IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE, ENDOSCOPE APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, AND PROGRAM

1 . An image processing device comprising:

a memory configured to store a plurality of captured images; and

a processor comprising hardware, wherein the processor is configured to implement:

an image selection unit configured to:

select a reference image from among the plurality of captured images stored in the memory; and

select images to be combined with the reference image from:

a first group of images among the plurality of captured images, the first group of images being captured earlier than the reference image; and

a second group of images among the plurality of captured images, the second group of images being captured later than the reference image; and

a composition processing unit configured to compose the images to be combined selected by the image selection unit with the reference image selected by the image selection unit to generate a composite image.

2 . An endoscope apparatus comprising:

an insertion unit;

an imaging unit disposed at a tip of the insertion unit;

an image processing device, wherein the image processing device includes:

a memory configured to store a plurality of captured images which are captured by the imaging portion,

a processor comprising hardware, wherein the processor is configured to implement:

an image selection unit configured to:

select a reference image from among the plurality of captured images stored in the memory; and

select images to be combined with the reference image from:

 a first group of images among the plurality of captured images, the first group of images being captured earlier than the reference image; and

 a second group of images among the plurality of captured images, the second group of images being captured later than the reference image; and

a composition processing unit configured to compose the images to be combined selected by the image selection unit with the reference image selected by the image selection unit to generate a composite image, and

an image display unit configured to display the composite image.

3 . An image processing method comprising:

selecting a reference image from among the plurality of captured images stored in the memory;

selecting images to be combined with the reference image from:

a first group of images among the plurality of captured images, the first group of images being captured earlier than the reference image; and

a second group of images among the plurality of captured images, the second group of images being captured later than the reference image; and

among the plurality of images; and

composing the images to be combined with the selected reference image to generate a composite image.

4 . A computer-readable device storing a program causing a computer to perform steps of:

selecting a reference image from among the plurality of captured images stored in the memory;

selecting images to be combined with the reference image from:

a first group of images among the plurality of captured images, the first group of images being captured earlier than the reference image; and

a second group of images among the plurality of captured images, the second group of images being captured later than the reference image; and

among the plurality of images; and

composing the images to be combined with the selected reference image to generate a composite image.