IP Library Granted Patent US 8,411,985
Granted Patent B2
US 8,411,985 · App. 12/662,771 · Granted Apr 2, 2013

Image processing device, image processing method and non-transitory computer readable medium recording image processing program

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,411,985
App. No.
12/662,771
Granted
Apr 2, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A first exemplary aspect of the present invention is an image processing device that executes image processing including first image processing and second image processing by using a pipeline mechanism, the image processing device including: a first processing unit that executes the first image processing on an input image data, generates history information recording specifics of processing executed in the first image processing, and outputs the history information to the first processing unit; and a second processing unit that executes the second image processing on the image data obtained in the first image processing according to the output history information.

Claims (42)

1. An image processing device that executes image processing including a first image processing and a second image processing by using a pipeline mechanism, the image processing device comprising:

a first processing unit that executes the first image processing on an input image data, generates history information recording specifics of processing executed in the first image processing, and outputs the history information to the second first processing unit; and

a second processing unit that executes the second image processing on the image data obtained in the first image processing according to the output history information, wherein

the second image processing includes edge emphasis processing to emphasize an edge in the image data,

the second processing unit emphasizes the edge by a strength determined based on the output history information,

the history information includes information indicating a degree of increase a pixel value in the image data, and

the second processing unit decreases a strength by which the edge is emphasized as the degree of increase of the pixel value becomes larger.

2. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein

the second image processing includes a noise reduction processing to reduce a noise in the image data, and

the second processing unit reduces the noise by a strength determined based on the output history information.

3. The image processing device according to claim 2 , wherein

the history information includes information indicating a degree of increase of a pixel value in the image data, and

the second processing unit increases a strength by which the noise is reduced as the degree of increase of the pixel value becomes larger.

4. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein

the first image processing includes a processing that detects an edge in the image data, and executes image processing on the image data according to a detection result,

the history information includes edge information indicating the detection result,

the second image processing includes edge emphasis processing to emphasize an edge in the image data, and

the second processing unit determines whether the edge is emphasized in the image data or not according to the edge information.

5. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein

the image processing device includes a plurality of first processing units,

each of the plurality of the first processing units generates and outputs history information further recording specifics of processing in a first image processing to be executed by that first processing unit itself in addition to the history information output from the first processing unit that executes the first image processing at a preceding stage based on the history information output from the first processing unit, and

the second processing unit executes the second image processing according to the history information output from the first processing unit that executes the first image processing at last stage.

6. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the image data comprises is data per pixel.

7. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first processing unit and the second processing unit is formed from an independent circuit.

8. The image processing device according to claim 1 , further comprising a Central Processing unit (CPU) that outputs a first processing specific specification parameter specifying specifics of processing of the first image processing to the first processing unit, and outputs a second processing specific specification parameter specifying specifics of processing of the second image processing to the second processing unit, wherein

the first processing unit executes the first image processing according to the first processing specific specification parameter, and

the second processing unit executes the second image processing according to the first processing specific specification parameter.

9. An image processing method to execute image processing including a first image processing and a second image processing by a pipeline scheme, the image processing method comprising:

executing the first image processing on image data;

generating and outputting history information recording specifics of processing in the first image processing; and

executing the second image processing on the image data obtained in the first image processing according to the output history information, wherein

the second image processing includes edge emphasis processing to emphasize an edge in the image data,

the second image processing emphasizes the edge by a strength determined based on the output history information,

the history information includes information indicating a degree of increase a pixel value in the image data, and

the second image processing decreases a strength by which the edge is emphasized as the degree of increase of the pixel value becomes larger.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium recording an image processing program that causes a processor to execute second image processing among first image processing and second image processing included in image processing executed by a pipeline scheme, the image processing program for causing the processor to execute the processing comprising:

obtaining a history information recording specifics of processing executed on image data in the first image processing; and

executing the second image processing on the image data executed in first image processing according to the obtained history information, wherein

the second image processing includes edge emphasis processing to emphasize an edge in the image data,

the second image processing emphasizes the edge by a strength determined based on the output history information,

the history information includes information indicating a degree of increase a pixel value in the image data, and

the second image processing decreases a strength by which the edge is emphasized as the degree of increase of the pixel value becomes larger.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Nov 29, 2017
From: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
To: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 044928/0001 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 26, 2010
From: NEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
To: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 025194/0905 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 3, 2010
From: KATOU, YUSUKE
To: NEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 024556/0254 →