Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and camera module

An image processing method comprising:

• a pixel interpolation process that is performed by an interpolation unit on a sensitivity level value of an acquired color component of each pixel in an image signal which is acquired by an imaging operation to generate a sensitivity level value of an insufficient color component of each pixel,
• wherein the pixel interpolation process includes:
• calculating the amounts of change in the sensitivity level values of the acquired color components in a pixel of attention in which the sensitivity level value of the insufficient color component is generated and peripheral pixels which are disposed in the periphery of the pixel of attention in each direction based on the pixel of attention;
• comparing the amounts of change in two directions which are predetermined according to the acquired color component of the pixel of attention and the insufficient color component whose sensitivity level value is calculated;
• adding a first frequency band component of the image signal and a second frequency band component which is in a frequency band higher than the first frequency band component to generate the sensitivity level value of the insufficient color component of the pixel of attention;
• and
• adding, to the first frequency band component, the second frequency band component in one of the two directions in which the amount of change is determined to be small as the comparison result of the amounts of change,
• the amounts of change in four directions are calculated for each pixel, the four directions are in a first direction, a second direction vertical to the first direction, a third direction which is inclined with respect to the first direction and the second direction, and a fourth direction which is inclined with respect to the first direction and the second direction and is different from the third direction in a two-dimensional space in which the pixels are arranged, and
• the amounts of change are compared in two directions which are predetermined according to the acquired color component and the insufficient color component of the pixel of attention, among the four directions.

A camera module comprising:

• an imaging lens that receives light from an object and forms an object image;
• an image sensor that captures the object image;
• and
• an image processing apparatus that processes an image signal acquired by the image sensor,
• wherein the image processing apparatus includes:
• a pixel interpolation unit that performs an interpolation process on a sensitivity level value of an acquired color component of each pixel in the image signal which is acquired by an imaging operation to generate a sensitivity level value of an insufficient color component of each pixel,
• the pixel interpolation unit includes:
• a change amount calculating unit that calculates the amounts of change in the sensitivity level values of the acquired color components in a pixel of attention in which the sensitivity level value of the insufficient color component is generated and peripheral pixels which are disposed in the periphery of the pixel of attention in each direction based on the pixel of attention;
• a change amount comparison unit that compares the amounts of change calculated by the change amount calculating unit in two directions;
• and
• a calculating unit that adds a first frequency band component of the image signal and a second frequency band component which is in a frequency band higher than the first frequency band component to generate the sensitivity level value of the insufficient color component of the pixel of attention,
• the two directions in which the change amount comparison unit compares the amounts of change are predetermined according to the acquired color component of the pixel of attention and the insufficient color component whose sensitivity level value is calculated,
• the calculating unit adds, to the first frequency band component, the second frequency band component in one of the two directions in which the amount of change is determined to be small by the comparison of the change amount comparison unit,
• the change amount calculating unit calculates the amounts of change in four directions for each pixel, the four directions are a first direction, a second direction vertical to the first direction, a third direction which is inclined with respect to the first direction and the second direction, and a fourth direction which is inclined with respect to the first direction and the second direction and is different from the third direction in a two-dimensional space in which the pixels are arranged, and
• the change amount comparison unit compares the amounts of change in two directions which are predetermined according to the acquired color component and the insufficient color component of the pixel of attention, among the four directions.