Patent ID: 8170364

Claim:
An image processing apparatus comprising: an obtaining unit for obtaining image data formed by signal of a plurality of pixels expressing a color image; a scene discrimination unit for discriminating a photographic scene from the image data; a gradation correction method decision unit for determining a gradation correction method based on a result of discriminating a photographic scene; a first gradation correction amount decision unit for determining a first gradation correction amount based on a result of discriminating a photographic scene; a face detection unit for detecting a face area in an image of the image data and calculating a face detection reliability; a second gradation correction amount decision unit for determining a second gradation correction amount based on an average luminance of the face area detected by the face detection unit; a third gradation correction amount decision unit for weighted averaging the first gradation correction amount and the second gradation correction amount based on the face detection reliability, and determining a third gradation correction amount; and a gradation correction processing unit for applying a gradation correction process to the image data by using the third gradation correction amount and the gradation method, wherein the scene discrimination unit comprises: a first occupancy rate calculation unit for dividing the image data into areas specified by combinations of predetermined brightness and hue, and calculating the first occupancy rate expressing a rate of the divided area against entire image data for the each divided area; a first index calculation unit for calculating a first and a second indexes by multiplying predetermined first and second coefficients, which are different each other and set in advance, to the first occupancy rate; a second occupancy calculation unit for dividing the image data into predetermined areas specified by combinations of predetermined distances from an external edge of a screen and brightness of the image data, and calculating second occupancy rates expressing the occupancy ratios of the predetermined areas against the entire image data for respective divided areas; a second index calculation unit for calculating a third index by multiplying a predetermined third coefficient to the second occupancy rate; a third index calculation unit for calculating a fourth index by multiplying a predetermined fourth coefficient at least to an average luminance of skin color in a center portion of a screen of the image data; and a discrimination unit for discriminating a photographic scene of the image data based on the first, second, third and fourth indexes, which have been calculated.