Visual processing apparatus and visual processing method

A visual processing apparatus comprising:

• a spatial processor that receives an image signal and outputs a representative value of luminance levels of a vicinity portion of a target pixel;
• and
• a visual processor that receives the image signal and the representative value, obtains an output signal using a conversion characteristic, and outputs the output signal,
• wherein the conversion characteristic is represented by a first tone curve,
• the first tone curve has an input variable corresponding to the image signal and an output variable corresponding to the output signal,
• the first tone curve changes according to the representative value,
• the first tone curve has a property in which a rate of change of the output variable with respect to the input variable is greater than that of a second tone curve, in the vicinity of a point of intersection between the first tone curve and the second tone curve, and
• the second tone curve represents a relationship between the input variable and the output variable outputted when the image signal is equal to the representative value.