Patent Document ID: 20110069901
Application ID: 12766722
Patent Status: 0

Claim One:
1. An image processing apparatus comprising: an ε filter configured to compare a difference between a pixel value of a target pixel to be processed and a pixel value of a surrounding pixel neighboring the target pixel in each pixel block of an input image with a predetermined threshold and, when the difference exceeds the predetermined threshold, perform replacement of the pixel value of the surrounding pixel, wherein the predetermined threshold comprises at least two different thresholds including a first threshold and a second threshold larger than the first threshold, and when the difference is less than the first threshold, the ε filter leaves the pixel value of the surrounding pixel without the replacement, when the difference exceeds the first threshold and is less than the second threshold, the ε filter replaces the pixel value of the surrounding pixel with an average of pixel values of the target pixel and the surrounding pixel, and when the difference exceeds the second threshold, the ε filter replaces the pixel value of the surrounding pixel with the pixel value of the target pixel.