Method and apparatus for converting a color image

1. A method for scaling a color image, the method comprising:

(a) converting input data produced by sampling a color image having pixels arranged in a first grid of pixels into output data resulting in a reproduction of the color image having pixels arranged in a second grid of pixels, the first and second grids being different,

wherein each pixel of the input data and of the output data comprises a plurality of sub-pixels, each sub-pixel of a pixel being associated with a color component of the color image, and

wherein converting input data comprises producing a sub-pixel of a color component of a pixel of the output data by filtering the sub-pixels of the corresponding color component of the pixels of the input data using a filtering function locally related to said sub-pixel of the output data;

(b) determining a distortion in the sub-pixel produced,

wherein in step (b) an intensity associated with the sub-pixel produced is determined, an intensity limited to a minimum or a maximum intensity of the sub-pixel produced is determined, and an error reproducing the distortion is determined on the basis of the difference between the intensity of the sub-pixel produced and the limited intensity; and

(c) compensating the distortion determined in step (b) by imposing a reverse distortion on sub-pixels in pixels of the output data adjacent to the pixel having the sub-pixel produced,

wherein in a step (c1), an overall error of the sub-pixel produced is determined on the basis of the error produced in step (b) and of a non-corrected error of a preceding sub-pixel produced, and wherein in a step (c2), the overall error determined is corrected by setting the intensities of the preceding sub-pixel produced and the subsequent sub-pixel produced, and

wherein the non-corrected error is that part of the preceding sub-pixel's overall error that was not correctable during compensation of the preceding sub-pixel's distortion due to the corrected intensity for the preceding sub-pixel reaching the limited intensity.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the filtering function is symmetrical to a center of the sub-pixel to be produced.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the filtering function weights the sub-pixels of the input data in relation to their local position with regard to the sub-pixel to be produced.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein in step (c2), setting the intensities is performed such that the overall error is substantially fully corrected, said intensities not falling short of or exceeding the maximum or minimum admissible intensities for the sub-pixels.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein in step (c2), the maximum possible correction is initially calculated, and the maximum correction calculated is subsequently distributed substantially evenly to the sub-pixels of adjacent pixels.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein in step (c2), the overall error is distributed substantially evenly to the sub-pixels of adjacent pixels, and wherein the intensities of these sub-pixels are subsequently set for correcting the distributed overall error.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein steps (a) to (c) are repeated for all sub-pixels of a pixel of the output data.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the preceding process steps are repeated for all pixels of the output data.

9. An apparatus for scaling a color image, the apparatus comprising:

a processing unit configured to convert input data produced by sampling a color image having pixels arranged in a first grid of pixels into output data resulting in a reproduction of the color image having pixels arranged in a second grid of pixels, the first and second grids being different,

wherein each pixel of the input data and of the output data comprising a plurality of sub-pixels, each sub-pixel of a pixel being associated with a color component of the color image, and

wherein the processing unit is further configured

to receive input data and to produce a sub-pixel of a color component of a pixel of the output data by filtering the sub-pixels of the corresponding color component of the pixels of the input data using a filtering function locally related to said sub-pixel of the output data,

to determine a distortion in the sub-pixel produced, wherein the processing unit determines an intensity associated with the sub-pixel produced, determines an intensity limited to a minimum or a maximum intensity of the sub-pixel produced, and determines an error reproducing the distortion on the basis of the difference between the intensity of the sub-pixel produced and the limited intensity, and

to compensate the distortion by imposing a reverse distortion on sub-pixels in pixels of the output data adjacent to the pixel having the sub-pixel produced,

wherein the processing unit includes a unit for determining an overall error of the sub-pixel produced on the basis of the error produced and of a non-corrected error of a preceding sub-pixel produced, and a unit for correcting the overall error determined by setting the intensities of the preceding sub-pixel produced and the subsequent sub-pixel produced,

wherein the non-corrected error is that part of the preceding sub-pixel's overall error that was not correctable during compensation of the preceding sub pixel's distortion due to the corrected intensity for the preceding sub-pixel reaching the limited intensity.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the processing unit comprises:

a plurality of filter arrangements, each of the filter arrangements being associated with one of the color components in the color image and being adapted to receive, from the input data, sub-pixels of a corresponding color component, and

a unit operatively connected to each of the plurality of filter arrangements to associate a respective filtering function with each of the plurality of filter arrangements.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the filtering function is symmetrical to a center of the sub-pixel to be produced.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the filtering function weights the sub-pixels of the input data in relation to their local position with regard to the sub-pixel to be produced.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the unit sets the intensities such that the overall error is substantially fully compensated for, said intensities not falling short of or exceeding the maximum or minimum admissible intensities for the sub-pixels.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the unit initially calculates the maximum possible correction and subsequently distributes the maximum correction calculated substantially evenly to the sub-pixels of adjacent pixels.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the unit distributes the overall error substantially evenly to the sub-pixels of adjacent pixels, and subsequently sets the intensities of these sub-pixels for correcting the distributed overall error.