Patent ID: 7729556

Claim:
A method for improving image quality, the method comprising: performing a de-blocking process on a pixel; and performing an edge enhancement process on the de-blocked pixel, wherein performing the edge enhancement process on the pixel comprises: calculating an edge strength of the pixel, wherein the edge strength of the pixel is calculated according to the formula y 5 ″=1/8*[4*y 5 ′−(y 1 +y 3 +y 7 +y 9 )], where y 5 ″ represents the edge strength of the pixel, y 5 ′ represents the de-blocked pixel after the de-blocking process is performed on pixel y 5 , and y 1 , y 3 , y 7 , and y 9 represent corner pixels in a 3×3 matrix of pixels having pixel y 5 as a center pixel; converting the edge strength of the pixel into an edge value of the pixel; checking if the pixel is at a block boundary, and setting an edge enhancement gain of the pixel according to conditions corresponding to the block boundary; and performing the edge enhancement process on the pixel according to a pixel value of the pixel, the edge enhancement gain of the pixel, and the edge value of the pixel, wherein the edge enhancement process is performed according to the formula y_enh=y 5 ′+y_edge*R_gain, wherein y_enh represents the result of the enhancement process, y_edge represents the edge value of the pixel, and R_gain represents the edge enhancement gain of the pixel.