US 6,807,316 B2 · Image processing method and image processing apparatus

Abstract

An image processing method and apparatus arranged to output an image signal for reproducing an image of favorable quality without any considerable reduction in contrast and sharpness even from a high-contrast wide-dynamic-range image by performing dynamic range compression processing, which is as effective as the conventional dodging. Also, the method and apparatus are effective in reducing appearance of a pseudo edge band, which is caused when dynamic range compression is performed at a high compression ratio. A plurality of unsharp image signals representing unsharp images of an original image are generated from an image signal representing the original image. One synthesized unsharp image signal is generated from the plurality of unsharp image signals. The dynamic range compression processing is performed on the image signal of the original image on the basis of the synthesized unsharp image signal.

Claims16

Dependent claims

An image processing method comprising the steps of:

generating a plurality of unsharp image signals representing unsharp images of an original image from an image signal representing the original image;
generating one synthesized unsharp image signal from the plurality of unsharp image signals;
and
performing dynamic range compression processing on the image signal of the original image on a basis of the synthesized unsharp image signal such as to reduce the dynamic range of the original image.

1 more element

An image processing apparatus which performs dynamic range compression processing on an image signal representing an original image such as to reduce the dynamic range of the original image, said apparatus comprising:

a condition setter setting a condition of the dynamic range compression processing which has a number of unsharp image signals to be generated from the image signal of the original image;
an unsharp image generating device generating a single unsharp image signal or a plurality of unsharp image signals from the image signal of the original image on a basis of the number set in the condition setter;
a synthesizer synthesizing the plurality of unsharp image signals into a synthesized unsharp image signal when the unsharp image generating device generates the plurality of unsharp image signals;
and
an processor performing the dynamic range compression processing on the image signal of the original image on a basis of the single unsharp image signal or the synthesized unsharp image signal.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Image processing method and image processing apparatus

Life of this patent

Image processing method and image processing apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16