Patent ID: 8175417

Claim:
A pixel interpolation apparatus for converting an image to a predetermined resolution, the apparatus comprising: a first interpolating part configured to calculate a first interpolation pixel value by performing high order interpolation using pixel values of a plurality of first reference pixels and a distance between the plural first reference pixels and a first interpolation pixel; a second interpolating part configured to calculate a second interpolation pixel value by performing weighted interpolation using pixel values of a plurality of second reference pixels, an edge gradient of the second reference pixels, and the distance between the second reference pixels and a second interpolation pixel, wherein the second interpolating part is configured to increase a weight of one of the plurality of second reference pixels in which the distance with respect to the second interpolation pixel is shorter than the other plurality of second reference pixels and increase the weight of one of the plurality of second reference pixels in which the absolute value of the edge gradient is less than the other plurality second reference pixels; an overshoot area detecting part configured to detect an overshoot area in the image, wherein the overshoot area detecting part is configured to determine an area of the image as the overshoot area in a case where at least one of the first and second reference pixels neighboring the first and second interpolation pixels, respectively, has an edge strength no less than a redetermined threshold; a jaggy area detecting part configured to detect a jaggy area in the image, wherein the jaggy area detecting part is configured to determine an area of the image as the jaggy area in a case where the edge gradients of the first and second reference pixels neighboring the first and second interpolation pixels, respectively, have a same sign and at least one of the edge gradients has an absolute value no less than a redetermined threshold; and an interpolation pixel selecting part configured to determine whether to perform the high order interpolation or the weighted interpolation according to detection results of the overshoot area detecting part and the jaggy area detecting part.