Recording medium, apparatus and method for processing images

A recording medium storing a program thereon, comprising:

• a step of generating a two-dimensional background image for use on a screen display;
• a step of shifting by at least one pixel portion, based on depth amount information of a plurality of three-dimensional objects, an image on a screen corresponding to an object having a large depth amount from among said plurality of three-dimensional objects, along with said background image and on said background image;
• and
• a step of generating an image for displaying simultaneously in one frame image on the screen an image in which said one-pixel portion shifted image on the screen is simultaneously overlaid on the image prior to being shifted by one pixel portion, together with an image corresponding to an object having a small depth amount.

An image processing apparatus, comprising:

• recording means on which a plurality of three-dimensional objects together with depth information are recorded;
• a frame buffer having a rendering area in which said plurality of three-dimensional objects are converted to images according to a predetermined process and rendered;
• display means for displaying on a screen the images which are rendered in said rendering area of said frame buffer;
• and
• rendering control means for performing a conversion processing from said three-dimensional objects to said images,
• wherein said rendering control means shifts by at least one pixel portion and renders on said frame buffer, based on depth amount information of said plurality of three-dimensional objects, an image corresponding to an object having a large depth amount from among said plurality of three-dimensional objects, generates and renders an image (referred to as a blurred image) in which said one-pixel portion shifted and rendered image is subjected to semi-transparency formation processing and simultaneously overlaid onto the image prior to being one-pixel shifted, renders in said rendering area said blurred image together with an image having a small depth amount from images corresponding to said plurality of three-dimensional objects, and displays simultaneously in one frame image on said display means said blurred image and said image having a small depth amount.

An image processing apparatus, comprising:

• recording means on which information of a two-dimensional background image for display on a screen, and a plurality of three-dimensional objects together with depth information are recorded;
• a frame buffer having a rendering area in which said two-dimensional background image is rendered, and wherein said plurality of three-dimensional objects are converted to images and rendered on said background image;
• display means for displaying on a screen the images which are rendered in said rendering area of said frame buffer;
• and
• rendering control means for performing a conversion processing from said three-dimensional objects to said images,
• wherein said rendering control means shifts by at least one pixel portion and renders on said frame buffer, based on depth amount information of said plurality of three-dimensional objects, an image corresponding to an object having a large depth amount from among said plurality of three-dimensional objects together with said background image, generates and renders an image (referred to as a blurred image) in which said one-pixel portion shifted and rendered image is subjected to semi-transparency formation processing and simultaneously overlaid onto the image prior to being shifted by one pixel portion, renders in said rendering area said blurred image together with an image having a small depth amount from images corresponding to said plurality of three-dimensional objects, and displays simultaneously in one frame image on said display means said blurred image and said image having a small depth amount.

An image processing method, comprising:

• a step of preparing source image data in which each pixel value therein is expressed as RGB value;
• a step of creating one-pixel shifted image data in which said source image data is shifted by at least one pixel in a predetermined direction;
• a step of creating blurred image data formed as a result of overlaying said one-pixel shifted image data on said source image data, and RGB values to which the RGB value of pixels corresponding in position are added respectively at a predetermined ratio;
• and
• displaying said blurred image data simultaneously in one frame image on a display means.

An image processing apparatus, comprising:

• recording means on which a plurality of three-dimensional objects together with depth information are recorded;
• a frame buffer having a rendering area in which said plurality of three-dimensional objects are rendered after being subjected to perspective projection conversion from a predetermined viewpoint and converted into images;
• display means for displaying on a screen a plurality of images which are rendered in said rendering area;
• and
• rendering control means for performing processing of said perspective projection conversion;
• wherein said rendering control means:
• classifies, based on said fixed viewpoint, images corresponding to said plurality of three-dimensional objects in said rendering area of said frame buffer, into a far-distance image group, a mid-distance image group and a near-distance image group, pertaining to said depth information, and renders said far-distance object group in said rendering area;
• renders, in said rendering area, an image (referred to as a blurred far-distance image group) for which a far-distance image group, in which the far-distance object group has been shifted by at least one pixel in a first predetermined direction, is subjected to semi-transparency formation processing and overlaid on said far-distance image group before being shifted;
• further renders in said rendering area said mid-distance image group;
• further shifts, with respect to the rendering area in which said mid-distance image group and said blurred far-distance image group are rendered, said mid-distance image group and said blurred far-distance image group by at least one pixel in a second predetermined direction, and renders in said rendering area an image (an image resulting from a double blurred far-distance image group and a blurred mid-distance image group) which is subjected to semi-transparency formation processing and overlaid on the image group before being shifted;
• and
• further renders, in the rendering area, said near-distance image group.

