IP Library Granted Patent US 12664631
Granted Patent B2
US 12664631 · App. 18/441,675 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Image processing device, image processing method, and recording medium

Inventors: Yuji Umezu (Yokohama, JP); Atsushi Matsuzaka (Yokohama, JP)
Assignee: Socionext Inc.
G06T5/94G06T5/70G06T2207/20192G06T2207/30252
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12664631
App. No.
18/441,675
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An image processing device includes a memory and a processor configured to calculate a reference black level and a reference illumination light component based on pixel values of peripheral pixels located around a target pixel for image processing using image data acquired by an imaging device, correct a black level of the target pixels based on the reference black level calculated by the processor, and perform a tone correction of the target pixels with the black level corrected based on the reference illumination light component calculated by the processor. Accordingly, even when a large gain is applied to a dark portion of an image in a local tone correction, it is possible to generate an image with high visibility in which an occurrence of raised black levels is suppressed.

Claims (21)

1 . An image processing device, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory and configured to

calculate, using image data acquired by an imaging device, a reference black level and a reference illumination light component based on pixel values of peripheral pixels located around a target pixel for image processing;

correct a black level of the target pixel based on the reference black level calculated by the processor; and

perform, based on the reference illumination light component calculated by the processor, a tone correction of the target pixel with the black level thereof corrected,

wherein the processor calculates, for each of a plurality of target pixels, the reference black level and the reference illumination light component based on the pixel values of the peripheral pixels located around the target pixel.

2 . The image processing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processor calculates a minimum value of the pixel values of the peripheral pixels as the reference black level.

3 . The image processing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processor calculates an average value of the pixel values of the peripheral pixels as the reference illumination light component.

4 . The image processing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processor performs a first edge-preserving smoothing process when calculating the reference black level, and performs a second edge-preserving smoothing process when calculating the reference illumination light component.

5 . The image processing device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the processor utilizes a part of a processing result of the first edge-preserving smoothing process in the second edge-preserving smoothing process.

6 . An image processing method executed by a computer, comprising:

a calculation process of calculating, using image data acquired by an imaging device, a reference black level and a reference illumination light component based on pixel values of peripheral pixels located around a target pixel for image processing;

a black level correction process of correcting a black level of the target pixel based on the reference black level calculated by the calculation process; and

a tone correction process of performing, based on the reference illumination light component calculated by the calculation process, a tone correction of the target pixel with the black level thereof corrected,

wherein, for each of a plurality of target pixels, the reference black level and the reference illumination light component are calculated based on the pixel values of the peripheral pixels located around the target pixel.

7 . A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having a program embodied therein for causing a computer to perform:

a calculation process of calculating, using image data acquired by an imaging device, a reference black level and a reference illumination light component based on pixel values of peripheral pixels located around a target pixel for image processing;

a black level correction process of correcting a black level of the target pixel based on the reference black level calculated by the calculation process; and

a tone correction process of performing, based on the reference illumination light component calculated by the calculation process, a tone correction of the target pixel with the black level thereof corrected,

wherein, for each of a plurality of target pixels, the reference black level and the reference illumination light component are calculated based on the pixel values of the peripheral pixels located around the target pixel.