Patent ID: 8872892

Claim:
An image processing apparatus for processing a right viewpoint image and a left viewpoint image, or multi-viewpoint images, with parallax, comprising: a monitor configured to display an image based on the right viewpoint image and left viewpoint image, or multi-viewpoint images, with the displayed image being used by a user for specifying an indispensable output area which the user wants to be included in a 3D image synthesized by merging the right viewpoint image and left viewpoint image, or multi-viewpoint images, together, and outputted; operating buttons configured to input information on the indispensable output area as specified by the user referring to the image as displayed on the monitor; a control processor configured to cause the indispensable output area to be indicated in the image as displayed on the monitor; an output processor configured to output the right viewpoint image and left viewpoint image, or multi-viewpoint images, and information on the indispensable output area; a parallax map generation processor configured to generate a parallax map as a visualization of parallaxes between corresponding pixels of said right viewpoint image and left viewpoint image, or two images out of said multi-viewpoint images; and a human figure detection processor configured to detect a person contained in the image as displayed on said monitor, wherein said monitor is adapted to display the parallax map as the image used for specifying said indispensable output area in pseudocolor or gray scale in accordance with the parallaxes, wherein said control processor is adapted to cause an area out of mergence to be indicated in the image as displayed on said monitor, with the area out of mergence being unable to be included in said 3D image outputted, and being defined in accordance with an amount of parallax between said right viewpoint image and left viewpoint image, or two images out of said multi-viewpoint images, when the 3D image is synthesized by merging the right viewpoint image and left viewpoint image, or multi-viewpoint images, together, and wherein said control processor is adapted to define said area out of mergence so that the person as detected by the human figure detection processor may not be contained in the area out of mergence.