Patent Document ID: 20070172145
Application ID: 11340913
Patent Status: 0

Claim One:
1. A method of adjusting the contrast of an image formed of pixels in which each pixel has an initial brightness level that is within a range of brightness levels between a minimum brightness level and a maximum brightness level, the method comprising, for at least some of the pixels in the image: for each of the brightness levels within said range, counting the number of said pixels that have the same initial brightness level; dividing said pixels into at least two types by identifying the or each set of pixels having initial brightness levels in which each of a plurality of adjacent ones of said brightness levels has more pixels than a. threshold number, the pixels of said plurality of adjacent ones of said brightness levels being a first type, the remaining pixels being a second type; and, separately for the or each set of pixels of the first type, performing contrast enhancement on the pixels that make up the set.