Image processing apparatus and image processing method

An image processing apparatus for producing a three-dimensional image frame, the apparatus comprising:

• an image receiver which receives an image;
• and
• an image processor which applies an offset value to an object abstracted from a first two-dimensional image frame of the received image to obtain an offset image frame, obtains image information corresponding to a distorted area from a second two-dimensional image frame if a degree of similarity between the first and second two-dimensional image frames is equal to or higher than a preset value, and replaces the distorted area with the obtained image information,
• wherein the first two-dimensional image frame is one of a plurality of image frames of a video signal and the second two-dimensional image frame is one of a previous image frame of the first two-dimensional frame and a next image frame of the first two-dimensional frame among the plurality of image frames of the video signal,
• wherein the image processor determines if the degree of similarity is equal to or higher than the preset value by determining whether the object exists in both the offset image frame and the second image frame, and
• wherein the image processor determines whether the object exists in each image frame by detecting a first pixel area in the offset image frame, detecting a second pixel area in the second image frame, and determining whether image information in the first pixel area is substantially equal to image information in the second pixel area.

A video processing method, the method comprising:

• forming a three-dimensional video by separating a two-dimensional video into a pair of stereoscopic videos and offsetting one or more objects abstracted from the two dimensional video;
• identifying image information of an area of a first two-dimensional frame distorted by the offsetting of one or more objects;
• determining whether a degree of similarity between the first and second two-dimensional image frames is equal to or higher than a preset value;
• identifying an area of a second two-dimensional frame corresponding to the distorted area of the first frame if the degree of similarity between the first and second two-dimensional image frames is equal to or higher than a preset value;
• and
• replacing the distorted area of the first two-dimensional frame with the identified image information, wherein the first two-dimensional frame is one of a plurality of image frames of a video signal and the second two-dimensional frame is one of a previous frame of the first two-dimensional frame and a next frame of the first two-dimensional frame among the plurality of image frames of the video signal,
• wherein the degree of similarity between the offset image frame and the second image frame is determined based on a determining of whether the object exists in both the offset image frame and the second image frame,
• wherein the determining of whether the object exists in both the offset image frame and the second image frame comprises:
• detecting a first pixel area in the offset image frame;
• detecting a second pixel area in the second image frame;
• and
• determining whether image information in the first pixel area is substantially equal to image information in the second pixel area, and
• wherein the detecting of the first and second pixel areas is performed so as to exclude pixels of the object.