# US 8,787,701 B2 · Image processing apparatus and image processing method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,787,701 B2 - Document ID: US8787701B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/912,941 - Filed: 2013-06-07 - Published: 2013-10-17 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2009-09-08 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Jung-Won Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8787701B2 ## CPC - H04N 5/272: Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay - H04N 5/278: Subtitling - H04N 21/4312: {involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations} - H04N 21/4314: {for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid} - H04N 21/4318: {by altering the content in the rendering process, e.g. blanking, blurring or masking an image region (image enhancement or restoration in general G06T5/00)} - H04N 21/44008: {involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream (arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59)} - H04N 21/44016: {involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip} - H04N 21/8126: {involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An image processing apparatus and an image processing method processing a graphic image are provided. An image processing apparatus including: a display unit; a first image output unit which outputs a first image signal; a second image output unit which outputs a second image signal and a transparency information with respect to the second image signal; an image mixing unit which outputs a third image signal mixing the first image signal and the second image signal by using the transparency information; an image processing unit which processes the third image signal to output to the display unit; and a control unit which extracts the transparency information from the second image output unit, and outputs a position information about which the second image signal is displayed in the display unit based on the extracted transparency information to the image processing unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image processing apparatus comprising: an image mixing unit which receives a first image signal and a second image signal, mixes the first image signal and the second image signal, and outputs a third image signal as a result of the mixing; a control unit which outputs a position information of the second image signal with respect to the first image signal; and an image processing unit which processes the third image signal based on the position information such that a region of the third image signal corresponding to the second image is processed differently from other regions of the third image signal and outputs the processed third image signal to a display unit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a first image output unit which outputs the first image signal; and a second image output unit which outputs the second image signal and transparency information with respect to the second image signal, wherein the image mixing unit mixes the first image signal and the second image signal by using the transparency information. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit extracts the transparency information from the second image output unit and generates the position information of the second image signal based on the extracted transparency information. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control unit outputs the position information including a transparency map representing presence of transparency information with respect to each pixel of the second image signal to be displayed. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control unit compares the transparency information with a predetermined reference value, and outputs the position information including a transparency map with respect to the position of the second image signal, the transparency map generated based on a result of the comparison. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The image processing apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising: a user interface for determining the reference value. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control unit classifies the transparency information into a predetermined group depending on a transparency degree, and outputs the position information including a transparency map with respect to the position of the second image signal, the transparency map generated based on a result of the classification. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing unit comprises a frame rate converting unit which converts a frame rate of the third image signal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing unit comprises an image converting unit which converts a two dimensional image into a three dimensional image signal, wherein if the third image signal is a two dimensional image, the image converting unit converts the two dimensional image into a three dimensional image signal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first image signal comprises a video image, and the second image signal comprises a graphic image. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a broadcasting receiving unit which receives a broadcasting signal, wherein the first image signal comprises a broadcasting image signal included in the broadcasting signal, and the second image signal comprises a data signal included in the broadcasting signal. ### Claim 12 A control method of an image processing apparatus, comprising: receiving a first image signal and a second image signal; mixing the first image signal and the second image signal; generating a mixed image signal as a result of the mixing; generating position information of the second image signal with respect to the first image signal; and processing the mixed image signal by using the position information such that a region of the mixed image signal corresponding to the second image is processed differently from other regions of the mixed image signal, and outputting the processed mixed image signal to a display unit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The control method of the image processing apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising: receiving transparency information with respect to the second image signal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The control method of the image processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the generating position information comprises generating the position information including a transparency map representing presence of the transparency information with respect to each pixel of the second image signal to be displayed. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The control method of the image processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the generating position information comprises comparing the transparency information with a predetermined reference value, and generating the position information including a transparency map with respect to the position of the second image signal, the transparency map generated based on a result of the comparison. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The control method of the image processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the generating position information comprises classifying the transparency information into a predetermined group depending on a transparency degree, and generating the position information including a transparency map with respect to the position of the second image signal, the transparency map generated based on a result of the classification. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The control method of the image processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the processing the mixed image signal comprises converting a frame rate of the mixed image signal. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The control method of the image processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the first image signal comprises a video image, and the second image signal comprises a graphic image. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The control method of the image processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the first image signal and the second image signal are received from a broadcasting signal, the first image signal comprises a broadcasting image signal included in the broadcasting signal, and the second image signal comprises a data signal included in the broadcasting signal.