Image processing apparatus and method for detecting motion using long exposures images and then performing infinite impulse response filtering on short exposure image

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a detection unit configured to detect a motion by using a long-exposed image in a current frame and a long-exposed image in a previous frame; and

a processing unit configured to perform infinite impulse response (IIR) filtering on a short-exposed image in the current frame according to a result of the detecting of the motion which is obtained from the detection unit.

2. The image processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the long-exposed image and the short-exposed image are sequentially captured by an image sensor.

3. The image processing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the processing unit is configured to combine a result of the IIR filtering that is performed on the short-exposed image in the current frame and a result of the IIR filtering that is performed on the short-exposed image in the previous frame, and output a result of the combining of the results.

4. The image processing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the processing unit is configured to perform the IIR filtering on the short-exposed image in the current frame by using a cyclic coefficient which varies according to the result of the detecting of the motion.

5. The image processing apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the cyclic coefficient is set to be proportional to a motion value corresponding to the result of the detection of the motion at least within a predetermined range.

6. The image processing apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the predetermined range is between a first threshold and a second threshold, and

wherein, if the motion value is lower than the first threshold, the cyclic coefficient is set to a minimum value, and if the motion value is higher than the second threshold, the cyclic coefficient is set to a maximum value.

7. The image processing apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising a synthesis unit configured to synthesize the long-exposed image in the current frame and the result of the IIR filtering that is performed on the short-exposed image in the current frame obtained from the processing unit.

8. The image processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is configured to combine a result of the IIR filtering that is performed on the short-exposed image in the current frame and a result of the IIR filtering that is performed on the short-exposed image in the previous frame, and output a result of the combining of the results.

9. The image processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is configured to perform the IIR filtering on the short-exposed image in the current frame by using a cyclic coefficient which varies according to the result of the detecting of the motion.

10. The image processing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a synthesis unit configured to synthesize the long-exposed image in the current frame and the result of the IIR filtering that is performed on the short-exposed image in the current frame obtained from the processing unit.

11. An image processing method comprising:

detecting a motion by using a long-exposed image in a current frame and a long-exposed image in a previous frame; and

performing infinite impulse response (IIR) filtering on the short-exposed image in the current frame according to a result of the detecting of the motion.

12. The image processing method of claim 11 , wherein the long-exposed image and the short-exposed image are sequentially captured by an image sensor.

13. The image processing method of claim 12 , wherein the IIR filtering is performed by combining the result of the IIR filtering that is performed on the short-exposed image in the current frame and a result of the IIR filtering that is performed on a short-exposed image in the previous frame, and outputting a result of the combining of the results.

14. The image processing method of claim 13 , wherein the IIR filtering on the short-exposed image in the current frame is performed by using a cyclic coefficient which varies according to the result of the detecting of the motion.

15. The image processing method of claim 14 , wherein the cyclic coefficient is set to be proportional to a motion value corresponding to the result of the detection of the motion at least within a predetermined range.

16. The image processing method of claim 15 , wherein the predetermined range is between a first threshold and a second threshold, and

wherein, if the motion value is lower than the first threshold, the cyclic coefficient is set to a minimum value, and if the motion value is higher than the second threshold, the cyclic coefficient is set to a maximum value.

17. The image processing method of claim 16 , further comprising synthesizing the long-exposed image in the current frame and a result of the IIR filtering that is performed on the short-exposed image in the current frame.

18. The image processing method of claim 11 , wherein the IIR filtering is performed by combining the result of the IIR filtering that is performed on the short-exposed image in the current frame and a result of the IIR filtering that is performed on a short-exposed image in the previous frame, and outputting a result of the combining of the results.

19. The image processing method of claim 11 , wherein the IIR filtering on the short-exposed image in the current frame is performed by using a cyclic coefficient which varies according to the result of the detecting of the motion.

20. The image processing method of claim 11 , further comprising synthesizing the long-exposed image in the current frame and a result of the IIR filtering that is performed on the short-exposed image in the current frame.