Patent ID: 7564590
Filing Date: 2009-07-21
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An image processing apparatus used for converting image data of an original image composed of a plurality of pixels defined as a matrix into image data of a converted image composed of a plurality of pixels defined as another matrix in which the matrix of the original image has been interpolated by lines of pixels, while inserting pixels between any adjacent two lines in the matrix of the original image, by a processing according to an error diffusion method, wherein a pixel value of each of the plurality of pixels that constitute the image data of the original image is defined as an original pixel value, a pixel value of each of the plurality of pixels that constitute the image data of the converted image is defined as a converted pixel value, each of lines of the pixels in the matrix of the pixels of the original image, said each of the lines also existing in the matrix of the pixels of the converted image, is defined as an original line, each of lines of the pixels for interpolating the matrix of the pixels of the original image in correspondence with the original line is defined as an interpolate line, and a processing for one pixel according to the error diffusion method is defined as a unit processing, the image processing apparatus comprising: a first unit-processing executing portion which executes the unit processing for a first target pixel existing on a subject line as one original line and made as a target for a current unit processing and which directly obtains a converted pixel value and an error value of the first target pixel, based on an original pixel value of the first target pixel; a second unit-processing executing portion which sets the original pixel value of a processing-undergone first target pixel that has been made as the first target pixel in one unit processing executed by the first unit-processing executing portion, as an original pixel value of a second target pixel that is correlated, on the interpolate line corresponding to the subject line, with the first target pixel, the second unit-processing executing portion executing, while utilizing the error value of the first target pixel directly obtained by the first unit-processing executing portion, the unit processing for the second target pixel based on the original pixel value of the second target pixel and directly obtaining the converted pixel value of the second target pixel; and a controller which controls the first unit-processing executing portion and the second unit-processing executing portion, wherein the controller controls the first unit-processing executing portion and the second unit-processing executing portion so as to repeat a line processing, so that the image processing apparatus obtains the image data of the converted image which has a greater number of lines of pixels than the image data of the original image, from the image data of the original image, and wherein the controller repeats controlling of the first unit-processing executing portion and the second unit-processing executing portion such that the line processing is executed by repeating a set of the unit processing for the subject line by the first unit-processing executing portion and the unit processing for the interpolate line by the second unit-processing executing portion while sequentially shifting forward the first target pixel and the second target pixel in the line direction, and further repeats controlling of the first unit-processing executing portion and the second unit-processing executing portion such that the line processing is repeated while shifting the subject line.