Data processing apparatus, data processing method, and program

1. A data processing apparatus for processing image data, the data processing apparatus comprising:

variance information calculation means for calculating variance information indicating the degree of variance of pixel values for each of a plurality of pixels constituting the image data;

smoothing means for smoothing the variance information and for outputting a smoothed value;

determination means for determining an area to which the pixel belongs on the basis of the smoothed value and for outputting area information indicating the area;

parameter determination means for determining a parameter for a noise removal process for each of the pixels constituting the image data on the basis of the area information and the smoothed value; and

noise removal means for performing the noise removal process on the image data on the basis of the parameter determined for each of the pixels.

2. The data processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the determination means comprises:

amount of change calculation means for calculating the amount of changes in the smoothed values of pixels including a pixel of interest and those positioned in the vicinity of the pixel of interest among the pixels constituting the image data;

histogram calculation means for calculating a histogram of the amount of changes; and

area determination means for determining an area to which the pixel belongs on the basis of the histogram.

3. The data processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the determination means makes a determination as to which one of an edge area, a texture area, and a flat area the pixel belongs.

4. A data processing method for processing image data, the data processing method comprising at least one processor implementing the steps of:

calculating variance information indicating the degree of variance of pixel values for each of a plurality of pixels constituting the image data;

smoothing the variance information and outputting a smoothed value;

determining an area to which the pixel belongs on the basis of the smoothed value and outputting area information indicating the area;

determining a parameter for a noise removal process for each of the pixels constituting the image data on the basis of the area information and the smoothed value; and

performing the noise removal process on the image data on the basis of the parameter determined for each of the pixels.

5. A computer readable medium storing a program for enabling a computer to perform data processing for processing image data, the program comprising the steps of:

calculating variance information indicating the degree of variance of pixel values for each of a plurality of pixels constituting the image data;

smoothing the variance information and outputting a smoothed value;

determining an area to which the pixel belongs on the basis of the smoothed value and outputting area information indicating the area;

determining a parameter for a noise removal process for each of the pixels constituting the image data on the basis of the area information and the smoothed value; and

performing the noise removal process on the image data on the basis of the parameter determined for each of the pixels.

6. A data processing apparatus for processing image data, the data processing apparatus comprising:

a variance information calculator configured to calculate variance information indicating the degree of variance of pixel values for each of a plurality of pixels constituting the image data;

a smoothing section configured to smooth the variance information and to output a smoothed value;

a determination section configured to determine an area to which the pixel belongs on the basis of the smoothed value and to output area information indicating the area;

a parameter determination section configured to determine a parameter for a noise removal process for each of the pixels constituting the image data on the basis of the area information and the smoothed value; and

a noise removal section configured to perform the noise removal process on the image data on the basis of the parameter determined for each of the pixels.