Image processing apparatus, imaging apparatus, and method for processing image

1. An image processing apparatus, comprising:

a memory circuit configured to store original image data;

a read circuit configured to:

read, from the memory circuit, image data of a rectangular area that is part of the original image data,

set pixel values to a first flanking area that is added to the rectangular area in a surrounding space thereof such that the first flanking area adjoins one or more edges of the rectangular area that are part of perimeter edges of the original image data, and

output extended image data inclusive of the image data of the rectangular area, image data of the first flanking area to which the pixel values are set, and image data of a second flanking area that is image data of adjacent areas added to the rectangular area in a surrounding space thereof such that the second flanking area adjoins one or more edges of the rectangular area that are not part of the perimeter edges of the original image data; and

a first filtering process circuit configured to apply a filtering process to the extended image data.

2. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the read circuit is further configured to set the pixel values to the flanking areas by setting, to the first flanking area, pixel values identical to pixel values that are in existence inside the rectangular area.

3. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the read circuit is further configured to perform multiple read operations to read pixel values of the same pixels multiple times from the memory circuit, to use the pixel values obtained in one of the multiple read operations as the pixel values of the rectangular area, and to use the pixel values obtained in another one of the multiple read operations as the pixel values of the first flanking area.

4. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the read circuit is further configured to successively read a series of pixel values from the memory unit, to delay the series of pixel values, and to successively select a pixel value from either the delayed series of pixel values or the series of pixel values with no delay, thereby setting the pixel value of the same pixel both to an inside of the rectangular area and to the first flanking area.

5. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the read circuit is further configured to:

successively read image data of all rectangular areas included in the original image data, to write the extended image data of a first rectangular area at a position corresponding to the first rectangular area in the memory circuit when the first rectangular area is in contact with a perimeter edge of the original image data, and to write the image data of a second rectangular area, as is read from the memory circuit, at a position corresponding to the second rectangular area in the memory unit when the second rectangular area is not in contact with any perimeter edge of the original image data, and

read image data of an extended rectangular area that includes the image data of a given rectangular area written to the memory by the read unit and the image data of an area having a constant size situated in surroundings of the given rectangular area, and

the filtering process circuit is further configured to apply the filtering process to the image data of the extended rectangular area.

6. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a second filtering process circuit, wherein the first filtering process circuit is further configured to apply a filtering process having a first filter size to the extended image data, and

the second filtering process circuit is further configured to apply a filtering process having a second filter size to image data output from the first filtering process circuit, wherein the read circuit is further configured to output the extended image data obtained by setting the pixel values to the first flanking area having a size larger than a size corresponding to a sum of the first filter size and the second filter size, and the first filtering process circuit is further configured to output image data having the same size as the rectangular area surrounded by a flanking area that has a size larger than a size corresponding to the second filter size.

7. An imaging apparatus, comprising:

a lens;

an imaging device; and

an image processing unit,

wherein the image processing unit includes:

a memory circuit configured to store original image data;

a read circuit configured to:

read, from the memory unit, image data of a rectangular area that is part of the original image data, to set pixel values to a first flanking area that is added to the rectangular area in a surrounding space thereof such that the first flanking area adjoins one or more edges of the rectangular area that are part of perimeter edges of the original image data, and

output extended image data inclusive of the image data of the rectangular area, image data of the first flanking area to which the pixel values are set, and image data of a second flanking area that is image data of adjacent areas added to the rectangular area in a surrounding space thereof such that the second flanking area adjoins one or more edges of the rectangular area that are not part of the perimeter edges of the original image data; and

a filtering process circuit configured to apply a filtering process to the extended image data.

8. A method for processing an image, comprising:

using a read circuit to read, from a memory circuits that stores original image data, image data of a rectangular area that is part of the original image data;

using the read circuit to set pixel values to a first flanking area that is added to the rectangular area in a surrounding space thereof such that the first flanking area adjoins one or more edges of the rectangular area that are part of perimeter edges of the original image data;

using the read circuit to produce extended image data inclusive of the image data of the rectangular area and image data of the first flanking area to which the pixel values are set, and image data of a second flanking area that is image data of adjacent areas added to the rectangular area in a surrounding space thereof such that the second flanking area adjoins one or more edges of the rectangular area that are not part of the perimeter edges of the original image data;

supplying the extended image data to a filtering process circuit; and

using the filtering process circuit to apply a filtering process to the extended image data.