An image processing apparatus, comprising:

• recording means on which a plurality three-dimensional objects together with depth information are recorded, and in which a two-dimensional background image for a display screen are recorded;
• a frame buffer having a rendering area in which said background image is rendered, and in which a plurality of three-dimensional objects are rendered after being subjected to perspective projection conversion from a predetermined viewpoint and converted into images;
• display means for displaying on a screen a plurality of images which are rendered in said rendering area;
• and
• rendering control means for performing processing of said perspective projection conversion;
• wherein said rendering control means:
• classifies, based on said fixed viewpoint, images corresponding to said plurality of three-dimensional objects in said rendering area of said frame buffer, into a far-distance image group, a mid-distance image group and a near-distance image group, pertaining to said depth information, and renders said far-distance object group in said rendering area, after said two-dimensional background image is rendered;
• renders, in said rendering area, an image (referred to as a blurred far-distance image group) for which a background image attached far-distance image group, in which the far-distance object group together with the background image have been shifted by at least one pixel in a first predetermined direction, is subjected to semi-transparency formation processing and overlaid on the background image attached far-distance image group before being shifted;
• further renders in said rendering area said mid-distance image group;
• further shifts, with respect to the rendering area in which said mid-distance image group and said blurred far-distance image group are rendered, said mid-distance image group and said blurred far-distance image group by at least one pixel in a second predetermined direction, and renders in said rendering area an image (an image resulting from a double blurred far-distance image group and a blurred mid-distance image group) which is subjected to semi-transparency formation processing and overlaid on the image group before being shifted;
• and
• further renders, in the rendering area, said near-distance image group.

A recording medium storing a program thereon, comprising:

• a step of shifting by at least one pixel portion, based on depth amount information of a plurality of three-dimensional objects, an image on a screen corresponding to an object having a large depth amount from among said plurality of three-dimensional objects;
• and
• a step of generating an image for displaying on the screen an image in which the one-pixel portion shifted image is overlaid onto the image prior to be shifted by one pixel portion, together with an image corresponding to an object having a small depth amount,
• wherein a direction of shifting the at least one pixel portion on said screen is either of an upward direction or a downward direction on said screen.

A recording medium storing a program thereon, comprising:

• a step of generating a two-dimensional background image for use on a screen display;
• a step of shifting by at least one pixel portion, based on depth amount information of a plurality of three-dimensional objects, an image on a screen corresponding to an object having a large depth amount from among said plurality of three-dimensional objects, along with said background image and on said background image;
• and
• a step of generating an image for displaying on the screen an image in which said one-pixel portion shifted image on the screen is overlaid on the image prior to being shifted by one pixel portion, together with an image corresponding to an object having a small depth amount,
• wherein a direction of shifting the at least one pixel portion on said screen is either of an upward direction or a downward direction on said screen.

An image processing apparatus, comprising:

• recording means on which a plurality of three-dimensional objects together with depth information are recorded;
• a frame buffer having a rendering area in which said plurality of three-dimensional objects are converted to images according to a predetermined process and rendered;
• display means for displaying on a screen the images which are rendered in said rendering area of said frame buffer;
• and
• rendering control means for performing a conversion processing from said three-dimensional objects to said images,
• wherein said rendering control means shifts by at least one pixel portion and renders on said frame buffer, based on depth amount information of said plurality of three-dimensional objects, an image corresponding to an object having a large depth amount from among said plurality of three-dimensional objects, generates and renders an image (referred to as a blurred image) in which said one-pixel portion shifted and rendered image is subjected to semi-transparency formation processing and overlaid onto the image prior to being one-pixel shifted, renders in said rendering area said blurred image together with an image having a small depth amount from images corresponding to said plurality of three-dimensional objects, and displays on said display means said blurred image and said image having a small depth amount, and
• wherein a direction of shifting the at least one pixel portion on said screen is either of an upward direction or a downward direction on said screen.

An image processing apparatus, comprising:

• recording means on which information of a two-dimensional background image for display on a screen, and a plurality of three-dimensional objects together with depth information are recorded;
• a frame buffer having a rendering area in which said two-dimensional background image is rendered, and wherein said plurality of three-dimensional objects are converted to images and rendered on said background image;
• display means for displaying on a screen the images which are rendered in said rendering area of said frame buffer;
• and
• rendering control means for performing a conversion processing from said three-dimensional objects to said images,
• wherein said rendering control means shifts by at least one pixel portion and renders on said frame buffer, based on depth amount information of said plurality of three-dimensional objects, an image corresponding to an object having a large depth amount from among said plurality of three-dimensional objects together with said background image, generates and renders an image (referred to as a blurred image) in which said one-pixel portion shifted and rendered image is subjected to semi-transparency formation processing and overlaid onto the image prior to being shifted by one pixel portion, renders in said rendering area said blurred image together with an image having a small depth amount from images corresponding to said plurality of three-dimensional objects, and displays on said display means said blurred image and said image having a small depth amount, and
• wherein a direction of shifting the at least one pixel portion on said screen is either of an upward direction or a downward direction on said screen.

An image processing method, comprising:

• a step of preparing source image data in which each pixel value therein is expressed as RGB value;
• a step of creating one-pixel shifted image data in which said source image data is shifted by at least one pixel in a predetermined direction;
• and
• a step of creating blurred image data formed as a result of overlaying said one-pixel shifted image data on said source image data, and RGB values to which the RGB value of pixels corresponding in position are added respectively at a predetermined ratio, wherein said predetermined direction is one of an upward, downward, rightward or leftward direction, and said predetermined ratio is 50%:50%.