Patent ID: 8305427

Claim:
An image processor for executing an image processing of image data picked up by image pickup means, comprising: filter process means for filtering the image data with a plurality of spatial filters; brightness calculation means for calculating a brightness in a local area of the image data; weighting means for weighting an output of the filter process means in accordance with an output of the filter process means and/or an output of the brightness calculation means; and inverse filter process means for executing an inverse filtering with respect to an output of the weighting means to generate process image data wherein when the output of the filter process means is larger than a first predetermined value, the weighting means uses a first predetermined weighting coefficient irrespective of the output of the filter process means, and when the output of the filter process means is smaller than the first predetermined value, the weighting means changes the weighting coefficient to a further smaller value in accordance with the output of the filter process means; when the output of the filter process means is smaller than a second predetermined value, the weighting means uses a second predetermined weighting coefficient in reference to the output of the filter process means in order to set the weighting coefficient to a level for effectively eliminating a noise contained in the output of the filter process means; and the first and second predetermined values are changed in accordance with an output of the brightness calculation means.