# US 8,787,655 B2 · Image processing apparatus and control method therefor

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 8,787,655 B2
- Document ID: US8787655B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/278,481
- Filed: 2011-10-21
- Published: 2012-05-17
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2010-11-12
- Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Eisaku Tatsumi
- Inventors: Eisaku Tatsumi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8787655B2

## CPC

- G06V 20/64: Three-dimensional [3D] objects
- H04N 13/261: with monoscopic-to-stereoscopic image conversion
- H04N 13/341: using temporal multiplexing
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

An image processing apparatus according to the present invention, comprises a calculation unit that calculates a sharpness of a 2D image for each region thereof; an image processing unit that performs image processing, in a region with a sharpness calculated by the calculation unit being higher than a first predetermined value, to increase that sharpness, and performing image processing, in a region with a sharpness calculated by the calculation unit being lower than a second predetermined value which is equal to or lower than the first predetermined value, to reduce that sharpness; and a generation unit that generates, from the 2D image processed by the image processing unit, an image for a left eye and an image for a right eye by shifting the 2D image in a horizontal direction.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An image processing apparatus for converting a 2D image into a 3D image composed of an image for a left eye and an image for a right eye, the image processing apparatus comprising:
an image processor that calculates a sharpness of a 2D image for each region thereof and that performs image processing, in a region with a calculated sharpness being higher than a first predetermined value, to increase that sharpness, and performs image processing, in a region with a calculated sharpness being lower than a second predetermined value which is equal to or lower than the first predetermined value, to reduce that sharpness; and
an image generator that generates, from the 2D image processed by the image processor, an image for a left eye and an image for a right eye by shifting the 2D image in a horizontal direction.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processor does not perform the image processing to reduce the sharpness in a region with a calculated sharpness being lower than a third predetermined value which is lower than the second predetermined value.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image processor further determines whether a focus position of the 2D image is in its foreground or background,
wherein when the focus position is in the foreground, the image generator generates the image for a left eye by shifting the 2D image rightward relative to the image for a right eye, whereas when the focus position is in the background, the image generator generates the image for a left eye by shifting the 2D image leftward relative to the image for a right eye.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the image processor determines that the focus position is in the foreground when the focus position is located at a central region of the image.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processor further determines whether a focus position of the 2D image is in its foreground or background,
wherein when the focus position is in the foreground, the image generator generates the image for a left eye by shifting the 2D image rightward relative to the image for a right eye, whereas when the focus position is in the background, the image generator generates the image for a left eye by shifting the 2D image leftward relative to the image for a right eye.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the image processor determines that the focus position is in the foreground when the focus position is located at a central region of the image.