 )
• wherein w1 and w2 represent weight factors, w1+w2=1 (0<w1<1, 0<w2<1), fin represents the original image signal, fout represents the graininess suppression processing image signal, fopn represents the opening processing image signal, and fcls represents the closing processing image signal.

An image processing method, wherein predetermined processing is carried out on an original image signal, which is made up of a series of image signal components defining values of pixels constituting an original image, and a graininess suppression processing image signal is thereby obtained, the method comprising the steps of:

• i) carrying out opening processing in accordance with a morphology operation on the original image signal, an opening processing image signal being obtained from said opening processing,
• ii) carrying out closing processing in accordance with the morphology operation on the original image signal, a closing processing image signal being obtained from said closing processing, and
• iii) carrying out processing for obtaining the graininess suppression processing image signal in accordance with said opening processing image signal and said closing processing image signal, the graininess suppression processing image signal being obtained with operation processing carried out on image signal components of said opening processing image signal and said closing processing image signal, which image signal components represent corresponding pixels in two images represented by said opening processing image signal and said closing processing image signal, said operation processing being defined with the formula:
• fout={|fopn−fin|(fopn−fin)+|fcls−fin|(fcls−fin)}/{|fopn−fin|+|fcls−fin|}+fin (4)
• wherein fin represents the original image signal, fout represents the graininess suppression processing image signal, fopn represents the opening processing image signal, and fcls represents the closing processing image signal.

An image processing apparatus, wherein predetermined processing is carried out on an original image signal, which is made up of a series of image signal components defining values of pixels constituting an original image, and a graininess suppression processing image signal is thereby obtained, the apparatus comprising:

• i) a morphology operation processing means for carrying out opening processing and closing processing in accordance with a morphology operation, respectively, on the original image signal, an opening processing image signal being obtained from said opening processing, a closing processing image signal being obtained from said closing processing, and
• ii) a signal processing means for carrying out processing for obtaining the graininess suppression processing image signal in accordance with said opening processing image signal and said closing processing image signal, which have been obtained from said morphology operation processing means, the graininess suppression processing image signal being obtained with operation processing carried out on image signal components of said opening processing image signal and said closing processing image signal, which image signal components represent corresponding pixels in two images represented by said opening processing image signal and said closing processing image signal, said operation processing being defined with the formula:
• fout = { fopn ( if ⁢ ⁢ fcls = fin ) fcls ( if ⁢ ⁢ fopn = fin ) w1 · fopn + w2 · fcls ( else ) ( 3 )
• wherein w1 and w2 represent weight factors, w1+w2=1 (0<w1<1, 0<w2<1), fin represents the original image signal, fout represents the graininess suppression processing image signal, fopn represents the opening processing image signal, and fcls represents the closing processing image signal.

An image processing apparatus, wherein predetermined processing is carried out on an original image signal, which is made up of a series of image signal components defining values of pixels constituting an original image, and a graininess suppression processing image signal is thereby obtained, the apparatus comprising:

• i) a morphology operation processing means for carrying out opening processing and closing processing in accordance with a morphology operation, respectively, on the original image signal, an opening processing image signal being obtained from said opening processing, a closing processing image signal being obtained from said closing processing, and
• ii) a signal processing means for carrying out processing for obtaining the graininess suppression processing image signal in accordance with said opening processing image signal and said closing processing image signal, which have been obtained from said morphology operation processing means, the graininess suppression processing image signal being obtained with operation processing carried out on image signal components of said opening processing image signal and said closing processing image signal, which image signal components represent corresponding pixels in two images represented by said opening processing image signal and said closing processing image signal, said operation processing being defined with the formula:
• fout={|fopn−fin|(fopn−fin)+|fcls−fin|(fcls−fin)}/{|fopn−fin|+|fcls−fin|}+fin (4)
• wherein fin represents the original image signal, fout represents the graininess suppression processing image signal, fopn represents the opening processing image signal, and fcls represents the closing processing image signal.