Scan conversion image filtering

1. An image processing apparatus in which output pixels for an output image are generated with respect to input pixels of an input image, a first subset of the output pixels being identical to respective input pixels and a second subset of the output pixels being additional pixels interpolated from respective groups of one or more input pixels, the apparatus comprising:

a band-stop spatial filter arrangement for filtering the second subset of pixels, the band-stop spatial filter arrangement not being applied to filter the first subset of output pixels, the band-stop spatial filter arrangement having a frequency response including a stop band that has a first frequency less than a Kell factor of the input image and a second frequencies greater than the Kell factor of the input such that high spatial frequencies within the stop band are attenuated in the output image.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , in which the output pixels generated with respect to the input pixels of the input image are selected in accordance with an image feature direction in the input image, the apparatus comprising a means for comparing blocks of input pixels of the input image, the blocks of input pixels being disposed with respect to a pixel position under test so that a degree of correlation between the blocks is indicative of the image feature direction applicable to that pixel position.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , in which the band-stop spatial filter arrangement is selectively operable with respect to an output pixel in dependence upon the degree of correlation between the blocks of input pixels used to select the image feature direction for that output pixel.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , in which, for image feature directions that define lines whose gradients lie within a range between a vertical and a threshold gradient, the operation of a vertical filter is independent of the degree of correlation but selectively operable in dependence on the degree of correlation for other image feature directions.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2 , in which the band-stop spatial filter arrangement is selectively operable with respect to an output pixel in dependence upon the image feature direction applicable to that output pixel position.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , in which a horizontal filter is not applied to the output pixel if the image feature direction applicable to that output pixel defines a line whose gradient lies within a range between a vertical and a threshold gradient.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a means for restricting the output of the band-stop spatial filter arrangement with respect to a pixel position in dependence on a range of pixel values defined by values of a set of pixels at predetermined positions with respect to that pixel position.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , in which the filter arrangement comprises a vertical filter and the band-stop spatial filter arrangement has a response such that high vertical frequencies within the stop band are attenuated in the output image.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , in which the filter arrangement comprises a horizontal filter and the band-stop spatial filter arrangement has a response such that high horizontal frequencies within the stop band are attenuated in the output image.

10. A vision mixing apparatus comprising: an image processing apparatus in which output pixels for an output image are generated with respect to input pixels of an input image, a first subset of the output pixels being identical to respective input pixels and a second subset of the output pixels being additional pixels interpolated from respective groups of one or more input pixels, the image processing apparatus including:

a band-stop spatial filter arrangement for filtering the second subset of pixels, the band-stop spatial filter arrangement not being applied to filter the first subset of output pixels, the band-stop spatial filter arrangement having a frequency response including a stop band that has a first frequency less than a Kell factor of the input image and a second frequency greater than the Kell factor of the input image such that high spatial frequencies within the stop band are attenuated in the output image.

11. A video display apparatus comprising: an image processing apparatus in which output pixels for an output image are generated with respect to input pixels of an input image, a first subset of the output pixels being identical to respective input pixels and a second subset of the output pixels being additional pixels interpolated from respective groups of one or more input pixels, the image processing apparatus including:

a band-stop spatial filter arrangement for filtering the second subset of pixels, the band-stop spatial filter arrangement not being applied to filter the first subset of output pixels, the band-stop spatial filter arrangement having a frequency response including a stop band that has a first frequency less than a Kell factor of the input image and a second frequency greater than the Kell factor of the input image such that high spatial frequencies within the stop band are attenuated in the output image.

12. An image processing method in which output pixels for an output image are generated with respect to input pixels of an input image, a first subset of the output pixels being identical to respective input pixels and a second subset of the output pixels being additional pixels interpolated from respective groups of one or more input pixels, the method comprising the steps of:

filtering, using a spatial filter arrangement, the second subset of pixels and not filtering, using the spatial filter arrangement, the first subset of output pixels, the spatial filter arrangement having a frequency response including a stop band that has a first frequency less than a Kell factor of the input image and a second frequency greater than the Kell factor of the input image such that high spatial frequencies within the stop band are attenuated in the output image.

13. The method according to claim 12 , in which the filtering is carried out in a vertical direction and the spatial filter arrangement has a response such that high vertical frequencies within the stop band are attenuated in the output image.

14. The method according to claim 12 , in which the filtering is carried out in a horizontal direction and the spatial filter arrangement has a response such that high horizontal frequencies within the stop band are attenuated in the output image.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having executable instructions stored therein, which when executed by a processor causes the processor to execute an image processing method in which output pixels for an output image are generated with respect to input pixels of an input image, a first subset of the output pixels being identical to respective input pixels and a second subset of the output pixels being additional pixels interpolated from respective groups of one or more input pixels, the method comprising the steps of:

filtering, using a spatial filter arrangement, the second subset of pixels and not filtering, using the spatial filter arrangement, the first subset of output pixels, the spatial filter arrangement having a frequency response including a stop band that has a first frequency less than a Kell factor of the input image and a second frequency greater than the Kell factor of the input image such that high spatial frequencies within the stop band are attenuated in the output image.