Patent ID: 8156169

Claim:
A signal processing circuit for converting an input signal into a converted value within a predetermined variable range according to a predetermined conversion characteristic, the signal processing circuit comprising: a dividing unit that divides the variable range of the input signal into a plurality of ranges; a first counter unit that counts the number of times of inputting the input signal having any one of values from p to m, where the value m is a maximum value of values of input signals which are subject to the signal processing circuit and the value p is a value smaller than the value m and not a minimum value of the input signal, within a predetermined period; a second counter unit that counts the number of times of inputting the input signal having any one of values from the minimum value of values of input signals which are subject to the signal processing circuit to a value r within the predetermined period; a first specifying unit that specifies the conversion characteristic corresponding to input signals within a range of value p to value m; a second specifying unit that specifies the conversion characteristic corresponding to input signals within a range of the minimum value of values of input signals which are subject to the signal processing circuit to value r; an intermediate-range unit that specifies the conversion characteristic corresponding to input signals having the values r to p; a converting unit that converts the input signals by using the specified conversion characteristics; and an interpolation unit; wherein the first specifying unit comprises: an operation unit that calculates a first value obtained by subtracting a count value of the first counter unit, from a value obtained by multiplying a maximum value within the variable range of the converted value or a value near the maximum value by a predetermined number; and a first division unit that calculates a second value that indicates a value obtained by dividing the first value by the predetermined number; wherein the interpolation unit specifies the conversion characteristic corresponding to input signals having the values p to m by an interpolated value obtained by performing an interpolation using at least the second value and the maximum value within the variable range of the converted value or the value near the maximum value as interpolation source data; and wherein the second specifying unit comprises: a second division unit that calculates a third value that indicates a value obtained by dividing a count value of the second counter unit by the predetermined number; wherein the interpolation unit specifies the conversion characteristic corresponding to input signals having the minimum value of values of input signals that are subject to the signal processing circuit to the value r by an interpolated value obtained by performing an interpolation using at least the third value and a minimum value within the variable range of the converted value or a value near the minimum value as the interpolation source data.