Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program

An image processing apparatus for processing image data to be printed on a print medium by an image printing unit, comprising:

• a setting unit to set a print characteristic on the print medium in the image printing unit;
• a region setting unit to set a region configured by a plurality of pixels including a pixel of interest;
• a brightness value derivation unit to derive brightness values of the pixels in the region;
• a first derivative derivation unit to derive first derivatives of the brightness values derived by said brightness value derivation unit for a plurality of pixel sequences in different directions, which include the pixel of interest;
• an edge direction determination unit to determine an edge direction of brightness at a position of the pixel of interest based on the results of the first derivatives at positions of the pixel of interest in the respective pixel sequences derived by said first derivative derivation unit;
• an emphasis level determination unit to determine an emphasis level of a pixel value based on the print characteristic and the first derivatives at respective positions of a plurality of pixels which line up in the edge direction determined by said edge direction determination unit;
• and
• a replacement unit to calculate second derivatives of brightness values at respective positions of the plurality of pixels which line up in the edge direction determined by said edge direction determination unit, to replace a pixel value of the pixel of interest by a pixel value obtained by adding the emphasis level to a pixel value of a pixel which has a minimum brightness value in the pixel sequence when the second derivative at the position of the pixel of interest assumes a positive value, and to replace a pixel value of the pixel of interest by a pixel value obtained by adding the emphasis level to a pixel value of a pixel which has a maximum brightness value in the pixel sequence when the second derivative at the position of the pixel of interest assumes a negative value,
• wherein said replacement unit adjust the calculated second derivatives of brightness values in accordance with the print characteristic on the print medium set by said setting unit;
• wherein said emphasis level determination unit comprises:
• a fluctuation count derivation unit to derive a fluctuation count of brightness values based on the first derivatives at the respective positions of the plurality of pixels which line up in the edge direction;
• and
• a fluctuation amount derivation unit to derive a fluctuation amount of brightness values based on the first derivatives at the respective positions of the plurality of pixels which line up in the edge direction, and
• said emphasis level determination unit determines the emphasis level of the pixel value based on at least one of the fluctuation count and the fluctuation amount;
• and
• wherein said emphasis level determination unit further comprises a second comparison unit to compare the fluctuation count with a third threshold and a fourth threshold larger than the third threshold, and
• said emphasis level determination unit sets the emphasis level to be a designated minimum value when the fluctuation count is smaller than the third threshold, sets the emphasis level to a designated maximum value when the fluctuation count is larger than the fourth threshold, and sets the emphasis level by linear interpolation using the maximum value and the minimum value when the fluctuation count is larger than the third threshold and is smaller than the fourth threshold.