Image processing apparatus and image processing method

A image processing apparatus, comprising:

• an interlace/progressive converter that converts interlaced input image data into progressive image data;
• an up-convert material detector that detects low quality up-convert material likelihood of the interlaced input image data;
• and
• an image processor that obtains output image data by processing progressive image data obtained by being converted in the interlace/progressive converter on the basis of the detected signal of the up-convert material detector,
• wherein the up-convert material detector detects the low quality up-convert material likelihood on the basis of ratio of the sum of an inter-field pixel value difference by pixel data of a notable pixel of the first field and a pixel of the second field adjacent to the notable pixel in the vertical direction, and the sum of in-field pixel value difference by pixel data of the notable pixel of the first field and a pixel of the first field adjacent to the notable pixel in the vertical direction, the pixels in a predetermined area being obtained as sequential notable pixels using image data of a first field and a second field that are continuous in each field.