Patent Document ID: 6125215
Application ID: 09299231
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. An image processing method for providing a processed image signal Dproc from an original image signal Dorg, comprising the steps of: i) carrying out a morphology operation on said original image signal Dorg, which represents an image, by using a multiply structure element Bi and a scale factor .lambda., a morphology signal Dmor being thereby obtained, said morphology signal Dmor representing, for each of said picture elements, whether said each picture element corresponds to an image portion at which said original image signal Dorg fluctuates in a spatially narrower range than said multiply structure element Bi; ii) calculating an unsharp mask signal Dus, which corresponds to super-low frequency, from said original image signal Dorg; iii) subtracting from said original image signal Dorg the super-low frequency components Dus thereof to provide a difference signal (Dorg-Dus) representing comparatively high frequency components; iv) emphasizing ones of said picture elements corresponding to said image portion by emphasizing said comparatively high frequency components with an emphasis coefficient .beta.(Dmor), wherein said emphasis coefficient .beta.(Dmor) is based on said morphology signal Dmor, and wherein said emphasis coefficient .beta.(Dmor) has: for ones of said picture elements not corresponding to said image portion, a respective de-emphasizing value, and for ones of said picture elements corresponding to said image portion, a respective emphasizing value; and v) performing the subtracting and emphasizing steps with respect to said original image signal and said processed image signal according to Formula (9) EQU Dproc=Dorg+.beta.(Dmor).times.f(Dorg-Dus) (9). 2.