Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program

An image processing method for an image processing apparatus configured to process an image to be inputted, the method comprising:

• by the imaging processing apparatus,
• detecting a flat region where pixel values of pixels on a first image are flat based on variances of the pixel values of the pixels constituting the first image inputted;
• calculating a difference between the pixel values of the pixels corresponding to the first image and a second image which continues before or after the first image;
• detecting a noise level indicating a statistic noise amount of noise generated in each pixel constituting the first image based on the variances of the difference corresponding to each pixel constituting the flat region on the first image;
• and
• detecting at least one of a still region indicating a region where an object on the first image is still and a motion region indicating a region where the object is moving, based on a comparison result between the variances of the difference corresponding to each pixel constituting the first image and the noise level.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon a program that causes a computer to function as:

• a flatness detector configured to detect a flat region where pixel values of pixels on a first image are flat based on variances of the pixel values of the pixels constituting the first image inputted;
• a difference calculation section configured to calculate a difference between the pixel values of the pixels corresponding to the first image and a second image which continues before or after the first image;
• a noise level detector configured to detect a noise level indicating a statistic noise amount of noise generated in each pixel constituting the first image based on the variances of the difference corresponding to each pixel constituting the flat region on the first image;
• and
• a motion detector configured to detect at least one of a still region indicating a region where an object on the first image is still and a motion region indicating a region where the object is moving, based on a comparison result between the variances of the difference corresponding to each pixel constituting the first image and the noise level.