Patent ID: 8509481

Claim:
An image processing apparatus comprising: a motion vector detecting unit configured to detect, for each field image of a video signal, a motion vector in each of a plurality of vector detection areas within the field image; a group area determining unit configured to determine, for each field image, one or more group areas obtained by grouping the motion vector detection areas based on motion vectors detected by the motion vector detecting unit; a geometric center calculation unit configured to obtain, for each group area, the geometric center of the group area; a dispersion calculation unit configured to calculate a difference in dispersion values of coordinates of the group areas in fields that are consecutive in terms of time; and a determination unit configured to determine group areas that correspond to each other in fields that are in consecutive relation in terms of time by comparing the geometric centers of the group areas obtained for each field image in consecutive relation, wherein the determination unit determines, if a difference between geometric centers of the group areas is smaller than a predetermined value, the group areas that correspond to each other in fields that are in consecutive relation in terms of time by determining the smallest difference in dispersion values of the group areas obtained for each field in consecutive relation.